NLN NEX Reading Comprehension Practice Test 2025 [Timed]

1) PASSAGE 1

It is hard to imagine that the virus that causes children to break out into itchy red dots and miss a few days of school is the same one that can send adults to the hospital begging for pain relief, but it is true. The varicella-zoster virus is responsible for both chickenpox in children and shingles in adults. Unlike many other viruses, this herpes virus can hibernate within the body for decades, only becoming noticeable when a person’s immune system is severely compromised.

Shingles is often considered one of the most uncomfortable conditions because it causes burning and/or shooting pain, tingling and itching, and commonly rashes or blisters. Treatment ranges from a vaccine that prevents the virus from attacking in the first place to antiviral and pain medications for people who are already affected.

Every year almost one million Americans seek help from the pain and discomfort of shingles, costing the United States $556 million in treatment. Unfortunately, a great many of these victims are also members of a very vulnerable population: the elderly. According to research, people 65 years of age or older are seven times more likely to develop shingles than younger people.

What is the main idea of this passage?

2) PASSAGE 1

It is hard to imagine that the virus that causes children to break out into itchy red dots and miss a few days of school is the same one that can send adults to the hospital begging for pain relief, but it is true. The varicella-zoster virus is responsible for both chickenpox in children and shingles in adults. Unlike many other viruses, this herpes virus can hibernate within the body for decades, only becoming noticeable when a person’s immune system is severely compromised.

Shingles is often considered one of the most uncomfortable conditions because it causes burning and/or shooting pain, tingling and itching, and commonly rashes or blisters. Treatment ranges from a vaccine that prevents the virus from attacking in the first place to antiviral and pain medications for people who are already affected.

Every year almost one million Americans seek help from the pain and discomfort of shingles, costing the United States $556 million in treatment. Unfortunately, a great many of these victims are also members of a very vulnerable population: the elderly. According to research, people 65 years of age or older are seven times more likely to develop shingles than younger people.

Shingles causes all of the following symptoms except

3) PASSAGE 1

It is hard to imagine that the virus that causes children to break out into itchy red dots and miss a few days of school is the same one that can send adults to the hospital begging for pain relief, but it is true. The varicella-zoster virus is responsible for both chickenpox in children and shingles in adults. Unlike many other viruses, this herpes virus can hibernate within the body for decades, only becoming noticeable when a person’s immune system is severely compromised.

Shingles is often considered one of the most uncomfortable conditions because it causes burning and/or shooting pain, tingling and itching, and commonly rashes or blisters. Treatment ranges from a vaccine that prevents the virus from attacking in the first place to antiviral and pain medications for people who are already affected.

Every year almost one million Americans seek help from the pain and discomfort of shingles, costing the United States $556 million in treatment. Unfortunately, a great many of these victims are also members of a very vulnerable population: the elderly. According to research, people 65 years of age or older are seven times more likely to develop shingles than younger people.

Why is the vaccine the most effective type of treatment?

4) PASSAGE 1

It is hard to imagine that the virus that causes children to break out into itchy red dots and miss a few days of school is the same one that can send adults to the hospital begging for pain relief, but it is true. The varicella-zoster virus is responsible for both chickenpox in children and shingles in adults. Unlike many other viruses, this herpes virus can hibernate within the body for decades, only becoming noticeable when a person’s immune system is severely compromised.

Shingles is often considered one of the most uncomfortable conditions because it causes burning and/or shooting pain, tingling and itching, and commonly rashes or blisters. Treatment ranges from a vaccine that prevents the virus from attacking in the first place to antiviral and pain medications for people who are already affected.

Every year almost one million Americans seek help from the pain and discomfort of shingles, costing the United States $556 million in treatment. Unfortunately, a great many of these victims are also members of a very vulnerable population: the elderly. According to research, people 65 years of age or older are seven times more likely to develop shingles than younger people.

Shingles tends to manifest in adults when

5) PASSAGE 1

It is hard to imagine that the virus that causes children to break out into itchy red dots and miss a few days of school is the same one that can send adults to the hospital begging for pain relief, but it is true. The varicella-zoster virus is responsible for both chickenpox in children and shingles in adults. Unlike many other viruses, this herpes virus can hibernate within the body for decades, only becoming noticeable when a person’s immune system is severely compromised.

Shingles is often considered one of the most uncomfortable conditions because it causes burning and/or shooting pain, tingling and itching, and commonly rashes or blisters. Treatment ranges from a vaccine that prevents the virus from attacking in the first place to antiviral and pain medications for people who are already affected.

Every year almost one million Americans seek help from the pain and discomfort of shingles, costing the United States $556 million in treatment. Unfortunately, a great many of these victims are also members of a very vulnerable population: the elderly. According to research, people 65 years of age or older are seven times more likely to develop shingles than younger people.

What makes this virus unusual?

6) PASSAGE 2

In recent years, there have been frightening headlines about harmful ingredients, such as mercury and lead, in ordinary cosmetics. However, these are hardly the first examples of people paying a heavy price to conform to cultural ideals of beauty. That is a tradition that has been around for centuries.

Ancient Egyptians decorated their eyes with malachite (a green ore of copper), galena (a lead sulfide), and kohl (a paste made from soot, fat, and metals such as lead). This may have made them look more beautiful, but it also led to such health problems as insomnia and mental confusion.

The ancient Greeks went even further. They applied lead to their entire faces, supposedly to clear their complexions of any blemishes and improve the color of their skin. Health problems that resulted ranged from infertility to insanity. The lead ointment whitened their faces—considered a sign of purity—so they then added some red lead to their cheeks for that rosy glow. As if these toxic elements were not enough, they also used hair dyes that contained lead. Some historians suspect that because the Romans favored the same cosmetics as the Greeks did, lead poisoning was part of what later led to the fall of the Roman Empire.

Lead played a huge role in cosmetics for centuries, but it was not until the mid-nineteenth century that the American Medical Association (AMA) published a paper about the connection between lead in cosmetics and health concerns. Despite the availability of this information, sellers still offered powders and potions that contained harmful chemicals and other materials. These products had such innocuous names as Snow White Enamel, Milk of Roses, and Berry’s Freckle Ointment.

The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and the creation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) helped put an end to some of the most dangerous cosmetics, although products such as a lotion containing rat poison and a mascara that caused blindness still made it onto the market. In 1938, cosmetics came under the control of the FDA, and in 1977, a law was passed requiring cosmetic manufacturers to list all ingredients on their product labels.

Although these steps have helped ensure product safety, problems still exist. As recently as 2007, lipsticks for sale were found to contain lead, and mascara was found to contain mercury. An additional concern is phthalates, industrial chemicals that can cause birth defects and infertility. They are found in personal care products, such as shampoos, lotions, perfume, and deodorants.

An old saying states that beauty has a price. Sometime it just may be higher than consumers realize.

Which of these topics is the main focus of the passage?

7) PASSAGE 2

In recent years, there have been frightening headlines about harmful ingredients, such as mercury and lead, in ordinary cosmetics. However, these are hardly the first examples of people paying a heavy price to conform to cultural ideals of beauty. That is a tradition that has been around for centuries.

Ancient Egyptians decorated their eyes with malachite (a green ore of copper), galena (a lead sulfide), and kohl (a paste made from soot, fat, and metals such as lead). This may have made them look more beautiful, but it also led to such health problems as insomnia and mental confusion.

The ancient Greeks went even further. They applied lead to their entire faces, supposedly to clear their complexions of any blemishes and improve the color of their skin. Health problems that resulted ranged from infertility to insanity. The lead ointment whitened their faces—considered a sign of purity—so they then added some red lead to their cheeks for that rosy glow. As if these toxic elements were not enough, they also used hair dyes that contained lead. Some historians suspect that because the Romans favored the same cosmetics as the Greeks did, lead poisoning was part of what later led to the fall of the Roman Empire.

Lead played a huge role in cosmetics for centuries, but it was not until the mid-nineteenth century that the American Medical Association (AMA) published a paper about the connection between lead in cosmetics and health concerns. Despite the availability of this information, sellers still offered powders and potions that contained harmful chemicals and other materials. These products had such innocuous names as Snow White Enamel, Milk of Roses, and Berry’s Freckle Ointment.

The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and the creation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) helped put an end to some of the most dangerous cosmetics, although products such as a lotion containing rat poison and a mascara that caused blindness still made it onto the market. In 1938, cosmetics came under the control of the FDA, and in 1977, a law was passed requiring cosmetic manufacturers to list all ingredients on their product labels.

Although these steps have helped ensure product safety, problems still exist. As recently as 2007, lipsticks for sale were found to contain lead, and mascara was found to contain mercury. An additional concern is phthalates, industrial chemicals that can cause birth defects and infertility. They are found in personal care products, such as shampoos, lotions, perfume, and deodorants.

An old saying states that beauty has a price. Sometime it just may be higher than consumers realize.

Why did the ancient Greeks put white lead ointment on their faces?

8) PASSAGE 2

In recent years, there have been frightening headlines about harmful ingredients, such as mercury and lead, in ordinary cosmetics. However, these are hardly the first examples of people paying a heavy price to conform to cultural ideals of beauty. That is a tradition that has been around for centuries.

Ancient Egyptians decorated their eyes with malachite (a green ore of copper), galena (a lead sulfide), and kohl (a paste made from soot, fat, and metals such as lead). This may have made them look more beautiful, but it also led to such health problems as insomnia and mental confusion.

The ancient Greeks went even further. They applied lead to their entire faces, supposedly to clear their complexions of any blemishes and improve the color of their skin. Health problems that resulted ranged from infertility to insanity. The lead ointment whitened their faces—considered a sign of purity—so they then added some red lead to their cheeks for that rosy glow. As if these toxic elements were not enough, they also used hair dyes that contained lead. Some historians suspect that because the Romans favored the same cosmetics as the Greeks did, lead poisoning was part of what later led to the fall of the Roman Empire.

Lead played a huge role in cosmetics for centuries, but it was not until the mid-nineteenth century that the American Medical Association (AMA) published a paper about the connection between lead in cosmetics and health concerns. Despite the availability of this information, sellers still offered powders and potions that contained harmful chemicals and other materials. These products had such innocuous names as Snow White Enamel, Milk of Roses, and Berry’s Freckle Ointment.

The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and the creation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) helped put an end to some of the most dangerous cosmetics, although products such as a lotion containing rat poison and a mascara that caused blindness still made it onto the market. In 1938, cosmetics came under the control of the FDA, and in 1977, a law was passed requiring cosmetic manufacturers to list all ingredients on their product labels.

Although these steps have helped ensure product safety, problems still exist. As recently as 2007, lipsticks for sale were found to contain lead, and mascara was found to contain mercury. An additional concern is phthalates, industrial chemicals that can cause birth defects and infertility. They are found in personal care products, such as shampoos, lotions, perfume, and deodorants.

An old saying states that beauty has a price. Sometime it just may be higher than consumers realize.

Which of the following is identified in the passage as a health hazard resulting from lead?

9) PASSAGE 2

In recent years, there have been frightening headlines about harmful ingredients, such as mercury and lead, in ordinary cosmetics. However, these are hardly the first examples of people paying a heavy price to conform to cultural ideals of beauty. That is a tradition that has been around for centuries.

Ancient Egyptians decorated their eyes with malachite (a green ore of copper), galena (a lead sulfide), and kohl (a paste made from soot, fat, and metals such as lead). This may have made them look more beautiful, but it also led to such health problems as insomnia and mental confusion.

The ancient Greeks went even further. They applied lead to their entire faces, supposedly to clear their complexions of any blemishes and improve the color of their skin. Health problems that resulted ranged from infertility to insanity. The lead ointment whitened their faces—considered a sign of purity—so they then added some red lead to their cheeks for that rosy glow. As if these toxic elements were not enough, they also used hair dyes that contained lead. Some historians suspect that because the Romans favored the same cosmetics as the Greeks did, lead poisoning was part of what later led to the fall of the Roman Empire.

Lead played a huge role in cosmetics for centuries, but it was not until the mid-nineteenth century that the American Medical Association (AMA) published a paper about the connection between lead in cosmetics and health concerns. Despite the availability of this information, sellers still offered powders and potions that contained harmful chemicals and other materials. These products had such innocuous names as Snow White Enamel, Milk of Roses, and Berry’s Freckle Ointment.

The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and the creation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) helped put an end to some of the most dangerous cosmetics, although products such as a lotion containing rat poison and a mascara that caused blindness still made it onto the market. In 1938, cosmetics came under the control of the FDA, and in 1977, a law was passed requiring cosmetic manufacturers to list all ingredients on their product labels.

Although these steps have helped ensure product safety, problems still exist. As recently as 2007, lipsticks for sale were found to contain lead, and mascara was found to contain mercury. An additional concern is phthalates, industrial chemicals that can cause birth defects and infertility. They are found in personal care products, such as shampoos, lotions, perfume, and deodorants.

An old saying states that beauty has a price. Sometime it just may be higher than consumers realize.

Which of the following types of cosmetics was not mentioned as containing toxic materials?

10) PASSAGE 2

In recent years, there have been frightening headlines about harmful ingredients, such as mercury and lead, in ordinary cosmetics. However, these are hardly the first examples of people paying a heavy price to conform to cultural ideals of beauty. That is a tradition that has been around for centuries.

Ancient Egyptians decorated their eyes with malachite (a green ore of copper), galena (a lead sulfide), and kohl (a paste made from soot, fat, and metals such as lead). This may have made them look more beautiful, but it also led to such health problems as insomnia and mental confusion.

The ancient Greeks went even further. They applied lead to their entire faces, supposedly to clear their complexions of any blemishes and improve the color of their skin. Health problems that resulted ranged from infertility to insanity. The lead ointment whitened their faces—considered a sign of purity—so they then added some red lead to their cheeks for that rosy glow. As if these toxic elements were not enough, they also used hair dyes that contained lead. Some historians suspect that because the Romans favored the same cosmetics as the Greeks did, lead poisoning was part of what later led to the fall of the Roman Empire.

Lead played a huge role in cosmetics for centuries, but it was not until the mid-nineteenth century that the American Medical Association (AMA) published a paper about the connection between lead in cosmetics and health concerns. Despite the availability of this information, sellers still offered powders and potions that contained harmful chemicals and other materials. These products had such innocuous names as Snow White Enamel, Milk of Roses, and Berry’s Freckle Ointment.

The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and the creation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) helped put an end to some of the most dangerous cosmetics, although products such as a lotion containing rat poison and a mascara that caused blindness still made it onto the market. In 1938, cosmetics came under the control of the FDA, and in 1977, a law was passed requiring cosmetic manufacturers to list all ingredients on their product labels.

Although these steps have helped ensure product safety, problems still exist. As recently as 2007, lipsticks for sale were found to contain lead, and mascara was found to contain mercury. An additional concern is phthalates, industrial chemicals that can cause birth defects and infertility. They are found in personal care products, such as shampoos, lotions, perfume, and deodorants.

An old saying states that beauty has a price. Sometime it just may be higher than consumers realize.

What conclusion can be drawn from the fact that, as recently as 2007, cosmetics were being pulled from store shelves?

11) PASSAGE 3

My gentleness and good behaviour had gained so far on the emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a short time. I took all possible methods to cultivate this favourable disposition. The natives came, by degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me. I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair. I had now made a good progress in understanding and speaking the language. The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground. Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader’s patience, to enlarge a little.

This diversion is only practised by those persons who are candidates for great employments, and high favour at court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,) five or six of those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office. Very often the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to convince the emperor that they have not lost their faculty. Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire. I have seen him do the summerset several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a rope which is no thicker than a common packthread in England. My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.

Which of the following statements best summarize the central purpose of this text?

12) PASSAGE 3

My gentleness and good behaviour had gained so far on the emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a short time. I took all possible methods to cultivate this favourable disposition. The natives came, by degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me. I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair. I had now made a good progress in understanding and speaking the language. The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground. Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader’s patience, to enlarge a little.

This diversion is only practised by those persons who are candidates for great employments, and high favour at court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,) five or six of those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office. Very often the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to convince the emperor that they have not lost their faculty. Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire. I have seen him do the summerset several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a rope which is no thicker than a common packthread in England. My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.

What is the word principal referring to in the following text?

My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.

13) PASSAGE 3

My gentleness and good behaviour had gained so far on the emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a short time. I took all possible methods to cultivate this favourable disposition. The natives came, by degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me. I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair. I had now made a good progress in understanding and speaking the language. The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground. Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader’s patience, to enlarge a little.

This diversion is only practised by those persons who are candidates for great employments, and high favour at court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,) five or six of those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office. Very often the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to convince the emperor that they have not lost their faculty. Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire. I have seen him do the summerset several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a rope which is no thicker than a common packthread in England. My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.

What can the reader infer from this passage?

 I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair.

14) PASSAGE 3

My gentleness and good behaviour had gained so far on the emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a short time. I took all possible methods to cultivate this favourable disposition. The natives came, by degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me. I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair. I had now made a good progress in understanding and speaking the language. The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground. Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader’s patience, to enlarge a little.

This diversion is only practised by those persons who are candidates for great employments, and high favour at court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,) five or six of those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office. Very often the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to convince the emperor that they have not lost their faculty. Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire. I have seen him do the summerset several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a rope which is no thicker than a common packthread in England. My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.

What is the significance of the word mind in the following passage?

The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence.

15) PASSAGE 3

My gentleness and good behaviour had gained so far on the emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a short time. I took all possible methods to cultivate this favourable disposition. The natives came, by degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me. I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair. I had now made a good progress in understanding and speaking the language. The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground. Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader’s patience, to enlarge a little.

This diversion is only practised by those persons who are candidates for great employments, and high favour at court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,) five or six of those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office. Very often the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to convince the emperor that they have not lost their faculty. Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire. I have seen him do the summerset several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a rope which is no thicker than a common packthread in England. My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.

Which of the following assertions does not support the fact that games are a commonplace event in this culture?

16) PASSAGE 4

Three years ago, I think there were not many bird-lovers in the United States, who believed it possible to prevent the total extinction of both egrets from our fauna. All the known rookeries accessible to plume-hunters had been totally destroyed. Two years ago, the secret discovery of several small, hidden colonies prompted William Dutcher, President of the National Association of Audubon Societies, and Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, Secretary, to attempt the protection of those colonies. With a fund contributed for the purpose, wardens were hired and duly commissioned. As previously stated, one of those wardens was shot dead in cold blood by a plume hunter. The task of guarding swamp rookeries from the attacks of money-hungry desperadoes to whom the accursed plumes were worth their weight in gold, is a very chancy proceeding. There is now one warden in Florida who says that "before they get my rookery they will first have to get me."

Thus far the protective work of the Audubon Association has been successful. Now there are twenty colonies, which contain all told, about 5,000 egrets and about 120,000 herons and ibises which are guarded by the Audubon wardens. One of the most important is on Bird Island, a mile out in Orange Lake, central Florida, and it is ably defended by Oscar E. Baynard. To-day, the plume hunters who do not dare to raid the guarded rookeries are trying to study out the lines of flight of the birds, to and from their feeding-grounds, and shoot them in transit. Their motto is—"Anything to beat the law, and get the plumes." It is there that the state of Florida should take part in the war.

The success of this campaign is attested by the fact that last year a number of egrets were seen in eastern Massachusetts —for the first time in many years. And so to-day the question is, can the wardens continue to hold the plume-hunters at bay?

The author’s use of the first person pronoun in the following text does NOT have which of the following effects?

Three years ago, I think there were not many bird-lovers in the United States, who believed it possible to prevent the total extinction of both egrets from our fauna.

17) PASSAGE 4

Three years ago, I think there were not many bird-lovers in the United States, who believed it possible to prevent the total extinction of both egrets from our fauna. All the known rookeries accessible to plume-hunters had been totally destroyed. Two years ago, the secret discovery of several small, hidden colonies prompted William Dutcher, President of the National Association of Audubon Societies, and Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, Secretary, to attempt the protection of those colonies. With a fund contributed for the purpose, wardens were hired and duly commissioned. As previously stated, one of those wardens was shot dead in cold blood by a plume hunter. The task of guarding swamp rookeries from the attacks of money-hungry desperadoes to whom the accursed plumes were worth their weight in gold, is a very chancy proceeding. There is now one warden in Florida who says that "before they get my rookery they will first have to get me."

Thus far the protective work of the Audubon Association has been successful. Now there are twenty colonies, which contain all told, about 5,000 egrets and about 120,000 herons and ibises which are guarded by the Audubon wardens. One of the most important is on Bird Island, a mile out in Orange Lake, central Florida, and it is ably defended by Oscar E. Baynard. To-day, the plume hunters who do not dare to raid the guarded rookeries are trying to study out the lines of flight of the birds, to and from their feeding-grounds, and shoot them in transit. Their motto is—"Anything to beat the law, and get the plumes." It is there that the state of Florida should take part in the war.

The success of this campaign is attested by the fact that last year a number of egrets were seen in eastern Massachusetts —for the first time in many years. And so to-day the question is, can the wardens continue to hold the plume-hunters at bay?

What purpose does the quote serve at the end of the first paragraph?

18) PASSAGE 4

Three years ago, I think there were not many bird-lovers in the United States, who believed it possible to prevent the total extinction of both egrets from our fauna. All the known rookeries accessible to plume-hunters had been totally destroyed. Two years ago, the secret discovery of several small, hidden colonies prompted William Dutcher, President of the National Association of Audubon Societies, and Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, Secretary, to attempt the protection of those colonies. With a fund contributed for the purpose, wardens were hired and duly commissioned. As previously stated, one of those wardens was shot dead in cold blood by a plume hunter. The task of guarding swamp rookeries from the attacks of money-hungry desperadoes to whom the accursed plumes were worth their weight in gold, is a very chancy proceeding. There is now one warden in Florida who says that "before they get my rookery they will first have to get me."

Thus far the protective work of the Audubon Association has been successful. Now there are twenty colonies, which contain all told, about 5,000 egrets and about 120,000 herons and ibises which are guarded by the Audubon wardens. One of the most important is on Bird Island, a mile out in Orange Lake, central Florida, and it is ably defended by Oscar E. Baynard. To-day, the plume hunters who do not dare to raid the guarded rookeries are trying to study out the lines of flight of the birds, to and from their feeding-grounds, and shoot them in transit. Their motto is—"Anything to beat the law, and get the plumes." It is there that the state of Florida should take part in the war.

The success of this campaign is attested by the fact that last year a number of egrets were seen in eastern Massachusetts —for the first time in many years. And so to-day the question is, can the wardens continue to hold the plume-hunters at bay?

What is the meaning of the word rookeries in the following text?

To-day, the plume hunters who do not dare to raid the guarded rookeries are trying to study out the lines of flight of the birds, to and from their feeding-grounds, and shoot them in transit.

19) PASSAGE 4

Three years ago, I think there were not many bird-lovers in the United States, who believed it possible to prevent the total extinction of both egrets from our fauna. All the known rookeries accessible to plume-hunters had been totally destroyed. Two years ago, the secret discovery of several small, hidden colonies prompted William Dutcher, President of the National Association of Audubon Societies, and Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, Secretary, to attempt the protection of those colonies. With a fund contributed for the purpose, wardens were hired and duly commissioned. As previously stated, one of those wardens was shot dead in cold blood by a plume hunter. The task of guarding swamp rookeries from the attacks of money-hungry desperadoes to whom the accursed plumes were worth their weight in gold, is a very chancy proceeding. There is now one warden in Florida who says that "before they get my rookery they will first have to get me."

Thus far the protective work of the Audubon Association has been successful. Now there are twenty colonies, which contain all told, about 5,000 egrets and about 120,000 herons and ibises which are guarded by the Audubon wardens. One of the most important is on Bird Island, a mile out in Orange Lake, central Florida, and it is ably defended by Oscar E. Baynard. To-day, the plume hunters who do not dare to raid the guarded rookeries are trying to study out the lines of flight of the birds, to and from their feeding-grounds, and shoot them in transit. Their motto is—"Anything to beat the law, and get the plumes." It is there that the state of Florida should take part in the war.

The success of this campaign is attested by the fact that last year a number of egrets were seen in eastern Massachusetts —for the first time in many years. And so to-day the question is, can the wardens continue to hold the plume-hunters at bay?

What is on Bird Island?

20) PASSAGE 4

Three years ago, I think there were not many bird-lovers in the United States, who believed it possible to prevent the total extinction of both egrets from our fauna. All the known rookeries accessible to plume-hunters had been totally destroyed. Two years ago, the secret discovery of several small, hidden colonies prompted William Dutcher, President of the National Association of Audubon Societies, and Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, Secretary, to attempt the protection of those colonies. With a fund contributed for the purpose, wardens were hired and duly commissioned. As previously stated, one of those wardens was shot dead in cold blood by a plume hunter. The task of guarding swamp rookeries from the attacks of money-hungry desperadoes to whom the accursed plumes were worth their weight in gold, is a very chancy proceeding. There is now one warden in Florida who says that "before they get my rookery they will first have to get me."

Thus far the protective work of the Audubon Association has been successful. Now there are twenty colonies, which contain all told, about 5,000 egrets and about 120,000 herons and ibises which are guarded by the Audubon wardens. One of the most important is on Bird Island, a mile out in Orange Lake, central Florida, and it is ably defended by Oscar E. Baynard. To-day, the plume hunters who do not dare to raid the guarded rookeries are trying to study out the lines of flight of the birds, to and from their feeding-grounds, and shoot them in transit. Their motto is—"Anything to beat the law, and get the plumes." It is there that the state of Florida should take part in the war.

The success of this campaign is attested by the fact that last year a number of egrets were seen in eastern Massachusetts —for the first time in many years. And so to-day the question is, can the wardens continue to hold the plume-hunters at bay?

What is the main purpose of the passage?

21) PASSAGE 5

In some schools around the country, physical education classes look a lot different than they did a generation or two ago. Kids are still in motion, stretching, running, lifting, and sweating. But instead of everyone doing the same activity at the same time as a team, they are exercising independently. They are being taught movements and activities that their teachers hope they will incorporate into their lives rather than just perform long enough to get a good grade.

By teaching kids the pleasure of exercise, gym teachers hope to instill important lessons about maintaining good health, staying fit, and keeping weight under control. By getting the chance to work at their own pace, rather than being forced to keep up with other classmates, students are often more willing to try new things and stick with them. They can also participate in low-impact sports like yoga, martial arts, and weight lifting. Instead of playing basketball or baseball, they can focus on more general skills like passing the ball.

A growing number of physical education (PE) teachers are also putting more of an emphasis on general nutrition and health. According to Craig Buschner, president of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, “This field has to make changes.” With the continual increase in the number of children who are obese, there is greater pressure to teach students about how to stay fit. To do this, gym teachers have to look at new ways to introduce exercise to their classes that will not intimidate or overwhelm them but instead intrigue and engage them.

One other difference found in some modern gym classes is the grading system. Instead of being graded on the ability to run laps in a set time or make a certain number of baskets, the students are graded simply on the effort they make in the class. Some even get extra credit if they are the sweatiest student in the room!

What would be the best title for this passage?

22) PASSAGE 5

In some schools around the country, physical education classes look a lot different than they did a generation or two ago. Kids are still in motion, stretching, running, lifting, and sweating. But instead of everyone doing the same activity at the same time as a team, they are exercising independently. They are being taught movements and activities that their teachers hope they will incorporate into their lives rather than just perform long enough to get a good grade.

By teaching kids the pleasure of exercise, gym teachers hope to instill important lessons about maintaining good health, staying fit, and keeping weight under control. By getting the chance to work at their own pace, rather than being forced to keep up with other classmates, students are often more willing to try new things and stick with them. They can also participate in low-impact sports like yoga, martial arts, and weight lifting. Instead of playing basketball or baseball, they can focus on more general skills like passing the ball.

A growing number of physical education (PE) teachers are also putting more of an emphasis on general nutrition and health. According to Craig Buschner, president of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, “This field has to make changes.” With the continual increase in the number of children who are obese, there is greater pressure to teach students about how to stay fit. To do this, gym teachers have to look at new ways to introduce exercise to their classes that will not intimidate or overwhelm them but instead intrigue and engage them.

One other difference found in some modern gym classes is the grading system. Instead of being graded on the ability to run laps in a set time or make a certain number of baskets, the students are graded simply on the effort they make in the class. Some even get extra credit if they are the sweatiest student in the room!

The term instill as used in the second paragraph of the passage can best be defined as

23) PASSAGE 5

In some schools around the country, physical education classes look a lot different than they did a generation or two ago. Kids are still in motion, stretching, running, lifting, and sweating. But instead of everyone doing the same activity at the same time as a team, they are exercising independently. They are being taught movements and activities that their teachers hope they will incorporate into their lives rather than just perform long enough to get a good grade.

By teaching kids the pleasure of exercise, gym teachers hope to instill important lessons about maintaining good health, staying fit, and keeping weight under control. By getting the chance to work at their own pace, rather than being forced to keep up with other classmates, students are often more willing to try new things and stick with them. They can also participate in low-impact sports like yoga, martial arts, and weight lifting. Instead of playing basketball or baseball, they can focus on more general skills like passing the ball.

A growing number of physical education (PE) teachers are also putting more of an emphasis on general nutrition and health. According to Craig Buschner, president of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, “This field has to make changes.” With the continual increase in the number of children who are obese, there is greater pressure to teach students about how to stay fit. To do this, gym teachers have to look at new ways to introduce exercise to their classes that will not intimidate or overwhelm them but instead intrigue and engage them.

One other difference found in some modern gym classes is the grading system. Instead of being graded on the ability to run laps in a set time or make a certain number of baskets, the students are graded simply on the effort they make in the class. Some even get extra credit if they are the sweatiest student in the room!

What can you conclude is the primary difference between traditional PE and how some PE classes are being taught today?

24) PASSAGE 5

In some schools around the country, physical education classes look a lot different than they did a generation or two ago. Kids are still in motion, stretching, running, lifting, and sweating. But instead of everyone doing the same activity at the same time as a team, they are exercising independently. They are being taught movements and activities that their teachers hope they will incorporate into their lives rather than just perform long enough to get a good grade.

By teaching kids the pleasure of exercise, gym teachers hope to instill important lessons about maintaining good health, staying fit, and keeping weight under control. By getting the chance to work at their own pace, rather than being forced to keep up with other classmates, students are often more willing to try new things and stick with them. They can also participate in low-impact sports like yoga, martial arts, and weight lifting. Instead of playing basketball or baseball, they can focus on more general skills like passing the ball.

A growing number of physical education (PE) teachers are also putting more of an emphasis on general nutrition and health. According to Craig Buschner, president of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, “This field has to make changes.” With the continual increase in the number of children who are obese, there is greater pressure to teach students about how to stay fit. To do this, gym teachers have to look at new ways to introduce exercise to their classes that will not intimidate or overwhelm them but instead intrigue and engage them.

One other difference found in some modern gym classes is the grading system. Instead of being graded on the ability to run laps in a set time or make a certain number of baskets, the students are graded simply on the effort they make in the class. Some even get extra credit if they are the sweatiest student in the room!

What can be inferred about the “sweatiest student” referred to in the last sentence of the passage?

25) PASSAGE 5

In some schools around the country, physical education classes look a lot different than they did a generation or two ago. Kids are still in motion, stretching, running, lifting, and sweating. But instead of everyone doing the same activity at the same time as a team, they are exercising independently. They are being taught movements and activities that their teachers hope they will incorporate into their lives rather than just perform long enough to get a good grade.

By teaching kids the pleasure of exercise, gym teachers hope to instill important lessons about maintaining good health, staying fit, and keeping weight under control. By getting the chance to work at their own pace, rather than being forced to keep up with other classmates, students are often more willing to try new things and stick with them. They can also participate in low-impact sports like yoga, martial arts, and weight lifting. Instead of playing basketball or baseball, they can focus on more general skills like passing the ball.

A growing number of physical education (PE) teachers are also putting more of an emphasis on general nutrition and health. According to Craig Buschner, president of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, “This field has to make changes.” With the continual increase in the number of children who are obese, there is greater pressure to teach students about how to stay fit. To do this, gym teachers have to look at new ways to introduce exercise to their classes that will not intimidate or overwhelm them but instead intrigue and engage them.

One other difference found in some modern gym classes is the grading system. Instead of being graded on the ability to run laps in a set time or make a certain number of baskets, the students are graded simply on the effort they make in the class. Some even get extra credit if they are the sweatiest student in the room!

According to the passage, PE teachers are trying to teach students lessons about all of the following except