Title III, REA 0002
College Prep Reading - Students
PRACTICE EXAM WITH
EXPLANATIONS
Florida College Basic Skills Practice Test
Text material taken from Henry & Markus, Thinking Through the Test, 3rd ed. (2006) and Perillo, Writing and Reading Tests for the FEE, 4th ed. (2006).
Read each passage and answer the questions that follow.
Carnivorous plants trap their prey, which may vary from single-celled organisms, small crustaceans, mosquito larvae, and tiny water insects to small tadpoles, large insects, and small amphibians. Carnivorous plants fall into two groups. Active trappers use rapid plant movements to open trap doors or to close traps. Passive trappers use pitfalls or sticky adhesive traps.
Two examples of active trappers are the Venus flytrap and the aquatic and semi-aquatic bladderworts. The Venus flytrap uses clam-shaped, hinged leaves. Around their unattractive edges are many guard hairs and very small nectar glands that attract insects. On the surface of each half are three small trigger hairs and a covering of small digestive glands. An insect attracted to the brightly colored leaf touches the trigger hairs, causing the trap to close quickly. The bladderwort, as its name suggests, has small, elastic, flattened bladders with the entrance sealed by a flap of cells. When prey touch the tactile cells on the flap, the trap door opens. The bladder walls spring apart, causing a sucking motion that sweeps a current of water into the bladder. Then the door closes, trapping the prey.
Pitcher plants and sundews are examples of passive trappers. Pitcher plants use pitfalls. The leaves are shaped into pitcher-like or funnel-like traps that grow from underground stems. Bright coloration and secretions of nectar attract the insects. When they land and move down the leaf, the insects are unable to back up against the stiff, downward-directed hairs. They fall into watery fluid containing digestive enzymes produced by the leaf. The sundews attract insects to sticky leaves by color, scent, and glistening droplets of adhesive. Sundews have two types of glands on the leaf surface that produce adhesive droplets. Long stalks on the edge of the leaf trap the insect. Shorter stalks slowly bend into the center of the leaf, holding the prey in the digestive area of the leaf. (Adapted from Robert Leo Smith and Thomas M. Smith, Elements of Ecology, 5th ed., San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings, 2003.)
1. Which sentence best states the implied main idea of the passage?
A. Two examples of active trappers are the Venus flytrap and the aquatic
and semi-aquatic bladderworts.B. Pitcher plants and sundews are examples of passive trappers.
C. There are two types of carnivorous plants that capture small creatures in different ways.
D. Active trappers attract insects and trap them inside the plant where
they are digested by enzymes produced by the plants.
2. The overall pattern of organization for this passage is
A. Listing
B. Classification
C. Cause and effect
D. Statement and clarification
3. The author's purpose is to
A. describe Venus flytraps and Pitcher plants.
B. define active trappers and give examples of each.
C. explain how different types of carnivorous plants catch their prey.
D. show the effects of prey landing upon carnivorous plants.
4. What is the relationship between the following sentences, "When prey touch the tactile cells on the flap, the trap door opens, The bladder walls spring apart, causing a sucking motion that sweeps a current of water into the bladder"?
A. Compare and contrast
B. Spatial order
C. Statement and clarification
D. Process
5. The author's claim that "Carnivorous plants fall into two groups" is
A. inadequately supported because it lacks evidence.
B. adequately supported with relevant details.
6. What is the relationship within the sentence, "When prey touch the tactile cells on the flap, the trap door opens"?
A. Example
B. Listing
C. Cause and effect
D. Summary
7. The overall tone of the passage is
A. objective.
B. admiring.
C. nostalgic.
D. reverent.
8. The main idea of paragraph 2 is that
A. carnivorous plants trap their prey in a complicated process.
B. Venus flytraps and bladderworts are active trappers.
C. Venus flytraps use an active trapping process to catch their prey.
D. all active trappers have nectar glands.
9. A conclusion that can be drawn from the passage is that
A. Pitcher plants have a slower process for capturing their prey than bladderworts.
B. Venus flytraps are not as common as bladderworts.
C. Bladderworts also use a sticky adhesive to trap their prey.
D. all passive trappers have small trigger hairs to trap their prey.
Summers in Florida can be a tough time for man's best friend, the dog. Between Memorial Day holiday in May and Labor Day in September, dogs have to deal with hosts of insects, extraordinary heat, thunderstorms, and fireworks. Conscientious owners can keep their pets safe and healthy throughout the summer months by following these suggestions. All dogs living in this tropical climate need to be checked for fleas and heartworm periodically. Regular visits to the vet will provide the medications to prevent heartworm and flea infestations. In addition to the insects, the high temperatures can be dangerous to pets. Dog owners need to be reminded to keep their pets indoors on extremely hot days and to make certain there is always fresh, clean water available at all times.
Eddie Garcia, who is a veterinarian in Tampa, explains that dogs are more susceptible to heat stroke than humans because of the physical difference between human skin and dog skin. Humans are cooled when glands under the skin produce sweat, and as the moisture evaporates the blood temperature is cooled. In contrast, dogs and cats have sweat glands only in their noses and pads of their feet. Very little cooling takes place, so the animals must rely on panting to cool down. Air is expelled through the animal's mouth, and the extra heat leaves with it. Dr. Garcia points out that dogs with small heads and short noses, such as boxers and Boston terriers, are more vulnerable to heatstroke because their short noses cannot exchange air as effectively as longer-nosed dogs. Furthermore, overweight dogs are also at greater risk for heatstroke because their extra layers of fat act as insulation, which traps heat and restricts breathing. Dog owners should be aware of the symptoms of heatstroke and what treatment is necessary if they detect these signs in their pets. Signs of heatstroke include excessive panting, bright red or purple gums and tongue, trouble standing or waling, glazed eyes, and collapsing or vomiting. The first thing to do if a pet owner observes these symptoms is to get the animal indoors or into a shady area. Applying wet towels to the hairless areas of the body will make the dog comfortable and offer it small amounts of cool water. Most importantly, get the animal to a vet immediately. ("Petrified." The Tampa Tribune, 3 June 2004:2-33.)
10. According to this passage, dogs are more susceptible to heatstroke than humans because
A. their bodies are covered by fur.
B. their body temperature is much higher than a human's.
C. dogs have fewer sweat glands than humans.
D. dogs are attracted to sunlight.
11. "Signs of heatstroke include excessive panting, bright red or purple gums and tongue, trouble standing or walking, glazed eyes, and collapsing or vomiting."
The organizational pattern employed in the sentence above is
A. cause and effect.
B. listing.
C. time order.
D. process
12. If the pet owner observes heat stroke symptoms in his dog, the FIRST thing he should do is
A. get the animal to a vet.
B. give the animal a big bowl of water.
C. apply wet towels to the dog's skin.
D. bring the animal indoors or to a shady area.
13. The author's primary purpose is
A. to entertain.
B. to amuse.
C. to inform.
D. to criticize.
Karen Silkwood grew up in an unassuming middle-class family in Nederland, Texas, near the Gulf Coast. She baby-sat at her church nursery, earned straight A's through high school, and went to Lamar College on a full scholarship to study medical technology. Marriage, three children, and a divorce intervened, an in 1972, she began working as a laboratory analyst at Kerr-McGee's plutonium processing plant in Crescent, Oklahoma. There the highly poisonous radioactive material was made into fuel rods for nuclear power plants.
In the summer of 1974, at age 28, Silkwood was elected a local official of the union that represented many Kerr-McGee workers and began organizing for greater worker safety. She learned of numerous incidents of radioactive contamination at the plant. She also uncovered evidence of significant quantities of missing plutonium. On November 13, Silkwood set out for Oklahoma City to meet a national representative of her union and a New York Times reporter, intending to give them documents proving that Kerr-McGee was knowingly manufacturing defective nuclear products. She never made it. Her car was forced of the road, and she died instantly when it crashed into a concrete culvert.
Karen Silkwood challenged the power of one of the nation's largest energy corporations and paid with her life. Her brief career as a whistleblower brought together major issues of the 1970's: labor organizing, environmental damage, the safety record of nuclear energy, and the power of corporations over individual citizens. Her dismissive treatment by some fellow workers, her employers, and the media also suggested the lack of respect that women had long endured, especially when they moved out of the role of the traditional homemaker. (Jacqueline Jones et al., Created Equal, New York: Longman, 2003)
14. Which statement best states the implied main idea of the passage?
A. Karen Silkwood grew up in an unassuming middle-class family in Nederland, Texas, near the Gulf Coast.
B. Karen Silkwood was a union official and a whistleblower.
C. Karen Silkwood brought attention to many major issues of the 1970's, and she paid for it with her life.
D. Karen Silkwood challenged the power of one of the nation's largest energy corporations.
15. A conclusion that can be drawn from the passage is that
A. Karen Silkwood was unaware of the effects that radioactive materials can have on humans.
B. Karen Silkwood was probably killed because someone tried to stop her from delivering proof against Kerr-McGee to the New York Times
and the union officials.
C. Most women in the 1970's were not traditional homemakers.
D. Kerr-McGee was sued for producing defective nuclear products.
16. According to the passage,
A. Karen Silkwood died on November 13, 1974.
B. Kerr-McGee processed plutonium for nuclear weapons.
C. Kerr-McGee was unaware that its nuclear products were defective.
D. Karen Silkwood had a paying job working as a whistleblower.
17. The word dismissive in the third paragraph means
A. reverent.
B. careless.
C. disrespectful.
D. supportive.
18. "Her dismissive treatment by some fellow workers, her employers, and the media also suggested the lack of respect that women had long endured, especially when they moved out of the role of the traditional homemaker"
The statement above is
A. fact.
B. opinion.
19. The author's claim that, "Karen Silkwood challenged the power of one of the nation's largest energy corporations and paid with her life," is
A. adequately supported by facts.
B. inadequately supported by opinions or irrelevant facts.
20. The overall pattern of organization for the entire passage is
A. compare and contrast.
B. listing.
C. spatial order.
D. time order.
Answers and Explanations
1. C There are two types of carnivorous plants that capture small creatures in different ways.
Choices A & B are details and do not cover everything discussed in the passage. Choice D is not supported by the information in the passage.
2. B Classification
This passage is organized by the type of carnivorous plant. Some cause/effect examples are given but the overall pattern is classification of the two types of carnivorous plants, passive trappers and active trappers.
3. C Explain how different types of carnivorous plants catch their prey.
The passage is a detailed explanation of how the insects become trapped inside the plants.
Choice A is too narrow because it deals only with one type of plant. Choice B is incorrect because the passage is more than a definition; the focus is mostly upon the process of what happens after the insect lands on the plant.
Choice D is incorrect because it does not explain all the effects of trapping prey.
4. D Process
The sentence describes two steps in the process of how a bladderwort traps its prey.
Choice A is incorrect because it does not compare or contrast the two ideas.
Choice B is incorrect because it does not show a relationship of location (spatial order).
Choice C is incorrect because the second statement does not clarify or explain the first.
5. B The author's claim is adequately supported with relevant details.
The author gives examples of both active trappers and passive trappers and presents facts about both types of plants.
6. C The cause is the prey touching the tactile cells, and the effect is the trap door opening. The first action causes the second to happen.
Choice A is incorrect because it doesn't provide an example.
Choice B is incorrect because it is not a list.
Choice D is incorrect because it is not a summary of the process.
7. A Objective
The passage is an unbiased presentation of the facts. The author does not use emotional language to support the other tones of admiring, nostalgic or reverent Choices B, C and D).
8. B Venus flytraps and bladderworts are active trappers.
The second paragraph deals only with the two active trappers, Venus flytraps and bladderworts.
Choice A is incorrect because it contains an opinion; the word complicated
is a judgment word. Others may not agree that the process is complicated.
Choice C is incorrect because it refers to only the Venus flytrap.
Choice D is incorrect because the passage does not state that all active trappers have nectar glands.
9. A Pitcher plants have a slower process for capturing their prey than bladderworts.
The passage states that active trappers use rapid plant movements .
Choice B is incorrect because this idea is not discussed.
Choice C is not accurate.
Choice D is incorrect because the passage does not state that all passive trappers have small trigger hairs.
10. C dogs have fewer sweat glands than humans.
This is stated in the second paragraph: "Humans are cooled when glands under the skin produce sweat, and as the moisture evaporates the blood temperature is cooled. In contrast, dogs and cats have sweat glands only in their noses and pads of their feet."
Choices A, B and D are incorrect because they are not mentioned in the passage.
11. B Listing
Choice B is correct because the signs of heatstroke listed in the sentence could be written in any order and remain correct.
Choice A is incorrect because there is no cause mentioned.
Choices C and D are incorrect because the sentence does not describe how something is done (process and time order).
12. D bring the animal indoors or to a shady area.
This is directly stated in the second paragraph: "The first thing to do if a pet owner observes these symptoms is to get the animal indoors or into a shady area." Therefore, Choices A, B, and C, although mentioned, are not correct because they are not the first things to do.
13. C to inform.
The passage is an unbiased presentation. Although an individual is cited (veterinarian Eddie Garcia), his opinion is an 'informed opinion' based on medical facts. The writer does not use emotional language which would support the other answer choices (entertain, amuse, criticize).
14. C Karen Silkwood brought attention to many major issues of the 1970's and she paid for it with her life.
This is stated in the third paragraph: " …and paid with her life. "Her brief career as a whistleblower brought together major issues of the 1970's…"
Choices A and D are details, not the implied main idea of the entire passage.
Choice B is not broad enough to cover all the information in the entire passage.
15. B Karen Silkwood was probably killed because someone tried to stop her from delivering proof against Kerr-McGee to the New York Times and the union officials.
Choice A is false. The passage states that she studied medical technology and learned of numerous incidents of radioactive contamination at the plant.
Choice C is false. The last sentence states that women who moved out of the traditional role of homemaker endured a lack of respect. Choice D is not discussed.
16. A Karen Silkwood died on November 13, 1974.
Choice B is incorrect because this was not discussed in the passage.
Choice C is incorrect because the passage states that Kerr-McGee knowingly manufactured defective nuclear products. Choice D is incorrect because Silkwood was not paid for her efforts to expose the company's unethical practices. A whistleblower is a person who exposes unethical practices.
17. C disrespectful
The passage states, "Her dismissive treatment by some fellow workers, her employers, and the media also suggest the lack of respect that women had long endured." Choices A, B and D do not fit the meaning of the word.
18. B Opinion
The statement is not provable, as in the phrase "suggested the lack of respect," which is the author's interpretation of what the treatment suggested.
19. A adequately supported by facts.
The author provided many facts about what Silkwood did to challenge one of the 'nation's largest energy corporations.' The fact that she was forced off the road and died when she was taking proof of the company's unethical practices to the New York Times and union officials supports the idea that she paid with her life.
20. D time order
The details of the passage are in chronological order, beginning with her childhood and ending with her death.
Florida College Basic Skills
PRACTICE EXAM
