Directions: Read each group of sentences and then select the best answer.

You have heard about "fuel–efficient" cars. They use fuel efficiently and conserve energy. An efficient worker is one who does his or her job well and on time. Efficiency, then is the ability to perform with the minimum amount of effort, expense, or waste.

1     The first three sentences

(A) contrast the term in the last sentence

(B) provide examples

(C) list reasons.

(D) repeat themselves.

Unlike Japan and the Western European countries, Canada has been relatively removed from the balance of terror debate.

2     The second part of the sentence shows

(A) an effect.

(B) comparison.

(C) contrast.

(D) an example.

To determine whether you will vote for a particular presidential candidate, you should first examine his or her philosophy of government.

3     This sentence contains

(A) time order.

(B) an effect.

(C) an example.

(D) contrast.

"Natural selection" refers to a theory developed by Charles Darwin in the 1850s. Also called "survival of the fittest," this theory postulates that over time, living things best suited to their environment tend to survive.

4     The second sentence

(A) contains an example.

(B) contradicts the first.

(C) explains an effect.

(D) defines the term in the first.

Directions: Read each paragraph and then select the best answer.

People migrate for two broad reasons. The first, called push factors, are the reasons for leaving a place. Although there may be any number of personal reasons for leaving, the underlying reasons are mostly political and economic. For instance, during the nineteenth century the failure of the potato crop in Ireland "pushed" thousands of Irish to the United States. Pull factors, on the other hand, are the forces that attract migrants to a place, such as a congenial government or good weather conditions. Push and pull factors work together. People being pushed from one place will, if they have a choice, go to places that have many pull factors.

5     The main idea is that

(A) political and economic reasons push people to move away.

(B) push factors are more influential than pull factors.

(C) people migrate due to either push factors or pull factors.

(D) pull factors affect push factors.

Dogs can be pretty good communicators. A yelp is easy to recognize as a sound of distress. Growls are obvious. A whine, coupled with a scratch at the door, may just keep the carpet clean and dry.

6     The author of this passage implies that

(A) the sounds dogs make are not always easily distinguishable.

(B) dogs bark for reasons we do not understand.

(C) dogs' communication may prevent accidents.

(D) communication skills are learned behaviors, even for dogs.

To understand the nature of denotative and connotative meaning, consider a word such as death. To a doctor this word might mean, or denote, the point at which the heart stops beating. To a doctor, death is a word signifying an objective description of an event; the word is basically denotative. To a mother whose son has just died, the word means much more. It recalls the son's youth, his ambitions, his family, his illness, and so on. To her the word is emotional, subjective, and highly personal. These emotional, subjective, and personal reactions are the word's connotative meanings.

7     The paragraph specifically explains

(A) that a word's connotation evokes emotional reaction.

(B) how connotative and denotative meanings can be the same.

(C) the ambiguity of certain words used in different contexts.

(D) that the denotation is easier to understand than a word's connotation.

There are potential disadvantages to group therapy. Many psychologists feel that the interactions in group situations are too superficial to be of much benefit. A patient with deep–seated conflicts may be better treated by a psychotherapist in individual therapy; the therapist can exert consistent pressure, refusing to let the patient avoid the crucial issues, and she or he can control the therapeutic environment more effectively. Another criticism of groups is that they are too powerful. If the group starts to focus on one individual's defense mechanisms – which are used for a reason, remember – that individual might break down. If no trained therapist is present – which is often the case in encounter groups – the result can be disastrous.

8     The author of this passage expresses bias

(A) towards the use of psychotherapy in group situations.

(B) against encouraging interaction among group therapy members.

(C) in favor of group therapy.

(D) against group therapy.

Scholarly journals are publications by professional societies or college and university presses that report developments and research in a particular academic discipline. For example, in the field of psychology, scholarly journals include American Journal of Psychology, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, and Psychological Bulletin. Articles published in scholarly journals are usually peer reviewed. That is, before an article is published, other professionals in the field read the article and confirm that it is legitimate, accurate, and worthwhile.

9     From this paragraph the reader may infer that

(A) professional societies always review publications to ensure they are legitimate.

(B) some journal articles may not be legitimate, accurate, or worthwhile.

(C) there is a lot of questionable content in psychology articles.

(D) peer reviewed articles provide more in-depth research, implications, and conclusions.

Movies from the United States are seen worldwide. Consumer products made in the United States are sold in most countries throughout the world. Many clothing styles that become popular in foreign countries first begin in the U.S. American restaurant chains like McDonald's exist even in Communist countries. U.S. television shows are routinely translated and broadcast in non–English speaking countries. American music is played by radio stations across the globe and American pop stars enjoy fame on other continents.

10     Which statement best expresses the main idea?

(A) American culture positively affects consumerism in other countries.

(B) American products and trends have a broad impact on other parts of the world.

(C) Consumers in Communist countries resist the influence of American culture.

(D) Foreign countries attempt to copy American culture.

The wedding is a tradition that most young adults still value. Most engaged couples carefully plan their wedding and regard it as an important occasion in their life. Couples also are very concerned that their ceremony follow rules of etiquette and that everything is done "just so." Most give a great deal of attention to personalizing their ceremony, including their own vows, songs, and symbols.

11     According to the paragraph,

(A) wedding traditions change over time to reflect society's rules of etiquette.

(B) engaged couples should personalize their wedding ceremony to make it more special.

(C) the couple's own vows, songs, and symbols make a wedding ceremony more personal.

(D) following wedding traditions is an important rule of etiquette.

A circle graph, also called a pie chart, is used to show whole/part relationships or to show how parts of a unit have been divided or classified. They illustrate what part of a total a particular variable represents. Circle graphs often emphasize proportions or emphasize the relative size or importance of various parts. The whole circle represents 100 percent or the total amount of something. The pieces of the pie show the relative size or proportion of particular parts of that whole. The larger the piece of the pie, the larger portion of the total it represents.

12     The tone of this paragraph is

(A) biased.

(B) informational.

(C) enthusiastic.

(D) persuasive.

People's acceptance of a product is largely determined by its package. The very same coffee taken from a yellow can was described as weak, from a dark brown can too strong, from a red can rich, and from a blue can mild. Even our acceptance of a person may depend on the colors worn. Consider, for example, the comments of one color expert "If you have to pick the wardrobe for your defense lawyer heading into court and choose anything but blue, you deserve to lose the case…" Black is so powerful it could work against the lawyer with the jury. Brown lacks sufficient authority. Green would probably elicit a negative response.

13     The main idea here is that

(A) colors influence how people think, act, and respond.

(B) a product's package affects its level of acceptance.

(C) color experts believe blue is the best color to wear.

(D) wardrobe colors speak louder than one's performance.

Despite conventional thinking, gangs are not anarchies. They can be highly structured, with codes of honor and discipline. For many members, the gang serves as family, as the only place where they find fellowship, respect, a place to belong. You often hear the word love among gang members. Sometimes the gang is the only place where they can find it.

14     This paragraph implies the author's

(A) support of conventional thought about gangs.

(B) defiance of gang involvement.

(C) membership in a gang.

(D) positive views about gang membership.

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), a flowering plant from which an over–the–counter herbal supplement is derived, is used to treat depression. As a dietary supplement, it is not subject to the same type of testing and regulation as prescription medications. St. John's wort has been thought to have curative properties since the time of Hippocrates in ancient Greece. Although the herb appears to benefit some people who suffer from mild to moderate depression, it may interact with or reduce the effectiveness of many medications used to treat heart disease, seizures, and HIV. There are approximately 7.5 million users of St. John's wort.

15     St. John's wort may help alleviate

(A) heart disease.

(B) colds.

(C) depression.

(D) HIV.

Schizophrenia was originally thought to be confined to North America and Western Europe. We now understand that the disorder (or varieties of the disorder) can be found around the world at the same rate: about 1 percent of the population (Alder & Gielen, 1994; Bloom et al., 1985). People in developing countries tend to have a more acute (intense, but short–lived) course – and a better outcome – of the disorder than do people in industrialized nations. In the United States, schizophrenia accounts for 75 percent of all mental heath expenditures (Carpenter & Buchanan, 1994). Schizophrenia occurs at the same rate for both sexes, but symptoms are likely to show up earlier in males, and males are more likely to be disabled by the disorder (Grinspoon, 1995).

16     The writer of this paragraph intends to

(A) inform us about the incidence and types of schizophrenia.

(B) urge people with schizophrenia to seek professional help.

(C) downplay the negative connotation associated with schizophrenia.

(D) compare schizophrenia with other mental health conditions.

People are affected by various elements of climate. The number of hours of sunshine in a day and the degree of cloudiness are important to anyone who is active out of doors–gardeners, farmers, hunters, builders, vacationers at the beach–and residents of homes heated by solar energy. Amounts of rainfall and snowfall make great differences in how we build our homes and roads from place to place. The windiness of a place is important in designing structures and harnessing wind power. Pollutants in the air can have both short–term and long–term effects on human and animal health. Counts of pollen and mold spores are important to those who suffer allergies.

17     According to the author,

(A) sunny days are preferable to anyone who works or plays outdoors.

(B) precipitation affects the way homes and roadways are built.

(C) wind transfers air pollutants faster on a sunny day.

(D) various elements of climate differ from place to place.

Stress is not always harmful. In fact, a lack of stress, sometimes called "rust out," can lead to boredom, apathy, and less than optimal health. Moderate stress may enhance behavioral adaptation and is necessary for maturation and health. Stress stimulates psychological growth. It has been said that "freedom from stress is death" and "stress is the spice of life."

18     From the paragraph it can be concluded that

(A) stressful situations lead to poor health.

(B) psychologically, stress can lead to boredom and apathy.

(C) people need some stress in their lives for optimal health.

(D) behavioral adaptation and survival ultimately generate too much stress.

Until the early 1990s, no television network would air a paid condom commercial. Today, three of the six major networks allow condom companies to advertise on their airwaves, with some limitations on topic, tone, and time of day. FOX began accepting condom ads in 1991, CBS in 1998, and NBC in 1999. ABC, UPN, and The WB continue to prohibit paid condom ads. ABC airs ads for prescription birth control pills, and The WB says it would consider ads for the pill as well. Several cable companies have allowed condom advertising for years, and some broadcasters that restrict paid condom ads accept public service ads referencing condoms or safe sex.

19     The paragraph is mainly about

(A) using public service ads as the best way to get safe-sex information to TV viewing audiences.

(B) how television networks restrict condom commercials to avoid insulting viewers.

(C) reasons why networks are willing to broadcast birth control products.

(D) television networks becoming more liberal about condom and birth control ads.

Alcoholism hurts everyone who is involved with the person afflicted with the disease. Alcoholics may be ill and can get treatment for that, but the damage they do while sick is unforgivable and cannot be fixed. People who abuse alcohol to such a degree that they neglect the basic needs of their own children can never reverse the negative effects upon those innocent, developing personas. Children of alcoholics grow up much faster than they should have to–learning early how to fend for themselves at mealtime, keep secrets from their friends, neighbors, teachers, and relatives, make excuses, and stay out of the way. "Twelve Steps" will never be enough steps for any alcoholic to cure the D pain and injury to a child.

20     The author's attitude about alcoholism is

(A) melancholy.

(B) sympathetic.

(C) bitter.

(D) satiric.