A student is writing a report for class. The student wants to revise the draft to improve the development of ideas. Read the draft from the report and complete the task that follows.
A drought occurs when an area becomes too dry, usually as a result of too little precipitation. However, human activity can lead to water shortages too. For example, when people cut down too many trees, the soil can’t absorb water, making land more desertlike. Man-made dams may also hold back river water that is needed downstream. These factors show that we don’t simply need to wait for rain to reduce drought conditions.The report needs more supporting information. Choose the sentence that gives the best information to be added after the underlined sentence to support the central idea of the report.
A.
Changes in wind patterns affect how clouds and moisture move, leaving some places without their usual amounts of snow or rain.
B.
For example, you have probably seen drought conditions causing cracks in soil, a lot of dust in the air, or even dust storms when there is a lot of wind.
C.
In the United States, the Southwest has experienced droughts that last for more than a decade, and California is currently in the midst of a drought.
D
.
In some areas, people have allowed animals to overgraze on soil, reducing the plant life needed to soak up moisture.
B. For example, you have probably seen drought conditions causing cracks in soil, a lot of dust in the air, or even dust storms when there is a lot of wind.
A student is writing a research report about organic food. The student found a source. Read the source and choose the underlined claim that the author makes that is not supported by credible, or trustworthy, evidence.
Organic food is healthier for human consumption than inorganic foods for several reasons.
First, organic food is cleaner. To be certified as organic, a farm must meet very strict governmental guidelines. According to the national government Food Inspection Agency, organic food cannot be grown using any synthetic fertilizers or chemicals. This makes it cleaner than non–organic food because food grown with synthetic fertilizers or chemicals may still contain these chemicals when eaten.
Second, organic meat is raised in a more humane way than other meat. To be certified as organic, animals cannot be given any food with artificial hormones. Also, according to research studies performed on organic farms, only farms that allow their animals to roam free in the same lifestyle they would have if they were free animals can claim to be organic.
Third, organic food tastes better. It is fresher and, since it does not come from questionable farms, it does not have the same bitter, metallic taste that some food can have when it comes from non–organic farms.
Fourth, eating organic food can make people live longer. Clean eating is so good for the body that it can literally make people live longer lives. Organic food is part of clean eating. Blogs all over the country rave about clean eating, and all of them insist that organic food is the way to go.
Clearly, eating organic food is much better than eating any other kind of food.
A.
First, organic food is cleaner.
B.
This makes it cleaner than non–organic food because food grown with synthetic fertilizers or chemicals may still contain these chemicals when eaten.
C
.
Second, organic meat is raised in a more humane way than other meat.
D
.
Third, organic food tastes better.
D. Third, organic food tastes better.
In the text "Running Water, Please" the author explains
A.
the availability, purification, and plumbing of running water in the past hundreds of years.
B.
that asking for running water is a joke and will make people laugh.
C.
drinking water is a worry–free activity today.
D
.
that the word plumbing comes from the Latin word for lead
A. the availability, purification, and plumbing of running water in the past hundreds of years.
Which statement made by the author is least supported by evidence provided in the text?
A.
The human body is complex.
B.
Like humans, robots have a body, muscular and sensory systems, and a brain.
C.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sends robots into terrain that the human body cannot tolerate.
D
.
Eventually, robots may even perform surgery!