Zika virus is primarily spread by infected mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are aggressive biters during the daytime, but also bite at night. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite a person who is already infected with Zika. Infected mosquitoes can then give the virus to humans through their bites.

The author included paragraph 2 most likely to-

On December 16, 1997, more than 653 Japanese children were admitted to hospitals with epileptic seizures. It was determined the seizures were caused by watching an episode of Pokémon "Electric Soldier Porygon", season 1, episode 38; as a result, this episode has not been aired since. In this particular episode, there were bright explosions with rapidly alternating blue and red color patterns. It was determined in subsequent research that these strobing light effects cause some individuals to have epileptic seizures, even if the person had no previous history of epilepsy.

What is the paragraph mainly about?

Animal cruelty can be broken down into two main categories: active and passive. Passive cruelty is typified by cases of neglect, in which the cruelty is a lack of action rather than the action itself. Examples of neglect are starvation, dehydration, parasite infestations, allowing a collar to grow into an animal's skin, inadequate shelter in extreme weather conditions, and failure to seek veterinary care when necessary. Active cruelty occurs when a person purposefully hits, punches, kicks or otherwise injures an animal, involves cases where an individual knowingly, intentionally or directly performs an action that causes harm or non-accidental injury to an animal.

The author organizes this passage by-

If you encounter someone that you believe is actively or passively causing harm to animals, there are many things you should and shouldn't do. You should never ignore acts of cruelty and hope they go away. Take the animal to a vet, if you cannot afford a vet, contact an animal shelter for help. Report the person causing harm to the appropriate authorities. If the perpetrator is a child, get some counseling support for them. Their behavior may be the result of some other major issues. Do not confront the possible abuser without someone else to help you.

The problem-solution organization of the paragraph helps the author emphasize-

Before social media, admissions officials used SAT and other standardized test scores, extra-curricular activities, letters of recommendation and high school report cards to determine whether to accept or deny an applicant. In the 2010's, while colleges and universities still use these methods to evaluate applicants, these institutions are increasingly accessing applicants' social media profiles to learn about their character and activities. According to Kaplan, Inc., in 2012 27% of admissions officers used Google to learn more about an applicant, with 26% checking Facebook. Students who social media pages include offensive jokes or photos, inappropriate comments, photos showing the applicant engaging in illegal activities such as drugs and alcohol, may be denied admission to some colleges.

With which statement would the author most likely agree?

It was such an honor-and a lot of fun-to meet some of these athletes at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs last week, and meet with U.S. Olympic leadership. Their facilities are state of the art and the trainers are top notch. Even the food at the cafeteria, where I joined several athletes for lunch, was gold-medal quality! The athletes' commitment, their desire to do their best, and their enthusiasm and camaraderie were clearly evident. It's no wonder the U.S. has had such success at the Olympics.

"Even the food at the cafeteria, where I joined several athletes for lunch, was gold-medal quality!"

The author includes this sentence most likely to emphasize-

Childhood obesity in America is a national crisis with far-reaching implications. It can not only limit the kinds of fun young people can have during summer break or after school, but also jeopardize their ability to lead healthy and productive lives as adults.

Alongside eating right, more physical activity is a critical piece of facing and beating this challenge. Being active on a regular basis will help young folks feel better and do better in school, preparing them for a healthier and successful future.

What is the main idea of this excerpt?

Cyberbullying usually has long-term detrimental effects on a victim. Truancy is quite common when a victim is continually bullied both in-[person and through technology. Also, their grades may suffer, their self-esteem is hurt, depression can set in, they may have increased health-related issues, abuse of alcohol and/or drugs may begin, and many more negative effects can occur, depending on the child. In 2010-2011, the School Crime Supplement reported 9% of children in grades 6-12 are cyberbullied, but the increase in children that use technology can result in a much higher number.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

The Fokker T-2 made the first nonstop U.S. transcontinental flight in 1923. Two failed attempts at a west-to-east crossing were followed by a successful eat-to-west flight when Air Service Lieutenants Oakley Kelly and John Macready took off from Long Island, New York, on May 2 and landed at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California, on May 3, slightly more than 26 hours and 50 minutes later. The aircraft was purchased by the U.S. Army Air Service in June 1922. It required modifications for the transcontinental flight, such as increasing the fuel capacity, making structural reinforcements, and adding a second set of controls.

Which words from the paragraph help the reader understand the meaning of transcontinental?

The Apollo 11 Command Module, "Columbia," was the living quarters for the three-person crew during most of the manned lunar landing mission. On July 16, 1969, Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins were launched into outer space. The Command Module was one of the three parts of the complete Apollo spacecraft. The other two parts were the Service Module and the Lunar Module, nicknamed "Eagle." The Service Module contained the main spacecraft propulsion system and consumables while the Lunar Module was the two-person craft used by Armstrong and Aldrin to descend to the Moon's surface on July 20. The Command Module is the only portion of the spacecraft to return to Earth.

In the paragraph, the word propulsion means-

The Wright brothers inaugurated the aerial age with the world's first successful flights of a powered heavier-than-air flying machine. The Wright Flyer was the product of a sophisticated four-year program of research and development conducted by Wilbur and Orville Wright beginning in 1899. After building and testing three full-sized gliders, the Wrights' first powered airplane flew at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, making a 12-second flight, traveling 36 m (120 ft.), with Orville piloting. The best flight of the day, with Wilbur at the controls, covered 255.6m (852 ft.) in 59 seconds.

Which of these supports the idea that it took a lot of time and effort to create a flying airplane?

Experiments have been conducted on automating driving since at least the 1920s; promising trials took place in the 1950s. The first truly autonomous prototype cars appeared in the 1980s, with Carnegie Mellon University's Navlab and ALV projects in 1984. In 2017 Audi stated that its latest A8 would be autonomous at up to speeds of 60 km/h using its "Audi A1". The driver would not have to do safety checks such as frequently gripping the steering wheel. The Audi A8 was claimed to be the first production car to reach level 3 autonomous driving and Audi would be the first manufacturer to use laser scanners in addition to cameras and ultrasonic sensors for their system.

The meaning of autonomous in this paragraph is-

Studies of Snapchat usage have discovered that its users are primarily millennials. Although researchers originally hypothesized that the app's self-deleting nature encouraged inappropriate texting, studies have concluded that privacy-sensitive messaging has been a minority-share of its usage forms, while the primary usage is sending comedic content. Further studies have also suggested that the success of Snapchat has not been due to its security, but rather for being "fun". Snapchat has become notable for representing a new, mobile-first direction for social media. As of May 2017, Snapchat has 166 million daily active users.

The author supports his claim that Snapchat represents a new, mobile first direction for social media by-

In September 2015, an 18-year-old was using a Snapchat feature called "Lens" to record the speed she was driving her Mercedes C230 when she crashed into a Mitsubishi Outlander in Hampton, Georgia. The 107 mph crash injured both drivers. The driver of the Outlander spent five weeks in intensive care while he was treated for severe traumatic brain injury. In April 2016, the Outlander driver sued both Snapchat and the user of Snapchat, alleging that Snapchat knew its application was being used in unlawful speed contests, yet did nothing to prevent such use so it is negligent. A similar collision while driving at 115 mph , occurred in Tampa, Florida in October 2016 that killed five people.

The author wrote this article most likely to-

Tupac Shakur began his career as a roadie, backup dancer, and MC for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground. He eventually branched off as a solo artist. Most of the themes in Shakur's songs revolved around the violence and hardship in inner cities, racism, and other social issues. During the latter part of his career, Shakur was a vocal participant during the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry, becoming involved in conflicts with other rappers, producers, and record label staff members, most notably The Notorious B.I.G. and his label, Bad Boy Records. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. He died from his injuries six days later.

The organizational pattern of the selection allows the author to-

Although not all schools in the United States are required to wear school uniforms, the United States is slowly adapting the use of school uniforms. "Almost one in five US public schools required students to wear uniforms during the 2011-2012 school year, up from one in eight in 2003-2004." The ideology of school uniforms is that it will create a safer environment for students and help with equality. Uniforms have become essential due to the poverty level that the schools reside in. "Mandatory uniform policies in public schools are found more commonly in high-poverty areas."

Which of the following is an assertion?

Lonzo Ball was born in Anaheim, California to LaVar and Tina Ball, who were both former college basketball players. Ball started playing basketball at the age of two. Until they reached high school, he and his brothers played together on teams coached by their father. As a junior in high school in 2014-15, he averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 5 blocks and 5 steals. In his senior year, he led the school to a 35-0 record and a state title, and the Huskies were ranked the consensus No. 1 team in the nation. His younger brothers, junior LiAngelo and freshman LaMelo, were also on the same team. Ball averaged a triple-double with averages 23.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 11.7 assists per game.

In the excerpt the word consensus means-

The Chupacabra is a legendary creature in the folklore of parts of the Americas, with its first purported sightings reported in Puerto Rico in 1995. Eyewitness sightings have been reported as far north as Maine and as far south as Chile, but many of the reports have been disregarded as uncorroborated or lacking evidence. The name comes from the animal's reported habit of attacking and drinking the blood of livestock, especially goats. It is purportedly a heavy creature, the size of a small bear, with a row of spines reaching from the neck to the base of the tail. Sightings in northern Mexico and the southern United States have been verified as canids afflicted by mange. According to biologists and wildlife management officials, the Chupacabra is an urban legend.

Which sentence supports the idea that the Chupacabra is not real?

What a wonderful thing a tree is! A live thing, a useful thing, a beautiful thing, and so common that we scarcely think of it as a wonder at all. There are many oddities in the tree family. For example there is the whistling tree. It grows in the West India Islands. It bears pods with open edges, and the wind passing through them makes the whistling sound which gives the tree its name. Then there is the cow tree, which yields a delicious creamy milk. This tree grows in South America, and often looks like a dead tree, but if it is tapped the milk will flow out freely. Sunrise is "milking time, " when the natives come with their jugs and fill them with the sweet, nourishing fluid.

What is the meaning of scarcely in the paragraph?

Following a disaster , familiar scents and landmarks may be altered. Pets may become confused and lost, so it is critical to maintain close contact with and leash pets when they go outside. Also, snakes and other potentially dangerous animals displaced by the disaster may have migrated into the area (especially after flooding). In addition, downed power lines can also be a hazard for people and their pets. Be aware of your surroundings and protect your pet(s) and yourself. Similar to children and adults, disaster-related stress may change a pet's behavior. Normally quiet and friendly pets may become aggressive or defensive. You should watch your animals closely, and be cautious around other animals -even pets you know. If you evacuate, take your pets with you.

Which of the following statements is an opinion?

People in Alaska use Eskimo dogs to haul the sleds over the snow. It is not safe to travel at night or in heavy snow storms so the traveler and the dogs must stop, even when there is no shelter. When this occurs the sled is turned up, and the men get into their fur sleeping-bags, and lie down under such protection as it offers, if there is nothing better. But the dogs are all turned loose. You would think that there was danger of not finding them in the morning, but there is no danger of that at all. When it is time to get up the next day, the guides look around, and see as many snow mounds as there are dogs in the train. In each mound where a dog has burrowed, and let the snow cover him, is a hold made by his breath. It is very easy to find the dogs by these holes, and they never go far from the sled.

What is the author's main purpose for writing this selection?

When Titanic set sail on April 10, 1912, no one, especially its builders, dreamed of its demise. The ship's owners, the White Star Line, boasted of the size and stamina of the largest passenger steamship built until that time. Yet the "ship that could never sink" sank less than three hours after the crew spotted an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14. Of the 2, 223 people aboard, 1, 517 perished. The highest percentage of victims were steerage, or "third-cabin" passengers , who were mainly poor immigrants coming to America. The lack of lifeboats was among the reasons for the enormous loss of life. While the Titanic carried more than the minimum number of lifeboats required, there were still not enough spaces for most passengers to escape the sinking ship.

Based on the excerpt, the reader can conclude-

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that teenagers receive between 8.5 hours and 9.25 hours each night. Almost 70 percent of high school students are not getting the recommended hours of sleep on school nights, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The following sleep health tips are recommended by the National Sleep Foundation. Teens should go to bed at the same time watch night and rise at the same time each morning. They should make sure their bedroom is a quiet, dark, and relaxing environment, which is neither too hot or too cold. And they should make sure their bed is comfortable and used only for sleeping and not for other activities, such as reading, watching TV, or listening to music.

How does the author organize the paragraph?