READING COMPREHENSION

1. In Feng Shui, clutter is a big no-no. Clutter is consists of old toys, clothes, old
magazines and everything old which are no longer used. It hinders the free
circulation of the fresh energy inside the house, preventing it to enter every
room. It makes the energy inside the house stale and inactive, making the
residents of the house sickly and less aggressive. To avoid more unlucky
situations in the homes, clutter should be cleared once it starts to pile up. This is
good Feng Shui.

What conclusion can we make?

A. Old books and old magazines should be arranged in one place.

B. Old toys should be recycled.
C. Clutter is inauspicious in the homes.
D. Clutter should be stored in one room of the house for good Feng Shui.

2. Myths are stories, the products of fertile imagination, sometimes simple, often
containing profound truths. They are not meant to be taken too literally. Details
may sometimes appear childish, but most myths express a culture's most serious
beliefs about human beings, eternity, and God.

The main idea of this passage is that myths:

A. provide the reader with a means of escape from reality

B. are purposely written for the reader who lacks imagination
C. illustrate the values that are considered important to a society
D. Are created primarily to entertain young children.

3. There are no effective boundaries when it comes to pollutants. Studies have

shown that toxic insecticides that have been banned in many countries are riding
the wind from countries where they remain legal. Compounds such as DDT and
toxaphene have been found in remote places like the Yukon and other Arctic
regions.

This paragraph best supports the statement that:

A. Toxic insecticides such as DDT have not been banned throughout the world.
B. Studies have proven that many countries have ignored their own anti-pollution laws.
C. DDT and toxaphene are the two most toxic insecticides in the world.
D. More pollutants find their way into polar climates than they do into warmer areas.

4. There were only five sections for the subject Math 54. The sections were A, B, C,
D,and E. The teachers assigned to each section were Mr. Martin, Miss Garcia, Mrs.
Romulo, Miss Santos, and Mr. Apacible respectively. Students enrolling for the
subject were free to choose the section they want so they can adjust their
schedules. The quota for each section was 50 students and section A and D were
filled up easily, ahead of the three other sections. It seemed that Mr. Martin and
Miss Santos were popular with the Math students.

What is true of the following observations?

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 A. Both sections A and D have 50 students each.
B. Mr. Martin and Miss Santos were the best in Math 54.
C. Miss Garcia was a terror teacher.
D. Mr. Apacible and Mrs. Romulo are not popular with the Math students.

5. The games we used to play when we were young have been sidelined by modern
gadgets. Nowadays, we no longer see children and teens playing piko, tumbang
preso, luksong baka, patintero and other enjoyable games our parents used to
play. The young generation of today is so hooked on gadgets that they even have
no time to talk to each other during their free time. This is very unhealthy
according to some social scientists.

From the passage, we can conclude that:

A. Children and teens who use modern gadgets are sickly.

B. Children and teens will not enjoy playing piko, patintero, luksong baka and tumbang
preso.
C. Modern gadgets should be totally banned to protect our children.
D. The young generation of today prefers modern gadgets over piko, patintero and the
likes.

6. Research suggests that there are creatures that do not know what light means at
the bottom of the sea. They don't have either eyes or ears; they can only feel.
There is no day or night for them. There are no winters, no summers, no sun, no
moon, and no stars. It is as if a child spent its life in darkness in bed, with nothing
to see or hear. How different our own life is! Sight shows us the ground beneath
our feet and the heavens above us - the sun, moon, and stars, shooting stars,
lightning, and the sunset. It shows us day and night. We are able to hear voices,
the sound of the sea, and music. We feel, we taste, we smell. How fortunate we
are!

In the passage a child in darkness is likened to:

A. a sea creature with no seeing or hearing ability.

B. an animal without the sense of touch.
C. someone who lives where there are no seasons.
D. a deaf child unaffected by the environment.

7. In 1970 about sixty small and medium-sized factories in the United States
adopted a four-day workweek. According to the plan, workers work forty hours
but instead of the usual five-day week, they now work only four days. Workers are
enthusiastic about the three-day weekly vacation. According to management,
productivity has increased about 18% since the inception of the new plan.
Absenteeism has dropped by 69% and lateness is almost non-existent.

The passage suggests that a four-day workweek may result in

A. 40 hour workweeks for factory workers.

B. Significant changes in the 1970s.
C. Increased productivity, enthusiasm, and attendance.
D. 69% lateness or absenteeism among workers.
8. Official records state that the Pueblo Indians lived in New Mexico and Arizona. The
word "Pueblo" comes from the Spanish word "pueblo," meaning town or village.

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 The Spaniards found these Indians living in apartment houses, some of them on
the side of a cliff in order that they could be reached only by ladders. Whenever
they were attacked by Apaches, the Pueblos would pull up the ladders. They grew
corn, which they watered with water flowing down in ditches. They wove cloth,
made wonderful baskets, and created jars and pots out of clay proving how skillful
they were at hand-craft.

From the passage, the Spaniards called these Indians "Pueblos" because they:

A. farmed and brought down water in ditches.

B. were close to the Apaches.
C. achieved fame thanks to their hand-craft.
D. lived together in a town or village.

9. Generation Xers are those people born roughly between 1965 and 1981. As
employees, Generation Xers tend to be more challenged when they can carry out
tasks independently. This makes Generation Xers the most entrepreneurial
generation in history.

This paragraph best supports the statement that Generation Xers

A. have an interest in making history.

B. have a tendency to be self-directed workers.
C. tend to work in jobs that require risk-taking behavior.
D. work harder than people from other generations.

10. One New York publisher has estimated that 50,000 to 60,000 people in the United
States want an anthology that includes the complete works of William
Shakespeare. And what accounts for this renewed interest in Shakespeare? As
scholars point out, his psychological insights into both male and female
characters are amazing even today.

This paragraph best supports the statement that

A. academic scholars are putting together an anthology of Shakespeare's work.

B. Shakespeare's characters are more interesting than fictional characters today.
C. people even today are interested in Shakespeare's work because of the characters.
D. New Yorkers have a renewed interested in the work of Shakespeare.

11. When faced with a challenging event like a disagreement with a colleague at
work, there are always two roads to go down; You can either approach the
situation as a problem, or as an opportunity for spiritual growth. This not-so-
subtle distinction can mean the difference between distress and eustress- always
try to choose the latter. A eustress is a moderate or normal psychological stress
interpreted as being beneficial for the one who experiences it.

Which of the following is not true about the passage?

A. A disagreement with a colleague at work is a challenging event.

B. Spiritual growth is the result of a disagreement with a colleague at work.
C. A eustress is advised to be chosen over distress.
D. A disagreement with a colleague at work can be an opportunity for spiritual growth.

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 12. Research suggests that there are creatures that do not know what light means at
the bottom of the sea. They don't have either eyes or ears; they can only feel.
There is no day or night for them. There are no winters, no summers, no sun, no
moon, and no stars. It is as if a child spent its life in darkness in bed, with nothing
to see or hear. How different our own life is! Sight shows us the ground beneath
our feet and the heavens above us - the sun, moon, and stars, shooting stars,
lightning, and the sunset. It shows us day and night. We are able to hear voices,
the sound of the sea, and music. We feel, we taste, we smell. How fortunate we
are!

Judging from the passage, we can say that this story is mainly about

A. how changes in the seasons are perceived by the deep-sea creatures.

B. life of sea creatures at the bottom of the sea.
C. the differences among creatures of the earth and those of the sea.
D. the superiority of human beings over some creatures in terms of senses.

13. Spending time volunteering for charity is important to Company X. Company X

offers their employees paid time off to volunteer.

How is the second sentence related to the first sentence?

A. It contradicts the first statement.

B. It offers a solution.
C. It reveals the first statement.
D. It reinforces the first statement.

14. Huge beasts such as the dinosaur have never really become extinct. Mothra, a
giant caterpillar who later becomes a moth, destroys Tokyo, and stars in the 1962
Japanese film named for him. Mothra is born, dies, and reborn regularly on classic
movie channels. In Japan, Mothra is one of the most popular films ever made.
Mothra has survived the creation of more current scary creatures such as giant
apes, extraterrestrial beings and swamp creatures. More than 30 years after his
creation, Mothra still lives.

The main subject of the passage is

A. the lasting appeal of Mothra.

B. the reasons that fads do not endure.
C. the difficulty of marketing good horror movies.
D. old models for creatures are still used because making new monsters is expensive.

15. The Philippines is experiencing its worst drought in fifteen years. Corn and rice
prices are expected to be very high this year.

What does the second sentence do?

A. It restates the idea found in the first.

B. It states an effect.
C. It analyzes the statement made in the first.

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 D. It gives an example.

16. Baby carriages were invented in 1848 by Charles Burton. He lived in New York
City and faced opposition to his invention from people who felt they were unsafe.
He believed in his idea and moved to England, where he opened a factory. He
made carriages for Queen Victoria of England, Queen Isabella II of Spain, and
other royalty. A factory opened in the United States ten years later but only 75
carriages were sold. Today, baby carriages are extremely popular and almost
every baby has at least one.

We can conclude from the passage that:

A. Baby carriage sales have dramatically risen in the last 75 years.

B. The initial design of the baby carriage was not safe.
C. Americans’ attitudes toward baby carriages has changed significantly.
D. Burton had many inventions that he tried to put into mass production.

17. Mula sa salitang Griyego na Krystallos na nangangahulugang frozen light, ang

Kristal ay sumisipsip, tumutuon at nagbibigay ng electromagnetic energy. Hindi
kataka-taka dahil sa loob ng mahabang panahon ay nakabaon sa lupa ang mga
kristal, kaya nga ang mga sinaunang mistikong manggagamot ay naniniwalang
ito ay likas na mangagagamot ng mundo. Nagbibigay ito ng masuyo at mabilis na
kagalingan na tumutugon sa manggagamot sa loob ng ating katawan, isang
mekanismong nag-aayos at nagbabalik ng balance sa loob ng katawan.

Ang talata sa itaas ay isang pagtalakay tungkol sa:

A. salitang Griyego
B. panggagamot
C. electromagnetic energy
D. Kristal

18. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. As such, it circles the sun faster than all
the other planets, which is why Romans named it after the swift-footed
messenger god Mercury. Mercury was known since at least Sumerian times
roughly 5,000 years ago, where it was often associated with Nabu, the god of
writing. Mercury was also given separate names for its appearance as both a
morning star and as an evening star. Greek astronomers knew, however, that the
two names referred to the same body. Heraclitus believed that both Mercury and
Venus orbited the Sun, not the Earth.

According to this passage:

A. Mercury is closer to the sun than the Earth is to the sun.

B. The Sumerians named Mercury after their god Mercury because that god is fast.
C. The Romans named Mercury after one of their gods because Mercury is the closest
planet to the sun.
D. Greek astronomers believed that Mercury orbited the sun.

19. "Democracy's real test lies in its respect for minority opinions." Ellery Sedgwick

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Showing respect for a minority opinion _______________ democracy.

A. Defies
B. Validates
C. Invalidates
D. Intimidates

20. In the past, consumers would rarely walk into an ice cream store and order low-fat
ice cream. But that isn't the case today. An increasing health consciousness
combined with a much bigger selection of tasty low-fat foods in all categories has
made low-fat ice cream a very profitable item for ice cream store owners.

This paragraph best supports the statement that

A. low-fat ice cream produces more revenue than other low-fat foods.
B. low-fat ice cream is more popular than other kinds of ice cream.
C. ice cream store owners would be better off carrying only low-fat ice cream.
D. ice cream store owners no longer think that low-fat ice cream is an unpopular item.

21. The movie Close to You, a romantic comedy, was graded A by the Films Rating
Board. It opened simultaneously in fifty theaters in Metro Manila on a Wednesday.
The following day, it was reported that not even one of the fifty theaters where it
was shown played to an SRO audience. The producers of the movie were shaking
their heads, asking one another how they could recoup their investments.

What could be said about the movie?

A. Romantic comedy is not popular with moviegoers.

B. Most grade A movies did not enjoy commercial success.
C. The movie was a dismal flop.
D. The theaters in Metro Manila are big.

22. A dance instructor is holding an aerobics class every morning in front of the town
market where there is a big open space. There are many participants and he
charges them 10 pesos per session. In contrast, a Zumba class in the nearby
dance studio has only 10 participants because the enrollment fee is expensive.
Only the rich can afford to enroll in the Zumba class.

What can we deduce from the situation?

A. More people enroll in the aerobics class because the enrollment fee is affordable.
B. The participants of the aerobics class are all poor.
C. The aerobics class is more enjoyable than the Zumba class.
D. The aerobics class is more popular than the Zumba class.

23. If you're a fitness walker, there is no need for a commute to a health club. Your
neighborhood can be your health club. You don't need a lot of fancy equipment to
get a good workout either. All you need is a well-designed pair of athletic shoes.

This paragraph best supports the statement that:

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 A. fitness walking is a better form of exercise than weight lifting.
B. fitness walking is a convenient and valuable form of exercise.
C. a membership in a health club is a poor investment.
D. walking outdoors provides a better workout than walking indoors.

24. The advent of cellphone is perhaps the best contribution of modern technology to
our communication system. Back then, it would take a week or longer before we
can communicate with our loved ones if we are working in other countries. It was
through letters that we could communicate with them, and letters really took time
to reach their destinations. Today, if we want to talk to our loved ones, even of we
are living in another country, we can do so very easily with the use of cellphones.
In a matter of minute, we are connected with them.

What does the passage say?

A. Letters are useless in our modern time.

B. Back then, communication with our loved ones was impossible because there was no
cellphones.
C. Communication using cellphones is fast and easy.
D. Cellphone can reach people in faraway places but letters cannot.

25. A utility cooperative is a type of cooperative that is tasked with the delivery of a
public utility such as electricity, water or telecommunications to its members.
Profits are either reinvested for infrastructure or distributed to members in the
form of 'patronage' or 'capital credits', which are essentially dividends paid on a
member's investment into the cooperative. Each customer is a member and
owner of the business with an equal say as every other member of the
cooperative, unlike investor-owned utilities where the amount of say is governed
by the number of shares held.

A utility cooperative is most similar to which of the following types of organizations?

A. A partnership.
B. A monarchy.
C. A dictatorship.
D. A military organization.

26. Ang mga taong ipinanganak sa Taon ng Dragon ay sinasabing may kakambal na
swerte, karaniwang dominante at matataas ang ambisyon. Mas gusto nilang
mamuhay ayon sa sarili nilang mga batas at kung sila at hahayaang mag-isa, mas
nagiging matagumpay sila sa buhay. Sila ay mga pursigido at hindi natatakot sa
mga hamon at laging handang makipagsapalaran, kaya hindi kataka-taka na
malapit sa kanila ang tagumpay. Sila ay matulungin sa mga nangangailangan
ngunit hindi sila hihingi ng tulong sa iba kung sila naman ang nangangailangan.

Hanapin ang mali sa mga sumusunod na paglalarawan sa taong ipinanganak sa Taon ng

Dragon.

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 A. gustong mamuhay ayon sa sarili nilang batas
B. laging handang makipagsapalaran
C. malakas ang kanilang karisma
D. hindi natatakot sa mga hamon

27. Most researches in needy countries are based on the thinking and approach of
the highly developed Western world, and seldom have they been directed toward
meeting the countries' own development needs.

The sentence best supports the statement that _________.

A. needy countries need researchers to help them reach the status of the western
world.
B. most researches have universal application.
C. most researches done in needy countries are missing their objectives
D. highly developed countries offer the best guide for the development of needy
countries

28. In the words of Thomas De Quincey, “It is notorious that the memory strengthens
as you lay burdens upon it.” If, like most people, you have trouble recalling the
names of those you have just met, try this: The next time you are introduced,
plan to remember the names. Say to yourself, “I’ll listen carefully; I’ll repeat each
person’s name to be sure I’ve got it, and I will remember.” You’ll discover how
effective this technique is and probably recall those names for the rest of your
life.

The quotation from De Quincey indicates that the memory

A. always operates at peak efficiency.

B. improves if it is used often.
C. becomes unreliable if it tires.
D. breaks down under great strain.

29. Big shots in technology have more “eureka moments” per unit time than the little
shots. They are leaders and connectors. They are the charismatic inspirations for
new ideas who build consensus to forge ahead on new technology initiatives.
They have the ideas that create and shape the technology of the future. This
makes them sensationally valuable assets to any enterprise. The more valuable
you are, the more control you have over your destiny. Your employer, colleagues
and industrial associates will do more for you and give you that freedom, to keep
you happy and focussed on what you have excelled at. Notice that I said,
“freedom to work on what you want”, but I did not say the freedom to work the
amount you want. In software, successful people generally work hard. The climb
to fame and fortune in software generally exacerbates this fate until you decide
you have climbed enough, done enough, and earned enough, that you are willing
to let your contributions plateau.

Being in software industry, what would you do to have more control over your destiny?

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 A. Work on important projects.
B. Increase your technical acumen.
C. Develop more value.
D. Keep your boss happy.

30. As the popularity of tattoos continue to grow, so does the concern about potential
risks. Some risks, such as the spread of infections through the use of unsterilized
needles, have long been known. But what isn't clear is the safety of tattoo inks.
Getting inked may have long-term consequences beyond just having to live with
your ex-girlfriend's name on your bicep for decades.

What conclusion can we draw from the passage?

A. Having tattoos may pose danger to one's health.

B. Tattoo inks are not safe.
C. Parents are advised to disallow their children to have tattoos on their bodies.
D. Having tattoos is definitely dangerous to one's health.

31. Have you ever wondered whether fish drink or not? All living things must drink,
and they require a fresh supply of water. A person can go without food for many
days, but he or she cannot go for long without water. Fish drink, and fish that live
in salt water must drink salt water. However, when we watch them in an
aquarium and see them opening and closing their mouths, we must not assume
that they are drinking. Fish need water for its oxygen. The water that they seem
to be gulping gives them oxygen, which is in the water. On the other hand, when
a fish drinks, it swallows water, just the way we do.

It is stated in the passage that a fish opens and closes its mouth

A. in order to get oxygen

B. so as to gulp
C. To swim in an aquarium.
D. to drink to stay alive

32. Deadweight tonnage is a measure of how much weight a ship is carrying or can
safely carry. It is the sum of the weights of cargo, fuel, fresh water, ballast water,
provisions, passengers, and crew.

Which of the following does NOT go into the calculation of dead weight tonnage?

A. weight of the ship

B. weight of passengers
C. weight of ballast water
D. weight of crew
E.
33. Samuel Morse, best known today as the inventor of Morse Code and one of the
inventors of the telegraph, was originally a prominent painter. While he was
always interested in technology and studied electrical engineering in college,
Morse went to Paris to learn from famous artists of his day and later painted many
pictures that now hang in museums, including a portrait of former President John
Adams. In 1825, Morse was in Washington, D.C., painting a portrait of the Marquis

9
 de Lafayette when a messenger arrived on horseback to tell him that his wife was
gravely ill back at his home in Connecticut. The message had taken several days
to reach him because of the distance. Morse rushed to his home as fast as he
could, but his wife had already passed away by the time he arrived. Grief-stricken,
he gave up painting and devoted the rest of his life to finding ways to transmit
messages over long distances faster.

Morse left the art world and helped to invent the telegraph because he

A. was tired of painting.

B. experienced a personal tragedy in his life.
C. was fascinated by science.
D. wanted to communicate with people far away.

34. It is difficult to reconcile the ideas of different schools of thought on the question
of education. Some people maintain that pupils of school should concentrate on a
narrow range of subjects which will benefit them directly in their subsequent
careers. Others contend that they should study a wide range of subjects so that
they not only have the specialized knowledge necessary for their chosen careers
but also sound general knowledge about the world they will have to work and live
in. Supporters of the first theory state that the greatest contributions to
civilization are made by those who are expert in their trade or profession. Those
on the other side say that, unless they have a broad general education, the
experts will be too narrow in their outlook to have sympathy with their fellows or
a proper sense of responsibility towards humanity as a whole.

According to the second school of thought education will not be very effective, if students

A. have inadequate knowledge of their own work.

B. ignore the study of fine arts.
C. concentrate on only a few subjects.
D. do not have a wide general education.

35. "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." - Desiderius Erasmus

What does this proverb mean?

A. Someone who can see will be able to take advantage of others who cannot see.
B. It's more advantageous to be able to see, even a little bit, than to be blind.
C. It would be easy for someone who can see to become king in a land of people who
cannot see.
D. Even someone with minor ability is considered special by those with no ability at all.

36. A rule change was enacted before the 1974 National Football League (NFL)
season to add one sudden death overtime period (15 minutes) to all preseason
and regular season games. If no team scored in this period, the game would
result in a tie. This rule was enacted to decrease the number of tie games. The
first ever regular season overtime, a September 22 game between the Pittsburgh
Steelers and the Denver Broncos, ended in a 35-35 draw. It was not until

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 November 10, when the New York Jets defeated the New York Giants, 26-20, that
an overtime game would produce a winner.

Based on this information, which of the following statements is accurate:

A. The number of ties appear to have stayed the same after this rule change.
B. The number of ties appear to have been reduced after this rule change.
C. The number of ties appear to have increased after this rule change.
D. There's not enough information to determine if this rule change impacted the number
of ties.

37. Official records state that the Pueblo Indians lived in New Mexico and Arizona. The
word "Pueblo" comes from the Spanish word "pueblo," meaning town or village.
The Spaniards found these Indians living in apartment houses, some of them on
the side of a cliff in order that they could be reached only by ladders. Whenever
they were attacked by Apaches, the Pueblos would pull up the ladders. They grew
corn, which they watered with water flowing down in ditches. They wove cloth,
made wonderful baskets, and created jars and pots out of clay proving how skilful
they were at hand-craft.

From the passage we understand that the Pueblo Indians were afraid of:

A. Apache Indians
B. water flowing down in ditches
C. cliff dwelling
D. apartment houses

38. A person born in the Year of the Tiger is capable of earning large sums of money,
but he is rather a spendthrift and does not always put his money to best use. He
can also be most generous and will often shower lavish gifts on friends and
relations. That is why a Tiger person has many friends and acquaintances.

Which of the following is true about a person born in the Year of the Tiger?

A. He is always successful in earning large sums of money.

B. He welcomes people in need and helps them in whatever way he can.
C. He spends his money in extravagant and irresponsible way.
D. He is a good businessman.

39. It was a man who lived before the time of Christopher Columbus that was the
world's first great traveler. His name was Marco Polo. With his father and his
uncle, he traveled from Italy to China, crossing mountains and deserts to get
there. In China a king called Kublai Khan was pleased to see the Polos and had
them live near to him. They stayed for twenty-three years. Kublai Khan sent
Marco to other countries to do business for him. When Marco finally returned to
Italy, he wrote all about his adventures in a book, which was read by Columbus
and many other people, who also became interested in traveling to strange
countries.

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This story is mainly about:

A. traveling from Italy to China.

B. why Polo went to the far east.
C. Marco Polo and Kublai Khan.
D. the world's first great traveler.

40. People born under the zodiac sign Pisces are generous to a fault. They are always
ready to help anyone in need, even those whom they have just met. Because they
are kind and compassionate, they are often taken advantage of by people who
come to them with a tale of woes and sufferings. If it happens that they don't
have something to give, they will even borrow from friends so the people who
come to them for help will not go home empty-handed.

What does the paragraph say about the people born under the sign Pisces?

A. That Pisces people are merciful.

B. That Pisces people are often successful because they are generous.
C. That Pisces people are saints.
D. That Pisces people often do not have something to give that they have to borrow
from friends.

ANSWER:

1. C
2. C
3. A
4. A
5. D
6. A
7. C
8. D
9. B - Generation Xers like to work independently, which means they are self-directed. 
10. C - The last sentence in the paragraph clearly gives support for the idea that the
interest in Shakespeare is due to the development of his characters.
11. B
12. D
13. D
14. A
15. B
16. C
17. D

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18. A
19. B
20. D - This choice is supported as the best answer because the paragraph indicates that
low-fat ice cream was once an unpopular item, but now, because consumers are
more health conscious and because there is a wider array of tasty low-fat foods, low-
fat ice cream is a profitable item for ice cream store owners.
21. C
22. A
23. B - By stating that fitness walking does not require a commute to a health club, the
author stresses the convenience of this form of exercise. The paragraph also states
that fitness walking will result in a good workout.
24. C
25. A
26. C
27. C
28. B
29. C
30. A
31. A
32. A
33. B
34. D
35. D
36. D
37. A
38. C
39. D
40. A

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