In certain areas water is so scarce that every attempt is made to conserve it. For instance, for one

oasis in the Sahara Desert the amount of water necessary for each date palm tree has been

carefully determined.

How much water is each tree given?

Plants should be gradually "hardened" or toughened for two weeks before being moved

outdoors. This is done by withholding water and lowering the temperature.

Hardening slows down the plants' rate of growth to prepare them to withstand such conditions as

chilling, drying winds, or high temperatures.

You toughen a seedling

At depths of several miles inside the earth, the weight of rocks causes great pressure.

This rock pressure, as well as other forces, sometimes causes rocks to break and slip.

Faults (great cracks) form. When slippage occurs, shock waves are felt and can be detected with

seismographs thousands of miles away.

The most frequent cause of major earthquakes is

A leaf can catch sunlight and turn this energy into food which is stored in a tree or plant.

To run this factory the leaf must have air, water, and sunlight. By a chemical process called

photosynthesis, the leaf combines the air and water with the energy of the sun.

The process of photosynthesis

Most telephone sales are made by reputable persons who try to sell in an honest manner.

These persons use the telephone as an aid to business, and they know success depends on being

fair and reasonable. The opposite of reputable salesmen are overaggressive talkers who try to force

you to make up your mind quickly.

The word reputable is closest in meaning to

When someone in your family suffers a minor burn, reach for an ice cube fast.

Place it directly over the burn until the sting is gone when the cube is removed. Ice is great first aid

for burns and kills the pain.

Afterward you'll be amazed to discover there is very little swelling, blisters probably won't appear,

and healing will be much faster.

The topic sentence or key idea in this paragraph is that

A stranger meets you and shows you some cash he has just "found." He wants to divide it with you.

He says that you must show your "good faith" and put up some of your own money. When you agree

to give him your money, the stranger finds some reason to leave for a while. Do you see him again?

Not likely; you have just been swindled.

The main theme of this passage is

Statistically, by far the most common types of home accidents are falls. Each year over 15,000

Americans meet death in this way, within the four walls of their homes or in yards around their

houses. Nine out of 10 of the victims are over 65, but people of all ages experience serious injuries as

a result of home falls.

Falls most frequently result in death for

"Gray water" is slightly used water-the water you have collected at the bottom of the tub after

you have showered or the rinse water from the washing machine. It is still useful, and we cannot

afford to let it go down the drain.

Which of the following is an example of gray water?

Glaciers are frozen masses of snow and ice.

As the weight of the snow increases each year, the lower layers become hard-packed like ice. The

weight also causes the glacier to move slowly downhill. Speeds of glaciers are usually figured in

inches per day rather than miles per hour.

A glacier moves as a result of its

It is time to get this country moving again.

No American wants to stand by and see this country go the other way. The men who have been

elected are no longer in touch. A fresh point of view, new ideas, and more action are needed. The

voters should finally wake up and give power to those who will make changes.

This passage tries to make you believe that

Up until a few years ago most parents, teachers, baby doctors, and coaches felt that right was

right. There was even an old wives' tale that left-handed people did not learn as well. But, I'm happy

to report, this right-thinking is gone. Today parents and teachers understand left-handedness, and

our number is rising.

The main idea of this passage is that the feelings about left-handedness

According to Newton's Third Law, for each action there is an equal and opposite reaction. You

can illustrate the principle by blowing up a rubber balloon and then allowing the air to escape.

Notice that the balloon moves forward as the air escapes in the opposite direction.

Which of the following describes Newton's Third Law?

Water is a good conductor of sound waves. If you were swimming underwater while someone

struck two rocks together underwater 10 feet away, you would be surprised at how loud the sound

was. The U.S. Navy makes use of this knowledge in detecting enemy submarines.

Of the following, which is the best restatement of the main idea?