Editorial: Don't Weaken Protections on Food and Drug Safety Parkton News September

28

1 It is hard to understand why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has become a
punching bag for politicians and business people who complain about federal regulations and
laws. The FDA tries to make sure that food and medicines are safe, and what is wrong with
that?

2 Critics who claim we are better off without the FDA should take a good look at the poor and
dangerous quality of food and drugs that once were sold to Americans. We take it for granted
today that boxes of cereal and canned foods are not contaminated and are accurately labeled.
We take it for granted that bottles of prescription and over-the-counter medicines show correct
dosages and instructions for safe use, and that their contents have been tested by scientists
before being sold. We take it for granted that cosmetics and personal hygiene products are
made from ingredients that will not harm us. Yet in reality, we should never take our safe foods,
drugs, orcosmetics for granted.

3 Many household products were definitely not safe before passage of the 1906 Pure Food and
Drugs Act. That law prohibited the interstate sale of tainted food and drugs that falsely
advertised ingredients and remedies. Even so, drug and foodmakers still found legal ways to
sell dangerous products, forcing Congress to strengthen the existing law by passing the Food,
Drug and Cosmetic Act in 1938. The revision of the law in 1938 remains important to the FDA's
authority to this day. Does anybody really want to go back to the days when people did not
know what they were ingesting or rubbing onto their skin?

4 For example, Lash-Lure was a product sold in the 1930s to unknowing consumers as an
eyelash dye. Unfortunately, it blinded many women. Today, women still tint their eyelashes, but
thanks to the FDA they can be assured they will not be blinded. Another tragedy that can be
attributed to lack of regulation was the children's medicine that killed more than 100 people in
1937. The medicine was produced using antifreeze. Under the scrutiny of the FDA, this cannot
happen.

5 Food production has its own dark history. Until the twentieth century, American meat
producers sold low-grade scraps that were processed in filthy factories. Upton Sinclair's 1906
novel The Jungle exposed the disgusting practices of Chicago's meatpacking plants. Sinclair
described the use of "old and crippled and diseased cattle to be canned" and unappetizing
animal parts mixed into a product called "potted chicken." He revealed that chemicals and
heavy spices were added to give flavor to very low grade beef that people otherwise probably
would not have been willing to eat.

6 Sinclair, ironically, was trying to expose the dangerous and unfair working conditions for newly
arrived immigrants in the meatpacking plants. To his surprise, the scandal over the meat, and
not the plight of the poorly treated workers, caught the public's attention. His book outraged
Americans, including President Theodore Roosevelt.

7 While Sinclair investigated unsafe food, Samuel Hopkins Adams investigated unsafe drugs. A
reporter for Collier's National Weekly, he wrote an 11-part series in 1905 and 1906 titled "The
Great American Fraud." He warned that cough medicines often contained narcotics such as
cocaine and opium. A main ingredient of headache powders could cause heart attacks.

8 That was then, but now we are faced with the enormity of a global economy where products
enter the market from every corner of the world. In 2007, tainted toothpaste produced in China
appeared not only on store shelves but also in hospitals and prisons. Let us not forget about
dog food recalls and the FDA shutting down a peanut processing factory to stop a salmonella
outbreak,events that occurred in 2012. In the last three months of 2012, the FDA recalled 15
medical devices, 10 drugs, and 72 food products. Imagine what could have happened without
FDA scrutiny.

9 The continued existence of unsafe products in our world should remind us of how lucky we
are to have a federal agency that protects us from them. When critics of the FDA and
governmental interference jump on a soapbox and start their foolish ranting, someone needs to
remind them that the soap in that box won't burn their skin thanks to the FDA.

_______________________________

1. What role do the details in paragraph 8 play in the editorial?

A. They show that regulation of product safety is still necessary.

B. They show that globalization has introduced product safety issues.

C. They show that product safety regulations have become too stringent.

D. They show that efforts to promote product safety globally are succeeding.

_____________________________

2. This editorial is written from the perspective of a person who believes

A. a new product should be reviewed by a panel of workers.

B. consumers have a responsibility to research product safety.

C. a government agency is more reliable than most businesses.

D. businesses need freedom in order to improve their products.

_____________________________

3. Which conclusion is supported by the editorial?

A. President Theodore Roosevelt improved the lives of American workers.

B. Chicago meatpacking plants used the best ingredients available to them.

C. The meat Sinclair described was unpleasant but did not endanger public health.

D. The rights of American workers were not a priority in the early twentieth century.

___________________________

4. How does the problem-solution structure of the editorial emphasize the need for the
FDA?

A. It shows the disadvantages of food and drug laws.

B. It highlights the dangers of tainted foods and drugs.

C. It focuses on FDA steps to prevent the sale of unhealthy products.

D. It clarifies how workers were mistreated before the creation of the FDA.

___________________________

5. Each option includes two claims and a conclusion from the editorial. Which pair of
claims builds on each other using valid reasoning to arrive at the given conclusion?

A. Claim: Politicians and business people complain about federal regulations.

Claim: Some critics think consumers would be better off without the FDA.
Conclusion: Numerous tragedies can be attributed to lack of federal regulation.

B. Claim: The FDA has protected consumers from dangerous food, drugs, and cosmetics.
Claim: Consumer products now enter the market from all over the world.
Conclusion: Consumers are lucky to have a federal agency that protects them.

C. Claim: Unsafe food and drugs were once rampant in the marketplace.
Claim: Since the creation of the FDA in 1938, less unsafe food and drugs have been produced
and sold.
Conclusion: FDA regulation has improved the safety of food and drugs.

D. Claim: Dangerous products were once sold to American consumers.

Claim: Critics of federal regulation complain that consumers no longer need the FDA.
Conclusion: Consumers take for granted that food, medicine, and cosmetics are safe.

___________________________

6. Which hypothesis can be made based on details in the editorial?

A. Ilinesses and deaths would result from weakening the FDA's power.

B. Consumers will not support any attempts to weaken the FDA's power.

C. Most companies would actually support strengthening FDA regulations.

D. Businesses would not try to mislead consumers if the FDA relaxed its regulations.

___________________________

7. Choose 2 Supported Claims and 2 Unsupported Claims.

A. Americans take accurate food labeling for granted.

B. Food production had a dark history before it was regulated.

C. The FDA assures consumers that cosmetics will not be harmful.

D. Critics of the FDA have forgotten the dangers once faced by consumers.

_____________<•••••••••••>______________

Drones and Privacy from Tech Knock Online Magazine's January issue

1 This month's reader essays respond to this question: "Should regulating agencies allow
remote- controlled drones to be used for commercial or law enforcement purposes within U.S.
borders with minimal constraints?"

2 Pro Arnie Scandara, retired police officer Many law enforcement agencies are on the verge of
having a new tool: drones. This technology will tip the scales in their favor against criminals.
Drones are remote-controlled, camera-equipped aircraft. They can be as small as birds and
allow police officers to reach places that might be difficult or dangerous to access. Whether
officers are collecting information about criminal activity or searching for missing persons,
drones can substantially increase the ability of officers to enter risky areas without endangering
lives, damaging property, or attracting attention. Agencies that possess drones have an
enormous advantage over ones that do not. Unfortunately, people concerned about privacy
issues have urged restricting the use of drones with federal or local laws.

3 The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is responsible for preventing
terrorists and illegal weapons from entering the country, has used drones since 2005. Drones
are useful in the protection of our northern and southern borders against terrorists because
drones are difficult to see. A large drone flying high in the sky may be undetectable to someone
smuggling guns across the border, for example. Even though the drone may be invisible from
the ground, it is equipped with cameras that can capture zoom images. Without the drones, our
borders would become much more penetrable.

4 Restrictions on using drones would be a tragic blow to search-and-rescue personnel.

Traditional search-and-rescue missions are very costly and dangerous. Pilots can spend days
flying in bad weather, searching for missing persons. Sometimes pilots must fly through
snowstorms at night. Sending drones is the perfect solution to reducing the risk and expense of
using helicopters.Drones can be equipped with a wide array of tracking devices, including
motion detectors. Infrared cameras are often used for capturing images at night. Once the drone
spots the missing person, its facial-recognition software can identify him or her. If a broken-
down car needs to be identified, the drone will also employ software that matches license
plates. This can result in quick identification.

5 The services that these valuable, time- and money-saving tools perform are vital. To return to
traditional police methods would result in lost lives. Studies have shown that drones have a
higher success rate than other forms of investigation. Privacy will always be an issue, but not a
big one. Yes, images of innocent people will find their way onto websites. Most of the time,
those people will not even know it. The only people who really need to worry about drones are
people who break laws.

Con Rory Castillo, attorney

6 Drones can accomplish many important tasks. They can track escaped convicts in order to
bring them back to justice. They can find missing children. People are even experimenting with
using drones to deliver anything from pizza to flowers. A simple walk down the street will turn
into an obstacle course with the number of drones people will have to avoid. However, will the
good these drones allegedly provide make up for the permanent loss of privacy? We are
introducing a new level of unlegislated technology into our world, where the phrase "in the
privacy of your own home" will have little meaning. Laws guiding police and other agencies must
be strict because privacy is sacred, and we must protect what little is left.

7 Part of the problem is that we will see only a fraction of the total number of drones hovering in
the sky. Drones can be as small as hummingbirds and almost noiseless. They may escape
detection by most people. Drones can also be highly visible or hover unnoticed hundreds of feet
in the air. Big or small, most will be taking pictures or videos. The small ones can hang outside
windows, listening to conversations. The large ones use telescopic lenses to get up close. The
images collected will end up on computers belonging to police and other agencies without our
knowledge.

8 Some people will say police should be given all the power necessary to do their jobs, meaning
only criminals need to worry. H owever, that misses the point. Without strict laws, police will not
be so careful to protect the privacy of the innocent. Maybe a drone is targeting a particular
house in a particular neighborhood where criminal activity is likely occurring. A neighbor drops
by the house to borrow a hammer. Suddenly, the neighbor becomes someone of interest to the
police. Perhaps more than a borrowed hammer is at issue, they surmise. Why not send the
drone next door to see whether any connection exists? Police make such connections without
drones. What will prevent them fro m making the connections with drones? Only laws will
prevent them.

9 Why should we fear being watched at any time? Why should we live in a world in which
closing the blinds will not keep us safe from scrutiny, in a world with drones that carry high-
quality microphones as well as cameras? Privacy is not something people can just give up, like
junk food. Privacy gives us time to restore our minds and our energies. Without privacy, we lose
some of our dignity, and this is what will happen if there are no laws to protect us.

__________________________________

1. Choose two pieces of evidence that Scandara uses to support this claim.
Drone are crucial to search-and-rescue operation.
A. Drones are difficult to detect.

B. Drones fly in bad weather.

C. Drones fly at high elevations.

D. Drones match car license plates.

E. Drones reduce the risk of property damage.

___________________________

2. Read this sentence.

"The only people who really need to worry about drones are people who break
laws."

Why is the reasoning in this sentence flawed?

A. It implies that drones will be used only to protect people from lawbreakers.
B. It draws a conclusion about all people disliking drones based only on a specific population.

C. It contends that too many people are concerned about drones without realizing their
usefulness.

D. It is based on the premise that because drones help catch lawbreakers only criminals should
fear drones.

___________________________

3. Read this sentence.

"A simple walk down the street will turn into an obstacle course with the number of
drones people will have to avoid."

How does Castillo use exaggeration in the sentence to advance his point of view?

A. He amplifies the deficiencies in drone technology to show that it is inadequate for its current
uses.

B. He inflates how important drones are to suggest the impact they will have on the everyday
lives of citizens.

C. He embellishes the potential uses of drones to stress that the technology needs to be
reserved.

D. He overstates how often drones will be used to emphasize the need to regulate them before
the situation is out of control.

___________________________

4. How does Castillo use rhetorical questions in paragraph 9 to support his overall
purpose?

A. to stress that the majority of people are concerned about drones

B. to emphasize that people are unaware of the invasiveness of drones

C. to challenge readers to take a stance on developing drone technolog

D. to raise doubts about living under the conditions that drones would create

___________________________
5. Which statement expresses an implied main idea in Castillo's essay?

A. People cannot agree on the acceptable uses of drones enough to regulate them.

B. Privacy rights that have been lost over time can be restored by new laws.

C. People cannot protect their own privacy if most drones are undetectable.

D. Police need as many tools as possible to connect criminals to crimes.

___________________________

6. Castillo writes from the perspective of someone who

A. represents a biased group of people.

B. feels concerned about protecting a basic civil right.

C. thinks that public safety is more important than privacy.

D. wants people to judge the value of drones for themselves.

___________________________

7. Imagine that a law has been proposed that would require large companies to increase
protections of consumers' personal data.

If Castillo were reacting to this proposed law, which claim would he most likely make?

A. This law is necessary to preserve consumer privacy against careless handling of data by
large companies.

B. This law is unnecessary because consumers should be more careful about the data that they
provide to companies.

C. This law is necessary to decrease the demand on law enforcement agencies to catch
criminals who steal consumer data.

D. This law is unnecessary because large companies should help law enforcement agencies
capture criminals who steal consumer data.

_____________<•••••••••••>______________

Excerpt: Broderick City Council Meeting Transcript

 Agenda Item 5: Bike lanes and streetcars downtown

Sam Broderick, resident

In 1895, when my great-great-grandfather helped found this city, common sense dictated the
layout. Neighborhoods were designed with sidewalks, allowing people to walk to nearby
libraries, stores, and restaurants-or to take pleasant evening strolls. Bicyclists were everywhere,
and streetcars1 were available to anyone who wanted to take longer trips.

Unfortunately, in the mid-twentieth century, the American love affair with the car led our
residents to the outskirts of the city, where they bought bigger homes on bigger lots. These
suburbs had sidewalks, but it was impossible to use them to walk to destinations. Speeding cars
and slower-moving bikes were not compatible for safe travel on the same narrow roads, and
soon the bikes became an endangered species. The streetcars didn't travel to the suburbs, and
soon the tracks were ripped up..

I'm here today to urge a return to our roots. Need I remind anyone here of the obesity epidemic
threatening our community? Mindful city planning can lead to more exercise for city residents.
Building bike lanes would encourage exercise, make bicycling safer, and show that our streets
are safe for everyone. New zoning laws and tax incentives that encourage businesses to locate
within walking distance of our residential neighborhoods could be another plan. Finally, installing
new rails for streetcars to link the suburbs to the city center will also bring new businesses to
downtown while alleviating traffic congestion and pollution.

This will cost money, but the amount our city spends can be matched on a one-to-one basis by
the federal government. The Economic Development Administration has grants available that
provide up to $100,000 of funding for technical assistance and up to $2 million for construction
projects if we invest in these programs. Let's admit that we've strayed from the vision our
founders had-and create the city Broderick used to be. Thank you.

Suzanne Gibb, resident

5
Good evening. Like many of you, I have lived here all my life. I have an opinion that is slightly
different from Mr. Broderick's on the way our city should remedy our transportation problem.
6
If the question is whether we should develop new modes of transportation in our community, I
think almost everyone would agree that the answer is yes. But that's not the question. Rather,
we are discussing whether the city should increase taxes, develop zoning laws, and grant
businesses incentives that would pay for these things.

7
And to all that, I say, "Absolutely not."

8
Yes, painting stripes for bike lanes is inexpensive, but our city should be spending its money on
many more important things. Unemployment and poverty are high. We need jobs. We need
school improvements. And from a transportation standpoint, shouldn't we be maintaining the
streets we already have?

9
In previous conversations I've had with Mr. Broderick, he has mentioned projects that are simply
not practical. For example, streetcars are incredibly expensive to build and maintain, even with
matching federal funding; further, once streetcars are in place, there's no guarantee that people
will ride them, because passengers can visit only spots on the streetcar lines. We often hear,
"Let's get people out of their cars," but I believe most people will always pick the freedom to
drive themselves where they want to go. Then there is the problem of creating rail schedules.
Most often these are created to help only commuters and provide no service to the rest of us.

10
Mr. Broderick mentioned obesity. It is an unfortunate problem, but decisions about eating and
exercise are personal ones. They are reminders that real freedom is not always pretty. If
government is going to eradicate obesity, what's the next step-an "obesity tax" on candy and
cola?

11
If we are talking about jobs, let's talk about creating permanent, not temporary, jobs. Let's talk
about manufacturing jobs that bring long-term employment. Many of our residents have the
technical skills for manufacturing work, so we could use those kinds of jobs in this city.
However, no manufacturing plant could be built in our limited space downtown, so streetcars
would not aid in creating those much-needed jobs. Our best solution in terms of job creation is
to simply maintain the roads we already have.

12
If I don't walk much, don't own a bike, and am opposed to streetcars, why should I pay extra
taxes for these things? I appreciate Mr. Broderick's homage to our city's past, but this is a new
age, and the path forward isn't going to be found by imitating yesterday. Thank you.
___________________________

1. How does Broderick's use of the term "endangered species" add to the meaning of the ideas
expressed in paragraph 2?
A. It emphasizes a loss.

B. It heightens the need for action.

C. It exaggerates the influence of technology.

D. It explains how forms of transportation become obsolete.

___________________________

2. Which statement accurately characterizes the relationship between city planning and obesity
in Broderick's speech?

A. Improvements in city planning can alleviate the problem of obesity in the community.

B. The dramatic increase in obesity in the community has been caused by poor city planning.

C. Excesses in city planning parallel the factors that contribute to the prevalence of obesity in
the community.

D. The attitudes about past city planning differ from the feelings in the community about
increased rates of obesity.

___________________________

3. How does Gibb respond to Broderick's argument?

A. by insisting on the need for more jobs.

B. by challenging the direction of the discussion

C. by questioning the validity of evidence presented

D. by calling for the cost of streetcars to be further researched

___________________________

4. Which summary best reflects Gibb's argument?

A. Lifelong residents of the city who do not own bikes or do not want to ride public transportation
should not have to pay taxes for bike lanes and streetcars. It is a new age and a new path must
be forged.

B. The city should not increase taxes for impractical and nostalgic projects that few would use. It
would be better to maintain present systems and look to the future rather than imitate the past.

C. The city needs to create jobs and improve transportation. It is possible that a manufacturing
plant would offer city residents permanent jobs and that taxes would maintain existing roads.

D. Streetcars are not practical as they would be used by only a small segment of the population.
It would be better to maintain forms of transportation that provide service to many.

___________________________

5. How does the argument-counterargument structure of Gibb's speech support her ideas?

A. It shows that she understands the needs of the city better than Broderick does.

B. It demonstrates that she is willing to accept Broderick's position.

C. It exposes some of the contradictions that Broderick ignores.

D. It suggests that she has considered Broderick's perspective.

___________________________

6. Which conclusion about proposed changes in transportation do both speakers support?

A. Changes would affect citizens' health.

B. Changes would increase with federal grants.

C. Changes would improve economic conditions in the city

D. Changes would decrease traffic congestion throughout the city.

_____________<•••••••••••>______________

Guest Column: Fight Fire with Fire

by Paula Lehner, Director, Riverton Land Management Council

 Riverton Daily News

1
Here's an alarming number. $2 billion, the amount the U.S. Forest Service spends each year on
wildfire suppression. No one is claiming that we should stop fighting these fires, but there is a
scientifically proven way to limit their spread: by setting controlled, or prescribed, burns. These
smaller fires, which clear accumulated dead or diseased plant life from forests and other areas,
are far less hazardous than the uncontrolled wildfires that are increasing in frequency. By
regularly burning up decaying vegetation, smaller fires eliminate that potential fuel for much
larger fires. Less plant-matter fuel on the ground helps slow the progress of unwanted fires
before they ever start.

2.
In addition to causing fuel buildup, wildfire suppression has other negative consequences. For
example, wildfires can purge insect infestations. In nature, small fires normally thin the
population of insects in an area, but in the absence of those fires there is little to stop insect
populations from increasing to unnaturally high levels. Further, many plants developed their life
cycles in response to periodic natural fires from lightning strikes and other sources; these plants
need fire if they are to remain healthy. Burning, as opposed to wildfire suppression, also helps
create ash, which returns nutrients to the soil and can help new seeds germinate.

3
Certainly, there will always be fires that we have to fight. People and their homes have to be
protected. But the fact that more and more homes are being built near wilderness areas, many
right here in Riverton, means that the burden on land management agencies and their brave
firefighters is increasing. We need the right tools if we are going to continue to do our jobs
effectively, and those tools include prescribed burns.

4
There is no way around it. We have to fight fire with fire.

Letter to the Editor: Prescribed Burns

Riverton Daily News

5
I found Paula Lehner's opinion piece about prescribed burns nothing less than horrifying. In her
zeal, she neglected to mention even one of the many criticisms of prescribed burns. First,
consider this appalling statistic: one in every 500 prescribed burns gets out of control, and while
that may sound like a small fraction, just imagine if that one raging fire were the one Lehner had
decided to set near your house. In 2009, a "controlled fire set in Yosemite National Park was
intended to burn 91 acres; instead it consumed 5,000 acres.
6
As for her ridiculous idea that "controlled" fires are needed to rid areas of wildfire fuel, doesn't
she realize that fire isn't the only way to eliminate unwanted plants? Has she not heard of
mechanical and chemical thinning-in simple terms, the use of power tools and herbicides?

7
Finally-and this is the worst omission of all-she did not mention the costs to the surrounding
area of the fires she wants to set. Riverton has, in the past year, hit all-time high air pollution
levels, and smoke from Lehner's fires would only worsen those numbers. Has she bothered to
research the number of allergy and asthma sufferers in our region? Does she know that,
nationwide, the incidence of allergies and asthma is rising? Is she planning to personally hand
out face masks to affected individuals, or does she have some exciting new smoke-containment
technology at her disposal? Ms. Lehner should do more research before recommending a
dangerous path for our community. We must fight the fire, not add fuel to it.

Roy Rodriguez, resident Riverton

___________________________

1. What hypothesis can be made based on the details Lehner gives in paragraph 2?

A. Plants whose life cycles depend on fires caused by lightning strikes will become extinct
without prescribed burns.

B. There will be more plant growth in an area that has undergone a prescribed burn than in an
area that has not.

C. Plants in areas that do not undergo regular prescribed burns will experience damage from
insects.

D. Prescribed burns will restore more nutrients to the soil than natural fires.

___________________________

2. How does Rodriguez use rhetorical questions in paragraph 6 to support his purpose?

A. He uses them to anticipate and counter likely objections to his argument.

B. He uses them to provide a framework for further discussion of the issue.

C. He uses them to structure the remaining points of his argument.

D. He uses them to identify a weakness of the opposing argument.

___________________________

3. Which detail in Rodriguez's letter supports the idea that there are disadvantages associated
with controlled fires?

A fire isn't the only way to eliminate unwanted plants..." (paragraph 6)

B. "Has she not heard of mechanical and chemical thinning-in simple terms, the use of power
tools and herbicides?" (paragraph 6)

C. "Riverton has, in the past year, hit all-time high air pollution levels, and smoke from Lehner's
fires would only worsen those numbers." (paragraph 7)

D. "... nationwide, the incidence of allergies and asthma is rising... (paragraph 7)

___________________________

4. Which idea about the effect of prescribed burns is included in Rodriguez's letter?

A. They result in decreased sales of power tools and herbicides.

B. They result in reduced enthusiasm about fighting air pollution.

C. They cause financial hardship for organizations that fight fires.

D. They cause respiratory problems for increasing numbers of people.

___________________________

5. How does Rodriguez build his argument that "Lehner should do more research"?

A. Rodriguez brings up several issues relevant to prescribed burns that Lehner fails to address.

B. Rodriguez repeatedly casts doubt on Lehner's qualifications for discussing the issue of
prescribed burns.

C. Rodriguez raises numerous questions about whether Lehner's statistics about prescribed
burns are accurate.
D. Rodriguez demonstrates that Lehner is an outsider to the community that would be affected
by prescribed burns:

___________________________

6. Which conclusion is supported by Rodriguez's letter?

A. Prescribed burns have caused damage to residential areas.

B. The size of prescribed burns and the smoke they create are difficult to control.

C. Mechanical and chemical thinning are more successful than fire at eliminating unwanted
plants.

D. Inventing new smoke-containment technologies would increase the effectiveness of

prescribed burns.

___________________________

7. What is the impact of Lehner's use of the word "tools" in paragraph 3?

A. It minimizes the emotional reaction people often have t prescribed burns.

B. It indicates that using prescribed burns makes firefighting similar to other trades.

C. It emphasizes that prescribed burns should be used on under specific conditions.

D. It suggests that prescribed burns have costs similar to other implements used by firefighters.
______________________________
8. How are the conclusions of Lehner's column and Rodriguez's letter similar?

A. Both convey the idea that firefighters should have a say in the use of prescribed burns.

B. Both convey the idea that prescribed burns are simply one element of wildfire prevention.

C. Both convey the idea that the subject of prescribed burns leaves no room for compromise.

D. Both convey the sea that the effectiveness of prescribed burns has not yet been sufficiently
studied.

9. What evidence does Lehner use to support her claims? Drag and drop four pieces of
evidence into the chart.
_____________<•••••••••••>______________

The State of the Union Address

by Adelaide Jackson, editor for HistoryWeb.org July 15, 2012

The U.S. Constitution and the Address

1
The State of the Union address is mandated by the U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 3,
Clause 1. In the address, the president must provide Congress with a status report on the
conditions of America. The Constitution does not specify when or how the president should
deliver the address. However, in most years the president has given the speech early in the
year-just after Congress has reconvened-either in written form or in person.

The Evolving Address

2
In 1790, President George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address in person
to Congress. Washington's immediate successor, John Adams, also delivered the address in
person. However, when Thomas Jefferson took office, he chose to forgo the practice. He
claimed it was too much like the approach used by the government from which the United
States had fought to gain its independence. Instead, Jefferson chose to put remarks to
Congress in a written report.

3
In the twentieth century, this approach changed-as did several key elements of the address.
Woodrow Wilson resumed personal delivery of the speech in 1913. In 1923, Calvin Coolidge
expanded the audience of the address to the nation by delivering the speech over the radio. In
1947, Harry Truman's speech was the first televised State of the Union address. George W.
Bush became the first president to have his address transmitted live on the Internet in 2002 (see
Figure 1).

4
In addition to the changing delivery and audience, the name and role of the address has
changed over the centuries. In the eighteenth century, the speech was known as the Annual
Message. In the mid-twentieth century, the phrase "State of the Union" was coined by the thirty-
second president, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

5
In the formative years of the United States, the address was a presidential duty dictated by the
founding members of the government. By the middle of the last century, though, the address
had grown to an important political tool wielded by the president and criticized by the president's
opponents.

The Relevance of the State of the Union Address

by Clark Atel, contributor for Media Matters Weekly August 22, 2012

6
Over the past few decades, the percentage of Americans who watch the State of the Union
address on television has declined, according to Nielsen Media Services (see Chart 1).
However, this decline does not indicate that the speech is no longer relevant to the country and
its operations. Instead, it points to a shift both in how the president uses the address and the
manner in which the American public gains access to the president's message.

Nielsen Rating
7
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the State of the Union was delivered to the
Congress and reported to the public in newspapers. With the inventions of radio, television, and
the Internet, the American public went from recipients of day-old news to in-real-time audience
members. As the demographic of the address's audience shifted, so did the tone and purpose
of the address. Presidents in the twentieth century began using the tool less as a mechanism for
updating the country on its status and more as a method for promoting presidential policy.

8
According to a 2009 report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), modern-day
presidents have-successfully-used the State of the Union address to promote their policy
proposals to the American public. The report cites an analysis of State of the Union addresses
from 1946 to 2003. In that analysis, the correlation was made between the number of words the
speaking president devoted to an issue and the percentage of the American public that
identified that issue as a national priority.

24-Hour News Cycles and the Internet

9
In the twenty-first century, information about presidential policy is constantly available via 24-
hour news channels on cable television and over the Internet. This dramatic shift in information
access has resulted in a decrease in the number of real-time viewers of State of the Union
addresses. However, live viewing is only one way to learn what the president says. The
message is available in transcripts, video posts, and excerpts-all formats in which the address is
propagated over the Internet. For instance, typing "State of the Union" into a popular Internet
search engine returns nearly two million possible options for Internet users to watch or read the
address. Furthermore, searching a common video website shows that a video of the 2010 State
of the Union address posted by the White House was viewed almost half a million times. This
posting was only one of many, some of which had also been viewed hundreds of thousands
times. This evidence is indicative of the continuing relevance of the State of the Union address.
Fewer Americans are watching the address via live television, but it still influences American
voters and public discourse.

___________________________

1. Read this sentence from paragraph 1.

The Constitution does not specify when or how the president should deliver the address.

Based on Jackson's article, what can readers infer from the sentence?

A. The writers of the Constitution did not view the president's address as a high priority.

B. The Constitution does not restrict the content of the president's public communication.
C. The Constitution does not protect the right of the president to present a political agenda.

D. The writers of the Constitution did not dictate the methods the president must use to give the
address.

___________________________

2. How do the data in Figure 1 extend the information in Jackson's article?

A. by showing how technology has affected the address

B. by revealing when the address saw the greatest change

C. by illustrating how changes to the address have affected its purpose

D. by highlighting important developments in the history of the address.

___________________________

3. Which conclusion is best supported by Jackson's article?

A. State of the Union addresses will continue to change in the future.

B. Future presidents will look to previous State of the Union addresses for inspiration.

C. State of the Union addresses will be received in the future with increasing criticism.

D. Future presidents will emphasize style over substance in their State of the Union addresses.

___________________________

4. Drag and drop two statements that express Atel's purposes for writing his article into
the empty boxes.

Atel's Purposes
___________________________

5. Read this sentence from paragraph 9.

Fewer Americans are watching the address via live television, but it still influences
American voters and public discourse.

Which idea mentioned in Atel's article does this sentence support?

A. that coverage of the State of the Union in real time is important to the American people

B. that the State of the Union has changed from being an update on the status of the nation

C. that more of the American public is accessing the State of the Union through newer
technology

D. that analysts record the numbers of words in the State of the Union that are devoted to
particular issues.

___________________________

6. How are Jackson's and Atel's articles similar?

A. Both articles discuss the audience's changing experience of the State of the Union address.

B. Both articles provide insight into the founding leaders' view of the State of the Union address.

C. Both articles consider the effects of the media's overexposure of the State of the Union
address.
D. Both articles describe the Internet's options for viewing or reading the State of the Union
address.

___________________________

7. Based on the information in the two articles, Jackson and Atel share which
perspective?

A. The State of the Union address has become an important political tool for the president.

B. The State of the Union address influences the American public more than it influences
Congress.

C. Interest in watching a live broadcast of the State of the Union address has declined in recent
years.

D. The Internet has decreased the importance of the president delivering the State of the Union
address to Congress.

_____________<•••••••••••>______________

Duck

1
Good morning, it's 4:45 a.m., and today after I made the fire I just sat for ten minutes doing
nothing. Every so often I yawned, leaning forward in my chair with my elbows on my knees and
my hands clasped. Sometimes a yawn will take on a life of its own, becoming larger and more
extensive than I could have foretold, forcing me to bow my head and gape until several drops of
saliva, fed by streams on the insides of my cheeks, collect at the corners of my mouth and fall to
the floor. After a few large down-yawns like these, my eyes are lubricated and I can think more
clearly. I don't know whether scientific studies of the human yawn have taken into account the
way it helps to lubricate the eyeballs.

2
I do worry about the duck in the cold. She's probably awake. We have a duck that lives in a
doghouse outside. At night we drape a blanket over the doghouse and put a portable window
screen over its front entrance. The screen is there to keep out foxes and coyotes. There is a red
fox that lives on the hill with a bushy horizontal tail that is almost as big as he is, and at night
sometimes you can hear the coyotes hooting from the fields on the other side of the river.

3
The duck's blue dish freezes overnight. Every morning, before I leave for work (dropping
Phoebe at school on the way), I hit the bowl upside down against a snow-pile and a disk of ice
plops out: the bowl is self-cleaning in this weather. There are several other ice disks lying
around in the snow, and these are pecked at by crows in the daytime. They look like UFOs, or
maybe more like corneas-the layer of half-dissolved duck food frozen at the upturned bottom is
the iris. The duck emerges, making her tiny rapid cheeps, excited over the prospect of the warm
water, which steams when I pour it in the bowl. She makes long scoops of water with her under-
beak and then straightens her neck to let the warmth slide down. I hold out a handful of feed,
and she goes at it with her beak, very fast, with much faster movements than humans can
make, moving like the typing ball on an old IBM Selectric. Some of the feed falls in the water,
and that gets her crazy: she roots around in the swampy warmth, rapping at the bottom and
finding all the nuggets that swirl there, making the water cloudy with the outflow from her throat.
After a last burst of eating she looks up and is still, working her neck twice to settle her
breakfast, and she walks out with me down the driveway. Sometimes here she will flap her
wings hard, high-stepping in place without becoming airborne, like a jogger at a stoplight;
sometimes she takes flight, although she hasn't completely refined her landings. Her eyes are
on the sides of her head: she has to turn away from me to look up at me, then out at the world,
then up at me again.

4
Last night I was lying in bed when I heard a terribly sad sound, as of a cat in distress or an
infant keening in the cold: long, slow, heart-rending cries. I half rose and held my breath and
listened intently-was it the duck?-but the sound had stopped. I almost woke Claire to ask her
what I should do. And then, as I resumed breathing, I realized that I was hearing a whistling
coming from some minor obstruction in my own nose as I breathed.

5
At times, when I sit here, a long series of daytime thoughts will pass through me-thoughts
connected with work or, say, with town politics. That's all right- let those thoughts pass through
you. You hear them coming, like a freight train with the whistle and the dinging; they take
several minutes to go by, and then they're gone. Remember that it's very early in the morning-
early, early, early, early. Sometimes the stars are thrillingly sharp when I first get up and stand
at the window on the landing of the stairs: private needle-holes of exactitude in the stygian
diorama.2 Orion's belt is the only constellation that I recognize easily. The apportioning of stars
into constellations is unnecessary: their anonymity enhances the sense of infinitude. This
morning I saw a long pale mark like a scar across the heavens. It was the trail of a high jet, a
night flight from somewhere to somewhere, lit from the underside by the setting moon. "A
moonlit contrail, "3 I whispered to myself, and then I came downstairs and felt for the
coffeemaker.

1 IBM Selectric-a model of electric typewriter introduced in 1961

2 stygian diorama-term used by the author to suggest a dark background; refers to the mythical
River Styx, the river in Hades over which the souls of the dead are ferried
3 contrail-the visible streak of condensed water vapor or ice sometimes created in the air by an
airplane
___________________________

1. Why does the author describe the duck's bowl as self- cleaning?

A. The duck eats all of the food every night, leaving the bowl empty.

B. The duck food sticks to the frozen water when the bowl is emptied.

C. The duck food scatters about the yard when the bowl is knocked over.

D. The duck displaces the food from the bowl when she drinks the warm water.

___________________________

2. In paragraph 5, how does the author's use of the freight train image affect the meaning
of the passage?

A. The train image illustrates the narrator's ability to ignore unimportant thoughts.

B. The train image clarifies why the narrator has multiple thoughts in succession.

C. The train image highlights the narrator's desire to spend time doing nothing.

D. The train image emphasizes why the narrator fixates on certain sounds.

___________________________

3. Read this sentence from paragraph 5.

"A moonlit contrail," I whispered to myself, and then I came downstairs and felt for the
coffeemaker.

What can the reader infer from this sentence?

A. The narrator casually accepts that nature and humans interconnect.

B. The narrator changes his behavior because of something in the sky.

C. The narrator believes ordinary tasks intrude on the beauty of nature.

D. The narrator recovers his composure after experiencing an unusual event.

___________________________
4. Drag the events into the empty boxes to arrange them in the order they occur.
___________________________

5. Why is the duck important to the narrator?

A. The narrator thinks the duck is symbolic of the natural world.

B. The narrator feels responsible for the duck because it relies on him.

C. The narrator has transferred his affection for his old dog to the duck.

D. The narrator shows his love for his daughter through his care of the duck.

___________________________

6. Based on details in the excerpt, which inference can be made about the narrator?

Α. He is concerned about local politics.

B. He resents doing chores every morning.

C. He is contemplative and enjoys observing nature.

D. He keeps the rest of the world out of his personal life.

___________________________

7. Which statement expresses the central theme of this excerpt?

Α. Family is of the utmost importance.

B. Only the strong survive in the natural world.

C. Contentment can be found in the simplest activities.

D. People struggle to sort out the significant from the trivial.

_____________<•••••••••••>______________

Excerpt from "A Christmas Memory" by Truman Capote

1
Imagine a morning in late November. A coming of winter morning more than twenty years ago.
Consider the kitchen of a spreading old house in a country town. A great black stove is its main
feature, but there is also a big round table and a fireplace with two rocking chairs placed in front
of it. Just today the fireplace commenced its seasonal roar.

2
A woman with shorn white hair is standing at the kitchen window. She is wearing tennis shoes
and a shapeless gray sweater over a summery calico dress. She is small and sprightly, like a
bantam hen; but, due to a long youthful illness, her shoulders are pitifully hunched. Her face is
remarkable-not unlike Lincoln's, craggy like that, and tinted by sun and wind, but it is delicate.
too, finely boned, and her eyes are sherry-colored and timid. "Oh my," she exclaims, her breath
smoking the windowpane, "it's fruitcake weather!"

3
The person to whom she is speaking is myself. I am seven, she is sixty-something. We are
cousins, very distant ones, and we have lived together-well, as long as I can remember. Other
people inhabit the house, relatives; and though they have power over us, and frequently make
us cry, we are not, on the whole, too much aware of them. We are each other's best friend. She
calls me Buddy, in memory of a boy who was formerly her best friend. The other Buddy died in
the 1880's, when she was still a child. She is still a child.

4
"I knew it before I got out of bed," she says, turning away from the window with a purposeful
excitement in her eyes. "The courthouse bell sounded so cold and clear. And there were no
birds singing; they've gone to warmer country, yes indeed. Oh, Buddy, stop stuffing biscuit and
fetch our buggy. Help me find my hat. We've thirty cakes to bake."

5
It's always the same: a morning arrives in November, and my friend, as though officially
inaugurating the Christmas time of year that exhilarates her imagination and fuels the blaze of
her heart, announces: "It's fruitcake weather! Fetch our buggy. Help me find my hat."

6
The hat is found, a straw cartwheel corsaged with velvet roses out-of-doors has faded: it once
belonged to a more fashionable relative. Together, we guide our buggy, a dilapidated baby
carriage, out to the garden and into a grove of pecan trees. The buggy is mine, that is, it was
bought for me when I was born. It is made of wicker, rather unraveled, and the wheels wobble
like a drunkard's legs. But it is a faithful object; spring times, we take it to the woods and fill it
with flowers, herbs, wild fern for our porch pots; in the summer, we pile it with picnic
paraphernalia and sugar-cane fishing poles and roll it down to the edge of a creek; it has its
winter uses, too: as a truck for hauling firewood from the yard to the kitchen, as a warm bed for
Queenie, our tough little orange and white rat terrier who has survived distemper and two
rattlesnake bites. Queenie is trotting beside it now.

7
Three hours later we are back in the kitchen hulling a heaping buggy load of windfall pecans.
Our backs hurt from gathering them: how hard they were to find (the main crop having been
shaken off the trees and sold by the orchard's owners, who are not us) among the concealing
leaves, the frosted, deceiving grass. Caarackle! A cheery crunch, scraps of miniature thunder
sound as the shells collapse and the golden mound of sweet oily ivory meat mounts in the milk
glass bowl. Queenie begs to taste, and now and again my friend sneaks her a mite, though
insisting we deprive ourselves. "We mustn't, Buddy. If we start, we won't stop. And there's
scarcely enough as there is. For thirty cakes." The kitchen is growing dark. Dusk turns the
window into a mirror: our reflections mingle with the rising moon as we work by the fireside in
the firelight. At last, when the moon is quite high, we toss the final hull into the fire and, with
joined sighs, watch it catch flame. The buggy is empty, the bowl is brimful.

8
We eat our supper (cold biscuits, bacon, blackberry jam) and discuss tomorrow.

___________________________

1. Which word would the narrator use to describe his cousin's behavior in paragraph 4?

A. agreeable

B. erratic

C. joyful

D. tedious

___________________________

2. Read the sentence from the end of paragraph 7.

The buggy is empty, the bowl is brimful.

What can readers infer from this sentence?

A. The narrator and his cousin have finished their task.

B. The bowl contains enough nuts to make the fruitcakes.

C. The bowl is too small to hold the contents of the buggy.

D. The narrator and his cousin are surprised by their results.

___________________________

3. Why is the buggy significant to the narrator?

A. It was given to him by the other relatives in the house.

B. It is a reminder of the days he rode in it when he was younger.

C. It was an expensive model decorated with fashionable velvet roses.

D. It is part of the memorable errands and traditions of the different seasons.

___________________________

4. Which detail in the excerpt supports the theme that memories should be cherished and
kept alive?

A. The narrator and his cousin each have a rocking chair by the fire.

B. The narrator's cousin holds on to the name of an old friend.

C. The narrator's cousin is substantially older than he is.

D. The narrator and his cousin live in the same house.

___________________________

5. How does the setting of the kitchen enhance the meaning of the excerpt?

A. by showing that surroundings can change, much like the seasons

B. by providing continuity along the journey of seasonal memories

C. by offering stability when the characters experience conflict

D. by changing gradually, similar to the way the characters do

___________________________

6. Which statement expresses a theme from the excerpt?

A. Winter is a cold and solemn time of year.

B. Children bring joy and laughter into a home.

C. Strong friendships are unaffected by age and time.

D. Memories of old friends bring loneliness and longing.

___________________________

7. Drag the events into the empty boxes to arrange them in the order they occur.

_____________<•••••••••••>____________

The End…..
 Answer and Explanation
Editorial: Don't Weaken Protections on Food and Drug Safety Parkton News
September 28

Question 1
What role do the details in paragraph 8 play in the editorial?
Correct Answer: A. They show that regulation of product safety is still necessary.
Explanation:
Paragraph 8 mentions that the FDA recalled various products in 2012 and prevented unsafe prod-
ucts from reaching the market. This illustrates that product safety is still a concern, and ongoing
regulation is necessary to protect consumers.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
• B. They show that globalization has introduced product safety issues.
Eliminate: While the editorial mentions global products, the primary focus is on the ne-
cessity of regulations rather than globalization.
• C. They show that product safety regulations have become too stringent.
Eliminate: The editorial argues for the importance of regulations, not against them. This
choice contradicts the editorial’s stance.
• D. They show that efforts to promote product safety globally are succeeding.
Eliminate: The paragraph focuses on FDA efforts, not global success. The editorial em-
phasizes the need for vigilance rather than claiming global success.
Question 2
This editorial is written from the perspective of a person who believes:
Correct Answer: C. A government agency is more reliable than most businesses.
Explanation:
The editorial argues that the FDA is essential for protecting consumers, suggesting that a govern-
ment agency can be more trustworthy than businesses, which may prioritize profit over safety.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
• A. A new product should be reviewed by a panel of workers.
Eliminate: This isn’t discussed. The editorial focuses on the FDA, not on panels of work-
ers.
• B. Consumers have a responsibility to research product safety.
Eliminate: The editorial argues for the importance of the FDA’s role, implying that con-
sumers can’t be fully responsible for their own safety.
 • D. Businesses need freedom in order to improve their products.
Eliminate: The editorial actually warns against giving businesses too much freedom, as
this could lead to unsafe products.
Question 3
Which conclusion is supported by the editorial?
Correct Answer: D. The rights of American workers were not a priority in the early twenti-
eth century.
Explanation:
The editorial discusses how Upton Sinclair’s goal was to expose poor working conditions, but
the public focused on the meat scandal instead. This suggests that worker rights were overshad-
owed by other concerns at that time.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
• A. President Theodore Roosevelt improved the lives of American workers.
Eliminate: The editorial doesn’t discuss Roosevelt’s impact on workers, only his reaction
to the meat scandal.
• B. Chicago meatpacking plants used the best ingredients available to them.
Eliminate: The editorial describes unsanitary and low-quality conditions, contradicting
this option.
• C. The meat Sinclair described was unpleasant but did not endanger public health.
Eliminate: The editorial highlights how dangerous the meat was, not just unpleasant.
Question 4
How does the problem-solution structure of the editorial emphasize the need for the FDA?
Correct Answer: B. It highlights the dangers of tainted foods and drugs.
Explanation:
The editorial describes the dangerous conditions before the FDA and contrasts them with the
safety we have now, emphasizing why the FDA is necessary.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
• A. It shows the disadvantages of food and drug laws.
Eliminate: The editorial supports these laws, not opposes them.
• C. It focuses on FDA steps to prevent the sale of unhealthy products.
Eliminate: The editorial mentions FDA actions, but the main emphasis is on why the
FDA is needed, not the specific steps it takes.
• D. It clarifies how workers were mistreated before the creation of the FDA.
Eliminate: Worker mistreatment is mentioned but not central to the FDA’s necessity.
Question 5
Which pair of claims builds on each other using valid reasoning to arrive at the given con-
clusion?
Correct Answer: C.
• Claim: Unsafe food and drugs were once rampant in the marketplace.
 • Claim: Since the creation of the FDA in 1938, less unsafe food and drugs have been
produced and sold.
• Conclusion: FDA regulation has improved the safety of food and drugs.
Explanation:
This choice logically connects the historical presence of unsafe products with the positive impact
of FDA regulation, leading to the conclusion that safety has improved.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
• A. Eliminate: The conclusion doesn’t logically follow from the claims. Complaints about
regulations do not directly lead to tragedies caused by lack of regulation.
• B. Eliminate: The claims are true, but the conclusion jumps to consumers being lucky
without a direct connection.
• D. Eliminate: The conclusion talks about taking safety for granted, which doesn’t follow
logically from the claims about critics and dangerous products.
Question 6
Which hypothesis can be made based on details in the editorial?
Correct Answer: A. Illnesses and deaths would result from weakening the FDA's power.
Explanation:
The editorial describes how unsafe products caused harm before the FDA’s regulations, implying
that weakening the FDA could lead to similar outcomes.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
• B. Eliminate: The editorial doesn’t discuss consumer opinions on weakening the FDA.
• C. Eliminate: The editorial focuses on the importance of the FDA, not on businesses sup-
porting stricter regulations.
• D. Eliminate: The editorial argues that businesses might mislead consumers without the
FDA, so this option contradicts that idea.
Question 7
Choose 2 Supported Claims and 2 Unsupported Claims.
Supported Claims:
• A. Americans take accurate food labeling for granted.
• B. Food production had a dark history before it was regulated.
Explanation:
Both statements are directly supported by the editorial, which discusses how we now take safety
for granted and the poor conditions in food production before regulation.
Unsupported Claims:
• C. The FDA assures consumers that cosmetics will not be harmful.
• D. Critics of the FDA have forgotten the dangers once faced by consumers.
Explanation:
While the editorial mentions cosmetic safety and criticizes FDA opponents, it does not claim the
FDA guarantees cosmetics are harmless or that critics have forgotten past dangers.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
• C and D can be eliminated because they require more concrete evidence directly stated in
the editorial, which isn’t provided.
______________________________________________________________________________
Drone and Pravicy
1. Choose two pieces of evidence that Scandara uses to support this claim:
Drones are crucial to search-and-rescue operations.
• Correct Answers: B. Drones fly in bad weather and D. Drones match car license
plates.
Explanation:
o B. Scandara mentions that drones can operate in bad weather, which traditional
search methods cannot always handle.
o D. Drones matching car license plates is crucial in quickly identifying missing
persons or vehicles, supporting their effectiveness in rescue missions.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. (Drones are difficult to detect) relates more to surveillance than search and res-
cue.
o C. (Drones fly at high elevations) is not directly tied to search and rescue opera-
tions.
o E. (Drones reduce the risk of property damage) focuses on safety, not search and
rescue.
2. Why is the reasoning in this sentence flawed: "The only people who really
need to worry about drones are people who break laws."
• Correct Answer: D. It is based on the premise that because drones help catch law-
breakers only criminals should fear drones.
Explanation:
o The flaw here is assuming that only criminals would be affected by drones. How-
ever, drones can also invade the privacy of law-abiding citizens.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. implies drones have only one function, but doesn’t explain the reasoning flaw.
o B. suggests a conclusion about people's opinions but doesn't address the reasoning
flaw.
o C. discusses usefulness but doesn’t directly address why the reasoning is flawed.
3. How does Castillo use exaggeration in the sentence: "A simple walk down the
street will turn into an obstacle course with the number of drones people will
have to avoid."
• Correct Answer: D. He overstates how often drones will be used to emphasize the
need to regulate them before the situation is out of control.
Explanation:
o Castillo exaggerates to stress that drones could become so common that they’ll
significantly disrupt daily life, highlighting the need for regulation.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. mentions deficiencies but Castillo is not critiquing the technology’s adequacy.
o B. exaggerates importance, not frequency.
o C. suggests overstatement of uses, but Castillo is focusing on the frequency and
pervasiveness.
4. How does Castillo use rhetorical questions in paragraph 9 to support his over-
all purpose?
• Correct Answer: D. to raise doubts about living under the conditions that drones
would create.
Explanation:
o The rhetorical questions make readers think about the discomfort and invasion of
privacy that drones could bring, encouraging them to doubt the idea of unchecked
drone use.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. suggests most people care, which isn’t his main point.
o B. focuses on awareness rather than causing doubt.
o C. challenges the reader, but Castillo’s purpose is more to instill doubt than to
challenge.
5. Which statement expresses an implied main idea in Castillo's essay?
• Correct Answer: C. People cannot protect their own privacy if most drones are un-
detectable.
Explanation:
o Castillo’s argument revolves around the difficulty of maintaining privacy when
drones can be almost invisible.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. doesn’t address the core privacy concern.
o B. suggests restoring lost rights, but Castillo is more focused on preventing fur-
ther loss.
o D. supports police power, contrary to Castillo’s focus on privacy.
6. Castillo writes from the perspective of someone who:
• Correct Answer: B. feels concerned about protecting a basic civil right.
Explanation:
o Castillo emphasizes the importance of privacy, a fundamental civil right, through-
out his essay.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. mentions bias, but Castillo’s argument is rooted in civil liberties.
o C. supports safety over privacy, opposite of Castillo’s stance.
o D. suggests neutrality, while Castillo is clearly advocating for privacy.
7. If Castillo were reacting to a proposed law requiring companies to protect con-
sumer data, which claim would he most likely make?
• Correct Answer: A. This law is necessary to preserve consumer privacy against
careless handling of data by large companies.
Explanation:
o Given his emphasis on privacy, Castillo would likely support any law that in-
creases protections for consumer data.
Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o B. suggests consumer responsibility, contradicting Castillo’s view of the need for
regulation.
o C. focuses on law enforcement, not privacy.
o D. assumes companies would support enforcement, but Castillo would argue for
protection, not punishment.
______________________________________________________________________________

1. How does Broderick's use of the term "endangered species" add to the mean-
ing of the ideas expressed in paragraph 2?
Answer: B. It heightens the need for action.
• Explanation: Broderick uses "endangered species" to convey that bicycles, once com-
mon, are now almost gone. This metaphor emphasizes the urgency of restoring bike lanes
to prevent them from disappearing altogether.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. Although "endangered species" does suggest a loss, the metaphor mainly em-
phasizes the urgency for action, not just the loss itself.
o C. The term does not focus on technology’s influence, making this incorrect.
o D. The phrase is about urgency rather than explaining obsolescence.
2. Which statement accurately characterizes the relationship between city plan-
ning and obesity in Broderick's speech?
Answer: A. Improvements in city planning can alleviate the problem of obesity in the com-
munity.
• Explanation: Broderick suggests that better city planning (bike lanes, walkable neigh-
borhoods) can lead to more exercise, which could help reduce obesity.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o B. Broderick does not claim that poor city planning caused obesity but rather im-
plies that better planning could help alleviate it.
o C. The speech does not discuss excesses in city planning.
o D. Broderick does not compare attitudes about past planning to obesity rates.
3. How does Gibb respond to Broderick's argument?
Answer: B. by challenging the direction of the discussion
• Explanation: Gibb challenges the idea that the city should prioritize taxes for transporta-
tion projects like bike lanes and streetcars, focusing instead on jobs and practical issues
like road maintenance.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. While Gibb mentions jobs, her main response is not about insisting on more
jobs but about challenging Broderick's priorities.
o C. She questions the practicality, not the validity, of the evidence.
o D. Gibb’s focus is broader than just the cost of streetcars; she challenges the en-
tire direction of the discussion.
4. Which summary best reflects Gibb's argument?
Answer: B. The city should not increase taxes for impractical and nostalgic projects that
few would use. It would be better to maintain present systems and look to the future rather
than imitate the past.
• Explanation: Gibb criticizes the idea of spending money on projects like streetcars and
bike lanes that she deems impractical, emphasizing that the city should maintain current
infrastructure.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. While Gibb mentions not wanting to pay taxes, the summary does not fully
capture her argument about practicality and nostalgia.
o C. This summary introduces ideas about manufacturing plants that are only part of
her argument, not the central focus.
o D. While this is partially correct, it doesn’t fully encompass Gibb’s broader argu-
ment about maintaining present systems.
5. How does the argument-counterargument structure of Gibb's speech support
her ideas?
Answer: C. It exposes some of the contradictions that Broderick ignores.
 • Explanation: Gibb uses a counterargument structure to highlight contradictions in Bro-
derick's proposal, particularly focusing on the impracticality and costs associated with his
nostalgic vision.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. While Gibb's structure does convey understanding, her primary goal is to high-
light contradictions, not to claim superior knowledge.
o B. Gibb does not demonstrate willingness to accept Broderick’s position; she op-
poses it.
o D. The structure doesn’t suggest she’s considering his perspective so much as
challenging it.
6. Which conclusion about proposed changes in transportation do both speakers
support?
Answer: C. Changes would improve economic conditions in the city.
• Explanation: Both Broderick and Gibb acknowledge that transportation changes could
have economic impacts—Broderick in terms of attracting business downtown and Gibb
regarding job creation.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. Only Broderick discusses health directly.
o B. Only Broderick mentions federal grants, not Gibb.
o D. Only Broderick discusses traffic congestion; Gibb focuses on other concerns.
_________________________________________________________________________

1. What hypothesis can be made based on the details Lehner gives in paragraph
2?
Answer: C. Plants in areas that do not undergo regular prescribed burns will experience
damage from insects.
• Explanation: Lehner explains that wildfires (or prescribed burns) naturally thin insect
populations, preventing infestations. Without these burns, plants might suffer from insect
damage.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. Lehner does not suggest that plants dependent on fires will become extinct,
just that they need fire for health.
o B. The text does not compare plant growth between burned and unburned areas.
o D. The passage does not compare nutrient restoration between prescribed and nat-
ural fires.
2. How does Rodriguez use rhetorical questions in paragraph 6 to support his
purpose?
Answer: D. He uses them to identify a weakness of the opposing argument.
• Explanation: Rodriguez uses rhetorical questions to highlight the flaws in Lehner’s ar-
gument, particularly the failure to consider alternative methods (mechanical and chemical
thinning).
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. Rodriguez does not directly counter objections; he critiques Lehner’s omis-
sions.
o B. The rhetorical questions are used to discredit, not to provide a discussion
framework.
o C. The questions do not structure his argument; they emphasize Lehner's short-
comings.
3. Which detail in Rodriguez's letter supports the idea that there are disad-
vantages associated with controlled fires?
Answer: C. "Riverton has, in the past year, hit all-time high air pollution levels, and smoke
from Lehner's fires would only worsen those numbers." (paragraph 7)
• Explanation: Rodriguez mentions the negative impact of smoke on already high air pol-
lution levels, illustrating a disadvantage of prescribed burns.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A and B. These statements discuss alternatives to fire, not disadvantages of con-
trolled burns.
o D. The rising incidence of allergies and asthma is a general health concern, not
directly tied to controlled burns.
4. Which idea about the effect of prescribed burns is included in Rodriguez's let-
ter?
Answer: D. They cause respiratory problems for increasing numbers of people.
• Explanation: Rodriguez argues that smoke from prescribed burns could worsen air qual-
ity and exacerbate respiratory issues for people with asthma and allergies.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. Rodriguez does not discuss sales of power tools or herbicides.
o B. He does not address enthusiasm about air pollution.
o C. Financial hardship for fire organizations is not mentioned.
5. How does Rodriguez build his argument that "Lehner should do more re-
search"?
Answer: A. Rodriguez brings up several issues relevant to prescribed burns that Lehner
fails to address.
 • Explanation: Rodriguez points out multiple concerns, such as air pollution and the risk
of burns getting out of control, which Lehner overlooks.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o B. Rodriguez does not attack Lehner's qualifications.
o C. He does not focus on disputing statistics but rather on omitted considerations.
o D. There is no indication Lehner is an outsider to the community.
6. Which conclusion is supported by Rodriguez's letter?
Answer: B. The size of prescribed burns and the smoke they create are difficult to control.
• Explanation: Rodriguez highlights an example where a controlled burn became uncon-
trollable and raises concerns about smoke pollution.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. Rodriguez does not mention damage to residential areas.
o C. He discusses alternatives but does not claim they are more successful.
o D. New smoke-containment technologies are not mentioned.
7. What is the impact of Lehner's use of the word "tools" in paragraph 3?
Answer: A. It minimizes the emotional reaction people often have to prescribed burns.
• Explanation: Referring to prescribed burns as "tools" frames them as practical necessi-
ties, downplaying emotional concerns and focusing on their utility.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o B. The comparison to other trades is irrelevant here.
o C. The text does not discuss specific conditions.
o D. The cost comparison is not made in this context.
8. How are the conclusions of Lehner's column and Rodriguez's letter similar?
Answer: C. Both convey the idea that the subject of prescribed burns leaves no room for
compromise.
• Explanation: Lehner asserts the necessity of prescribed burns, while Rodriguez strongly
opposes them, showing both believe their stance is non-negotiable.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. Firefighters having a say is not a focus in either conclusion.
o B. Only Lehner suggests burns as part of wildfire prevention.
o D. Both believe they have sufficient evidence, so further study is not their focus.
9. What evidence does Lehner use to support her claims?
Correct Matches:
• Claim 1: The burden on firefighters is increasing.
o A. More homes are being built near wilderness areas.
 o B. Uncontrolled wildfires are becoming more frequent.
• Claim 2: Wildfires can be beneficial.
o C. Small fires thin populations of insects.
o D. Some plants develop by means of lightning strikes.
Explanation:
• Claim 1: More homes near wilderness areas and increasing wildfires indicate a growing
burden on firefighters.
• Claim 2: Small fires thinning insects and the role of lightning-induced fires support the
idea that wildfires have beneficial aspects.
_______________________________________________________________________
Union Address
1. Read this sentence from paragraph 1: "The Constitution does not specify
when or how the president should deliver the address."
What can readers infer from the sentence?
Answer: D. The writers of the Constitution did not dictate the methods the president must
use to give the address.
• Explanation: The sentence directly states that the Constitution does not specify the de-
tails of how or when the address should be delivered, which implies that the Founders left
the method to the president's discretion.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. The sentence does not suggest that the address was not a high priority, only
that flexibility was allowed.
o B. The sentence is about the method, not the content of the communication.
o C. The Constitution’s lack of specificity does not mean it restricts the president's
political agenda.

2. How do the data in Figure 1 extend the information in Jackson's article?

• Correct Answer: D. by highlighting important developments in the history of the address
• Explanation: Jackson's article discusses historical changes in how the State of the Un-
ion address has been delivered. Figure 1 would provide a visual representation of these
changes, such as the introduction of radio, television, and the Internet, thus highlighting
key developments.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. This is close but not as specific as "highlighting important developments."
o B. The figure isn’t about pinpointing when the greatest change occurred but
about overall historical developments.
o C. While changes in purpose are mentioned, the figure would be more about the
method of delivery.
3. Which conclusion is best supported by Jackson's article?
Answer: A. State of the Union addresses will continue to change in the future.
• Explanation: Jackson’s article outlines how the State of the Union has evolved over
time due to technological and societal changes, suggesting that it will likely continue to
evolve.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o B. Jackson’s article does not focus on future presidents drawing inspiration from
past addresses.
o C. The article does mention criticism but does not predict an increase in the fu-
ture.
o D. There is no emphasis on style over substance in future addresses in the arti-
cle.

4. Atel’s Purposes for Writing His Article:

• Correct Answers:
o "To argue that the address is of interest to the American public."
o "To analyze the finding of a report about people viewing the address on televi-
sion."
• Explanation: Atel’s article argues that despite a decline in live viewership, the State of
the Union remains relevant due to new ways people access the address. He also ana-
lyzes data on television viewership trends.
5. Read this sentence from paragraph 9: "Fewer Americans are watching the ad-
dress via live television, but it still influences American voters and public dis-
course."
Which idea mentioned in Atel's article does this sentence support?
Answer: C. that more of the American public is accessing the State of the Union through
newer technology
• Explanation: Atel’s article notes that while live television viewership has declined, peo-
ple continue to access the address through other means such as the Internet, supporting
the idea that technology has shifted how people engage with the address.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. The focus is on changing access, not the importance of real-time coverage.
o B. The shift from status updates to policy promotion is discussed, but the sentence
focuses on technology.
o D. Word count analysis is mentioned in a different context and does not directly
relate to this sentence.
6. How are Jackson's and Atel's articles similar?
Answer: A. Both articles discuss the audience's changing experience of the State of the Un-
ion address.
 • Explanation: Both articles explore how the audience's experience with the State of the
Union address has evolved due to changes in technology and media consumption.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o B. Jackson briefly mentions the Founders’ view, but it is not the focus of both ar-
ticles.
o C. Media overexposure is not a key point in either article.
o D. Only Atel discusses the Internet’s role in accessing the address.
7. Based on the information in the two articles, Jackson and Atel share which
perspective?
Answer: A. The State of the Union address has become an important political tool for the
president.
• Explanation: Both articles emphasize how the State of the Union address has evolved
from a constitutional duty to a significant political tool for promoting presidential policies
and agendas.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o B. The influence on the public versus Congress is not discussed in the articles.
o C. The decline in live broadcast viewership is mentioned by Atel, not by Jackson.
o D. The Internet's effect on the address's importance to Congress is not a focus in
either article.
__________________________________________________________________________

1. Why does the author describe the duck's bowl as self-cleaning?

• Correct Answer: B. The duck food sticks to the frozen water when the bowl is emptied.
• Explanation: The passage states that when the narrator knocks the bowl against the
snow, a disk of ice with the layer of frozen duck food comes out. This process removes
any leftover food, making the bowl "self-cleaning."
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. The duck doesn’t eat all the food every night; food is left in the bowl and fro-
zen.
o C. The food does not scatter about the yard.
o D. The food is not displaced by warm water; it’s frozen with the water.
2. In paragraph 5, how does the author's use of the freight train image affect the
meaning of the passage?
• Correct Answer: A. The train image illustrates the narrator's ability to ignore unim-
portant thoughts.
 • Explanation: The narrator compares his thoughts to a passing freight train, suggesting
that while the thoughts are loud and present, they eventually pass by and are gone, illus-
trating how he allows unimportant thoughts to move on without getting stuck on them.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o B. The image doesn’t clarify why he has multiple thoughts; it shows how he deals
with them.
o C. The image doesn’t highlight a desire to do nothing; it illustrates letting
thoughts pass.
o D. The narrator isn’t fixating on certain sounds in this context.
3. What can the reader infer from this sentence: "A moonlit contrail," I whis-
pered to myself, and then I came downstairs and felt for the coffeemaker?
• Correct Answer: A. The narrator casually accepts that nature and humans interconnect.
• Explanation: The narrator observes the contrail, a mix of human activity (an airplane)
and natural beauty (moonlight), and casually acknowledges it before moving on with his
morning routine. This suggests a peaceful coexistence between nature and human actions
in the narrator’s view.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o B. The narrator doesn’t change behavior because of the sky; he continues his rou-
tine.
o C. There’s no evidence that he believes ordinary tasks intrude on nature.
o D. He does not need to recover composure; there’s no unusual event.
Question 4
Order of Events:
1. The narrator cleans out the bowl.
Location: This event is described in paragraph 3.
The narrator talks about cleaning out the duck's dish by hitting it against a snow pile to
remove the ice disk formed overnight.
2. The duck comes out of the doghouse.
Location: This is also described in paragraph 3. After the narrator cleans the bowl, the duck
emerges, excited for the prospect of warm water and food.
3. The duck fusses at the food in the water.
Location: Still in paragraph 3, after the duck drinks some water, it becomes excited and starts
eating the food from the narrator's hand, dropping some of it into the water. The duck then
roots around in the water, fussing at the food.
4. The duck walks with the narrator.
Location: At the end of paragraph 3, after the duck finishes eating, it walks with the narrator
down the driveway. Sometimes it flaps its wings or even takes flight.
5. The narrator hears a strange sound.
 Location: This event is in paragraph 4. The narrator hears a sad sound at night, which
initially seems like the duck or a distressed animal, but it turns out to be whistling from the
narrator's own nose.

5. Why is the duck important to the narrator?

• Correct Answer: B. The narrator feels responsible for the duck because it relies on him.
• Explanation: The narrator expresses concern about the duck’s well-being and makes
sure to take care of it each morning. His detailed care indicates a sense of responsibility.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. The narrator doesn’t suggest the duck symbolizes the natural world.
o C. There’s no mention of transferring affection from an old dog to the duck.
o D. The care is more about the duck’s reliance on him, not an expression of love
for his daughter.
6. Based on details in the excerpt, which inference can be made about the narra-
tor?
• Correct Answer: C. He is contemplative and enjoys observing nature.
• Explanation: The narrator’s detailed observations about yawning, the duck, and the sky
suggest a contemplative nature and enjoyment of the simple details in his environment.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. Although town politics are mentioned, they aren’t central to his thoughts.
o B. He doesn’t resent chores; he carries them out with care.
o D. He isn’t keeping the world out of his life; he’s just focused on the moment.
7. Which statement expresses the central theme of this excerpt?
• Correct Answer: C. Contentment can be found in the simplest activities.
• Explanation: The narrator’s peaceful morning routine, simple interactions with the duck,
and appreciation for nature suggest that he finds contentment in these basic, quiet activi-
ties.
• Eliminating Incorrect Answers:
o A. Family isn’t the central focus; it’s more about his personal reflections.
o B. Survival isn’t a primary theme in this passage.
o D. The passage isn’t about struggling to sort the significant from the trivial; it’s
more about enjoying the simplicity of life.
________________________________________________________________________

1. Which word would the narrator use to describe his cousin's behavior in para-
graph 4?
 Correct Answer: C. joyful
• Explanation: In paragraph 4, the narrator describes how his cousin turns away from the
window with "purposeful excitement" in her eyes, showing that she is clearly joyful
about the arrival of fruitcake weather. The options can be eliminated as follows:
o A. agreeable: This doesn't match the described excitement and determination.
o B. erratic: Her behavior is consistent, not unpredictable.
o D. tedious: The cousin's actions are filled with excitement, not boredom or weari-
ness.
2. What can readers infer from the sentence "The buggy is empty, the bowl is
brimful"?
Correct Answer: A. The narrator and his cousin have finished their task.
• Explanation: The buggy being empty and the bowl being full clearly indicates that the
work of hulling the pecans is complete. Other options can be eliminated as follows:
o B. The bowl contains enough nuts to make the fruitcakes: Although the bowl
is full, the text doesn't confirm it’s enough for all the cakes.
o C. The bowl is too small to hold the contents of the buggy: There is no indica-
tion of this in the text.
o D. The narrator and his cousin are surprised by their results: There is no ex-
pression of surprise mentioned.
3. Why is the buggy significant to the narrator?
Correct Answer: D. It is part of the memorable errands and traditions of the differ-
ent seasons.
• Explanation: The buggy is used throughout the year for various activities, which makes
it a key part of their seasonal traditions. Other options can be eliminated as follows:
o A. It was given to him by the other relatives in the house: The text does not
state this.
o B. It is a reminder of the days he rode in it when he was younger: The focus is
on its current uses, not nostalgia.
o C. It was an expensive model decorated with fashionable velvet roses: The
buggy is described as dilapidated, so this is incorrect.
4. Which detail in the excerpt supports the theme that memories should be cher-
ished and kept alive?
Correct Answer: B. The narrator's cousin holds on to the name of an old friend.
• Explanation: The cousin calling the narrator "Buddy" after her childhood friend reflects
how she cherishes old memories. Other options can be eliminated as follows:
o A. The narrator and his cousin each have a rocking chair by the fire: This de-
tail is about comfort, not memories.
 o C. The narrator's cousin is substantially older than he is: This age difference
does not directly relate to cherishing memories.
o D. The narrator and his cousin live in the same house: This is about their liv-
ing situation, not memory.
5. How does the setting of the kitchen enhance the meaning of the excerpt?
Correct Answer: B. by providing continuity along the journey of seasonal memories
• Explanation: The kitchen is a central place for these recurring seasonal activities,
providing a backdrop for the traditions. Other options can be eliminated as follows:
o A. by showing that surroundings can change, much like the seasons: The
kitchen setting emphasizes continuity, not change.
o C. by offering stability when the characters experience conflict: There’s no
significant conflict discussed here.
o D. by changing gradually, similar to the way the characters do: The setting’s
importance is in its consistency.
6. Which statement expresses a theme from the excerpt?
Correct Answer: C. Strong friendships are unaffected by age and time.
• Explanation: The close relationship between the narrator and his cousin, despite the age
difference, illustrates this theme. Other options can be eliminated as follows:
o A. Winter is a cold and solemn time of year: The story focuses more on warmth
and companionship than on coldness.
o B. Children bring joy and laughter into a home: While true, it is not the main
theme.
o D. Memories of old friends bring loneliness and longing: The memories here
bring joy, not sadness.
7. Arrange the events in order:
Correct Order:
1. The narrator's cousin announces that fruitcake weather has arrived.
2. The narrator's cousin finds her hat.
3. Queenie trots beside the buggy.
4. The narrator and his cousin remove the shells from the pecans.
• Explanation:
1. In paragraph 2, the cousin announces that it is "fruitcake weather."
2. In paragraph 5, the cousin finds her hat.
3. In paragraph 6, Queenie trots beside the buggy.
4. In paragraph 7, they begin hulling the pecans.