SES 03 Reading

Questions 1-10

     Precipitation, commonly referred to as rainfall, is a measure of the quantity of water in the form of either rain, hail, or snow which reaches the ground. The average annual precipi­tation over the whole of the United States is thirty-six inches. It should be understood however, that a foot of snow is not equal to a foot of precipitation. A general formula for computing the precipitation of snowfall is that ten inches of snow is equal to one inch of pre­cipitation. In New York State, for example, twenty inches of snow in one year would be recorded as only two inches of precipitation. Forty inches of rain would be recorded as forty inches of precipitation. The total annual precipitation would be recorded as forty-two inches.
     The amount of precipitation is a combined result of several factors, including location, altitude, proximity to the sea, and the direction of prevailing winds. Most of the precipitation in the United States is brought originally by prevailing winds from the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Great Lakes. Because these prevailing winds generally come from the West, the Pacific Coast receives more annual precipitation than the Atlantic Coast. Along the Pacific Coast itself, however, altitude causes some diversity in rain­fall. The mountain ranges of the United States, especially the Rocky Mountain Range and the Appalachian Mountain Range, influence the amount of precipitation in their areas. East of the Rocky Mountains, the annual precipitation decreases substantially from that west of the Rocky Mountains. The precipitation north of the Appalachian Mountains is about 40 percent less than that south of the Appalachian Mountains.

(QUESTION) What does this passage mainly discuss?

Which of the following is another word that is often used in place of precipitation?

The term precipitation includes

What is the average annual rainfall in inches in the United States?

If a state has 40 inches of snow in a year, by how much does this increase the annual precipitation?

The phrase "proximity to" in line 8 is closest in meaning to

Where is the annual precipitation highest?

Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a factor in determining the, amount of precipitation that an area will receive?

The word "substantially" in line 15 could best be replaced by

The word "that" in line 18 refers to

Questions 11-20

   Course numbers are an indication of which courses are open to various categories of stu­dents at the University. Undergraduate courses with the numbers 100 or 200 are generally intro­ductory courses appropriate for freshmen or sophomores, whereas courses with the numbers 300 or 400 often have prerequisites and are open to juniors and seniors only. Courses with the numbers 800 or above are open only to graduate students. Certain graduate courses, generally those devoted to introductory material, are numbered 400 for undergraduate students who qualify to take them and 600 for graduate students. Courses designed for students seeking a professional degree carry a 500 number for undergraduate students and a 700 number for graduate students. Courses numbered 99 or below are special interest courses that do not carry academic credit. If students elect to take a special interest course, it will not count toward the number of hours needed to complete graduation requirements.
   A full-time undergraduate student is expected to take courses that total twelve to eight­een credit hours. A full-time graduate student is expected to take courses that total ten to sixteen credit hours. Students holding assistantships are expected to enroll for proportionately  fewer hours. A part-time graduate student may register for a minimum of three credit hours.
   An overload, that is, more than the maximum number of hours, may be taken with the approval of an academic advisor. To register for an overload, students must submit the appropriate approval form when registering. Overloads above 24 hours will not be approved under any circumstances.

(QUESTION) Where would this passage most likely be found?

What is the purpose of the passage?

The word "prerequisites" in line 4 is closest in meaning to

The word "those" in line 6 refers to

Which classification of students would be eligible to enroll in Mechanical Engineering 850?

If an undergraduate student uses the number 520 to register for an accounting course, what number would a graduate student probably use to register for the same course?

How is a student who registers for eight credit hours classified?

Which of the following courses would not be included in the list of courses for graduation?

A graduate student may NOT

The phrase "under any circumstances" in lines 17 is closest in meaning to

Questions 21-30

   During the nineteenth century, women in the United States organized and participated in a large number of reform movements, including movements to reorganize the prison system; improve education, ban the sale of alcohol, and, most importantly, to free the slaves. Some women saw similarities in the social status of women and slaves. Women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucy Stone were feminists and abolitionists who supported the rights of both women and blacks. A number of male abolitionists, including William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Philips, also supported the rights of women to speak and participate equally with men in antislavery activities. Probably more than any other movement, abolitionism offered women a previously denied entry into politics. They became involved primarily in order to  better their living conditions and the conditions of others.
   When the Civil War ended in 1865, the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Con­stitution adopted in 1868 and 1870 granted citizenship and suffrage to blacks but not to women. Discouraged but resolved, feminists influenced more and more women to demand the right to vote. In 1869, the Wyoming Territory had yielded to demands by feminists, but  eastern states resisted more stubbornly than before. A women's suffrage bill had been pre­sented to every Congress since 1878 but it continually failed to pass until 1920, when the Nineteenth Amendment granted women the right to vote.

(QUESTION) With what topic is the passage primarily concerned?

The word "ban" in line 2 most nearly means to

The word "supported" in line 5 could best be replaced by

According to the passage, why did women become active in politics?

The word "primarily" in line 8 is closest n meaning to

What had occurred shortly after the Civil War?

The word "suffrage" in line 11 could best be replaced by which of the following?

What does the Nineteenth Amendment guarantee?

The word "it" in line 14 refers to

When were women allowed to vote throughout the United States?

Questions 31-40

   Fertilizer is any substance that can be added to the soil to provide chemical elements essential for plant nutrition. Natural substances such as animal droppings and straw have been used as fertilizers for thousands of years, and lime has been used since the Romans intro­duced it during the Empire. It was not until the nineteenth century, in fact, that chemical fer­tilizers became popular. Today, both natural and synthetic fertilizers are available in a variety of forms.
   A complete fertilizer is usually marked with a formula consisting of three numbers, such as 4-8-2 or 3-6-4, which designate the percentage content of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in the order stated.
   Synthetic fertilizers are available in either solid or liquid form. Solids, in the shape of chemical granules are popular because they are easy to store and apply. Recently, liquids have shown an increase in popularity, accounting for about 20 percent of the nitrogen fertilizer used throughout the world. Formerly, powders were also. used, but these were found to be less convenient than either solids or liquids.
   Fertilizers have no harmful effects on the soil, the crop, or the consumer as long as they are used according to recommendations based on the results of local research. Occasionally, however, farmers may use more fertilizer than necessary, damaging not only the crop but also the animals or humans that eat it. Accumulations of fertilizer in the water supply accelerate the growth of algae and, consequently, may disturb the natural cycle of life, contributing to the death of fish. Too much fertilizer on grass can cause digestive disorders in cattle and in infants who drink cow's milk. Synthetic fertilizers are available in either solid or liquid form. Solids, in the shape of chemical granules are popular because they are easy to store and apply. Recently, liquids have shown an increase in popularity, accounting for about 20 percent of the nitrogen fertilizer used throughout the world. Formerly, powders were also. used, but these were found to be less convenient than either solids or liquids.

(QUESTION) With which of the following topics is the passage primarily concerned?

The word "essential" in line 1 could best be replaced by which of the following?

In the formula 3-6-4

Which of the following has the smallest percentage content in the formula 4-8-2?

What is the percentage of nitrogen in a 5-8-7 formula fertilizer?

The word "designate" in line 7 could be replaced by

Which of the following statements about fertilizer is true?

The word "these" in line 11 refers to

The word "convenient" in line 11 is closest in meaning to

What happens when too much fertilizer is used

Questions 41-50

   In 1626, Peter Minuit, governor of the Dutch settlements in North America known as New Amsterdam, negotiated with Canarsee Indian chiefs for the purchase of Manhattan Island for merchandise valued at sixty guilders or about $24.12. He purchased the island for the Dutch West India Company.
   The next year, Fort Amsterdam was built by the company at the extreme southern tip of the island. Because attempts to encourage Dutch immigration were not immediately successful, offers, generous by the standards of the era, were extended throughout Europe. Consequently, the settlement became the most heterogeneous of the North American colonies. By 1637, the fort had expanded into the village of New Amsterdam, and other small communities had grown up around it, including New Haarlem and Stuyvesant's Bouwery, and New Amster­dam began to prosper, developing characteristics of religious and linguistic tolerance unusual for the times. By 1643, it was reported that eighteen different languages were heard in New Amsterdam alone.
   Among the multilingual settlers was a large group of English colonists from Connecticut and Massachusetts who supported the English King's claim to all of New Netherlands set out in a charter that gave the territory to his brother James, the Duke of York. In 1664, when the English sent a formidable fleet of warships into the New Amsterdam harbor, Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant surrendered without resistance.
   When the English acquired the island, the village of New Amsterdam was renamed NewYork in honor of the Duke. By the onset of the Revolution, New York City was already a bustling commercial center. After the war, it was selected as the first capital of the United States. Although the government was eventually moved, first to Philadelphia and then to Wash­ington, D.C., New York City has remained the unofficial commercial capital.
   During the 1690s, New York became a haven for pirates who conspired with leading mer­chants to exchange supplies for their ships in return for a share in the plunder. As a colony, New York exchanged many agricultural products for English manufactured goods. In addition, trade with the West Indies prospered. Three centuries after his initial trade with the Indians, Minuit's tiny investment was worth more than  seven billion dollars.

(QUESTION) Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?

What did the Indians receive in exchange for their island?

Where was. New Amsterdam located?

The word "heterogeneous" in line 7 could best be replaced by

Why were so many languages spoken in New Amsterdam?

The word "formidable" in line 14 is closest in meaning to

The name of New Amsterdam was changed

The word "it" in line 18 refers to

Which city was the first capital of the new United States?

On what date was Manhattan valued at $7 billion?