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?

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 four

Beat egg white until foamy. Stir in sugar, and 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 a ball, roll in sugar, press down with a fork, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Let it cool on a cookie sheet. These are very fragile.

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

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 U.S. 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 although 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?

The athlete enjoyed the accolades of her teammates when she scored the winning goal. Which of the following words is the best synonym for the word "accolades" in the sentence above?

Which of the following is the main purpose of a newspaper editorial written in support of education reform?

Which of the following information sources contains copyright information for a given book?

A teacher asks a student to wipe down the whiteboard before leaving for art class, put away the math textbooks before wiping down the whiteboard, and take the daily attendance sheet to the principal on the way to art class.

Which of the following should the student do first?

Which of the following statements about the passage is true?

"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?

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 statements from the passage offers evidence that female cicadas do not have tymbals attached to their abdomen?

Which of the following provides information about symbols used on a specific map?