Ch03 MCAT Warm-up Exercises.docx

Chapter 3 Warm-up Exercises These short, relatively easy passages will help consolidate the principles and techniques explained in Chapter 1. 024193500 As the mid-century approached, the women of America were far from being acclimated to their assigned dependent role. In fact, leaders of the growing suffrage movement were seeking equality under the law. Incredible as it seems now, in early nineteenth-century America a wife, like a black slave, could not lawfully retain title to property after marriage. She could not vote, and she could legally be beaten by her master. 1. One of the goals of the suffrage movement was A. dependence on a master. B. equality with men. C. recognition of divorce. D. abolition of slavery. 2. Which sentence describes American women of the early 19th century? A. They were against marriage. B. They were satisfied with their role in society. C. They were victims of a male-dominated society. D. They had many slaves to do their work. ANSWERS 1 . B. 2 . C. 018923000 No dwelling in all the world stirs the imagination like the tipi of the Plains Indian. It is without doubt one of the most picturesque of all shelters and one of the most practical movable dwellings ever invented. Comfortable, roomy, and well ventilated, it was ideal for the roving life these people led in following the buffalo herds up and down the country. It also proved to be just as ideal in a more permanent camp during the long winters on the prairies. 1. What is a tipi? A. a buffalo B. an Indian C. a prairie D. a residence 2. What kind of life did the Plains Indians lead? A. They wandered with the buffaloes. B. They led comfortable and ideal lives. C. They spent their lives in one place. D. They lived in large, airy caves. ANSWERS 1 . D 2 . A 018923000 A dozen years ago, Thornton Wilder and I made the happy discovery that we were both invited to a White House dinner for the French Minister of Culture, Andre Malraux. We decided at once to go together. He was to pick up my wife and me at our hotel, and specified that I should have a double old-fashioned ready for him. Thornton did justice to the drink. He also delighted my wife. She was nervous about the dress she was wearing, and he told her it reminded him of the black swan of Tasmania and was so graceful that it danced almost by itself. He illustrated in long, slow undulations, his arms waving. My wife was ham all evening. 1. Who is the narrator of the passage? A. Andre Malraux B. Thornton Wilder C. The passage does not say D. Tasmania 2. What does ‘happy” mean in the expression “happy discovery”? A. Fortunate B. Contented C. Optimistic D. Clever 3. What delighted the narrator’s wife? A. The invitation to the White House B. Wilder’s compliment C. A double old-fashioned D. Attending the dinner with Wilder ANSWERS 1 . C. 2 . A. 3 . B. 019494500 Nobody knows with certainty how big a proportion of the world’s population is suffering from the basic problem of chronic undernourishment. But the commonly quoted United Nations estimate of 460 million sufferers is, if anything, on the low side. This represents 15 percent of the global population. Many more suffer from other deficiencies, making global totals even more difficult to calculate. Preparation for MCAT Verbal Reasoning 1. The paragraph indicates that A. malnutrition is the number one problem in modern society. B. relatively few people suffer from malnutrition. C. the United Nations is supplying food to those suffering from malnutrition. D. it is not easy to count the number of people in the world who are undernourished. ANSWER 1 . D. 018923000 Another way to fight insomnia is to exercise every day. Muscular relaxation is an important part of sleep. Daily exercise leaves your muscles pleasantly relaxed and ready for sleep. 1. What is insomnia? A. muscular relaxation B. inability to sleep C. exercise D. sleep 2. According to the passage, daily exercise A. helps a person fall asleep more readily. B. is harmful for the muscles. C. prepares a person for fighting. D. is unnecessary. ANSWERS 1 . B. 2 . A. 019558000 The decade was erected upon the smoldering wreckage of the ‘60’s. Now and then, someone’s shovel blade would strike an unexploded bomb; mostly the air in the ‘70s was thick with a sense of aftermath, of public passions spent and consciences bewildered. The American gaze turned inward. It distracted itself with diversions trivial or squalid. The U.S. lost a President and a war, and not only endured those unique humiliations with grace, but showed enough resilience to bring a Roman-candle burst of spirit to its Bicentennial celebration. 1. What image is used to describe the ‘70s? A. A celebration B. A race C. A postwar period D. A long movie full of passion 2. What is the author’s attitude regarding the events of the ‘70s A. He is pessimistic. B. He is bewildered. C. He is optimistic. D. He is afraid. ANSWERS 1 . C. 2 . C. 018923000 One bright spot in the U.S. economy in 1979 was the surprising decline in gasoline use. Rising fuel costs are finally prodding Americans to cut back on consumption, and the need for this becomes more acute all the time. 1. How does the author view the decline in gas consumption? A. He is indifferent. B. He thinks it is a good sign. C. He doesn’t see the need for it. D. He is unhappy about it. 2. Why are Americans using less gasoline? A. The economy is good. B. They don’t need as much. C. They want to spend more time at home. D. Gasoline is becoming very expensive. ANSWERS 1 . B. 2 . D. 019558000 During the early part of the colonial period, living conditions were hard, and people had little leisure time for reading or studying. Books imported from abroad were expensive and were bought mainly by ministers, lawyers, and wealthy merchants. The only books to be found in most homes were the Bible and an almanac, a book giving general information about such subjects as astronomy, the weather, and farming. 1. The early colonists did not do much reading because A. they didn’t know how to read. B. the Bible told them that reading was sinful. C. they didn’t have time. D. they weren’t interested in reading. 2. Books were bought primarily by A. the nobility. B. professional and wealthy people. C. the lower class. D. sellers of almanacs. ANSWERS 1 . C. 2 . B. 018923000 Preparation for MCAT Verbal Reasoning Never before in history have people been so aware of what is going on in the world. Television, newspapers, radio keep us continually informed and stimulate our interest. The sociologist’s interest in the world around him is intense, for society is his field of study. As an analyst, he must be well acquainted with a broad range of happenings and must understand basic social processes. He wants to know what makes the -social world what it is, how it is organized, why it changes in the way that it does. Such knowledge is valuable not only for those who make great decisions, but also for you, since this is the world in which you live and make your way. 1. The passage chiefly concerns A. the work of a sociologist. B. the news media. C. modern society. D. decision-makers. 2. It can be inferred that a good sociologist must be A. persistent. B. sensitive. C. objective. D. curious. 3. According to the passage, modern society is more aware of world events than were previous societies because A. the news media keep us better informed. B. travel is easier and faster. C. there are more analysts. D. todays population is more sociable. ANSWERS 1 . A. 2 . D. 3 . A. 019494500 Whatever answer the future holds, this much I believe we must accept: There can be no putting the genie back into the bottle. To try to bury or to suppress new knowledge because we do not know how to prevent its use for destructive or evil purposes is a pathetically futile gesture. It is, indeed, a symbolic return to the methods of the Middle Ages. It seeks to deny the innermost urge of the mind of men —the desire for knowledge. 1. The author believes that A. new ideas should not be encouraged. B. we should return to the methods of the Middle Ages. C. new knowledge is always used for evil purposes. D. to suppress knowledge is a useless act. 2. What is the meaning of “no putting the genie back into the bottle”? A. Once new discoveries have been made, it is impossible to deny their existence and to control the consequences which might result from them. B. We cannot be sure that knowledge will be used for humanitarian purposes. C. The desire for knowledge was not strong during the Middle Ages. D. We cannot answer tomorrow’s questions today. 3. According to the author, man’s most basic desire is A. to know the future. B. to prevent destruction and evil. C. to become less ignorant. D. to avoid useless activity. 4. The passage was written A. to convince us that the Middle Ages contributed little to modern society. B. to inspire us to meet challenges wisely. C. to persuade us to mistrust new ideas. D. to show us what we can expect in the future. ANSWERS 1 . D. 2 . A. 3 . C. 4 . B. This answer remains after eliminating the others. 018923000 It is important to distinguish among communication, language, and speech. These terms may, of course, be used synonymously, but strictly speaking, communication refers to the transmission or reception of a message, while language, which is usually used interchangeably with speech, is here taken to mean the speech of a population viewed as an objective entity, whether reduced to writing or in any other form. 1. According to the author, which word could be best used to replace “speech”? A. Communication B. Transmission C. Language D. Reception 2. The author understands “language” to mean A. the totality of the way a given people expresses itself. B. the giving or receiving of a message. C. the exchange of words between two people. D. the written works of a population. Preparation for MCAT Verbal Reasoning ANSWERS 1 . C. 2 . A. 018923000 The long, momentous day of John Glenn began at 2:20 a.m. when he was awakened in his simple quarters at Cape Canaveral’s hangars by the astronauts’ physician, Dr. William K. Douglas. Glenn had slept a little over seven hours. He shaved, showered, and breakfasted. Outside, the moon was obscured by fleecy clouds; the weather, responsible for four of the nine previous postponements, looked rather ominous. 1. At approximately what time did Glenn go to sleep? A. 5 p.m. B. 7 p.m. C. 9 a.m. D. 7 a.m. 2. Which statement about the weather is true? A. It was perfect for the occasion. B. It was cloudy and rainy. C. It had caused delays in the past. D. The passage does not say. 3. Who is John Glenn? A. A doctor. B. A weatherman. C. A spaceman. D. A sailor. ANSWERS 1 . B. 2 . C. 3 . C.