HESI A2
HESI A2 Version 4 Reading Comprehension Questions
Extract:
Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla is often called the "forgotten scientist". Although he
invented the alternating current (AC) motor and developed an AC electricity generation system, he never received historical credit for many of his achievements, unlike one of his first employer and eventual nemesis, inventor Thomas Edison
Tesla made the first sketches of his idea for a brushless of his idea for a brushless AC motor while he was a student at the University of Prague in 1882. His interest in electricity generation led him to Paris where he was employed by the Continental Edison Company later that year to repair Edison's direct current (DC) power plants. Two years later, Tesla immigrated to New York City and acquired a job as an engineer at
Thomas Edison's headquarters in Manhattan. Edison was impressed with Tesla's work ethic and
ingenuity. He challenged the young scientist to develop an improved design for his DC
generators for $50,000. Tesla experimented for months, finally presenting Edison with the
solution he needed. Edison reneged on the deal, telling Tesla that he didn't understand American humor. Tesla soon left Edison in order to begin his own electric light company
Tesla filed and was granted more than 30 patents for his inventions in 1887 and 1888. He soon
had financial backing for his ideas from one of Edison' main competitors, Westinghouse. In the
1890's Tesla experimented with x-rays, developed a high-voltage electrical transformer call the
Tesla coil, and demonstrated the propagation of radio waves two years before the "Father of
Radio" Guglielmo Marconi. He was also the first to harness the mammoth potential energy of
Niagara Falls. He worked with General Electric to install AC generators with turbines driven by the falling waters of the Niagara River, creating the first modern power plant although a brilliant scientist, Tesla was not an astute businessman. He created his own obscurity by relinquishing
royalty rights for his inventions to major corporations for the purpose of raising funds for future projects.
Question 1 of 5
What is the meaning of the word 'astute' in the last paragraph?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Shrewd.' In the context provided, the word 'astute' describes someone who is clever, perceptive, and shows keen judgment. The text mentions that although Tesla was a brilliant scientist, he was not an astute businessman, indicating that he lacked the shrewdness or sharp business acumen required to navigate the commercial aspects of his inventions successfully. This is further supported by the statement that Tesla relinquished royalty rights for his inventions to major corporations to raise funds for future projects, showcasing a lack of business savvy.
Extract:
People of Hispanic origin were on the North American continent centuries before settlers arrived
from Europe in the early 1600s and the thirteen colonies joined together to form the United
States in the late 1700s. The first census of the new nation was conducted in 1790, and counted about four million people, most of whom were white. Of the white citizens, more than 80%
traced their ancestry back to England. There were close to 700,000 slaves and about 60,000 "free Negroes". Only a few Native American Indians who paid taxes were included in the census count, but the total Native American population was probably about one million. By 1815, the population of the United States was 8.4 million. Over the next 100 years, the
country took in about 35 million immigrants, with the greatest numbers coming in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1882, 40,000 Chinese arrived, and between 1900 and 1907, there were more
than 30,000 Japanese immigrants. But by far, the largest numbers of the new immigrants were
from central, eastern, and southern Europe. An enormous amount of racial and ethnic assimilation has taken place in the United States. In 1908, play-write Israel Zangwill first used the term "melting pot" to describe the concept of a place where many races melted in a crucible and re-formed to populate a new land. Some years during the first two decades of the 20th century, there were as many as one million new
immigrants per year, an astonishing 1 percent of the total population of the United States.
In 1921, however, the country began to limit immigration, and the Immigration Act of 1924
virtually closed the door. The total number of immigrants admitted per year dropped from as many as a million to only 150,000. A quota system was established that specified the number of
immigrants that could come from each country. It heavily favored immigrants from northern and western Europe and severely limited everyone else. This system remained in effect until 1965, although after World War II, several exceptions were made to the quota system to allow in
groups of refugees.
Question 2 of 5
How many immigrants were taken in over the 100 years leading up to 1915?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: About 35 million. The text mentions that over the 100 years leading up to 1915, the United States took in approximately 35 million immigrants. This period saw a significant influx of immigrants, with the largest numbers coming in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Immigration Act of 1924 later limited immigration, reducing the number of immigrants admitted per year. Answer choices A, C, and D do not align with the information provided in the text regarding the influx of immigrants during this period.
Extract:
The Moon has been worshipped by primitive peoples and has inspired humans to create everything from lunar calendars to love sonnets. But what do we really know about it? The most accepted theory about the Moon's origin is that it was formed from the debris of a massive collision with the young Earth about 4.6 billion years ago. A huge body, perhaps the size of Mars, struck the Earth, throwing out an immense amount of debris that coalesced and cooled in orbit around the Earth.The development of Earth is inextricably linked to the Moon; the Moon's gravitational influence upon the Earth is the primary cause of ocean tides. In fact, the Moon has more than twice the effect on the tides than the Sun. The Moon makes one rotation and completes a revolution around the Earth every 27 days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes. This synchronous rotation is caused by an uneven distribution of mass in the Moon (essentially, it is heavier on one side than the other) and has allowed the Earth's gravity to keep one side of the Moon permanently facing Earth.The average distance from Earth to the Moon is about 384,403 km. The Moon has no atmosphere; without it, the Moon has no protection from meteorite impacts, resulting in a surface covered with impact craters, both large and small. The Moon also has no active tectonic or volcanic activity, so the erosive effects of atmospheric weathering, tectonic shifts, and volcanic upheavals that tend to erase and reform the Earth’s surface features are not at work on the Moon. In fact, even tiny surface features, such as the footprint left by an astronaut in the lunar soil, are likely to last for millions of years unless obliterated by a chance meteorite strike. The surface gravity of the Moon is about one-sixth that of Earth's. Therefore, a person weighing 82 kilograms on Earth would only weigh 14 kilograms on the Moon. The geographical features of the Earth most similar to those of the Moon are places such as the Hawaiian volcanic craters and the huge meteor crater in Arizona. However, the climate of the Moon is very different from either Hawaii or Arizona; in fact, the temperature on the Moon ranges from 123 degrees Celsius to -233 degrees Celsius.
Question 3 of 5
What is the passage primarily about?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The passage primarily discusses various aspects of the Moon, what is known about it, and how it differs from Earth. It covers topics such as the Moon's formation, gravitational influence on Earth, lack of atmosphere, surface features, gravity, and climate. While it mentions the Moon's origin and its effect on Earth, the main focus is on providing information about the Moon and highlighting its distinctions from Earth.
Extract:
People of Hispanic origin were on the North American continent centuries before settlers arrived
from Europe in the early 1600s and the thirteen colonies joined together to form the United
States in the late 1700s. The first census of the new nation was conducted in 1790, and counted about four million people, most of whom were white. Of the white citizens, more than 80%
traced their ancestry back to England. There were close to 700,000 slaves and about 60,000 "free Negroes". Only a few Native American Indians who paid taxes were included in the census count, but the total Native American population was probably about one million. By 1815, the population of the United States was 8.4 million. Over the next 100 years, the
country took in about 35 million immigrants, with the greatest numbers coming in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1882, 40,000 Chinese arrived, and between 1900 and 1907, there were more
than 30,000 Japanese immigrants. But by far, the largest numbers of the new immigrants were
from central, eastern, and southern Europe. An enormous amount of racial and ethnic assimilation has taken place in the United States. In 1908, play-write Israel Zangwill first used the term "melting pot" to describe the concept of a place where many races melted in a crucible and re-formed to populate a new land. Some years during the first two decades of the 20th century, there were as many as one million new
immigrants per year, an astonishing 1 percent of the total population of the United States.
In 1921, however, the country began to limit immigration, and the Immigration Act of 1924
virtually closed the door. The total number of immigrants admitted per year dropped from as many as a million to only 150,000. A quota system was established that specified the number of
immigrants that could come from each country. It heavily favored immigrants from northern and western Europe and severely limited everyone else. This system remained in effect until 1965, although after World War II, several exceptions were made to the quota system to allow in
groups of refugees.
Question 4 of 5
According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. The passage mentions that over the next 100 years after 1815, the United States took in about 35 million immigrants, with the highest numbers arriving in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This period is described as a peak period of immigration in the passage. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect based on the information provided in the passage. A quota system was established in 1924, not 1908. Slaves were counted in the first census, and not only those who paid taxes were included in the count.
Extract:
"Don't be afraid." Sounds simple, but for some people it's not. Having the normal maction of being scared or frightened helps you to survive threats of all kinds, both physical and verbal. Most mild fears are outgrown during childhood; however, severe fears, called phoblas, are extreme and unreasonable. Phobias cause out-of-control feelings such as sickness, headaches, ulcers, and high blood pressure. Specific phoblas center around things, activities, or situations while people with social phoblas feel anxiety over social settings where they fear embarrassing situations.
Another type of phobia called panic disorder causes people to sweat, tremble, or even faint due to overwhelming panic which may occur at any time. By talking, breathing deeply, and visualizing, a person can gain control over debilitating phobias
Question 5 of 5
According to the passage, why is having a phobia not normal and good?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'Phobias are extreme and unreasonable.' The passage distinguishes between normal fears that help with survival and phobias, which are described as extreme and unreasonable. Phobias cause out-of-control feelings and physical symptoms, leading to severe reactions that are not proportionate to the actual threat. Therefore, phobias are considered abnormal and detrimental, contrasting with the normal and beneficial function of fear.