Main Idea 1
What is the main idea of the following passage...
Mongol leader Genghis Khan was one of the world's most formidable conquerors. Born around 1162, Genghis amassed an army of thousands of men and united the nomadic tribes of Mongolia under his rule. Next, he turned his attention to central Asia and China. Using brilliant military tactics—and extreme cruelty—he expanded the Mongol Empire to an area approximately the size of Africa. Kublai Khan, Genghis's grandson, conquered China and was a powerful leader in his own right. Yet unlike his grandfather, Kublai is remembered for governing his acquired territories fairly, rather than dominating them with military might. Instead of exploiting the people of China, Kublai sought to accommodate and embrace Chinese culture. He became the first Mongol to rule over all of China, and he founded the country's Yuan Dynasty.
A. Genghis Khan ruled with fear and might, while Kublai Khan governed with regard for the people he ruled.
B. Genghis Khan used both brilliant and vicious tactics to expand the Mongol Empire.
A. Genghis Khan ruled with fear and might, while Kublai Khan governed with regard for the people he ruled.
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The Sonoran Desert's velvet mesquite has roots that can extend over fifty yards to water sources.
In Death Valley, some wildflower seeds sprout only when it rains.
The creosote bush can thrive in dry areas like the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts by cloning itself.
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Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her ideas and development?
The Servicemen's Readjustment Act, also known as the G.I. Bill, gave veterans money to pay college costs and buy books and supplies. Ex-servicemen were also eligible to receive low-interest home loans so that they could afford to buy their own homes, as well as commercial loans to set up their own businesses. One of the more controversial aspects of the bill was the provision of unemployment benefits to the veterans who were unable to find jobs.
A. By stating the main idea clearly
B. By removing a second main idea
A. By stating the main idea clearly
What is the primary purpose of ethos in a text?
A) To provide statistical evidence
B) To appeal to the reader's emotions
C) To establish the author's or source's credibility
D) To describe events in chronological order
C) To establish the author's or source's credibility
What is the main idea of the following passage...
Saving the Manatee
The Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, is a large ocean mammal found in Florida's rivers and coastal areas. Unfortunately, the state's population of manatees has dwindled significantly over the years. Although the manatee has no natural predators, humans have contributed to many manatee deaths, mainly through boat collisions. The loss of warm-water habitats has also hastened the manatee's decline. Aerial surveys performed in the early 1990s found an estimated 1,267 manatees in Florida. Because of conservation efforts by several organizations, however, the number of manatees has rebounded recently. The creation of manatee protection zones—areas that boaters must avoid or drive through more slowly—has been particularly effective. As a result of these efforts, more than 6,000 manatees are found in Florida today.
A. If boats are allowed at all in manatee protection zones, they are required to go at slower speeds.
B. Thanks to conservation efforts, Florida manatee populations have increased.
B. Thanks to conservation efforts, Florida manatee populations have increased.
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Used sponges and rags should be replaced regularly to avoid spreading harmful bacteria.
Moderate exercise boosts the immune system and can reduce the risk of colds by a third.
Frequently hand washing with warm water and soap is the best way to get rid of germs and prevent illnesses.
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Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her organization?
In the 1800s, egrets were hunted in the United States for their long white plumes (feathers). As a result, the birds were nearly wiped out completely. Thankfully, conservation measures were put in place, and the birds were protected. In fact, in recent years, egrets have expanded their range northward, moving beyond their original habitat in the American South. The egret is a large white bird that lives near marshes, lakes, ponds, and other wetland areas.
A. By providing the description of egrets when they are first introduced.
B. By removing the sentence about the egrets' expanded range.
A. By providing the description of egrets when they are first introduced.
2.How does logos contribute to an author's argument? A) By using emotional storytelling
B) By offering logical reasoning and factual evidence
C) By depicting events in sequence
D) By focusing on the author's personal experiences
B) By offering logical reasoning and factual evidence
What is the main idea of the passage below...
Crystal Caves of Mexico
While excavating a tunnel under Mexico's Naica Mountain, silver miners were stunned to discover a cavern full of luminous, elongated underground crystals. Composed of the mineral gypsum, some of the crystals extended as far as thirty-six feet into the air. What accounted for these amazing mineral structures? Millions of years ago, volcanic eruptions released a large amount of mineral-rich water into the cave, now known as the Cave of Crystals. One of those minerals was anhydrite, which slowly changes into gypsum when exposed to water. Originally, the cave was too hot for this change to take place. Eventually, however, the temperature cooled to about 136°F, and gypsum crystals began to form. This process continued as the temperature and other conditions in the cave remained constant for thousands of years.
A. Specific conditions in the Cave of Crystals led to the development of the enormous crystal structures found there.
B. Gigantic crystals in Mexico's Cave of Crystals were discovered by silver miners who were excavating a tunnel.
A. Specific conditions in the Cave of Crystals led to the development of the enormous crystal structures found there.
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In 1903, Marie Curie became the first woman in France to earn a doctorate degree.
Marie Curie was the first person to receive two Nobel Prizes—one in physics and one in chemistry.
Marie Curie was hired as the first female physics professor at the University of Paris.
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Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her organization?
Ponies are a type of horse, but there are significant differences between ponies and horses. Ponies are generally shorter than horses. Ponies also tend to live longer than horses. Horses are considered to be over fifty-eight inches tall, and ponies are less than that. Horses usually live to be twenty-five to thirty years old. Most ponies live to be thirty-five or even forty.
A. By reordering sentences to keep related ideas together.
B. By moving the first sentence to the end of the paragraph.
A. By reordering sentences to keep related ideas together.
In what way does pathos influence the reader's understanding of a text?
A) By appealing to the reader's logic and reasoning B) By evoking emotions to strengthen the argument C) By providing a chronological structure
D) By citing authoritative sources
B) By evoking emotions to strengthen the argument
What is the main idea of the passage below...
A Bear in the Army
While traveling through Iran during World War II, a group of Polish soldiers encountered a young boy with an intriguing possession available for trade: a bear cub. The soldiers promptly bought the cub, named him Wojtek, and took him to join the rest of their unit. The playful bear adapted well to military life. However, when the unit was sailing for Italy, officials refused to allow the bear on the ship, saying that only soldiers were permitted. The solution was both obvious and extraordinary: the soldiers arranged for Wojtek to be officially enlisted in the army. As an enlisted soldier, he could accompany the men on their mission. "He didn't receive money," recalled one former soldier in an interview with the BBC World Service, "but was officially a Polish soldier." Wojtek remained with the company throughout the war and even helped carry heavy crates of ammunition to soldiers on the battlefield.
A. During World War II, a group of Polish soldiers bought a bear cub from an Iranian boy.
B. A Polish army unit grew so fond of a pet bear that they enlisted the animal in the army in order to bring him aboard a military ship.
C. A bear cub named Wojtek was not allowed to board a military ship bound for Italy because the vessel was restricted to official soldiers.
B. A Polish army unit grew so fond of a pet bear that they enlisted the animal in the army in order to bring him aboard a military ship.
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Chameleons may change colors to express emotional states, such as fear, anger, and surprise.
While chameleons are usually brown or green, they may turn darker or lighter to warm up or cool off.
Male chameleons display bright colors to signal that they are ready to mate.
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Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her ideas and development?
Why is smoking cigarettes bad for your health? Cigarettes contain poisonous substances like carbon monoxide and tar, which can harm every part of your body. Smoking causes heart disease and damages your blood vessels. Eating a diet high in fat, sugar, and salt can also lead to heart disease. A lack of exercise contributes to heart disease, too. Smoking damages your lungs and can cause breathing problems or lung cancer. In fact, it can cause cancer in any organ in your body.
A. by stating the main idea clearly
B. by focusing on one main idea
B. by focusing on one main idea
When evaluating an author's use of pathos, what is a key factor to consider? A) The accuracy of the historical context
B) The emotional resonance and language used
C) The clarity of the logical arguments
D) The order of chapters in the text
B) The emotional resonance and language used
What is the main idea of the passage below...
amera-Like Memory
Do some individuals have the amazing ability to take perfectly accurate, permanent mental "snapshots," which can be stored in the brain for future retrieval? Fictional figures aside, no. But while this popular notion of "photographic memory" is unfounded, research has demonstrated the existence of a fascinating phenomenon called eidetic memory, in which memory actually does have a camera-like quality. People with eidetic memory are able to look at an object or picture and then look away or close their eyes and continue to "see" the object or picture in their minds. These images last only a few minutes at most before dissipating, and they are typically not entirely accurate. Still, the degree of detail that "eidetikers" can recall during those first few minutes is astonishing. Interestingly, the phenomenon occurs almost entirely in children, with an estimated two to ten percent of children affected; virtually all eidetikers lose their unusual ability before reaching adulthood.
A. An eidetic memory can occur after a person closes his or her eyes or looks away from an object.
B. Individuals with eidetic memory are temporarily able to retain detailed images in their minds.
C. Nearly all individuals with eidetic memory are children.
B. Individuals with eidetic memory are temporarily able to retain detailed images in their minds.
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Guide Dogs of America uses Labrador retrievers more than any other breed because they make the most successful service dogs.
Labrador retrievers are intelligent and friendly.
Labrador retrievers work well for a variety of owners, unlike German Shepherds, which do better with more confident owners.
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Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her ideas and development?On June 16, 1976, thousands of black South African students protested in the streets of the Soweto settlement. At that time, South Africa had a policy of apartheid, which strictly separated the races and discriminated against black South Africans. The students were angry that they had to use Afrikaans, the language used by the white population that ruled South Africa, in their schools. The United States had laws preventing black people and white people from using the same public places until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 abolished segregation. Hundreds of protesters were killed in Soweto. When news of the uprising spread around the world, it helped pressure South Africa to reform its policies. Apartheid officially ended in 1994.
.What aspect is crucial when analyzing the use of logos in a text? A) The ethical stance of the author
B) The emotional impact on the reader
C) The logic, clarity, and evidence supporting the argument
D) The chronological sequence of events
C) The logic, clarity, and evidence supporting the argument