HESI_Reading_Passages_REVISED | HESI_Reading_Passages_Graded A

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HESI A2 READING PASSAGES Changing Time/Daylight Savings It is a well-known fact that it takes the Earth approximately 365 days to move around the sun. At the same time. the Earth revolves or spins ... around itself over the course of 24 hours, which explains why there is day and night. One half of the Earth is always facing the Sun and the other half is facing away from it. As a result, there are different time zones dividing the globe, moving suddenly from one time zone into the other, as when flying for example from Asia to North America, causes jet lag. People feel tired, they wake up suddenly during the night and cannot go back to sleep. It takes time to get used to a new time zone. Another thing to consider is the slight tilting of the Earth towards the sun. The Earth does not stand straight but leans a little to one side. Therefore, when it revolves around the Sun, the middle part of the Earth is always closer to the Sun and gets more heat. This part is called the equator, and above it lathes tropics. Countries at the tropics get the same amount of daylight all the time. The sun always rises at 6 am and sets at 6 pm. In contrast, the tips of the Earth or the Poles get hardly any light at all because they are so far away from the sun. There are two main seasons at the Poles. There are 6 months of summer, when the sun is always shining, even at night, and there are 6 months of winter, when there is constant darkness. In between the tropics and the Poles lies the temperate Zone. where there are 4 seasons, the sun rises and sets at different times throughout the year. In the spring and summer, it gets light earlier; in the fall and winter it gets dark earlier. People who live in temperate zones take advantage of that fact to get more daylight. At the beginning of spring, countries in Europe and North America Read just their clocks. They change the time on their clocks and watches by moving them an hour ahead. As a result, the sun does not set around 7 or 8 am as usual, but an hour later. This measure is called Daylight Savings Time (DST) and lasts until the beginning of fall, when people move their clocks back one hour to Standard or regular Time. It is thought that Benjamin Franklin first suggested the introduction of Daylight Savings Time in the fifth century. But, the first serious proposal came in 1907 from William Willett. Yet his idea was shelved by the British government, who refused it because they thought it was unnecessary. Daylight Savings Time was first put into practice by the German government in l 9 l 6 in order to save energy during the First World War. Shortly after, the United Kingdom followed suit, with the United States doing the same in 1918. The law was very unpopular since people had to wake up earlier and many experienced a feeling like jet lag. But the 19705-energy crisis forced the US to make Daylight Savings Time the law. Studies have shown that the introduction of Daylight Savings Time in the spring saved the US 10,000 barrels of oil per day between 1974-1975. It also prevented 2,000 traffic injuries and 50 trafficrelated deaths, saving the country $28 million. Currently, Americans switch to Daylight Savings Time on the first Sunday in April and move back to Standard Time on the last Sunday in October. But as of 2007, the time readjustment will happen even earlier, in March and November. 1. What is the main idea of this passage? (A)Time is a complicated thing to calculate. (B)People in different countries measure time in different ways. (C)Daylight Savings Time is the result of the Earth moving around the Sun. (D)Daylight Savings Time is not a very popular law in the USA.2. What does the sentence “It takes time to get used to a new time Zone." mean in paragraph I? (A)A flight between Asia and North America takes a long time. (B)Changing time zones makes people feel tired. (C)People need time to feel comfortable with a new time zone. (D)lt may take weeks to get used to jetlag. 3. Which part of the Earth is the closest to the Sun? (A)The Equator (B)The tropics (C)The temperate zone (D)The PolesThe Bicycle Today, bicycles are so common that it’s hard to believe they haven’t always been around. But two hundred years ago, bicycles didn’t exist, and the first bicycle, invented in Germany in 1818, was nothing like our bicycles today. It was made of wood and didn't even have pedals. Since then, however, numerous innovations and improvements in design have made the bicycle one of the most popular means of recreation and transportation around the world. In 1839, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish Blacksmith, dramatically improved upon the original bicycle design. Macmillan’s machine had tires with iron rims to keep them from getting worn down. He Also used foot-operated cranks similar to pedals so his bicycle could be ridden at a quick pace. It didn't look much like a modern bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel. In 1861, the French Michaux brothers took the evolution of the bicycle a step further by inventing an improved crank mechanism. Ten years later, James Starley, an English inventor, revolutionized bicycle design. He made the front wheel many times larger than the back wheel, put gear on the pedals to make the bicycle more efficient, and lightened the wheels by using wire spokes. Although this bicycle was much lighter and less tiring to ride, it was still clumsy, extremely topheavy, and ridden mostly for entertainment. It wasn’t until 1874 that the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. Invented by another Englishman, H.J. Lawson, the “safety bicycle “would look familiar to today’s cyclists. This bicycle had equal-sized wheels, which made it less prone to toppling over. Lawson also attached a chain to the pedals to drive the rear wheel. With these improvements, the bicycle became extremely popular and useful for transportation. Today, they are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world 1. The main idea of this passage is best expressed in which sentence? a. Sentence (1): Today, bicycles are so common that it’s hard to believe they haven’t always been around. b. Sentence (13): It was ’t until 1874 that the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. c. Sentence (4): Since then, however, numerous innovations and improvements in design have made the bicycle one of the most popular means of recreation and transportation around the world. d. Sentence (18): Today they are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world. 2.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? a. Bicycles Are Better b. A Ride through the History of Bicycles c. Cycle Your Way to Fitness d. The Popularity of Bicycles 3. Which sentence best expresses the main idea of paragraph 3? a. Macmillan was a great inventor. b. Macmillan’s bike didn’t look much like our modern bikes. c. Macmillan’s bike could be ridden quickly. d. Macmillan made important changes in bicycle design. 4. An innovation, as it is used in Sentence (4), is a. a new way of doing something. b. a design. c. an improvement.d. a clever person. 5. Revolutionized, as it is used in Sentence (10), most nearly means a. cancelled. b. changed drastically. c. became outdated. d. exercised control over. 6. The word prone, as it is used in Sentence (15), means a. lying down. b. unbalanced. c. incapable of doing something. d. likely to do something. 7.Which of the following sentences from the passage represents the writer’s opinion? a. Sentence (1) b. Sentence (6) c. Sentence (9) 8. Sentence (8), “It didn’t look much like a modern bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel,” follows which pattern? a. fact, fact b. fact, opinion c. opinion, fact d. opinion, opinion 9. Macmillan added iron rims to the tires of his bicycle to a. add weight to the bicycle. b. makes the tires last longer. c. makes the ride less bumpy. d. makes the ride less tiring. 10. The first person to use a gear system on bicycles was a. H.J. Lawson. b. Kirkpatrick Macmillan. c. The Michaux brothers. d. James Starley. 11. Starley’s addition of 'wire spokes made the bicycle a. lighter. b. less likely to tip over. c. more efficient. d. safer.Tesla Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla is often called the "forgotten scientist". Although he invented the alternating current (AC) motor and developed an AC electricity generation system. he never received historical credit for many of his achievements, unlike one of his first employer and eventual nemesis, inventor Thomas Edison. Tesla made the first sketches of his idea for a brushless of his idea for a brushless AC motor while he was a student at the University of Prague in 1882. His interest in electricity generation led him to Paris where he was employed by the Continental Edison Company later that year to repair Edison ‘s direct current (DC) power plants. Two years later, Tesla immigrated to New York City and acquired a job as an engineer at Thomas Edison’s headquarters in Manhattan. Edison was impressed With Tesla's work ethic and ingenuity. He challenged the young scientist to develop an improved design for his DC generators for $50,000. Tesla experimented for months, finally presenting Edison with the solution he needed. Edison reneged on the deal. telling Tesla that he didn't understand American humor Tesla soon left Edison in order to begin his own electric light company. Tesla filed and was granted more than 30 patents for his inventions in l887 and l888i He soon had financial backing For his ideas from one of Edison’s' main competitors, Westinghouse In the 1890's Tesla experimented with x-rays, developed a high-voltage electrical transformer call the Tesla coil, and demonstrated the propagation of radio waves two years before the "Father of Radio" Guglielmo Marconi. He was also the first to harness the mammoth potential energy of Niagara Falls. He worked with General Electric to install AC generators With turbines driven by the falling waters of the Niagara River, creating the first modern power plant although a brilliant scientist. Tesla was not an astute businessman. He created his own obscurity by relinquishing royalty rights for his inventions to major corporations for the purpose of raising funds for future projects. 1.What did Tesla accomplish while attending the University of Prague? A. Improved the design for Edison's DC generators. B. Made repairs to Edison's direct current power plants. C. Made designs for a brushless alternating current motor (correct) D. Developed a high-voltage electrical transformer.Exams Subjective exams measure your ability in several areas. Besides recall information, you must be able to realize content logically and intelligently express yourself in a clearly understood manner. Subjective test provide opportunity for students to show their broad knowledge of a subjective area. Answers may be in the form of paragraphs or lengthy essays. When your review for an essay exam, concentrate on main ideas rather than details. Since essay tests are less to a few questions, they are likely to deal with more important ideas of a subject. Prepare a list of question you think might be asked. Write an answer to each of your questions. Rather than writing complete sentence down your thoughts in outline form. doing so will help you organize the information so that you can express yourself clearly. When you take the test, read through all the questions before you start to write. Allot time for each question, spending more time for questions worth the most points. Read each question carefully to determine exactly what they is asked. Pay attention to words such as define, illustrate, explain, list, compare, and contrast. Each work requires a different type of response. Write a brief outline of your answer on scrap paper or the back of the test. Make sure you include all the important ideas that are within the limits of the question. In other words, do not write more than is asked for each answer. When you write your answer, keep it specific and as brief as possible. In the introductory sentence it is often helpful to make a general statement that includes important points addressed in each question. Such a topic sentence serves as a framework for your answer. Then use your outline to develop the main point and subtopics. Add substance to your answer by including as many facts as possible to support your answer. Check your paper before you submit it. Look for mistakes in grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation. Unless you are certain an answer is wrong, do not change it. Your answer is an educated guess and is usually your best chance of answering correctly. 1.When taking a subjective examination, you will find questions like. A. True & False B. Multiple Choice (?) C. Matching D. Definitions.(?) 2.Compared to objective exams, essay test contain A. no good answers(?) B. more questions C. fewer questions (correct)(?) D. harder questions 3.From the article the reader can conclude that a test containing true-false question is called. A. subjective B. rejective C. objective (CORRECT)D. Dejective 4.Compared to objective exams, subjective tests contain A. more questions. B. fewer questions (correct) C. harder questions D. no good answers. 5.In answering subjective questions, the student should, A.Include more than is asked B.Keep it brief and specific C.Write out the words-True or False D.Capitalize the matching letters 6.In the above passage, the word “subjective” refers to test questions that: A.Allow you to choose an answer B.Are matching C.Are true or false D.Require you to write your own answerThe White Elephant Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of the rulers that displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the animal was considered to be could not be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was the ruler, who would be greatly displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for in a grand style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the recipient and in many cases they became impoverished. This is the origin of the term "white elephant" as it is used today to denote an unwanted gift. The way of gift exchange played during the holiday season is an offshoot of this. In this game, everyone brings, and the gifts are exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn. The second person can choose or steal the first one. It is all in good fun, and people enjoy giving silly gifts and "stealing" someone else. 1. How did the people regard a white elephant? A. If a village elder received a white elephant, the entire village shared in the supply of meat. B. People tried very hard not to offend the king so they would not receive a white elephant correct C. White elephants were highly prized as they were very hard workers in the cane fields. D. The people of Siam vied for the honor of receiving the king's gift or a white elephant. 2.Where is Thailand" A. Africa B. Europe C. Asia(correct) D. South America 3.What is implied by this article? That people enjoy giving/receiving gifts 4.Impoverished meaning? Financially ruined 5.Why is an unwanted gift called “white elephant”? It is a rare thing to get an unwanted giftHealing The healing power of maggots is not new. Human beings have discovered it several times. The Maya are said to have used maggots for therapeutic purposes a thousand years ago. As early as the sixteenth century, European doctors noticed that soldiers with maggot-infested wounds healed well. More recently, doctors have realized that maggots can be cheaper and more effective than drugs in some respects, and these squirming larvae have, at times, enjoyed a quiet medical renaissance. The problem may have more to do with the weak stomachs of those using them than with good science. The modern heydey of maggot therapy began during World War I, when an American doctor named William Baer was shocked to notice that two soldiers who had lain on a battlefield for a week while their abdominal wounds became infested with thousands of maggots, had recovered better than wounded men treated in the military hospital. After the war, Baer proved to the medical establishment that maggots could cure some of the toughest infections. In the 1930s hundreds of hospitals used maggot therapy. Maggot therapy requires the right kind of larvae. Only the maggots of blowflies (a family that includes common bluebottles and green bottles) will do the job; they devour dead tissue, whether in an open wound or in a corpse. Some other maggots, on the other hand, such as those of the screw-worm eat live tissue. They must be avoided. When blowfly eggs hatch in a patient’s wound, the maggots eat the dead flesh where gangrene-causing bacteria thrive. They also excrete compounds that are lethal to bacteria they don’t happen to swallow. Meanwhile, they ignore live flesh, and in fact, give it a gentle growth-stimulating massage simply by crawling over it. When they metamorphose into flies, they leave without a trace – although in the process, they might upset the hospital staff as they squirm around in a live patient. When sulfa drugs, the first antibiotics, emerged around the time of World War II, maggot therapy quickly faded into obscurity. 1. Why did the author write the passage? (a) because of the resistance to using the benefits of maggots (b) to demonstrate the important contribution of William Baer (c) to outline the healing power of maggots (Correct) (d) to explain treatment used before the first antibiotics 2. The word “renaissance” in line 6 is closest in meaning to (a) revival (Correct) (b) resistance (c) support (d) condemnation 3. According to the passage, William Bayer was shocked because (a) two soldiers had lain on the battlefield for a week (b) the medical establishment refused to accept his findings (c) the soldiers abdominal wounds had become infested with maggots (d) the soldiers had recovered better than those in a military hospital (Correct) 4. Which of the following is true, according to the passage? (a) sulfa drugs have been developed from maggots(b) maggots only eat dead tissue (c) bluebottles and greenbottles produce maggots (d) blowfly maggots only eat dead tissue (Correct) 5. The word “devour” in line 16 is closest in meaning to (a) chew (b) clean (c) change (d) consume (Correct) 6. The word “thrive” in line 19 is closest in meaning to (a) prosper (b) eat (c) move (d) grow (Correct) 7. The word “metamorphose” in line 22 is closest in meaning to (a) disappear (b) grow (c) change (Correct) (d) move 8. The word “they” in line 23 refers to (a) flies (b) maggots (Correct) (c) gangrene-causing bacteria (d) live patients 9. All of the following are true EXCEPT (a) maggots come from eggs (Correct) (b) maggots eat bacteria (c) maggots are larvae (d) William Bayer discovered a new type of maggot 10. What can be inferred from the passage about maggots? (a) modern science might be able to develop new drugs from maggots that would fight infection (b) maggot therapy would have been more popular if antibiotics had not been discovered (Correct) (c) William Baer later changed his mind about the value of using maggot therapy (d) sulfa drugs were developed from maggotsFood Food and drink are necessary and desirable, but their abuse can cause serious physical and metal problem. Many physicians believe that overeating is one of the country's main health problems, since it places a great strain on the heart, can lead to diabetes, and often shortens the individual's life span. To fill an emotional void. people often turn to food when they are bored or lonely. Another area of concern is alcohol consumption. The results of alcohol abuse are widely publicized. The social drinker who becomes alcoholic, the drunken driver's contribution to highway death, spousal and child abuse, are all concomitant problems associated with alcohol abuse. 1.What is implied by this paragraph? A. We should eat and drink in reasonable quantities. (CORRECT) B. Obesity is a more serious problem than alcoholism. C. Alcohol should be banned. D. We need stronger laws to control drunk drivers.Eating Consumption of food is a universal necessity. Different cultures have developed different methods to accomplish the task. It is interesting to discover these differences and learn new ways to do things. European cultures developed cutlery (knives, forks, and spoons) to enable people to efficiently eat their food. Correct use of this tool’s changes with the times-what was polite in 1800 may not be considered proper manners today. China developed the chopstick as an efficient tool for eating. Mastery of the use of chopsticks can be difficult for the person not raised in the culture. The attempts of a novice to use chopsticks can be very amusing to the watcher, but frustrating for the hungry diner. Space travel has created new challenges for consuming food. Squeeze bottles and other unique packaging have enabled space travelers to get their needed nutrition. Chopsticks and forks do not work well in space. 1.What conclusion can be drawn about the article? A. The author think chopstick are funny B. The best way to eat food is with cutlery C. The author explains differences in eating processes. (CORRECT) D. Space flight is fun and exciting. 2.What statement can be implied from the content of article. A. Eating in space can be time-consuming. B. Diversity is interesting to learn about C. The author thinks cutlery is the best tool to use to consume food. (correct) D. The author enjoys trying new food.The Game of Bridge The ebb and flow of laughter and silence fills the room as four old friends gather to engage in a round of Bridge playing. For the beginner, Bridge can be complicated, but with time, effort, and a good teacher, even the novice can become proficient. Composed of two main parts, bidding and playing, Bridge requires the player's undivided attention. The dealer deals the entire deck of playing cards evenly between the for players, with each person receiving thirteen cards. In the bidding portion of the game, the four suits of cards in the deck are ranked highest to lowest as follows: spades, hearts, diamonds, and finally clubs. However, during play all the suits of cards are considered equals, and they go from highest to lowest from the ace being high to the two cards being low. The highest number of tricks wins. A trick is one card played by each player for a total of four. After the lead player lays down his/her card, the other players follow suit, if possible. The highest card within the four "same suit" cards played wins the trick and picks up all four cards. if a player cannot follow suit, he/she plays any card, but to make the game more interesting and challenging, one suit is named a trump suit which means that if a player plays a card from the trump suit, it always wins the trick. If two cards from the trump suit are played, the highest card within the trump suit wins the trick. obviously, the team with the most tricks wins the hand. 1.The author want the reader to feel A. As though the game of Bridge is too hard for novices to learn. B. frustrated and confused about playing bridge C. confident and excited about learning the game of bridge (correct) D. Overwhelmed by all the rules for the games of Bridge. 2.Throughout this passage the word suit means A. A set of clothing to be worn together B. Any of the four sets into which a deck of cards is divided. (CORRECT) C to be convenient or right for D. To request or appeal persistently 3.In the passage, a trick is described as A. A special look given to your partner across the table B. A book that gives strategies on how to win a Bridge. C. A collection of one card played by each of four players. (CORRECT) D. A specific card the dealer gives to the person to her right. 4.The passage explicitly states A. That the highest card within the "trump" suit always wins the trick. (CORRECT) B. The Ace card is always the lowest card. C. That there is a pile of leftover" cards that is placed in the middle of the game table. D. that if a player cannot follow suit, she loses her turn to the next player. 5.The passage implies that A. playing bridge requires concentration. (CORRECT) B. Bridge is an extremely easy game to play C. Bridge is only for older people D. Bridge is only for womenThe Golden Gate Bridge Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which connects the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay. Prior to the bridge, people traveled by ferry boat across the strait. Although most people thought a bridge was necessary to expedite travel, some residents of the bay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph Strauss believed that nothing was impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition if risks weren't taken. So, he decided to gather the best and brightest builders, architects, and workers to embark on the challenge of building a bridge across the Golden Gate Strait. With safety nets in place, the construction began in 1937. Building the anchorages first, the builders then move on to the towers on each end, and then to the three-foot thick cables to support the suspension bridge. Lastly, workers labored to complete the roadway which became the most dangerous and treacherous part of the entire task. The builders had to keep the bridge balance so it wouldn't fall into the bay. Today, over sixtyfive years later, the bridge remains a life-line for the people of the San Francisco Bay Area. 1.The authors reason for writing this piece seems to be to A. Inform the reader (correct) B. Teach the reader C. persuade the reader D. entertain the reader 2.What body of water does The Golden GAte Bridge cross? A. SAn Francisco Bay B. Pacific Ocean C. MArin Strait D. Golden Gate Strait (Correct) 3.Why was the roadway so dangerous to build? A. There weren't enough materials available to build the road B. The workers might get hit by passing cars. C. The men would fall to their deaths. C. If the road wasn't balance, it would collapse. (correct)Voice What effect does your voice have on others? Does it persuade or irritate, attract or repel? One of the worst qualities is harshness. If you ever get the feeling that people are uncomfortable when you speak, it may be that your harsh tones are jarring their eardrums. your voice will sound unpleasant if it is shrill, grating, hard, piercing, brassy, to loud, or too nasal. Harsh voice qualities usually come from too much tension in the throat and jaw. Tension tightens muscles and blocks the relaxed voice tones essential to a pleasing impression. Because tension occurs in higher pitched voices, women tend to have shriller voices than men, which usually makes them less desirable public speakers, newscasters, or political candidates. 1.Which statement from the selection presents a fact rather than an opinion? A. One of the worst voice qualities is harshness. B. Harsh voice qualities usually come from too much tension in the throat and jaw. (correct) C. Your voice will sound unpleasant if it is shrill, grating, hard, piercing, brassy, too loud, or too nasal. D. Because tension occurs in higher pitched voices, women tn to have shriller voices than men, which usually makes them less desirable public speaker, newscasters, or political candidates. 2.What is stated in this paragraph? A. Some men have harsh voices. B. Relaxed people often have harsh voices. C. Women make less appealing political candidates. (CORRECT) D. Not everyone finds a harsh voice irritating. 3.The information presented is A. Slanted in favor of newscasters (CORRECT). B. Slanted against people with deep voice C. slanted against people with piercing voices. D. balance in its approach. 4.The author seems to: A. prefer low pitched tones (CORRECT) B. be an experienced public speaker C. prefer shrill, grating, and brassy voice D. have no particular reactions to different voices. (CORRECT) - - - - - - - - - - - - - Continued [Show More]

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