READING: UNIT 2: What is Beauty?
Which conclusion is best supported by the contrast between Western fashion magazines and beauty preferences in southeast Peru?
A. Western standards are gradually becoming universal.
B. Perceptions of attractiveness are significantly influenced by cultural expectations.
C. Biological factors have no influence on human attraction.
D. People in southeast Peru reject all Western beauty practices.
B. Perceptions of attractiveness are significantly influenced by cultural expectations.
Analyzing Infographics
What is the primary purpose of analyzing how images, numbers, captions, and colors relate to one another in an infographic?
A. To determine whether the infographic is visually attractive.
B. To understand how different visual and textual elements work together to communicate information.
C. To identify which information is more entertaining than educational.
D. To focus exclusively on numerical data while ignoring images.
B. To understand how different visual and textual elements work together to communicate information.
What does the word recruit mean?
A) To persuade someone to join an organization or group
B) To remove someone from a position
C) To compete against another organization
D) To give someone a higher position
A) To persuade someone to join an organization or group
What is the strongest inference that can be drawn from the studies involving six-month-old babies?
A. Infants consciously associate beauty with genetic superiority.
B. Attractiveness may influence visual attention before individuals fully learn cultural beauty standards.
C. Beauty preferences are entirely inherited and cannot change.
D. Babies and college students always evaluate attractiveness identically.
B. Attractiveness may influence visual attention before individuals fully learn cultural beauty standards.
Evaluating Claims
Which of the following best explains why an expert opinion alone may not be sufficient to establish the validity of a writer's claim?
A. Expert opinions are always less reliable than statistics.
B. Experts generally base their conclusions on personal preferences.
C. An expert's authority does not automatically guarantee that a claim is supported by sufficient evidence.
D. Expert opinions should only be used when statistical evidence is unavailable.
C. An expert's authority does not automatically guarantee that a claim is supported by sufficient evidence.
What does enhance mean?
A) To improve something
B) To destroy something
C) To remove something
D) To copy something
A) To improve something
How does C. Loring Brace's argument challenge the biological explanation of attractiveness?
A. He argues that physical attractiveness has no evolutionary significance.
B. He demonstrates that health is unrelated to physical features.
C. He proposes that cultural expectations can modify supposedly hardwired preferences.
D. He claims that every society shares identical beauty standards.
C. He proposes that cultural expectations can modify supposedly hardwired preferences.
Understanding Vocabulary
A student encounters the unfamiliar word "unrecognizable" in a reading passage. Which strategy would provide the most accurate initial interpretation?
A. Ignoring the word because it is not essential to understanding the text.
B. Identifying the prefix "un-," the root "recognize," and the suffix "-able," then checking the meaning against the context.
C. Assuming the word means something positive because it contains a suffix.
D. Replacing the word with a familiar synonym without examining the sentence.
B. Identifying the prefix "un-," the root "recognize," and the suffix "-able," then checking the meaning against the context.
What does conform mean?
A) To act differently from others
B) To create something new
C) To follow accepted rules or standards
D) To refuse to cooperate
C) To follow accepted rules or standards
Why does the author include the example of Huli men decorating their hair and painting their faces?
A. To demonstrate that grooming practices are exclusively associated with femininity.
B. To illustrate that masculinity and attractiveness can be expressed differently across cultures.
C. To establish that colorful appearances are universally considered attractive.
D. To suggest that traditional cultures prioritize appearance more than Western cultures.
B. To illustrate that masculinity and attractiveness can be expressed differently across cultures.
Scanning for Information
A student needs to identify the exact percentage increase in cosmetic procedures reported in a lengthy article. Which approach would be most efficient?
A. Reading every paragraph carefully before searching for the statistic.
B. Summarizing the author's main argument before locating numerical evidence.
C. Scanning the article for percentages, dates, and relevant keywords.
D. Reading only the conclusion because all important statistics appear there.
C. Scanning the article for percentages, dates, and relevant keywords.
Which word means "related to the mind and mental processes"?
A) Genetic
B) Psychological
C) Physical
D) External
B) Psychological
Which statement most accurately captures the central tension developed throughout the article?
A. Modern beauty industries have completely replaced traditional standards.
B. Beauty is determined exclusively by economic status and social influence.
C. Although some preferences may have biological foundations, cultural variation prevents beauty from having one fixed definition.
D. Scientific research has proven that attractiveness is entirely subjective.
C. Although some preferences may have biological foundations, cultural variation prevents beauty from having one fixed definition.
When summarizing a complex paragraph, which approach best preserves the author's intended meaning?
A. Selecting the most interesting supporting detail and presenting it as the main idea.
B. Combining every example and statistic into one lengthy sentence.
C. Rewriting the paragraph word for word while removing unnecessary adjectives.
D. Identifying the central argument, distinguishing it from supporting details, and expressing it concisely in original words.
D. Identifying the central argument, distinguishing it from supporting details, and expressing it concisely in original words.
What does differentiate mean?
A) To make things identical
B) To combine different ideas
C) To recognize or show differences between things
D) To change something permanently
C) To recognize or show differences between things