HESI A2
Reading Comprehension HESI A2 Practice Test Questions
Extract:
THE FOOD PYRAMID:
The food pyramid is a visual representation of how the different food groups can be combined to form a healthy diet. Although it was a vital part of dietary guidelines for years before being replaced by the �MyPlate� model, the pyramid was constantly analyzed and revised as additional study was done in nutritional fields. A few years ago, the pyramid underwent a change regarding the unique dietary needs of seniors.
Modifications in the pyramid for older adults included an emphasis on fiber and calcium, as well as on vitamins D and B12. By incorporating these changes, the pyramid indicated that the nutrients found in a person�s routine daily consumption typically are not enough for seniors. Seniors need supplementation. As people age, they tend to move less and thus need fewer calories to maintain their weight. Because seniors tend to eat a more limited amount, dietitians urge them to choose wisely. They are encouraged to eat nutrient-rich meals featuring such foods as fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and high-fiber whole grains.
The revised pyramid also focused on the importance for older people of ingesting adequate amounts of fluids daily. This helps to ensure proper digestion and prevent dehydration. Finally, the revised pyramid included information on incorporating exercise and other physical activities into the lives of older adults. Suggestions included swimming, walking, or simple yard work. With recent reports indicating that obesity levels for people older than 70 years of age are climbing, performing some type of regular exercise is more essential than ever.
Question 1 of 5
What is the main idea of the passage?
Extract:
MRSA:
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a form of the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium that is resistant to antibiotics and, as a result, is very difficult to treat. MRSA now kills more Americans every year than HIV/AIDS, and the rates of infection are rising. Methicillin, an antibiotic introduced in the 1960s, was intended to combat Staphylococcus aureus, which is ubiquitous in hospitals. However, within a year of its introduction, doctors began finding strains of bacteria that had already developed immunity to methicillin. By the 1990s, MRSA had become the leading hospital-acquired skin infection in the United States.
At the same time MRSA started appearing outside of hospitals, different strains of the bacteria emerged, spreading just as quickly and being just as dangerous. In the past 15 years, MRSA bacteria have become ubiquitous not only in hospitals but also in gyms, locker rooms, swimming pools, and other settings with frequent human contact.
Researchers in Ireland are developing technology that may significantly halt the spread of hospital-associated MRSA bacteria. They have created a textile made of nanomaterials 1,000 times smaller than a human hair. These textiles have been shown to halt the spread of infection and can be used for linens, drapes, and upholstery in hospitals. The potential for this technology to reduce instances of hospital-associated MRSA is staggering.
To reduce your risk of community-associated MRSA infection, regularly wash your hands, cover all open wounds with a clean bandage, and avoid sharing personal items like razors or towels.
Question 2 of 5
Which statement would not be inferred by the reader in the passage about MRSA?
Extract:
Life Expectancy in the US:
Where would you expect the United States to rank in life expectancy, the average number of years a person is expected to live? Near the top in the world, right? Well, surprise�we rank number 31, after Costa Rica and right before Cuba. World Health Organization data from 2015 indicate that the average life expectancy worldwide is 71 years�slightly more for females and slightly less for males. In the United States, we beat that average by around eight years. Yet we are several years behind Japan, with a female life expectancy of 86.8 years, or Switzerland, with a male life expectancy of 81.3 years. Even relatively poor European countries, such as Slovenia, Cyprus, and Malta, do better than we do.
There are a number of indicators that lead to our low score among wealthy nations. Those include obesity and its accompanying heart disease and diabetes, car crash deaths, gun violence, and embarrassingly high infant mortality rates. We eat more, drive more, have more guns, and allow poor women to go through pregnancies unattended by regular physicians. There are many other health indicators that separate us from other developed nations, but most correspond to the extreme wealth inequities in the United States.
It is too soon to tell whether an increase in insured Americans will help to turn this distasteful data around. Certainly those nations with universal health care have better numbers than we do. Much of our problem has to do with lifestyles that will not be easy to alter. We continue to build living spaces that are not walkable, to work long hours and drive long distances, to overeat�and we love our Second Amendment right to bear arms. It is difficult to imagine how we will overcome these realities and improve our longevity status.
Question 3 of 5
What is the overall tone of the essay?
Extract:
MICROBES IN HUMAN HEALTH:
There are 10 times more microbes than human cells in the human body. Scientists have long known that the human body hosts a staggering number of microorganisms. Recent discoveries, however, are shedding light on how pivotal these bacteria are in the development of the human immune system. The body supports a wide array of microorganisms specially adapted to survive in particular regions. Remarkably, there is such variation in these microorganisms that few people share the same strains in the same quantities.
The colonization of microbes begins at birth. A newborn infant, emerging from the germ-free environment of the womb, is immediately exposed to germs from its mother's birth canal. These bacteria swiftly begin to breed and colonize the infant's body, which becomes their new host. The most fascinating discovery is not just that the immune system tolerates these millions of harmless organisms, but that it may actually rely on their presence to function properly.
For example, laboratory mice unable to produce a specific inflammation-reducing molecule were injected with a particular strain of bacteria. After the bacteria colonized, the mice's immune systems developed the ability to synthesize the molecule. Essentially, the mice needed the bacteria for their immune systems to function correctly.
This concept is also being applied to humans through a relatively experimental procedure known as fecal bacteriotherapy. This treatment reintroduces healthy bacteria into a colon that has lost its ability to defend against pathogens. While scientists are only beginning to understand the critical role these microorganisms play in human health, early research has yielded remarkable discoveries.
Question 4 of 5
What is the main idea of the passage about microbes?
Extract:
Life Expectancy in the US:
Where would you expect the United States to rank in life expectancy, the average number of years a person is expected to live? Near the top in the world, right? Well, surprise�we rank number 31, after Costa Rica and right before Cuba. World Health Organization data from 2015 indicate that the average life expectancy worldwide is 71 years�slightly more for females and slightly less for males. In the United States, we beat that average by around eight years. Yet we are several years behind Japan, with a female life expectancy of 86.8 years, or Switzerland, with a male life expectancy of 81.3 years. Even relatively poor European countries, such as Slovenia, Cyprus, and Malta, do better than we do.
There are a number of indicators that lead to our low score among wealthy nations. Those include obesity and its accompanying heart disease and diabetes, car crash deaths, gun violence, and embarrassingly high infant mortality rates. We eat more, drive more, have more guns, and allow poor women to go through pregnancies unattended by regular physicians. There are many other health indicators that separate us from other developed nations, but most correspond to the extreme wealth inequities in the United States.
It is too soon to tell whether an increase in insured Americans will help to turn this distasteful data around. Certainly those nations with universal health care have better numbers than we do. Much of our problem has to do with lifestyles that will not be easy to alter. We continue to build living spaces that are not walkable, to work long hours and drive long distances, to overeat�and we love our Second Amendment right to bear arms. It is difficult to imagine how we will overcome these realities and improve our longevity status.
Question 5 of 5
A reader might infer from this passage that ___________.