Human Brain Reading Comprehension

Why is the idea of the "brain boggling" the mind ironic.

• the word boggling is informal and the article is an informational article with a formal topic.

• the brain is what is supposed to figure out information, so the fact that it is a source of confusion is unusual.

• It is ironic because boggling implies anxiety and frenzy which is not usually associated with the brain.

• none of the above

What is the meaning of the word "boggles" as used in the passage?

• to frighten or cause fear

• to overwhelm with complexity

• to create a sense of delight

• to create a feeling of euphoria or breathlessness

Which sentence acts as the thesis of the article?

• The famous scientist James Watson summarized it this way: The brain boggles the mind.

• The human brain is truly impressive: It weighs only about three pounds but controls everything a person does, ever has done, and ever will do-physically, intellectually, and emotionally.

• No computer even comes close to having the brain's abilities.

• None of the above

What is the main idea of paragraph 2?

• The brain is an integral part of the nervous system and its parts.

• The spinal cord is the most important part of the central nervous system.

• Neuron play an important role in the nervous system.

• The nerves are the message center of the body.

According to the article, how does learning new things affect the brain?

• It makes the larger because it needs room to store the new information.

• Learning new things increases the synapse connections making the brain work more efficiently and more quickly.

• Learning new things does not change the brain.

• It makes the brain relay messages to the nerves faster which improves muscle movement.

Why can the brain be considered one of life's mysteries?

• Even though scientists know a lot about the brain, there are many things that have not been determined about how it works.

• Scientists keep discovering new things about the brain, yet there is still more to know.

• Both A and B

• None of the above

What is the author's purpose for including paragraph 5?

• The author wanted to end with a call to action for the reader.

• The author wanted to end with the idea that there is still a lot to learn about the brain's function and abilities.

• The author wanted to provide background on his studies.

• The author wanted to repeat the thesis.

How did the author organize or structure the article?

• The author introduces the fact that the brain is easy to understand if a person studies it, and then he describes its functions.

• The author introduces the fact that the brain is difficult to understand, and then he describes its functions.

• The author begins with the cause of the brain being confusing and discusses the effects of its complexity.

• The author compares and contrasts the way the brain functions to a computer.

Why did the author include the example of Santiago Ramon y Cajal in paragraph 5?

• to provide credibility to the idea that the brain is vastly unknown.

• to provide a anecdote about the study of the brain.

• to contrast the author's thesis.

• to provide the results of a scientific study.

Which of the following titles for the article would be more appropriate and more engaging for the reader?

• The human Control Center

• New Discoveries in Science

• What Scientists Don't Know About the Brain

• Under Construction