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Answers | Latest Summer 2025 Edition
SECTION A: READING COMPREHENSION
Question 1:
A botanist wants to determine if environmental temperature affects root
growth. In her experiment, she creates 4 rooms at temperatures that vary by 5
degrees. Each room gets 20 seedlings of the same species, which she grows on
agar plates. Once a day, she measures the length of each seedling's root. At the
end of the day, she compares the length of the roots with the room
temperature. She finds that the lowest temperature produced the longest
roots.
What is the independent variable in this study?
A) Seedlings
B) Light
C) Temperature
D) Root length
Rationale: The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or
changed by the researcher. In this experiment, the botanist intentionally
changes the temperature in each room to observe its effect on root growth.
Root length is the dependent variable (what is measured). Seedlings and light
are controlled variables.
Question 2:
A researcher wants to study the effect of caffeine on reaction time. She gives
50 participants either a caffeinated beverage or a placebo and measures their
reaction time on a computer test. What is the dependent variable?
,A) Caffeine
B) Placebo
C) Reaction time
D) Number of participants
Rationale: The dependent variable is the variable that is measured or
observed in response to changes in the independent variable. Here, reaction
time is measured to see if it changes based on caffeine consumption. Caffeine
is the independent variable (what is manipulated).
Question 3:
Which of the following best describes a hypothesis?
A) A proven fact
B) A conclusion based on data
C) A testable prediction or explanation
D) An observation made during an experiment
Rationale: A hypothesis is a testable prediction or explanation that can be
supported or refuted through experimentation. It is not a proven fact (that
would be a theory) but rather a proposed explanation that can be tested.
Question 4:
Read the passage and answer the question:
"The Industrial Revolution, which began in Great Britain in the late 18th
century, transformed societies from agrarian to industrial. This period saw
the introduction of new manufacturing processes, including mechanized
textile production and iron manufacturing. While the Revolution brought
economic growth and technological advancement, it also led to social
upheaval, urbanization, and poor working conditions in factories."
What is the author's primary purpose in this passage?
A) To argue against the Industrial Revolution
B) To describe the effects of the Industrial Revolution
C) To compare industrial and agrarian societies
D) To explain how textile production works
,Rationale: The author presents both positive and negative aspects of the
Industrial Revolution without arguing for or against it. The primary purpose is
descriptive—to inform the reader about the effects and changes brought by
the Industrial Revolution.
Question 5:
Which of the following words from the passage indicates a cause-and-effect
relationship?
A) Transformed
B) Introduced
C) Led to
D) Brought
Rationale: "Led to" indicates a cause-and-effect relationship, showing that the
Industrial Revolution caused social upheaval, urbanization, and poor working
conditions. The other words describe processes or changes but do not
specifically indicate causation.
Question 6:
What is the main idea of the following passage?
"Many people believe that eating late at night causes weight gain. However,
research suggests that total calorie intake over the entire day matters more
than the timing of meals. While eating late may lead to poorer food choices, it
is not the timing itself that causes weight gain."
A) Eating late at night always causes weight gain
B) Total daily calorie intake is more important than meal timing
C) People should never eat after 8 PM
D) Research on meal timing is inconclusive
Rationale: The passage explicitly states that total calorie intake matters more
than the timing of meals. The author argues against the belief that eating late
at night is the primary cause of weight gain.
, Question 7:
A student is reading a research article and comes across the word "mitigated."
What is the most likely meaning of this word?
A) Increased
B) Lessened or reduced
C) Ignored
D) Created
Rationale: "Mitigated" means to make something less severe, serious, or
painful. In research contexts, it often refers to reducing the impact or severity
of something. The other options represent opposite or unrelated meanings.
Question 8:
Which of the following is an example of a primary source?
A) A textbook on World War II
B) A diary written by a soldier during World War II
C) A documentary film about World War II
D) An encyclopedia entry about World War II
Rationale: A primary source is a first-hand account created during the time
period being studied. A soldier's diary from World War II is a primary source.
Textbooks, documentaries, and encyclopedia entries are secondary sources.
Question 9:
What is the purpose of a topic sentence in a paragraph?
A) To conclude the paragraph
B) To state the main idea of the paragraph
C) To provide supporting details
D) To transition to the next paragraph
Rationale: A topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph and
typically appears at the beginning. It provides a focus for the paragraph, with
supporting sentences providing evidence or details. Concluding sentences
wrap up the paragraph.