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WorksheetsFA-3 ENGLISH-MBGS
Total questions: 64
Worksheet time: 40mins
READING COMPREHENSION
In prolonged space flight, besides the obvious hazards of meteors, rocky debris, and radiation, astronauts will have to deal with muscle withering brought on by weightlessness; therefore, when they return to Earth, they face a protracted period of weight training to rebuild their strength.
What is the most likely meaning of the underlined word debris as it is used in this passage?
fragments
decay
bacteria
alien life
READING COMPREHENSION
In prolonged space flight, besides the obvious hazards of meteors, rocky debris, and radiation, astronauts will have to deal with muscle withering brought on by weightlessness; therefore, when they return to Earth, they face a protracted period of weight training to rebuild their strength.
What is the most likely meaning of the underlined word withering as it is used in this passage?
pain
wasting away
weakening
cramping
READING COMPREHENSION
Most of the women in the orchestra wore conventional black skirts and white shirts during concerts and had their hair neatly pulled back. Robin, with her brightly colored clothing and unusual hair- styles, was considered quite eccentric.
What is the most likely meaning of the underlined word eccentric as it is used in this passage?
unreliable
joyful
unconventional
proud
READING COMPREHENSION
Donna’s memo caused much contention around the office last week. She may have meant well, but her usually caustic tone offended almost everybody. She has become a consistent nuisance at work, and probably should be fired.
What is the most likely meaning of the underlined word caustic as it is used in this passage?
cause and effect
reoccurring and high
unclear and low
biting and harsh
READING COMPREHENSION
Donna’s memo caused much contention around the office last week. She may have meant well, but her usually caustic tone offended almost everybody. She has become a consistent nuisance at work, and probably should be fired.
What is the most likely meaning of the underlined word contention as it is used in this passage?
theorizing
disagreement
calm
gossip
READING COMPREHENSION
In cities throughout the country, there is a new direction in local campaign coverage. Frequently in local elections, journalists are not giving voters enough information to understand the issues and evaluate the candidates. The local news media devotes too much time to scandal and not enough time to policy.
This paragraph best supports the statement that the local news media...
is not doing an adequate job when it comes to covering local campaigns.
does not understand either campaign issues or politics
should learn how to cover politics by watching the national news media.
has no interest in covering stories about local political events.
READING COMPREHENSION
The use of desktop computer equipment and software to create high- quality documents such as newsletters, business cards, letterhead, and brochures is called Desktop Publishing, or DTP. The most important part of any DTP project is planning. Before you begin, you should know your intended audience, the message you want to communicate, and what form your message will take.
The paragraph best supports the statement that...
Desktop Publishing is one way to become acquainted with a new business audience.
the first stage of any proposed DTP project should be organiza- tion and design.
the planning stage of any DTP project should include talking
with the intended audience.
has no interest in covering stories about local political events.
READING COMPREHENSION
Every year, Americans use over one billion sharp objects to administer healthcare in their homes. These sharp objects include lancets, needles, and syringes. If not disposed of in puncture-resistant containers, they can injure sanitation workers. Sharp objects should be disposed of in hard plastic or metal containers with secure lids. The containers should be clearly marked and be puncture resistant.
The paragraph best supports the idea that sanitation workers can be injured if they...
do not place sharp objects in puncture-resistant containers.
come in contact with sharp objects that have not been placed in secure containers.
are careless with sharp objects such as lancets, needles, and syringes in their homes.
do not mark the containers they pick up with a warning that
those containers contain sharp objects.
READING COMPREHENSION
Litigation is not always the only or best way to resolve conflicts. Mediation offers an alternative approach and it is one that can be quite efficient and successful. Mediation can be faster, less expensive, and can lead to creative solutions not always possible in a court of law. Additionally, mediation focuses on mutually acceptable solutions, rather than on winning or losing.
This paragraph best supports the idea that...
there is too much reliance on litigation in our society.
litigation is expensive, slow, and limited by its reliance on fol- lowing the letter of the law.
mediation is the best way to resolve a crisis.
mediation can be an effective way to resolve conflicts.
READING COMPREHENSION
One of the missions of the Peace Corps is to help the people of interested countries meet their need for trained men and women. People who work for the Peace Corps do so because they want to, but to keep the agency dynamic with fresh ideas, no staff member can work for the agency for more than five years.
The paragraph best supports the statement that Peace Corps employees..
are highly intelligent people.
must train for about five years.
are hired for a limited term of employment.
have both academic and work experience.
READING COMPREHENSION
Sushi, the thousand-year-old Japanese delicacy, started small in the United States, in a handful of restaurants in big cities. Today, sushi consumption in America is 50% greater than it was ten years ago and not just in restaurants. Sushi is also sold at concession stands in sports stadiums, university dining halls, and in supermarkets throughout the country.
This paragraph best supports the statement that ..
sushi is now a fast food as popular as hot dogs, burgers, and fries.
more sushi is sold in restaurants than in supermarkets.
Americans are more adventurous eaters than they were in the past.
sushi wasn’t always widely available in the United States.
READING COMPREHENSION
Many animals hibernate during parts of the year, entering a state that is similar to a very deep sleep. But hibernation is more than simply a deep sleep. The animal’s body temperature drops well below its normal range, the animal does not wake up for a long period of time, and its metabolism slows to the point that the animal does not need to eat or relieve itself during that period.
In order to prepare for hibernation, the animal must build up its body weight and increase its body fat. This is important, since the animal will be living off its own body fat during the months of hibernation. Of course, once the period of hibernation is over, the animal “wakes up” to find itself slim and trim once again!
How does an animal prepare for hibernation?
It exercises for two months.
It gradually increases its sleeping habits.
It grows extra fur.
It eats more food than usual.
READING COMPREHENSION
Many animals hibernate during parts of the year, entering a state that is similar to a very deep sleep. But hibernation is more than simply a deep sleep. The animal’s body temperature drops well below its normal range, the animal does not wake up for a long period of time, and its metabolism slows to the point that the animal does not need to eat or relieve itself during that period.
In order to prepare for hibernation, the animal must build up its body weight and increase its body fat. This is important, since the animal will be living off its own body fat during the months of hibernation. Of course, once the period of hibernation is over, the animal “wakes up” to find itself slim and trim once again!
This passage best supports the statement that...
all animals hibernate to some degree.
food is scarce in the winter.
hibernation is very different from normal sleep.
bears hibernate every year.
READING COMPREHENSION
The competitive civil-service system is designed to give candidates fair and equal treatment and to ensure that federal applicants are hired based on objective criteria. Hiring has to be based solely on a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (which you’ll sometimes see abbreviated as ksa), and not on external factors such as race, religion, gender, and so on. Whereas employers in the private sector can hire employees for subjective reasons, federal employers must be able to justify their decision with objective evidence that the candidate is qualified.
The paragraph best supports the statement that...
hiring in the private sector is inherently unfair.
ksa is not as important as test scores to federal employers.
federal hiring practices are simpler than those employed by the private sector.
the civil service strives to hire on the basis of a candidate’s abilities.
READING COMPREHENSION
The competitive civil-service system is designed to give candidates fair and equal treatment and to ensure that federal applicants are hired based on objective criteria. Hiring has to be based solely on a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (which you’ll sometimes see abbreviated as ksa), and not on external factors such as race, religion, gender, and so on. Whereas employers in the private sector can hire employees for subjective reasons, federal employers must be able to justify their decision with objective evidence that the candidate is qualified.
The federal government’s practice of hiring on the basis of ksa frequently results in the hiring of employees ...
not based on race, religion, gender, and so forth.
who are unqualified for the job.
who are qualified for the job
on the basis of subjective judgment.
READING COMPREHENSION
Before you begin to compose a business letter, sit down and think about your purpose in writing the letter. Do you want to request information, order a product, register a complaint, or apply for something? Do some brainstorming and gather information before you begin writing. Always keep your objective in mind.
The main idea of the passage is that ...
planning is an important part of writing a business letter.
business letters are frequently complaint letters.
brainstorming and writing take approximately equal amounts of time.
many people fail to plan ahead when they are writing a business letter.
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The designer window treatments in her house, installed 17 years ago, were outmoded.
unnecessary
pointless
out-of-date
worthless
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The spies conducted a covert operation.
illegal
dangerous
foreign
secret
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The baseball player’s malice toward the referee was revealed in his spiteful remarks to the media, which almost ruined the referee’s career.
vindictive
crazy
funny
unpleasant
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Although Zachary is much too inexperienced for the managerial position, he is a willful young man and obdurately refuses to withdraw his application.
foolishly
reluctantly
constantly
stubbornly
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His neighbor’s superficial remarks trivialized the property line dispute and infuriated Malcolm.
artificial
petty
insulting
misleading
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She showed a blatant disregard for the rules.
obvious
hidden
last-minute
misunderstanding
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Her fashion sense was usually described as flamboyant, but on the night of the party, Tanya’s outfit was uncharacteristically modest.
impeccable
showy
sloppy
unassuming
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Mr. Powers was so gullible that he believed even the most outlandish excuses of his insincere employees.
intelligent
critical
naïve
dishonest
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You cannot become a certified teacher without completing the prerequisite student-teaching assignment.
optional
advisable
preferred
required
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Charles, aware of his susceptibility to gum disease, is diligent about flossing.
excited
uncomfortable
meticulous
ambivalent
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Even though she’d read her supervisor’s memo four or five times, she still found his rambling message ambiguous.
profound
unclear
inspiring
ridiculous
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Excited about winning the award, Marcia walked up to the podium and delivered an animated acceptance speech.
abbreviated
courteous
reserved
energetic
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The intermittent rain soaked the garden many different times during the day.
periodic
protracted
light
incredulous
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After several small brushfires at the campground, officials felt the need to augment the rules pertaining to campfires.
consider
criticize
expand
retract
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As soon as the details of the election were released to the media, the newspaper was inundated with calls far too many to be handled effectively.
provided
bothered
rewarded
flooded
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The doctor got to the crux of the issue.
outline
crucial point
opposite
unhealthy
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When people heard that timid Bob had taken up skydiving, they were incredulous.
fearful
outraged
convinced
disbelieving
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The technical department enthusiastically hired Ms. Long because she was proficient in the use of computers.
sincere
adequate
skilled
competent
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Even under tremendous public pressure, the planning committee would not commit itself wholeheartedly to the proposal and gave only tentative approval to the waterfront development plan.
provisional
ambiguous
unnecessary
total
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Since the townspeople were so dissatisfied, various methods to alleviate the situation were debated.
tolerate
clarify
intensify
ease
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That perfume always evokes pleasant memories.
angers
erases
reminds
confuses
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The attorney wanted to expedite the process because her client was becoming impatient.
evaluate
fasten
reverse
justify
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The suspect gave a plausible explanation for his presence at the scene, so the police decided to look elsewhere for the perpetrator of the crime.
unbelievable
insufficient
credible
apologetic
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He based his conclusion on what he inferred from the evidence, not on what he actually observed.
predicted
imagined
implied
surmised
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The neighborhood-watch group presented its ultimatum at the town board meeting: Repave the streets or prepare for protests.
promise
petition
demand
plea
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The editor of the newspaper needed to be sure the article present- ed the right information, so his review was meticulous.
superficial
thorough
delicate
objective
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The general public didn’t care about the trial and was apathetic about the verdict.
enraged
indifferent
suspicious
saddened
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The doctors were pleased that their theory had been fortified by the new research.
reinforced
altered
disputed
developed
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The captain often delegated responsibility to his subordinates, so as to have time to do the important tasks himself.
analyzed
respected
criticized
assigned
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The news about toxic waste dumping aroused the anger of many viewers of the news broadcast.
informed
appeased
provoked
deceived
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The news about toxic waste dumping aroused the anger of many viewers of the news broadcast.
informed
pacified
provoked
deceived
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The athlete was adroit at handling the ball.
clumsy
obnoxious
large
skillful
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The new shipping and receiving building is an expansive facility, large enough to meet our growing needs.
obsolete
spacious
costly
meager
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The attorneys were now certain they could not win the case, because the ruling had proved to be so detrimental to their argument.
decisive
harmful
worthless
advantageous
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My brother drives us crazy by crooning in the shower.
shouting
hooting
crying
singing
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Mark seems very pensive today.
hostile
thoughtful
cooped-up
sleepy
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The air in the rainforest was humid, making the heat seem even more smothering than before.
hot
hazy
damp
volatile
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After the storm caused raw sewage to seep into the ground water, the Water Department had to take measures to decontaminate the city’s water supply.
refine
revive
freshen
purify
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Dear Guest, Please say something that will edify the audience.
confuse
annoy
educate
amuse
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The volcano lies dormant now, but we feel sure that it will erupt again within the year.
inactive
slack
elevated
inattentive
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Because of his disregard for the king’s laws, the prince was punished by being banished from the kingdom.
apart
kidnapped
exiled
spirited
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I relinquished my place in line to go back and talk with my friend Diane.
defended
delayed
remanded
surrendered
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He juxtaposed the book’s ideas with current events, showing us how they related.
confused
compared
read
threw away
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The thief jostled me in a crowd and was thus able to pick my pocket.
mugged
shoved
assailed
hindered
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We had no idea who the special guest speaker would be, because the organizers of the event were so ____________.
animated
secretive
talented
emotional
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He asked his wife to ________ the situation after she had offended the neighbour.
rectify
augment
ruminate
extend
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The preacher used a __________ for an unpleasant subject.
wrong word
substituted word
bad word
ugly picture
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Cindy had some about George, because he was sometimes violent.
ignorance
enthusiasm
suspicions
clueless
