TV news viewership has declined steadily over the past two decades. Several factors may have
contributed to the decline: busy lifestyles, lack of interest, and the rise of the Internet. As
viewership has declined, the remaining viewers have aged. Today, the average evening news
viewer is 60 years old. TV networks' response to these changes has largely been negative. They
have dropped hard news in favor of opinion pieces, "puff pieces," and stories that are of interest
only to their older demographic. As a result, TV news has not just become unpopular, it has also
become largely worthless.
The following questions are based on this passage.
1. Which of the following statements from the passage is an opinion?
A. Several factors may have contributed to the decline.
B. As viewership has declined, the remaining viewers have aged.
C. They have dropped hard news.
D. It has also become largely worthless.
2. Which of the following is the author's purpose in the passage?
A. To convince readers that TV news is no longer worth watching
B. To show how busy lifestyles have caused a decline in TV news watching
C. To explain that TV news uses "puff pieces" to attract viewers
D. To describe how the Internet has had an adverse effect on TV news
Peat bogs are wetlands that contain acidic water and large deposits of compressed, dead plant
material known as peat. Peat bogs are typically shallow and punctuated by areas of semi-dry
land. Slabs of peat can be cut from the bog and used in agriculture or dried and then burned as
fuel. Peat was a significant fuel in some pre-industrial societies, especially those that lacked
plentiful firewood. Peat bogs can preserve dead plants and animals because the acidic water
prevents rotting and decomposition. Importantly, some of the best-preserved early human
remains have been discovered in peat bogs.
The following questions are based on this passage.
3. A logical conclusion based on the passage is that peat bogs
, a) are good environments for archeological investigation.
.
b) have been disappearing since the Industrial Revolution.
c) are viable sources of potable water for many communities.
d) have been a primary source of carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
4. Which of the following sentences from the passage contains an opinion?
A. Peat bogs are typically shallow and punctuated by areas of semi-dry land.
B. Peat was a significant fuel in some pre-industrial societies, especially those that lacked
plentiful firewood.
C. Peat bogs can preserve dead plants and animals because the acidic water prevents
rotting and decomposition.
D. Importantly, some of the best-preserved early human remains have been discovered in
peat bogs.
Business-Speak In recent years the business world has coined its own unique, jargon-
filled sub-language. This sub-language is often called "business-speak" (or "manager-
speak," since some of its most enthusiastic users are managers and executives).
Business-speak is not a unique phenomenon. Every profession or field invents its own
specialized words, in order to express complicated ideas without excessive wordiness.
For example, the casino world popularized the term "camps," which refers to free gifts or
services given to casino patrons to encourage them to gamble.
Business-speak contains some useful phrases, but also suffers from three major
problems: unnecessary words, euphemistic words, and overused words.
The first problem is that of unnecessary words. Jargon is only useful if no existing words
can do the job- but many business-speak phrases replace perfectly good existing phrases.
For example, "vis-a-vis" is often used instead of the simpler "in relation to" or "compared
to." In this case, the business-speak phrase isn't much shorter than existing phrases, but it
is definitely more obscure. This is a step in the wrong direction.
The second problem is that of euphemism. Instead of simplifying a complicated concept,
much business-speak is meant to soften the blow of negativity. Hence, layoffs become
"reductions," or "downsizing," or even "right-sizing." Instead of making things better,
these euphemistic words often make their users seem insincere and uncaring.
, a) The final problem is that of overuse. People overuse business-speak in order to appear
professional or intelligent. But in doing so, they may end up sounding foolish and
may fail to get their points across at all.
In summary, a little business-speak goes a long way. A wise person will keep a sharp
lookout for unnecessary, euphemistic, and cliched business-speak and will cut it from
his or her vocabulary as quickly and ruthlessly as possible.
The following questions are based on the "Business-Speak" passage.
5. Which of the following sentences from the passage contains only factual
information, as opposed to opinion?
A. In recent years the business world has coined its own unique, jargon-filled sub-
language.
B. Instead of making things better, these euphemistic words often make their users
seem insincere and uncaring.
C. People overuse business-speak in order to appear professional or intelligent.
D. A wise person will keep a sharp lookout for unnecessary, euphemistic, and cliched
business-speak.
6.
Which of the following sentences best summarizes the passage?
A. Business-speak can be a useful communication tool, but it should be used
conservatively.
B. Useful existing phrases are too often replaced by unnecessary instances of business-
speak.
C. Various professions develop their own language, which is used for efficiency within
their circles.
D. Business-speak may cause communication to become impersonal and insincere.
7.
Which of the following statements from the passage is a supporting detail for the notion
that there are problems with business-speak?
A. Some of its most enthusiastic users are managers and executives.
B. Business-speak is not a unique phenomenon.
, C. The casino world popularized the term "camps."
D. Much business-speak is meant to soften the blow of negativity.
8.
The author of the passage would most likely approve of which of the following instances
of business-speak?
A. Using "disambiguate" instead of "clarify"
B. Using "resource-intensive" instead of "expensive"
C. Using "best practices" instead of "policies that have been shown to be most effective"
D. Using "took a bath" instead of "lost a lot of money in a venture that did not work"
9. Which of the following industries most likely originated the business-speak term
"bandwidth"?
A. Finance
B. Real Estate
C. Technology
D. Health care
Siberia is a giant, semi-arctic region encompassing most of northern Asia. Most of
Siberia is, or has once been, part of Russia or the Soviet Union. Much of Siberia is frozen
and empty. Though Siberia contributes almost 80% of Russia's land area, only a quarter
of Russia's population lives there, mainly huddled along the territory's southern fringe.
Siberia is perhaps best known for the infamous prison labor camps known as the Gulag,
where Russia (and later the Soviet Union) sent many of the nation's prisoners. Because of
the Gulag, the name "Siberia" has become international slang for an undesirable, remote
location.
The following questions are based on this passage.
10. Which of the following statements from the passage contains opinion or bias?
A. Siberia is a giant, semi-arctic region encompassing most of northern Asia.
B. Most of Siberia is, or has once been, part of Russia or the Soviet Union.
contributed to the decline: busy lifestyles, lack of interest, and the rise of the Internet. As
viewership has declined, the remaining viewers have aged. Today, the average evening news
viewer is 60 years old. TV networks' response to these changes has largely been negative. They
have dropped hard news in favor of opinion pieces, "puff pieces," and stories that are of interest
only to their older demographic. As a result, TV news has not just become unpopular, it has also
become largely worthless.
The following questions are based on this passage.
1. Which of the following statements from the passage is an opinion?
A. Several factors may have contributed to the decline.
B. As viewership has declined, the remaining viewers have aged.
C. They have dropped hard news.
D. It has also become largely worthless.
2. Which of the following is the author's purpose in the passage?
A. To convince readers that TV news is no longer worth watching
B. To show how busy lifestyles have caused a decline in TV news watching
C. To explain that TV news uses "puff pieces" to attract viewers
D. To describe how the Internet has had an adverse effect on TV news
Peat bogs are wetlands that contain acidic water and large deposits of compressed, dead plant
material known as peat. Peat bogs are typically shallow and punctuated by areas of semi-dry
land. Slabs of peat can be cut from the bog and used in agriculture or dried and then burned as
fuel. Peat was a significant fuel in some pre-industrial societies, especially those that lacked
plentiful firewood. Peat bogs can preserve dead plants and animals because the acidic water
prevents rotting and decomposition. Importantly, some of the best-preserved early human
remains have been discovered in peat bogs.
The following questions are based on this passage.
3. A logical conclusion based on the passage is that peat bogs
, a) are good environments for archeological investigation.
.
b) have been disappearing since the Industrial Revolution.
c) are viable sources of potable water for many communities.
d) have been a primary source of carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
4. Which of the following sentences from the passage contains an opinion?
A. Peat bogs are typically shallow and punctuated by areas of semi-dry land.
B. Peat was a significant fuel in some pre-industrial societies, especially those that lacked
plentiful firewood.
C. Peat bogs can preserve dead plants and animals because the acidic water prevents
rotting and decomposition.
D. Importantly, some of the best-preserved early human remains have been discovered in
peat bogs.
Business-Speak In recent years the business world has coined its own unique, jargon-
filled sub-language. This sub-language is often called "business-speak" (or "manager-
speak," since some of its most enthusiastic users are managers and executives).
Business-speak is not a unique phenomenon. Every profession or field invents its own
specialized words, in order to express complicated ideas without excessive wordiness.
For example, the casino world popularized the term "camps," which refers to free gifts or
services given to casino patrons to encourage them to gamble.
Business-speak contains some useful phrases, but also suffers from three major
problems: unnecessary words, euphemistic words, and overused words.
The first problem is that of unnecessary words. Jargon is only useful if no existing words
can do the job- but many business-speak phrases replace perfectly good existing phrases.
For example, "vis-a-vis" is often used instead of the simpler "in relation to" or "compared
to." In this case, the business-speak phrase isn't much shorter than existing phrases, but it
is definitely more obscure. This is a step in the wrong direction.
The second problem is that of euphemism. Instead of simplifying a complicated concept,
much business-speak is meant to soften the blow of negativity. Hence, layoffs become
"reductions," or "downsizing," or even "right-sizing." Instead of making things better,
these euphemistic words often make their users seem insincere and uncaring.
, a) The final problem is that of overuse. People overuse business-speak in order to appear
professional or intelligent. But in doing so, they may end up sounding foolish and
may fail to get their points across at all.
In summary, a little business-speak goes a long way. A wise person will keep a sharp
lookout for unnecessary, euphemistic, and cliched business-speak and will cut it from
his or her vocabulary as quickly and ruthlessly as possible.
The following questions are based on the "Business-Speak" passage.
5. Which of the following sentences from the passage contains only factual
information, as opposed to opinion?
A. In recent years the business world has coined its own unique, jargon-filled sub-
language.
B. Instead of making things better, these euphemistic words often make their users
seem insincere and uncaring.
C. People overuse business-speak in order to appear professional or intelligent.
D. A wise person will keep a sharp lookout for unnecessary, euphemistic, and cliched
business-speak.
6.
Which of the following sentences best summarizes the passage?
A. Business-speak can be a useful communication tool, but it should be used
conservatively.
B. Useful existing phrases are too often replaced by unnecessary instances of business-
speak.
C. Various professions develop their own language, which is used for efficiency within
their circles.
D. Business-speak may cause communication to become impersonal and insincere.
7.
Which of the following statements from the passage is a supporting detail for the notion
that there are problems with business-speak?
A. Some of its most enthusiastic users are managers and executives.
B. Business-speak is not a unique phenomenon.
, C. The casino world popularized the term "camps."
D. Much business-speak is meant to soften the blow of negativity.
8.
The author of the passage would most likely approve of which of the following instances
of business-speak?
A. Using "disambiguate" instead of "clarify"
B. Using "resource-intensive" instead of "expensive"
C. Using "best practices" instead of "policies that have been shown to be most effective"
D. Using "took a bath" instead of "lost a lot of money in a venture that did not work"
9. Which of the following industries most likely originated the business-speak term
"bandwidth"?
A. Finance
B. Real Estate
C. Technology
D. Health care
Siberia is a giant, semi-arctic region encompassing most of northern Asia. Most of
Siberia is, or has once been, part of Russia or the Soviet Union. Much of Siberia is frozen
and empty. Though Siberia contributes almost 80% of Russia's land area, only a quarter
of Russia's population lives there, mainly huddled along the territory's southern fringe.
Siberia is perhaps best known for the infamous prison labor camps known as the Gulag,
where Russia (and later the Soviet Union) sent many of the nation's prisoners. Because of
the Gulag, the name "Siberia" has become international slang for an undesirable, remote
location.
The following questions are based on this passage.
10. Which of the following statements from the passage contains opinion or bias?
A. Siberia is a giant, semi-arctic region encompassing most of northern Asia.
B. Most of Siberia is, or has once been, part of Russia or the Soviet Union.
