Beard Superiority

Unlike most others who follow along with popular trends, I am able to truly see that the beard is superior to the mustache. First, you have so much more hair and space to work with when styling a beard than you do with a mustache. You can trim and cut a beard into so many styles: the Muttonchop, the Goatee, the Stubble, the Chin Strap. You can even add things to your beard: braids, beads, glitter, and color-the possibilities of what you can add to a beard are endless! There are even professional competitions that surround the stylish nature of beards.

Which of the following is a counterclaim to the argument in the passage?

What is all this talk of cicadas lately in the United States? You might be wondering why the media has featured it, but in fact, the discussion about cicadas has emerged about as predictably as the cicadas themselves from their underground refuge. Let's get oriented with some background on cicadas.

What is a cicada? A typical definition will at least tell you that the cicada is a large, loud insect with long transparent wings, mostly found in warm countries. A more detailed response might also inform you that cicadas have short antennae and wide-set eyes that jut out, with delicate, translucent wings - and that not only is the cicada loud, but few creatures make a louder sound. In fact, it is male cicadas that are the noisy ones, to the tune of 80 to 100 decibels, which is like the roar of a loud engine. This is because male cicadas make a strident, high buzzing by vibrating two membranes on their abdomen called tymbals, effectively turning its body into a kind of echo chamber or drum. Female cicadas cannot replicate the buzzing, though they respond with a clicking sound when they are ready to mate.

Although there are several species of cicada, mating typically takes place in trees whereafter the female deposits the eggs into the bark. When the eggs hatch, the larval cicadas, called nymphs, drop to the ground and burrow. They then live as nymphs for most of their lives over 6 feet underground, with both male and female cicadas dying within weeks of their emergence from the soil. This is particularly true for North American cicadas, especially the Magiccodo, or periodical cicadas, which regularly...

Which of the following is the most likely reason male cicadas make a buzzing sound?

A Day with Humpbacks

I sit on the headlands of Neah Bay, Washington, and watch a mother humpback and her calf slip through the icy Pacific waters. I recognize this whale by her distinctive tail pattern, as unique to this humpback as my fingerprints are to me. Once, heavy hunting using harpoons extirpated the species from the region, and only a ban on whaling allowed populations of humpbacks to recover.

As this gray female rises to the surface, she exhales, sending up a spout nearly 20 feet high. She rolls on her side and lifts her scalloped-edge flipper in salute, then slaps it on the water. Fadjust my lens and take my shot. This is the only type of whale hunting I find acceptable with a camera.

Which of the following statements conveys the main idea of the passage?

Letter from the Chair of Elkinsville Ecological Society

Many of you have heard about the proposed northward expansion of the interstate, which currently ends just south of Elkinsville. In the recent debate over how this work will go forward, the focus has been on weighing economic costs and benefits. Indeed, many local politicians claim to favor the project because it will bring jobs in the short term and more visitors to Elkinsville in the long term. These politicians also argue that the proposed plan is the least environmentally damaging way to expand the highway farther upstate. This cannot be true, however, since the proposed expansion involves not just the widening of existing roads, but also the construction of more than a dozen miles of new-terrain highway.

Where is it most likely that readers would encounter this text?

Peanut Butter Cookies

Grandma Harry     30 minutes Cookies/Desserts Makes 1 dozen

1 egg white

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

Beat egg white until foamy. Stir in sugar, and beat again until softpeaks form. Gently fold in peanut butter and vanilla. Add flour in small increments until dough forms. Chill dough for at least 2 hours. Roll into balls, roll in sugar, press down with a fork, and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet. These are very fragile.

Which of the following statements is true?

In 1943, the war in the Pacific raged on. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt went to rally the troops' spirits, despite the disapproval of military command. Roosevelt planned a grueling itinerary. She visited several islands and hundreds of wounded in her first 6 days. The indefatigable First Lady inspected Navy hospitals, delivered a speech, attended receptions, and visited convalescing officers, all within 12 hours of her arrival. She lifted spirits among the wounded and morale among the troops. She continued her exhausting tour for a month, speaking to every patient in troop hospitals and taking down addresses to contact family members.

Roosevelt traveled non-stop, risked her life, and greeted the last patient she saw with the same heartfelt sincerity as the first.

Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the passage?

Do words like exhausted, listless, or worn-out describe you?

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Which of the following is a fact presented in the advertisement?

Dear Aunt Suzanne,

I have a few minutes before I get on the bus from Galway back to Dublin and wanted to tell you how my class trip to Ireland is going. We just spent 2 days on Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, which are just off the central west coast of Ireland. We took a ferry from Galway, a ride that takes about an hour and was quite gray and stormy.

For an island that is only about 12 square miles, there is a lot to do and see on Inis Mor! After eating steak and vegetable stew and brown bread with butter, we went to the sweater market, where all kinds of woolen products were sold. The Aran Islands are known for their wool because sheep thrive here and generations have used woolen sweaters and hats to survive long cold days of fishing on the open sea. In fact, I learned that each family or clan has its own signature knitting pattern and some are able to tell which family someone belongs to by the pattern of their sweater! The Healy pattern is an interesting combination of twists and braids, and I found you a birthday souvenir with a beautiful example

The next day, we rented bicycles and toured the island. We saw ancient ruins, a prehistoric hill fort, and a white sand beach. We also climbed down to a mysterious rock formation known as The Worm Hole" a rectangular hole in a stone shore that fills with thrashing waves and looks like it houses a terrible serpent (see attached photo). The Worm Hole was difficult to find, and when we stopped someone for directions, she only Spoke Gaelic Sometimes this island seems stuck in an earlier time.

Which of the following words used in the passage indicates Eva's opinion?

"The Santa Barbara Journal": Exciting news today from Vandenberg Space Force Base as it has ended its Delta IV Heavy rocket program to make way for the new Atlas V program. Riddled with difficulties, Delta IV Heavy saw only moderate success throughout its 21-year history. Developed on the heels of the last tragic Space Shuttle flight, expectations for the Delta IV Heavy have far exceeded their reality. Future hopes now lie with the Atlas V program developed by Lockheed Martin.

A social media post: @ggh723 The space program is an outdated use of taxpayer funds. We have enough problems on Earth to worry about what's happening in the universe.

Which of the following themes do the two above passages share?

Beard Superiority

Unlike most others who follow along with popular trends, I am able to truly see that the beard is superior to the mustache. First, you have so much more hair and space to work with when styling a beard than you do with a mustache. You can trim and cut a beard into so many styles: the Muttonchop, the Goatee, the Stubble, the Chin Strap. You can even add things to your beard: braids, beads, glitter, and color-the possibilities of what you can add to a beard are endless! There are even professional competitions that surround the stylish nature of beards.

Which of the following is a counterclaim to the argument in the passage?

In 1943, the war in the Pacific raged on. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt went to rally the troops' spirits, despite the disapproval of military command. Roosevelt planned a grueling itinerary. She visited several islands and hundreds of wounded in her first 6 days. The indefatigable First Lady inspected Navy hospitals, delivered a speech, attended receptions, and visited convalescing officers, all within 12 hours of her arrival. She lifted spirits among the wounded and morale among the troops. She continued her exhausting tour for a month, speaking to every patient in troop hospitals and taking down addresses to contact family members.

Roosevelt traveled non-stop, risked her life, and greeted the last patient she saw with the same heartfelt sincerity as the first.

Which of the following publications would have a different point of view of Eleanor Roosevelt compared to the author's point of view?