HESI A2
HESI A2 Reading Comprehension V2 2024 Questions
Extract:
Neurologists and biological psychologists have witnessed a sharp increase in the knowledge and understanding of particular structures of the brain over the past two decades. As technology becomes ever more advanced, scientists are able to isolate the functions of even small regions of the human brain.
One noteworthy discovery is the role of the amygdala in human fear and aggression. The amygdala, a small, almond-shaped conglomerate, is just one part of the limbic system. Located at the very center of the brain, the limbic system is the core of our 'emotional brain;' each individual structure in the limbic system is somehow connected to an aspect of human emotion. Scientists have found that electrode stimulation of the amygdala can elicit extreme and aggressive acts. Patients or experimental subjects who experience this utter rage and fearlessness have no rational foundation for their reaction. In other words, this aggression is wholly attributable to electrode stimulation.
On the other hand, patients with trauma or damage to this structure exhibit a complete absence of aggression. Researchers find that no amount of poking, prodding, or harassment will evoke even remotely aggressive responses from these subjects
Question 1 of 5
The author suggests that persistent passivity and imperturbability may be a direct result of which of the following?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. The passage highlights that damage to the limbic system, specifically the amygdala, can lead to passivity and lack of aggression. This is supported by the statement that patients with trauma or damage to the amygdala exhibit a complete absence of aggression. Thus, a stroke causing severe tissue damage in the limbic system, including the amygdala, can result in persistent passivity and imperturbability.
Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they do not directly relate to damage in the limbic system, which is specifically mentioned in the passage as the cause of the described behaviors.
Extract:
The ability to see at a distance, in good light, does not diminish as a result of aging to the extent that other visual acuities do. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is more common to younger eyes, while presbyopia, or farsightedness, more commonly afflicts people as they age. The word presbyopia comes from Greek presbys, "old man," and opia, "eye," and names a condition in which, because the lens of the eye hardens slightly and loses elasticity as a person ages, one cannot as easily focus sharply on nearby objects. This condition leads to the familiar habit of lifting up one's glasses and bringing an object or reading material close to the face so that the eyes can more easily focus on it. The function of the lens is to accommodate different focal points so that sensory data can be correctly directed to the retina for interpretation into images by the brain. Corrective lenses, particularly bifocals or progressive lenses, adjust for the focal point aberration. In essence, they do the work that the eye can no longer do for itself
Question 2 of 5
The author of the passage would probably agree with which of the following statements relating corrective lenses and aging eyes?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct analogy for the role of corrective lenses in helping aging eyes can be compared to an athlete stretching before a game. Just as stretching prepares an athlete's body to perform optimally and avoid injury during a game, corrective lenses help aging eyes adjust and focus properly due to the hardening and loss of elasticity in the eye lens.
Choices A, B, and C do not align with the concept of preparing or adjusting to address a specific issue, unlike the use of corrective lenses for aging eyes.
Extract:
Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which connects the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay. Prior to the bridge, people traveled by ferry boat across the strait. Although most people thought a bridge was necessary to expedite travel, some residents of the Bay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph Strauss believed that nothing was impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition if risks weren't taken. So, he decided to gather the best and brightest builders, architects, and workers to embark on the challenge of building a bridge across the Golden Gate Strait. With safety nets in place, the construction began in 1937. Building the anchorages first, the builders then moved on to the towers on each end, and then to the three-foot-thick cables to support the suspension bridge. Lastly, workers labored to complete the roadway which became the most dangerous and treacherous part of the entire task. The builders had to keep the bridge balanced, so it wouldn't fall into the bay. Today, over sixty-five years later, the bridge remains a lifeline for the people of the San Francisco Bay Area
Question 3 of 5
Why did Strauss set up a net during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Strauss set up a net to ensure the safety of the workers in case of falls during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Safety nets were essential to protect the workers from potential accidents or falls while working on the bridge.
Choice A ('For suspension') is incorrect as safety nets were not used for suspension purposes but rather for worker safety.
Choice B ('For balance') is incorrect as the balance of the bridge was maintained by other construction elements, not safety nets.
Choice C ('For aesthetics') is incorrect as safety nets are not related to the visual appearance of the bridge but rather to the protection of the workers.
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 origin of the Moon is that it was formed of the debris from 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 upon the tides than does 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. It is an average distance from Earth of 384,403 km.The Moon has no atmosphere; without an atmosphere, the Moon has nothing to protect it from meteorite impacts, and thus the surface of the Moon is 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 the Earth's. Therefore, a man weighing 82 kilograms on Earth would only weigh 14 kilograms on the Moon.
Question 4 of 5
What is the passage primarily about?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'What we know about the Moon and its differences from Earth.' The passage discusses various aspects of the Moon, including its origin, gravitational influence on Earth, physical characteristics, lack of atmosphere, and surface features. It provides insights into what humans know about the Moon and highlights its differences from Earth.
Choice B is incorrect because while the passage does compare certain aspects of the Moon and Earth, it primarily focuses on the Moon itself rather than a direct comparison.
Choice C is incorrect as the passage briefly mentions the Moon's effect on Earth in relation to tides but does not primarily focus on this aspect.
Choice D is incorrect as the origin of the Moon is mentioned in the passage, but it is not the primary focus of the text.
Extract:
Cystic fibrosis is a disease that is passed down through families. It is caused by a defective gene that makes the body produce abnormally thick and sticky fluid, called mucus. This mucus builds up in the breathing passages of the lungs and in the pancreas. The buildup of mucus results in life-threatening lung infections and serious digestion problems. The disease may also affect the sweat glands and a man's reproductive system. Millions of Americans carry a CF gene, but do not have symptoms. This is because a person with CF must inherit two defective genes, one from each parent. About 1 in 29 Caucasian Americans have the CF gene. It is more common among those of northern or central European descent. Most children with CF are diagnosed by age 2. For a small number, the disease is not detected until age 18 or older. These children often have a milder form of the disease.
Question 5 of 5
Which of the following describes the purpose of the passage?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. The passage aims to provide an overview of cystic fibrosis (CF) and how it is inherited. It explains that CF is passed down through families due to a defective gene, detailing how this gene affects the body and who is most commonly affected by the disease.
Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the passage does not solely focus on describing the causes of CF, explaining how it is passed down through families, or reviewing why some Americans have CF while others do not. Instead, it provides a broader perspective on CF and its inheritance.