What is the meaning of the word 'sterile' as it is used in the second paragraph?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In the context provided, 'sterile' means free of bacteria. The text mentions that raw foods are not sterile and can be a common source of foodborne illnesses due to contamination with harmful bacteria. 'Healthy' (choice B) is incorrect as the term 'sterile' specifically refers to the absence of bacteria, not overall health. 'Delicious' (choice C) is irrelevant to the context of bacteria contamination. 'Impotent' (choice D) is also incorrect as it does not relate to the concept of being free from bacteria.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. The author's primary purpose for writing the essay is to inform the reader about the stages of the water cycle. The essay discusses the various stages of the water cycle, including precipitation, runoff, evaporation, and condensation. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because the essay focuses on explaining the water cycle stages rather than persuading the reader to conserve water, discussing the effectiveness of runoff, or analyzing different types of runoff.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: In the context provided, 'popular' refers to magazines intended for the general public. The paragraph mentions that Infotrac indexes hundreds of popular magazines and newspapers, including medical journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association and New England Journal of Medicine. These magazines target a wide audience, making choice D ('for the general public') the correct answer. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect as they do not align with the context of the paragraph.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'A: requiring expert knowledge.' In the context provided, 'technical' refers to articles that demand expert knowledge to understand. The passage mentions that articles published in medical journals can be technical, meaning they are complex and require specialized expertise to comprehend. Choice B, 'incomplete,' is incorrect as 'technical' does not imply incompleteness. Choices C and D, 'foreign' and 'plagiarized,' are also incorrect as they do not align with the context of the passage.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: 'Elasticity' refers to the ability of the arterial walls to resist and be flexible, which affects blood pressure. In the provided extract, it is mentioned that an increase in blood pressure can occur if the arterial walls lose some of their elasticity with age or disease. This demonstrates that elasticity refers to the property of being able to resist and be flexible, supporting choice A as the correct answer. The other choices, B, C, and D, do not accurately reflect the concept of elasticity in the context of arterial walls and blood pressure.