Beard Superiority

Unlike most others who follow along with popular trends, I am able to truly see that the beard is superior to the mustache. First, you have so much more hair and space to work with when styling a beard than you do with a mustache. You can trim and cut a beard into so many styles, the Muttonchop, the Goatee, the Stubble, the Chin Strap. You can even add things to your beard, braids, beads, glitter, and color- the possibilities of what you can add to a beard are endless. There are even professional competitions that surround the stylish nature of beards.

Which of the following can be inferred from the evidence given in the passage?

 

On February 2 of each year, the United States observes the unusual holiday Groundhog Day, a day of hope that winter is over and spring is beginning. The tradition has been officially observed in the US since the 1800s and is believed to have developed from European folk traditions in which a bear, fox, badger, or even hedgehog would serve as the symbolic metrologist. Although other cultures and towns observe Groundhog Day (or something similar) the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania takes special pride in being home to the one true forecasting, the groundhog, Punxsutawney Grounding Club to perpetuate the joyful rituals and events surrounding Groundhog Day. Over the years, these rituals and events have come to include a scavenger hunt, a talent show, and a ball.

Legend has it that on Groundhog Day the official weather-forecasting groundhog awakens from hibernation and comes out of his burrow to look for his shadow. If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter are to come and Punxsutawney Phil goes back to bed. However, if he does not see his shadow, Punxsutawney Phil takes this as a sign that spring has arrived and he remains above ground. Of course, common sense tells us that February 2 is too early for spring to begin and that while animals may be attuned to various elements of nature from which humans might learn, they are unlikely to act on their instincts based on a schedule set by the Gregorian calendar. Nevertheless, a visit to Pennsylvania to the Punxsutawney Phil and all the fun inspires each year might provide the loath of hope needed to reach the end of winter.

Which of the following evidence from the passage supports the inference that Grounding Day is an entertaining tradition?

Letter from the chair of Elkinsiville Society

Many of you have heard about the proposed northward expansion of the Interstate, which currently ends just south of Elkinsiville. In the recent debate over how it this work go forward, the focus has been on weighing economic costs and benefits. Indeed, many local politicians claim to favor the project because it will bring jobs in the short term and more visitors to Elkinsiville in the long term. These politicians also argue that the proposed plan is the least environmentally damaging way to expand the highway farther upstate. This cannot be true, however, since the proposed expansion involves not just the widening of existing roads, but also the construction of more than a dozen miles of new-terrain highway.

Which of the following statement can be supported by evidence from the passage?

Tommy pulled off his boots, carefully using the brush he kept on the porch to clean the mud off of them. When he came inside, he followed his daily ritual of climbing the stairs to the laundry room and carefully removing his coveralls. As he did every day, he changed into the clean white T-shirt and lounge pants that he’d left sitting next to the washing machine.

Based on the passage, which of the following words describes Tommy?

Peanut Butter Cookies

Grandma Harry 30 minutes         Cookies/Desserts        Makes 1 dozen 

1 egg white

¾ cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup flour

Beat egg white until foamy. Stir in sugar, and beat again until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in peanut butter and vanilla. Add flour in small increments until dough forms. Chill dough for at least 2 hours. Roll into balls, roll in sugar, press down with a fork, and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet. These are very fragile.

Which of the following statements about the passage is true?

What is all this talk of cicadas lately in the United States? You might be wondering why the media has featured it, but in fact, the discussion about cicadas has emerged about as predictably as the cicadas themselves from their underground refuge. Let's get oriented with some background on cicadas.

What is a cicada? A typical definition will at least tell you that the cicada is large, loud insect with long transparent wings and it is mostly found in warm countries. A more detailed response might also inform you that cicadas have short antennae and wide-set eyes that jut out. With delicate, translucent wings — and that not only are the cicadas loud, but few creatures make a louder sound. In fact, it is the male cicadas that are the noisy ones to the tune of 80 to 100 decibels, with sound like the roar of a loud engine. This is because male cicadas make a strident, high buzzing sound by vibrating two membranes on the abdomen called tymbals, effectively turning its body into a kind of echo chamber or drum. Female cicadas cannot replicate the buzzing, though they respond with a clicking sound when they are ready to mate.

Although there are several species of cicada, mating typically takes place in trees wherever the female deposits the eggs into the bank. When the eggs hatch, the larval cicadas, called nymphs, drop to the ground and burrow. They then live as nymphs for most of their lives over 6 feet underground with both male and female cicadas dying within weeks of their emergence from the soil. This is particularly true for North American cicadas especially the mogucicada.  

Which of the following events happens first after the male cicada calls to the female cicada, according to the passage?

On February 2 of each year, the United States observes the unusual holiday Groundhog Day, a day of hope that winter is over and spring is beginning. The tradition has been officially observed in the US since the 1800s and is believed to have developed from European folk traditions in which a bear, fox, badger, or even hedgehog would serve as the symbolic metrologist. Although other cultures and towns observe Groundhog Day (or something similar) the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania takes special pride in being home to the one true forecasting, the groundhog, Punxsutawney Grounding Club to perpetuate the joyful rituals and events surrounding Groundhog Day. Over the years, these rituals and events have come to include a scavenger hunt, a talent show, and a ball.

Legend has it that on Groundhog Day the official weather-forecasting groundhog awakens from hibernation and comes out of his burrow to look for his shadow. If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter are to come and Punxsutawney Phil goes back to bed. However, if he does not see his shadow, Punxsutawney Phil takes this as a sign that spring has arrived and he remains above ground. Of course, common sense tells us that February 2 is too early for spring to begin and that while animals may be attuned to various elements of nature from which humans might learn, they are unlikely to act on their instincts based on a schedule set by the Gregorian calendar. Nevertheless, a visit to Pennsylvania to the Punxsutawney Phil and all the fun inspires each year might provide the loath of hope needed to reach the end of winter.

Which of the following pairs of search terms entered into a search engine with the phrase “Groundhog Day” is likely to produce information about the origin of Grounding Day?

Dear Aunt Suzanne,

I have a few minutes before I get on the bus from Galway back to Dublin and wanted to tell you how my class trip to Ireland is going. We just spent 2 days on inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, which are just off the central west coast of Ireland. We took a ferry from Galway, a ride that takes about an hour and was quite gray and stormy.

For an island that is only about 12 square miles, there is a lot to do and see on this Mor! After eating steak and vegetable stew and brown bread with butter, we went to the sweater market, where all kinds of woolen products are sold. The Aran Islands are known for their wool because sheep thrive here and generations have used woolen sweaters and hats to survive long cold days of fishing on the open sea. In fact, I learned that each family or clan has its own signature knitting pattern and some are able to tell which family someone belongs to by the pattern of their sweater! The healthy pattern is an interesting combination of twists and braids and I found you a birthday souvenir with a beautiful example.

The next day, we rented bicycles and toured the island. We saw ancient rums, a prehistoric hill fort, and a white sand beach. We climbed down to a mysterious rock formation known as the “wormhole,” a rectangular hole in a stone shore that fills with thrashing waves ad looks like houses of a terrible serpent. The wormhole will be difficult to find, and when we stopped someone for directions, she only spoke Galect. Sometimes this island seems stuck in an earlier fame.

Which of the following words used the passage indicates Eva’s opinion?

Dear Aunt Suzanne,

I have a few minutes before I get on the bus from Galway back to Dublin and wanted to tell you how my class trip to Ireland is going. We just spent 2 days on inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, which are just off the central west coast of Ireland. We took a ferry from Galway, a ride that takes about an hour and was quite gray and stormy.

For an island that is only about 12 square miles, there is a lot to do and see on this Mor! After eating steak and vegetable stew and brown bread with butter, we went to the sweater market, where all kinds of woolen products are sold. The Aran Islands are known for their wool because sheep thrive here and generations have used woolen sweaters and hats to survive long cold days of fishing on the open sea. In fact, I learned that each family or clan has its own signature knitting pattern and some are able to tell which family someone belongs to by the pattern of their sweater! The healthy pattern is an interesting combination of twists and braids and I found you a birthday souvenir with a beautiful example.

The next day, we rented bicycles and toured the island. We saw ancient rums, a prehistoric hill fort, and a white sand beach. We climbed down to a mysterious rock formation known as the “wormhole,” a rectangular hole in a stone shore that fills with thrashing waves ad looks like houses of a terrible serpent. The wormhole will be difficult to find, and when we stopped someone for directions, she only spoke Galect. Sometimes this island seems stuck in an earlier fame.

According to the passage, which of the following events happens last?

“The Santa Barbara journal.” Exciting news today from Vandenberg Space Fore Base as it has ended its Delta IV Heavy rocket program to make way for the new Atlas V program. Riddled with difficulties, Delta IV Heavy saw only moderator success throughout its 21-year history. Developed on the heels of the last tragic Space Shuttle flight expectations for Delta IV Heavy far exceeded its reality. Future hopes now lie with the Atlas V program developed by the Lockheed Martin.

A social media post: @ggh723 The space program is an outdated use of taxpayer funds. We have enough problems on earth to worry about what’s happening in the universe.

Which of the following is evidence that supports the claim in the social media post?

Dear Aunt Suzanne,

I have a few minutes before I get on the bus from Galway back to Dublin and wanted to tell you how my class trip to Ireland is going. We just spent 2 days on Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, which are just off the central west coast of Ireland. We took a ferry from Galway, a ride that takes about an hour and was quite gray and stormy.

For an island that is only about 12 square miles, there is a lot to do and see on this Mor! After eating steak and vegetable stew and brown bread with butter, we went to the sweater market, where all kinds of woolen products are sold. The Aran Islands are known for their wool because sheep thrive here and generations have used woolen sweaters and hats to survive long cold days of fishing on the open sea. In fact, I learned that each family or clan has its own signature knitting pattern and some are able to tell which family someone belongs to by the pattern of their sweater! The healthy pattern is an interesting combination of twists and braids and I found you a birthday souvenir with a beautiful example.

The next day, we rented bicycles and toured the island. We saw ancient rums, a prehistoric hill fort, and a white sand beach. We climbed down to a mysterious rock formation known as the “wormhole,” a rectangular hole in a stone shore that fills with thrashing waves and looks like houses of a terrible serpent. The wormhole will be difficult to find, and when we stopped someone for directions, she only spoke Galect. Sometimes this island seems stuck in an earlier fame.

Which of the following additional sources would have a comparable theme to the passage?