Eng SBMPTN (Mr.Alvauzi)

Scientists are as obsessed with the question of why the super old survive and thrive as Ponce de Leon was the Fountain of Youth. They want to understand why the Japanese islands of Okinawa are home to the world's largest population of centenarians, with almost 600 of its 1.3 million inhabitants living into their second century–many of them are still active and looking decades younger than their actual age.

In addition to studying these populations intensively to unlock their secrets, scientists have also taken a hard look at the very old in the U.S., most notably in the New England Centenarian Study, led by Dr. Thomas Perls, a geriatrician at Boston University. While the very old are happy to offer homespun explanations for their longevity–"I never took a drink; "I drank a shot of whiskey every day"–experts are trying to unravel and understand the biological factors that allow some people to reach 100 while others drop off in their 70s or 80s. Researchers are particularly interested in determining which factors allow up to 30% of those who reach 100 to do so in sufficient mental and physical health: a whopping 90% of centenarians, according to Perls, remain functionally independent up to age 92.

It is pretty obvious even to non-scientists that how you get there depends on the genes you are born with and lifestyle–what and how much you eat, where you live, and what types of stress and trauma you experience. How much each of these factors contributes, though, was unknown until Swedish scientist tackled the problem in 1998. They looked at a set of people who share genes but not lifestyle: identical twins who were separated at birth and reared apart. If genes were most important, you would expect the twins to die at about same age. In fact, they do not, and the average determined. The dominant factor is lifestyle.

What is the topic of the text above?

• Long life span

• Survival

• Youth

• Old age

• Health secrets

Scientists are as obsessed with the question of why the super old survive and thrive as Ponce de Leon was the Fountain of Youth. They want to understand why the Japanese islands of Okinawa are home to the world's largest population of centenarians, with almost 600 of its 1.3 million inhabitants living into their second century–many of them are still active and looking decades younger than their actual age.

In addition to studying these populations intensively to unlock their secrets, scientists have also taken a hard look at the very old in the U.S., most notably in the New England Centenarian Study, led by Dr. Thomas Perls, a geriatrician at Boston University. While the very old are happy to offer homespun explanations for their longevity–"I never took a drink; "I drank a shot of whiskey every day"–experts are trying to unravel and understand the biological factors that allow some people to reach 100 while others drop off in their 70s or 80s. Researchers are particularly interested in determining which factors allow up to 30% of those who reach 100 to do so in sufficient mental and physical health: a whopping 90% of centenarians, according to Perls, remain functionally independent up to age 92.

It is pretty obvious even to non-scientists that how you get there depends on the genes you are born with and lifestyle–what and how much you eat, where you live, and what types of stress and trauma you experience. How much each of these factors contributes, though, was unknown until Swedish scientist tackled the problem in 1998. They looked at a set of people who share genes but not lifestyle: identical twins who were separated at birth and reared apart. If genes were most important, you would expect the twins to die at about same age. In fact, they do not, and the average determined. The dominant factor is lifestyle.

According to the information in the passage, people may ...

• reach an old age if their parents do so.

• not reach old age unless they live in areas where it is prevalent.

• reach old age if they are brought up separately from their siblings.

• fail to reach an old age' unless they are mentally healthy.

• reach old age if they keep a healthy lifestyle.

Scientists are as obsessed with the question of why the super old survive and thrive as Ponce de Leon was the Fountain of Youth. They want to understand why the Japanese islands of Okinawa are home to the world's largest population of centenarians, with almost 600 of its 1.3 million inhabitants living into their second century–many of them are still active and looking decades younger than their actual age.

In addition to studying these populations intensively to unlock their secrets, scientists have also taken a hard look at the very old in the U.S., most notably in the New England Centenarian Study, led by Dr. Thomas Perls, a geriatrician at Boston University. While the very old are happy to offer homespun explanations for their longevity–"I never took a drink; "I drank a shot of whiskey every day"–experts are trying to unravel and understand the biological factors that allow some people to reach 100 while others drop off in their 70s or 80s. Researchers are particularly interested in determining which factors allow up to 30% of those who reach 100 to do so in sufficient mental and physical health: a whopping 90% of centenarians, according to Perls, remain functionally independent up to age 92.

It is pretty obvious even to non-scientists that how you get there depends on the genes you are born with and lifestyle–what and how much you eat, where you live, and what types of stress and trauma you experience. How much each of these factors contributes, though, was unknown until Swedish scientist tackled the problem in 1998. They looked at a set of people who share genes but not lifestyle: identical twins who were separated at birth and reared apart. If genes were most important, you would expect the twins to die at about same age. In fact, they do not, and the average determined. The dominant factor is lifestyle.

Which of the following is true about the information in the text?

• Gene quality contributes much more to life span.

• Okinawa people look younger than their actual age.

• All alcoholic drinks decrease life expectation.

• All of Dr. Perl's subjects are self-reliant.

• Super old people normally can exceed 100.

Scientists are as obsessed with the question of why the super old survive and thrive as Ponce de Leon was the Fountain of Youth. They want to understand why the Japanese islands of Okinawa are home to the world's largest population of centenarians, with almost 600 of its 1.3 million inhabitants living into their second century–many of them are still active and looking decades younger than their actual age.

In addition to studying these populations intensively to unlock their secrets, scientists have also taken a hard look at the very old in the U.S., most notably in the New England Centenarian Study, led by Dr. Thomas Perls, a geriatrician at Boston University. While the very old are happy to offer homespun explanations for their longevity–"I never took a drink; "I drank a shot of whiskey every day"–experts are trying to unravel and understand the biological factors that allow some people to reach 100 while others drop off in their 70s or 80s. Researchers are particularly interested in determining which factors allow up to 30% of those who reach 100 to do so in sufficient mental and physical health: a whopping 90% of centenarians, according to Perls, remain functionally independent up to age 92.

It is pretty obvious even to non-scientists that how you get there depends on the genes you are born with and lifestyle–what and how much you eat, where you live, and what types of stress and trauma you experience. How much each of these factors contributes, though, was unknown until Swedish scientist tackled the problem in 1998. They looked at a set of people who share genes but not lifestyle: identical twins who were separated at birth and reared apart. If genes were most important, you would expect the twins to die at about same age. In fact, they do not, and the average determined. The dominant factor is lifestyle.

How is the information of the last paragraph the text organized?

• Each question is provided with an illustration.

• Scientific questions are followed by studies.

• Scientific questions are presented from general to specific.

• Each study is followed by research findings.

• Three related questions are followed by one finding.

Scientists are as obsessed with the question of why the super old survive and thrive as Ponce de Leon was the Fountain of Youth. They want to understand why the Japanese islands of Okinawa are home to the world's largest population of centenarians, with almost 600 of its 1.3 million inhabitants living into their second century–many of them are still active and looking decades younger than their actual age.

In addition to studying these populations intensively to unlock their secrets, scientists have also taken a hard look at the very old in the U.S., most notably in the New England Centenarian Study, led by Dr. Thomas Perls, a geriatrician at Boston University. While the very old are happy to offer homespun explanations for their longevity–"I never took a drink; "I drank a shot of whiskey every day"–experts are trying to unravel and understand the biological factors that allow some people to reach 100 while others drop off in their 70s or 80s. Researchers are particularly interested in determining which factors allow up to 30% of those who reach 100 to do so in sufficient mental and physical health: a whopping 90% of centenarians, according to Perls, remain functionally independent up to age 92.

It is pretty obvious even to non-scientists that how you get there depends on the genes you are born with and lifestyle–what and how much you eat, where you live, and what types of stress and trauma you experience. How much each of these factors contributes, though, was unknown until Swedish scientist tackled the problem in 1998. They looked at a set of people who share genes but not lifestyle: identical twins who were separated at birth and reared apart. If genes were most important, you would expect the twins to die at about same age. In fact, they do not, and the average determined. The dominant factor is lifestyle.

Which of the following best express the main idea of the text?

• Several biological factors are at work affecting life span.

• Genes and life styles are essential for a long-life span.

• Elderly people cluster in particular parts of the world.

• Biological factors influence mental and physical health.

• The population of the elderly people is increasing

Many modern educational experts claim that teaching facts and academic skills is less important than achieving other social objectives. For some liberals, the schools must first change attitudes or provide nurturing in place of failed families or help establish equality and social justice. For some conservatives, the schools must first prepare kids for the workplace by molding them into supple corporate citizens, while others want the focus to be on family values, a competitive spirit, or other social or behavioral objectives. But the idea of simply educating kids seems to have taken a backseat to most educational experts and administrators. They miss the point that kids with real academic skills, especially skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, are more likely to overcome social barriers, more likely to have genuine self esteem, and most likely to be genuinely prepared for the challenges of life and the workplace. By emphasizing so many things besides a genuine, classical education, the educational establishment tends to sell our kids short and bring about many of the problems they claim to be solving.

Consider the case of Wesley Elementary School in Houston. According to Richard Nadler in the article, "Failing Grade", Wesley has all the demographic markers of a school bound for failure. Over 80% of the students qualify for subsidized lunches, and nearly all are minorities (92% black. 7% Hispanic). Yet it ranks 15 among the best schools of Houston, with first-graders placing at the 82nd percentile level in reading tests which is 50 points higher than the expected level for similar at-risk schools.

What has made Wesley so successful? The answer is classical education in the form of Direct Instruction curriculum designed by Siegfried Engelmann, an example of the much ridiculed "sage-on-the-stage" approach. This Direct Instruction system boosts reading, writing, and math scores by 30 to 40 percentile points in at risk schools. Sadly, Engelmann, like others who successfully challenge popular fads in educational reform, has been rejected by much of the educational establishment. His success is an embarrassment to them.

Which of the following best reflects the author's opinion about schools?

• Teaching social skills is more important than academic skills.

• Schools must be able to change the attitude of the students.

• Teaching academic skills is more important than social skils.

• Teaching social skills should use conventional methods.

• Teaching academic skills is somehow contemporary.

Many modern educational experts claim that teaching facts and academic skills is less important than achieving other social objectives. For some liberals, the schools must first change attitudes or provide nurturing in place of failed families or help establish equality and social justice. For some conservatives, the schools must first prepare kids for the workplace by molding them into supple corporate citizens, while others want the focus to be on family values, a competitive spirit, or other social or behavioral objectives. But the idea of simply educating kids seems to have taken a backseat to most educational experts and administrators. They miss the point that kids with real academic skills, especially skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, are more likely to overcome social barriers, more likely to have genuine self esteem, and most likely to be genuinely prepared for the challenges of life and the workplace. By emphasizing so many things besides a genuine, classical education, the educational establishment tends to sell our kids short and bring about many of the problems they claim to be solving.

Consider the case of Wesley Elementary School in Houston. According to Richard Nadler in the article, "Failing Grade", Wesley has all the demographic markers of a school bound for failure. Over 80% of the students qualify for subsidized lunches, and nearly all are minorities (92% black. 7% Hispanic). Yet it ranks 15 among the best schools of Houston, with first-graders placing at the 82nd percentile level in reading tests which is 50 points higher than the expected level for similar at-risk schools.

What has made Wesley so successful? The answer is classical education in the form of Direct Instruction curriculum designed by Siegfried Engelmann, an example of the much ridiculed "sage-on-the-stage" approach. This Direct Instruction system boosts reading, writing, and math scores by 30 to 40 percentile points in at risk schools. Sadly, Engelmann, like others who successfully challenge popular fads in educational reform, has been rejected by much of the educational establishment. His success is an embarrassment to them.

The second paragraph is related to the first paragraph in which the second paragraph presents ...

• an elaboration of purposes of an effective school.

• a discussion on the requirements for the good school.

• a real example rather than an opinion of good schooling.

• an illustration to support the opinions on school subjects.

• evidence in favor of the value of social objectives.

Many modern educational experts claim that teaching facts and academic skills is less important than achieving other social objectives. For some liberals, the schools must first change attitudes or provide nurturing in place of failed families or help establish equality and social justice. For some conservatives, the schools must first prepare kids for the workplace by molding them into supple corporate citizens, while others want the focus to be on family values, a competitive spirit, or other social or behavioral objectives. But the idea of simply educating kids seems to have taken a backseat to most educational experts and administrators. They miss the point that kids with real academic skills, especially skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, are more likely to overcome social barriers, more likely to have genuine self esteem, and most likely to be genuinely prepared for the challenges of life and the workplace. By emphasizing so many things besides a genuine, classical education, the educational establishment tends to sell our kids short and bring about many of the problems they claim to be solving.

Consider the case of Wesley Elementary School in Houston. According to Richard Nadler in the article, "Failing Grade", Wesley has all the demographic markers of a school bound for failure. Over 80% of the students qualify for subsidized lunches, and nearly all are minorities (92% black. 7% Hispanic). Yet it ranks 15 among the best schools of Houston, with first-graders placing at the 82nd percentile level in reading tests which is 50 points higher than the expected level for similar at-risk schools.

What has made Wesley so successful? The answer is classical education in the form of Direct Instruction curriculum designed by Siegfried Engelmann, an example of the much ridiculed "sage-on-the-stage" approach. This Direct Instruction system boosts reading, writing, and math scores by 30 to 40 percentile points in at risk schools. Sadly, Engelmann, like others who successfully challenge popular fads in educational reform, has been rejected by much of the educational establishment. His success is an embarrassment to them.

ln writing the text, the writer's tone could be best describes as ...

• persuasive.

• descriptive

• informative.

• evaluative

• conservative.

Many modern educational experts claim that teaching facts and academic skills is less important than achieving other social objectives. For some liberals, the schools must first change attitudes or provide nurturing in place of failed families or help establish equality and social justice. For some conservatives, the schools must first prepare kids for the workplace by molding them into supple corporate citizens, while others want the focus to be on family values, a competitive spirit, or other social or behavioral objectives. But the idea of simply educating kids seems to have taken a backseat to most educational experts and administrators. They miss the point that kids with real academic skills, especially skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, are more likely to overcome social barriers, more likely to have genuine self esteem, and most likely to be genuinely prepared for the challenges of life and the workplace. By emphasizing so many things besides a genuine, classical education, the educational establishment tends to sell our kids short and bring about many of the problems they claim to be solving.

Consider the case of Wesley Elementary School in Houston. According to Richard Nadler in the article, "Failing Grade", Wesley has all the demographic markers of a school bound for failure. Over 80% of the students qualify for subsidized lunches, and nearly all are minorities (92% black. 7% Hispanic). Yet it ranks 15 among the best schools of Houston, with first-graders placing at the 82nd percentile level in reading tests which is 50 points higher than the expected level for similar at-risk schools.

What has made Wesley so successful? The answer is classical education in the form of Direct Instruction curriculum designed by Siegfried Engelmann, an example of the much ridiculed "sage-on-the-stage" approach. This Direct Instruction system boosts reading, writing, and math scores by 30 to 40 percentile points in at risk schools. Sadly, Engelmann, like others who successfully challenge popular fads in educational reform, has been rejected by much of the educational establishment. His success is an embarrassment to them.

From the second paragraph, it can be inferred that ...

• Wesley is a successful prestigious school.

• the students at Wesley are from the haves.

• the students at Wesley are mostly colored.

• the colored students usually perfom better.

• Wesley curriculum is adopted by other schools.

Many modern educational experts claim that teaching facts and academic skills is less important than achieving other social objectives. For some liberals, the schools must first change attitudes or provide nurturing in place of failed families or help establish equality and social justice. For some conservatives, the schools must first prepare kids for the workplace by molding them into supple corporate citizens, while others want the focus to be on family values, a competitive spirit, or other social or behavioral objectives. But the idea of simply educating kids seems to have taken a backseat to most educational experts and administrators. They miss the point that kids with real academic skills, especially skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, are more likely to overcome social barriers, more likely to have genuine self esteem, and most likely to be genuinely prepared for the challenges of life and the workplace. By emphasizing so many things besides a genuine, classical education, the educational establishment tends to sell our kids short and bring about many of the problems they claim to be solving.

Consider the case of Wesley Elementary School in Houston. According to Richard Nadler in the article, "Failing Grade", Wesley has all the demographic markers of a school bound for failure. Over 80% of the students qualify for subsidized lunches, and nearly all are minorities (92% black. 7% Hispanic). Yet it ranks 15 among the best schools of Houston, with first-graders placing at the 82nd percentile level in reading tests which is 50 points higher than the expected level for similar at-risk schools.

What has made Wesley so successful? The answer is classical education in the form of Direct Instruction curriculum designed by Siegfried Engelmann, an example of the much ridiculed "sage-on-the-stage" approach. This Direct Instruction system boosts reading, writing, and math scores by 30 to 40 percentile points in at risk schools. Sadly, Engelmann, like others who successfully challenge popular fads in educational reform, has been rejected by much of the educational establishment. His success is an embarrassment to them.

Given that the baseline score in reading is 23 percentile points, which of the following most likely reflects the maximum impact of Direct Instruction on the students' learning achievement in Wesley Elementary School?

• 45

• 53

• 63

• 85

• 95