What is the main idea of the passage about Toxins and Your Health?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The passage discusses the long-term effects of environmental toxins, which aligns with this main idea.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. The passage clearly states that there are treatments for hypertension, so the statement that there is presently no reliable treatment for hypertension cannot be inferred from the text. Choice A can be inferred from paragraph 3 where it mentions losing weight to decrease blood pressure. Choice C can be inferred from paragraph 1 where it states that African Americans are more likely to have hypertension. Choice D can be inferred from paragraph 2 where it explains that older people are most often diagnosed with hypertension due to changes in blood vessels as they age.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The summary accurately reflects the balanced view of the benefits and risks of sunlight.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The primary purpose is to analyze the various aspects of concussions.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because the passage does not mention anything about vitamin and mineral deficiencies in relation to sickle-cell anemia. Choice A is incorrect as the passage specifies that sickle-cell anemia is more common among people of South American or African descent. Choice B is correct as the passage states that symptoms of sickle-cell anemia can include sudden occurrences of extreme abdominal and back pain. Choice C is correct as the passage describes that the red blood cells of sickle-cell patients are unusually shaped, forming crescent or sickle shapes. The passage does not discuss any relationship between vitamin and mineral deficiencies and sickle-cell anemia, making choice D the correct option.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Substitute the choices in place of the vocabulary word. Only reduced (choice B) fits the context.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: A statement of fact can be proved or checked. A statement of opinion is what someone thinks or believes. In this case, statements A, B, and D could be proved scientifically, but statement C is simply a suggestion. While it is advisable for older people to monitor their blood pressure due to the increased risk associated with aging, the statement itself is an opinion because it suggests what older people 'must' do, which is a subjective viewpoint rather than a verifiable fact. Statements A, B, and D provide factual information supported by scientific evidence, making them statements of fact rather than opinion.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: This is an opinion because it is a subjective statement about taste.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Elasticity, as used in the passage about Hypertension, refers to the stretchiness or flexibility of blood vessels. The text mentions that blood vessels lose elasticity and stiffen as a person ages, indicating that they become less flexible. This eliminates choices A and D (Firmness and Rigidity) as the correct answers. Choice B (Compactness) is unrelated to the concept of elasticity in the context of blood vessels and is therefore incorrect. Understanding elasticity as the ability to stretch or flex helps in choosing flexibility as the correct answer.