The Bermuda Triangle

The area known as the Bermuda Triangle has become such a part of popular culture that it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. The interest first began when five Navy planes vanished in 1945, officially resulting from "causes or reasons unknown." The explanations about other accidents in the Triangle range from the scientific to the supernatural. Researchers have never been able to find anything truly mysterious about what happens in the Bermuda Triangle, if there even is a Bermuda Triangle. What is more one of the biggest challenges in considering the phenomenon is deciding how much area actually represents the Bermuda Triangle. Most consider the Triangle to stretch from Miami out to Puerto Rico and to include the island of Bermuda. Others expand the area to include all of the Caribbean islands and to extend eastward as far as the Azores, which are closer to Europe than they are to North America.

The problem with having a larger Bermuda Triangle is it increase the odds of accidents. There is near-constant travel, by ship and plane, across the Atlantic, and accidents are expected to occur. In fact, the Bermuda Triangle happens to fall within one of the busiest navigational regions in the world, and the reality of greater activity creates the possibility for more to go wrong. Shipping records suggest that there is not a greater than average loss of vessels within the Bermuda Triangle, and many researchers have argued that the reputation of the Triangle makes any accident seem out of the ordinary. In fact, most accidents fall within the expected margin of error. The increase in ships from East Asia no doubt contributes to an increase in accidents. And as for the story of the Navy planes that disappeared within the Triangle, many researchers now conclude that it was the result of mistakes on the part of the pilot who were flying into storm clouds and simply got lost.

Which of the following sentences is most representative of a summary sentence for this passage?

In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I of England died. She had never married and had no heir, so the throne passed to a distant relative: James Stuart, the son of Elizabeth's cousin and one time rival for the throne, Mary, Queen of Scotts, James was crowded King James VI of Scotland, and the combination of roles would create a spirit of conflict that hunted the two nations for generations to come.

The conflict developed as a result of rising tensions among the people within the nations, as well as between them. Scholars in the 21st century area far too hasty to dismissing the role of religion in political disputes, but religion undoubtedly played a role in the problems that faced England and Scotland. By the time of James Stuart's succession to the English people had firmly embrace the teachings of Protestant theology. Similarly, The Scottish Lowlands was decisively Protestant. In the Scottish Highlands, however, the clans retained their Catholic fate. James acknowledged the Church of England and still sanctioned the largely Protestant translation of the Bible that still bears his name

James's son King Charles I proved himself to be less committed to the Protestant Church of England. Charles married the Catholic Princess Henrietta Maria of France, and there were suspicious among the English and the Lowland Scots that Charles was quietly a Catholic. Charles's own political troubles extended beyond religion in this case, and he was beheaded in 1649. Eventually, his son King Charles's II would be crowded, and this Charles believed to have converted secretly to the Catholic Church, Charles II died without a legitimate heir, and his brother James ascended to the throne as King James II.

James was recognized to be a practicing Catholic, and his commitment to Catholicism would prove to be his downfall. James's wife Mary Beatrice lost number of children during their infancy, and when she became pregnant again in 1687 the public became concerned, if James had a son, that son would undoubtedly be raised a Catholic, and the English people would not stand for this. Mary gave birth to a son, but the story quickly circulated that the royal child had died and the child named James's heir was a founding smuggled in .James, his wife, and his infant son were forced to flee; and James's Protestant daughter Mary was crowned the queen.

In spite of a strong resemblance to the King, the young James was generally rejected among the English and the Lowland Scots, who referred to him as the "the Pretender."

But in the Highlands the Catholic princeling was welcome. He inspire a group known as Jacoties, to reflect the Latin version of his name. His own son Charles, known affectionately as Bonnie Prince Charlie, would eventually raise an army and attempt to recapture what believed to be his throne. The movement was soundly defeated at the Battle of Culloden in 1746; and England and Scotland have remained ostensibly Protestant ever since.

Based on the information that is provided within the passage, which of the following can be inferred about King James II's son?

The day began when my watch beeped at 4:30 a.m. The alarm was supposed to sound at 7:30, but I had forgotten to change the time back to my time zone after my last business trip in Boston. It was a struggle to stay awake for everything I needed to get done. First, I groggily showered, washed my hair, and blow dried it. Then, I kept yawning while I got dressed, but before I got dressed I had to iron my silky blouse. Next, I finally got to have my hot coffee while I styled my hair and put on my makeup. Finally, I was wide awake and at my bus stop ten minutes early so I could arrive at my audition on time.

Which of the following inferences can the reader logically make after reading this passage?

The roots of aviation are firmly based on curiosity. Where would we be today had it not been for the dreams of Leonardo da Vinci, the Wright Brothers, and Igor Sikorsky? They all were infatuated with flight, a curiosity that led to the origins of aviation. The development of aviation is a story of human imagination, innovation, and perseverance. But it is also a story of many setbacks, fatalities, and lessons learned. Today, we continue to learn and investigate the limits of aviation. We've been to the moon, and soon beyond. Our curiosity will continue to drive us to search for the next challenge. However, curiosity can also have catastrophic consequences. Despite over 100 years of aviation practice, we still see accidents that are caused by impaired judgment formed from curious behavior. New pilots commonly seek to determine the limits of their ability as well as the limits of the aircraft. Unfortunately, too often this leads to mishaps with deadly results. Inquisitive behavior must be harnessed and displayed within personal and material limits. Deadly curiosity may not seem as obvious to some as it is to others. Simple thoughts such as, "Is visibility really as bad as what the ATIS is reporting?" or "Does the 20-minute fuel light really indicate only 20 minutes' worth of fuel?" can lead to poor decisions and disastrous outcomes. Some aviators blatantly violate rules and aircraft limitations without thinking through the consequences. "What indications and change in flight characteristics will I see if I fly this helicopter above its maximum gross weight?" or "I've heard this helicopter can do aerobatic flight. Why is it prohibited?" are examples of extremely harmful curiosity. Even more astounding is some pilots ignoring the fact that the damage potentially done to the aircraft will probably manifest later in the aircraft's life, affecting other crews. Spontaneous excursions in aviation can be deadly. Curiosity is natural and promotes learning. Airmen should abide by established procedures until proper and complete hazard assessment and risk management can be completed.

Which of these statements most closely matches the theme of this passage?

The day began when my watch beeped at 4:30 a.m. The alarm was supposed to sound at 7:30, but I had forgotten to change the time back to my time zone after my last business trip in Boston. It was a struggle to stay awake for everything I needed to get done. First, I groggily showered, washed my hair, and blow dried it. Then, I kept yawning while I got dressed, but before I got dressed I had to iron my silky blouse. Next, I finally got to have my hot coffee while I styled my hair and put on my makeup. Finally, I was wide awake and at my bus stop ten minutes early so I could arrive at my audition on time.

Which of the following logical conclusions can be made about the protagonist in this passage?

In 1907, Edith Cavell, a British nurse, was appointed head nurse of the Berkendael Medical Institute in Belgium. In 1914, at the start of World War I and the German occupation of Belgium, Cavell joined the Red Cross to support the nursing effort. The Berkendael Institute was converted into a hospital for wounded soldiers of all nationalities. During this time, Cavell helped soldiers treated there to escape to neutral Holland. In 1915, she was arrested by local German authorities for abetting the escape of 200 soldiers and was sentenced to death. Cavell's case received significant press coverage around the world, especially in Britain and the United States. In the weeks after her death, the number of men enlisting to serve in World War I greatly increased.

Which of the following context clues allows the reader to infer the meaning of the word "abetting" as used in the paragraph?

Among the first females awarded a degree from Oxford University, Dorothy L. Sayers proved to be one of the most versatile writers in post-war England. Sayers was born in 1893, the only child of an Anglican chaplain, and she received an unexpectedly good education at home. For instance, her study of Latin commenced when she was only six years old. She entered Oxford in 1912, at a time when the university was not granting degrees to women. By 1920, this policy had changed, and Sayers received her degree in medieval literature and modern languages after finishing university. That same year, she also received a master of arts degree.

Sayers's first foray into published writing was a collection of poetry released in 1916. Within a few years, she began work on the detective novels and short stories that would make her famous, due to the creation of the foppish, mystery-solving aristocrat Lord Peter Wimsey. Sayers also wrote short story mysteries about the character Montague Egg. In spite of her success as a mystery writer, Sayers continued to balance popular fiction with academic work; her translation of Dante's Inferno gained her respect for her ability to convey the poetry in English while still remaining true to the Italian terza rima. She also composed a series of twelve plays about the life of Christ, and wrote several essays about education and feminism. In her middle age, Dorothy L. Sayers published several works of Christian apologetics, one of which was so well- received that the archbishop of Canterbury attempted to present her with a doctorate of divinity. Sayers, for reasons known only to her, declined.

Which of the following sentences contains an opinion statement by the author?

Car Owner's Manual: Table of Contents:

Chapter I: Vehicle Instruments

Chapter II: Safety Options

Chapter III: Audio, Climate, and Voice Controls

Chapter IV: Pre-Driving and Driving Chapter V: Routine Maintenance

Chapter VI: Emergencies

Chapter VII: Consumer Resources

To which chapter should Regina turn if she needs to find out what to do if the car begins overheating?

Harriet Tubman was a runaway slave from Maryland who became known as the "Moses of her people." Over the course of 10 years, and at great personal risk, she led hundreds of slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad, a secret network of safe houses where runaway slaves could stayeir journey north to freedom She later became a leader in the abolitionist movement, and during the Civil War she was a spy for the federal forces in South Carolina as well as a nurse

Harriet Tubman's name at birth was Araminte Ross. She was one of 11 children of Harriet and Benjamin Ross born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland. As a child, Ross was "hired out" by her master as a nursemaid for a small baby Ross had to stay awake all night so that the baby wouldn't cry and wake the mother. If Ross fell asleep, the baby's mother whipped her. From a very young age, Ross was determined to gain her freedom.

As a slave, Araminta Ross was scarred for life when she refused to help in the punishment of another young slave. A young man had gone to the store without permission, and when he returned, the overseer wanted to whip him. He asked Ross to help but she refused. When the young man started to run away, the overseer picked up a heavy iron weight and threw it at him. He missed the young man and hit Ross instead. The weight nearly crushed her skull and left a deep scar. She was unconscious for days, and suffered from seizures for the rest of her life.

In 1844, Ross married a free black named Jahe Tubman and took his last name. She also changed her first name, taking her mother's name, Harriet, in 1849, worried that she and the other slaves on the plantation were going to be soid, Tubman decided to run away. Her husband refused to go with her, so she set out with her two brothers, and followed the North Star in the sky to guide her north to freedom Her brothers became frightened and turned back, but she continued on and reached Philadelphia. There she found work as a household servent and saved her money so she could return to help others escape.

The author of the passage describes Harriet Tubman's life as a slave to show.

The following is an excerpt from a letter written by a woman in the 1930s in the Midwest to her relatives on the East Coast about the Dust Bowl:The dust has been mighty fierce. We have to keep the doors and windows shut tight, but the dirt gets right on through. When we open the door to that whirling dust, we are glad enough to run back inside with the soot all covering everything. We have to eat quick before the dirt settles on our food. You can't even see the lights in the house if you're outside it. One morning, so restless of the inside for days, I took a walk, and when I turned back I couldn't see the house. I knew the direction, so I kept on, and was close before I could see its outline. It sure made me feel lonely.

What information could someone writing a research paper about the Dust Bowl find in this letter?

The next three questions are based on the following passage

NOTE: The instructor of a history class has just finished grading the essay exams from his students, and the results are not good. The essay exam was worth 70% of the final course score. The highest score in the class was a low B, and more than half of the class of 65 students failed the exam. In view of this, the instructor reconsiders his grading plan for the semester and sends out an email message to all students.

Dear students:

The score for the essay exam have been posted in the online course grade book. By now, many of you have probably seen your grade and are a little concerned.( And if you're not concerned, you should be- at least a bit!) At the beginning of the semester. , I informed the class that I have a strict grading policy and that all scores will stand unquestioned. With each class comes a new challenge, however, and as any good instructor will tell you, sometimes the original plan has to change. As a result, I propose the following options for students to make up their score:

1) I Will present the class with an extra credit project at the next course meeting. The extra credit project will be worth 150% of the point value of the essay exam that has just been completed. While I will not drop the essay exam score, I will give you more than enough of a chance to make up the difference and raise your overall score.

2) I will allow each student to develop his or her own extra credit project. This project may reflect the tenor of option number 1 (above) but will allow the student to create a project more in his or her own line of interest. Bear in mind, however, that this is more of a risk. The scoring for option number 2 will be more subjective, depending on whether or not I feel that the project is a successful alternative to the essay exam. If it is, the student will be awarded up to 150% of the point value of the essay exam.

3) I will provide the class with the option of developing a group project. Students may form groups of 3 or 4 and put together an extra credit project that reflects a stronger response to the questions in the essay exam. This extra credit project will receive an equal score for the project, so there is a risk in this as well. If you are part of a group in which you do most of the work, each member of the group will receive equal credit for it. The purpose of the project is to allow students to work together and arrive at a stronger response than if each worked individually.

If you are interested in pursuing extra credit to make up for the essay exam, please choose one of the options above. No other extra credit opportunities will be provided for the course.

Good Luck!

Dr. Edwards

Which of the following describes this type of writing?