On February 2 of each year, the United States observes the unusual holiday of Groundhog Day, a day of hope that winter is over and spring is beginning. This tradition has been officially observed in the US. since the 1800s, and is believed to have developed from European folk traditions in which a bear, fox, badger, or even hedgehog would serve as the symbolic meteorologist. Although other cultures and towns observe Groundhog Day (or something similar), the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania takes special pride in being home to the one true forecasting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil. At the turn of the twentieth century, townspeople formed the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to perpetuate the joyful rituals and events surrounding Groundhog Day. Over the years, these events have come to include a scavenger hunt, a talent show, and a ball.

Legend has it that on Groundhog Day the official weather-forecasting groundhog awakens from hibernation and comes out of his burrow to look for his shadow. If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter are to come, and Punxsutawney Phil goes back to bed. However, if he does not see his shadow, Punxsutawney Phil takes this as a sign that spring has arrived, and he remains above ground. Of course, common sense tells us that February 2 is too early for spring to begin and that while animals may be attuned to various elements of nature from which humans might learn, they are unlikely to act on their instincts based on a schedule set by a Gregorian calendar. Nevertheless, a visit to Pennsylvania to see Punxsutawney Phil and all of the fun he inspires each year might just provide the touch of hope needed to reach the end of winter.

Which of the following pairs of search terms entered into a search engine with the phrase "Groundhog Day" is likely to produce information about the origin of Groundhog Day?

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, beat again until stiff peaks 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 cookie sheet. These are very fragile.

Which of the following statements is true?

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, beat again until stiff peaks 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 cookie sheet. These are very fragile.

Which of the following statements about the passage is true?

Shia looked up from his monitor, rubbed his eyes, and stared down the dark hallway toward the CFO's office. He was certain a sound had come from behind the closed door. It was a heavy thump, like someone had dropped a bowling ball.

There shouldn't be anyone else here at this hour, Shia thought to himself as he looked at his watch. The only illumination came from Shia's computer monitor. His office was on the thirtieth floor, far too high to get much more than a faint glow from the street lights below. Shia slowly stood up before reaching down to turn off the computer screen, hoping to hide in the darkness. He considered turning on his phone's flashlight, but his thoughts were cut short by a loud crash followed by the unmistakable tinkling of shattered glass.

She froze, as if he were caught by the gaze of Medusa. The initial doubt that he would actually find someone snooping around the CFO's office had turned to an icy fear that gripped his lungs and would not let him breathe. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears; he knew whoever was in his boss's office must be able to hear it.

Another crash, followed by a loud howl that he was sure couldn't be human, shocked She’s into motion, He broke into a run... in the opposite direction. He sprinted for the emergency stairwell and rushed downward, jumping over the last few steps of each fight. Shia didn't stop running and he had burst through the ground floor exit to the parking garage and found his car, His heart continued racing until he was at home in bed. He sent his boss a single text message before turning over and trying to force himself to sleep, don't think I can work late anymore"

Which of the following sources would be the best resource to find a list of other suspense novels?

Draw a circle. Draw a vertical line through the center of the circle. Draw a second line through the center of the circle, perpendicular to the first. Draw a square in the top left section of the circle. Rotate the circle 45° counter-clockwise. Darken the section of the circle that does not share a side with the section containing the square.

Which of the following images corresponds with the directions above?
 

Which of the following can be used to find journal articles on a given topic?

 

An Interesting Birthday Party

On Saturday afternoon, local eccentric Dr. Oliver Creekstone held a remarkable 90th birthday party at his countryside estate. Present were 3,000 guests, four zebras, two monster trucks, and a famous bagpipe player from Scotland. Though pleased with the entertainment, attendees reportedly were shocked that the complimentary buffet contained only boiled asparagus and pickled carrots. At nightfall, the party was treated to a stunning and seemingly endless fireworks display. According to our sources, Dr. Creekstone felt that next year's birthday party would have to be even bigger and more interesting. "We'll need at least seven more zebras," he said.

Which of the following conclusions is supported by all of the details provided about the birthday party?

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, beat again until stiff peaks 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 cookie sheet. These are very fragile.

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

Hedy Lamarr, the Inventor

Hedy Lamarr was a woman of many talents. She was first known as a European film actress in the 1930s. She began starring in American films with MGM Studios in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Some of her more popular films included Boom Town (1940) and White Cargo (1942); however, her roles generally did not include very many spoken lines and she became bored. To relieve this boredom, Lamarr took up inventing.

Hedy Lamarr did not have any formal training, but she did not allow that to stop her from teaching herself in her spare time. Although she had a number of failed inventions, such as an improved traffic light and a carbonated drink, Lamarr did not stop coming up with ideas. She even spent time working with the science engineering team employed by Howard Hughes, the aviation tycoon.

During World War I, Lamarr learned that one of the military's new technologies, radio-controlled torpedoes, were too easily jammed and redirected. She came up with a type of radio signal that changed, or "hopped, frequencies and was unable to be tracked or disrupted. With the assistance of her friend George Anthell, she was able to design the system and patent it in August 1942.

Unfortunately, the United States Navy was not interested. The technology of the era wasn't quite good enough to easily implement Lamarr's system, and the Navy was not particularly interested in civilian inventions at the time. It wasn't until 20 years later, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, that a version of Lamarr's system began appearing on Navy ships.

The work Lamarr and Antheil did creating this frequency-hopping system led to many technologies that are often taken for granted today. Their work led to the development of cell phones, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. Just think, we might not have any of those things if Hedy Lamarr had been given more interesting roles.

Which of the following lines from the passage supports the inference that Hedy Lamarr worked earnestly to achieve her goals?

The best part about going to the theater is the feeling of being transported into a story. As soon as the curtain rises, you can forget about the chairs that make you feel like you've been squished into a sardine can and embrace wherever the story takes you, if only for a short while the emotions in the play become your emotions. The lives of the characters become your life. From a drama about a family in financial crisis to a comedy about a play gone wrong, there is no limit to where the theater can take you.

Using evidence from the passage, which of the following conclusions about the author can the reader infer?

Clara Barton Timeline

1821: Clara Barton is born in North Oxford, Massachusetts.

1831: Barton cares for her brother David after he falls from a roof and is severely injured.

1855: Barton moves to Washington D.C. to work as the first female federal patent clerk.

1861: Barton begins gathering and distributing food, clothing, and medical supplies to wounded soldiers during the Civil War.

1862: Barton works on the front lines as a self-taught nurse.

1865: After the war, Barton begins identifying anonymous soldiers to be properly buried through the Office of Missing Soldiers.

1869: Barton travels to Europe, assisting with preparing military hospitals and supplying aid to the poor.

1881: Barton petitions President Chester A. Arthur to open an American branch of the International Red Cross organization

According to the timeline, which of the following events happens second after Clara is born?