CBEST Reading Practice Test 1

In the last few years, scientists in Australia have concluded that koalas sitting in trees aren’t just hanging out, as some people like to think. Using thermal imaging, scientists were able to determine that in hot weather, koalas climb down lower on their trees, where the tree is significantly cooler. When the weather turns cold, they move higher up the tree. This study was done as part of a larger environmental study researching the effects of climate change on animals indigenous to Australia. Scientists fear that koalas may have to find a more effective way to cool themselves as climate change continues to affect their environments.

In the last few years, scientists in Australia have concluded that koalas sitting in trees aren’t just hanging out, as some people like to think. Using thermal imaging, scientists were able to determine that in hot weather, koalas climb down lower on their trees, where the tree is significantly cooler. When the weather turns cold, they move higher up the tree. This study was done as part of a larger environmental study researching the effects of climate change on animals indigenous to Australia. Scientists fear that koalas may have to find a more effective way to cool themselves as climate change continues to affect their environments.

Many teachers across the country are noticing the importance of film in the modern classroom. No longer is putting a movie on meant as an invitation for students to check out while the teacher does work at their desk. Films are a versatile medium, and can function as textbooks, pieces of literature, or pieces of art that can bring a new dimension to a student’s learning. The teachers leading this charge know that teaching a film effectively means preparing lessons with the same amount of time and effort as any other days.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The teacher could simply shut the lights and throw on the first 20 minutes of Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan.” Or the teacher could spend a class period analyzing the scene with the class, looking at how Spielberg builds anxiety in the beginning, how he creates the chaos of the beach, and how he gets the audience to care for characters they haven’t even met yet. Students would get much more out of this second approach and would be able to appreciate the carnage and the pandemonium that soldiers experienced on the beaches of Normandy. Teachers with the second approach are revolutionizing what it means to watch a movie in class and taking advantage of a great learning tool.

Many teachers across the country are noticing the importance of film in the modern classroom. No longer is putting a movie on meant as an invitation for students to check out while the teacher does work at their desk. Films are a versatile medium, and can function as textbooks, pieces of literature, or pieces of art that can bring a new dimension to a student’s learning. The teachers leading this charge know that teaching a film effectively means preparing lessons with the same amount of time and effort as any other days.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The teacher could simply shut the lights and throw on the first 20 minutes of Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan.” Or the teacher could spend a class period analyzing the scene with the class, looking at how Spielberg builds anxiety in the beginning, how he creates the chaos of the beach, and how he gets the audience to care for characters they haven’t even met yet. Students would get much more out of this second approach and would be able to appreciate the carnage and the pandemonium that soldiers experienced on the beaches of Normandy. Teachers with the second approach are revolutionizing what it means to watch a movie in class and taking advantage of a great learning tool.

Many teachers across the country are noticing the importance of film in the modern classroom. No longer is putting a movie on meant as an invitation for students to check out while the teacher does work at their desk. Films are a versatile medium, and can function as textbooks, pieces of literature, or pieces of art that can bring a new dimension to a student’s learning. The teachers leading this charge know that teaching a film effectively means preparing lessons with the same amount of time and effort as any other days.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The teacher could simply shut the lights and throw on the first 20 minutes of Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan.” Or the teacher could spend a class period analyzing the scene with the class, looking at how Spielberg builds anxiety in the beginning, how he creates the chaos of the beach, and how he gets the audience to care for characters they haven’t even met yet. Students would get much more out of this second approach and would be able to appreciate the carnage and the pandemonium that soldiers experienced on the beaches of Normandy. Teachers with the second approach are revolutionizing what it means to watch a movie in class and taking advantage of a great learning tool.

Many teachers across the country are noticing the importance of film in the modern classroom. No longer is putting a movie on meant as an invitation for students to check out while the teacher does work at their desk. Films are a versatile medium, and can function as textbooks, pieces of literature, or pieces of art that can bring a new dimension to a student’s learning. The teachers leading this charge know that teaching a film effectively means preparing lessons with the same amount of time and effort as any other days.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The teacher could simply shut the lights and throw on the first 20 minutes of Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan.” Or the teacher could spend a class period analyzing the scene with the class, looking at how Spielberg builds anxiety in the beginning, how he creates the chaos of the beach, and how he gets the audience to care for characters they haven’t even met yet. Students would get much more out of this second approach and would be able to appreciate the carnage and the pandemonium that soldiers experienced on the beaches of Normandy. Teachers with the second approach are revolutionizing what it means to watch a movie in class and taking advantage of a great learning tool.

In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi took charge of the Indian National Congress, a group of thirteen men in the Indian government who fought discrimination and unfair taxation against farmers and urban laborers. Using the nonviolent tactic of civil disobedience, Gandhi and his followers resisted British control over Indian life, choosing not to follow unfair, discriminatory laws and policies. The British responded to this resistance by strengthening their military presence in India, often at the cost of human lives. Gandhi was eventually imprisoned in 1942 for his “radical” beliefs, but he refused to recognize violence as a means of fighting the British. He gained international attention for his hunger strikes, refusing to eat until the British changed their unjust policies.

In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi took charge of the Indian National Congress, a group of thirteen men in the Indian government who fought discrimination and unfair taxation against farmers and urban laborers. Using the nonviolent tactic of civil disobedience, Gandhi and his followers resisted British control over Indian life, choosing not to follow unfair, discriminatory laws and policies. The British responded to this resistance by strengthening their military presence in India, often at the cost of human lives. Gandhi was eventually imprisoned in 1942 for his “radical” beliefs, but he refused to recognize violence as a means of fighting the British. He gained international attention for his hunger strikes, refusing to eat until the British changed their unjust policies.

In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi took charge of the Indian National Congress, a group of thirteen men in the Indian government who fought discrimination and unfair taxation against farmers and urban laborers. Using the nonviolent tactic of civil disobedience, Gandhi and his followers resisted British control over Indian life, choosing not to follow unfair, discriminatory laws and policies. The British responded to this resistance by strengthening their military presence in India, often at the cost of human lives. Gandhi was eventually imprisoned in 1942 for his “radical” beliefs, but he refused to recognize violence as a means of fighting the British. He gained international attention for his hunger strikes, refusing to eat until the British changed their unjust policies.

In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi took charge of the Indian National Congress, a group of thirteen men in the Indian government who fought discrimination and unfair taxation against farmers and urban laborers. Using the nonviolent tactic of civil disobedience, Gandhi and his followers resisted British control over Indian life, choosing not to follow unfair, discriminatory laws and policies. The British responded to this resistance by strengthening their military presence in India, often at the cost of human lives. Gandhi was eventually imprisoned in 1942 for his “radical” beliefs, but he refused to recognize violence as a means of fighting the British. He gained international attention for his hunger strikes, refusing to eat until the British changed their unjust policies.

_________ U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill took aim at weight-loss diet scams that she said represent “a crisis in consumer protection.” McCaskill used a hearing in the Consumer Protection panel that she leads to pose tough questions to popular TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz regarding his frequent claims about “miracle” products. McCaskill’s goal is to explore options for regulators and industry to crack down on deceptive practices and to urge media outlets to strengthen screening of false advertising. “We’ve all heard and seen the ads, promising quick and substantial weight-loss if only you take this pill, drink this shake, use this device, or apply this cream,” said McCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance. “All without adjusting diet or increasing physical activity. _________ , it seems too good to be true. And of course, it is.”

_________ U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill took aim at weight-loss diet scams that she said represent “a crisis in consumer protection.” McCaskill used a hearing in the Consumer Protection panel that she leads to pose tough questions to popular TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz regarding his frequent claims about “miracle” products. McCaskill’s goal is to explore options for regulators and industry to crack down on deceptive practices and to urge media outlets to strengthen screening of false advertising. “We’ve all heard and seen the ads, promising quick and substantial weight-loss if only you take this pill, drink this shake, use this device, or apply this cream,” said McCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance. “All without adjusting diet or increasing physical activity. _________ , it seems too good to be true. And of course, it is.”

_________ U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill took aim at weight-loss diet scams that she said represent “a crisis in consumer protection.” McCaskill used a hearing in the Consumer Protection panel that she leads to pose tough questions to popular TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz regarding his frequent claims about “miracle” products. McCaskill’s goal is to explore options for regulators and industry to crack down on deceptive practices and to urge media outlets to strengthen screening of false advertising. “We’ve all heard and seen the ads, promising quick and substantial weight-loss if only you take this pill, drink this shake, use this device, or apply this cream,” said McCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance. “All without adjusting diet or increasing physical activity. _________ , it seems too good to be true. And of course, it is.”

The Megatherium is an extinct type of giant ground sloth that lived from two million to perhaps 4,400 years ago. While medium-sized sloths continue to live in arborous habitats in Central and South America, the ground-dwelling Megatherium lived in parts of North and South America. These animals were as big as elephants and had huge claws on their feet. The giant sloth’s extinction occurred at about the same time as humans arrived on the continent.

(1) The most plausible explanation for this simultaneous action is that humans hunted the giant ground sloth to its extinction. (2) Early humans hunted animals for a variety of reasons, but food and clothing were among the most important. (3) They could eat the animals that they killed and then fashion the skins into clothing. (4) Humans may also have killed animals as perceived threats, even if they were not valuable as a source of food or clothing. (5) Scientists using radiocarbon to date giant sloth fossils from Cuba and Hispaniola recently found that the last record of a giant ground sloth coincided with the arrival of humans about 4,400 years ago.

The Megatherium is an extinct type of giant ground sloth that lived from two million to perhaps 4,400 years ago. While medium-sized sloths continue to live in arborous habitats in Central and South America, the ground-dwelling Megatherium lived in parts of North and South America. These animals were as big as elephants and had huge claws on their feet. The giant sloth’s extinction occurred at about the same time as humans arrived on the continent.

(1) The most plausible explanation for this simultaneous action is that humans hunted the giant ground sloth to its extinction. (2) Early humans hunted animals for a variety of reasons, but food and clothing were among the most important. (3) They could eat the animals that they killed and then fashion the skins into clothing. (4) Humans may also have killed animals as perceived threats, even if they were not valuable as a source of food or clothing. (5) Scientists using radiocarbon to date giant sloth fossils from Cuba and Hispaniola recently found that the last record of a giant ground sloth coincided with the arrival of humans about 4,400 years ago.

The Megatherium is an extinct type of giant ground sloth that lived from two million to perhaps 4,400 years ago. While medium-sized sloths continue to live in arborous habitats in Central and South America, the ground-dwelling Megatherium lived in parts of North and South America. These animals were as big as elephants and had huge claws on their feet. The giant sloth’s extinction occurred at about the same time as humans arrived on the continent.

(1) The most plausible explanation for this simultaneous action is that humans hunted the giant ground sloth to its extinction. (2) Early humans hunted animals for a variety of reasons, but food and clothing were among the most important. (3) They could eat the animals that they killed and then fashion the skins into clothing. (4) Humans may also have killed animals as perceived threats, even if they were not valuable as a source of food or clothing. (5) Scientists using radiocarbon to date giant sloth fossils from Cuba and Hispaniola recently found that the last record of a giant ground sloth coincided with the arrival of humans about 4,400 years ago.

The Megatherium is an extinct type of giant ground sloth that lived from two million to perhaps 4,400 years ago. While medium-sized sloths continue to live in arborous habitats in Central and South America, the ground-dwelling Megatherium lived in parts of North and South America. These animals were as big as elephants and had huge claws on their feet. The giant sloth’s extinction occurred at about the same time as humans arrived on the continent.

(1) The most plausible explanation for this simultaneous action is that humans hunted the giant ground sloth to its extinction. (2) Early humans hunted animals for a variety of reasons, but food and clothing were among the most important. (3) They could eat the animals that they killed and then fashion the skins into clothing. (4) Humans may also have killed animals as perceived threats, even if they were not valuable as a source of food or clothing. (5) Scientists using radiocarbon to date giant sloth fossils from Cuba and Hispaniola recently found that the last record of a giant ground sloth coincided with the arrival of humans about 4,400 years ago.

Compared to most of our country’s Founding Fathers, Thomas Paine is essentially unknown. In fact, there are many Americans who have never even heard of him. Paine was born in 1737. He was the son of a corseter—a tailor specializing in corsets and other undergarments—and grew up in rural Thetford, England. As a young man, Paine worked as a corseter, sailor, and minister, but found his true calling when he moved to the British colonies in America.

Paine first gained notoriety as the editor of Pennsylvania Magazine and, as political turmoil engulfed the colonies, he became more prominent. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The book’s popularity spread like wildfire; soon there were 200,000 copies in circulation. Once the war began, Paine published a series of pamphlets called The Crisis. These, in the midst of a bloody war, helped keep up the morale of the troops. Thomas Paine is also credited with conceiving the name “The United States of America.”

Thomas Paine was an extremely talented writer; Thomas Jefferson and John Adams drew heavily on his work when drafting the Declaration of Independence. Later in life, Paine wrote other, highly controversial works. He was even exiled from England and imprisoned in France for his writings. In 1796, Paine did his part to inspire what would become Social Security. He suggested a system of social insurance for the young and the elderly in his last great work, Agrarian Justice.

Compared to most of our country’s Founding Fathers, Thomas Paine is essentially unknown. In fact, there are many Americans who have never even heard of him. Paine was born in 1737. He was the son of a corseter—a tailor specializing in corsets and other undergarments—and grew up in rural Thetford, England. As a young man, Paine worked as a corseter, sailor, and minister, but found his true calling when he moved to the British colonies in America.

Paine first gained notoriety as the editor of Pennsylvania Magazine and, as political turmoil engulfed the colonies, he became more prominent. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The book’s popularity spread like wildfire; soon there were 200,000 copies in circulation. Once the war began, Paine published a series of pamphlets called The Crisis. These, in the midst of a bloody war, helped keep up the morale of the troops. Thomas Paine is also credited with conceiving the name “The United States of America.”

Thomas Paine was an extremely talented writer; Thomas Jefferson and John Adams drew heavily on his work when drafting the Declaration of Independence. Later in life, Paine wrote other, highly controversial works. He was even exiled from England and imprisoned in France for his writings. In 1796, Paine did his part to inspire what would become Social Security. He suggested a system of social insurance for the young and the elderly in his last great work, Agrarian Justice.

Compared to most of our country’s Founding Fathers, Thomas Paine is essentially unknown. In fact, there are many Americans who have never even heard of him. Paine was born in 1737. He was the son of a corseter—a tailor specializing in corsets and other undergarments—and grew up in rural Thetford, England. As a young man, Paine worked as a corseter, sailor, and minister, but found his true calling when he moved to the British colonies in America.

Paine first gained notoriety as the editor of Pennsylvania Magazine and, as political turmoil engulfed the colonies, he became more prominent. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The book’s popularity spread like wildfire; soon there were 200,000 copies in circulation. Once the war began, Paine published a series of pamphlets called The Crisis. These, in the midst of a bloody war, helped keep up the morale of the troops. Thomas Paine is also credited with conceiving the name “The United States of America.”

Thomas Paine was an extremely talented writer; Thomas Jefferson and John Adams drew heavily on his work when drafting the Declaration of Independence. Later in life, Paine wrote other, highly controversial works. He was even exiled from England and imprisoned in France for his writings. In 1796, Paine did his part to inspire what would become Social Security. He suggested a system of social insurance for the young and the elderly in his last great work, Agrarian Justice.

Compared to most of our country’s Founding Fathers, Thomas Paine is essentially unknown. In fact, there are many Americans who have never even heard of him. Paine was born in 1737. He was the son of a corseter—a tailor specializing in corsets and other undergarments—and grew up in rural Thetford, England. As a young man, Paine worked as a corseter, sailor, and minister, but found his true calling when he moved to the British colonies in America.

Paine first gained notoriety as the editor of Pennsylvania Magazine and, as political turmoil engulfed the colonies, he became more prominent. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The book’s popularity spread like wildfire; soon there were 200,000 copies in circulation. Once the war began, Paine published a series of pamphlets called The Crisis. These, in the midst of a bloody war, helped keep up the morale of the troops. Thomas Paine is also credited with conceiving the name “The United States of America.”

Thomas Paine was an extremely talented writer; Thomas Jefferson and John Adams drew heavily on his work when drafting the Declaration of Independence. Later in life, Paine wrote other, highly controversial works. He was even exiled from England and imprisoned in France for his writings. In 1796, Paine did his part to inspire what would become Social Security. He suggested a system of social insurance for the young and the elderly in his last great work, Agrarian Justice.