Topic Sentences Test Prep

Each of the following questions presents a passage with a missing sentence indicated by a series of dashes.  Read each passage and the four sentences that follow it.  Then chose the sentence that can best be inserted in place of the dashes.

1. _________________________________________. The last surviving species in its genus, the platypus is one of only two surviving monotremes on earth.  What is a monotreme?  It's an egg-laying mammal. Not only is the platypus one of only five remaining monotreme species, it is also one of the only venomous mammals.  While we expect snakes to have venom, who could presume that a kick from a platypus could be extremely dangerous?

  1. Echidnas are the only other surviving monotremes.
  2. Their duck-bills seem to perform an important role in the survival of the platypus.
  3. Truly one of a kind, the platypus is an evolutionary survivor.
  4. There are two kinds of monotremes left on earth.

 

2. _________________________________________. These fairy tales are all familar to us.  Many have come to use through beautiful and charming Disney princess movies, or beautifully illustrated story books.  We think of them as truly childish.  But most of these tales have been deeply altered to make them palatable to young American children.  The young German tykes who heard the original Cinderella would have fallen asleep not to "happily ever after" but to "and the birds pecked out the eyes of the evil step-sisters."

  1. Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Hansel and Gretel are all Grimm fairy tales that survive to this day.
  2. Though Grimm's fairy tales survive to this day, they have been significantly softened for modern ears.
  3. The Grimm brothers would be appalled at what we have done to their stories.
  4. Child are not as tough as they used to be and you can see it in the stories they enjoy.

 

3. _________________________________________. Although several countries have research stations on the continent and have claims to portions of the land, no country owns or officially occupies Antarctic.  Nor does anyone call Antartica home permanently.  During the summer months, there can be as many as 5,000 people living there, mostly doing research, but that number drops to about 1,000 in winter when the cold is nearly unendurable.

  1. Many countries fight over ownership of Antarctica.
  2. Basically a no-man's land, Antarctica is largely uninhabited.
  3. Research on Antarctica is critical for understanding global warming.
  4. Many species of animals live on Antarctica.

 

4. _________________________________________. It was John Haldane who first suggested that coal miners bring canaries down into the mines with them to check for carbon monoxide.  Haldane experimented a lot with noxious gases, including locking himself in small rooms as they filled with gas, so he could note the effects on his body, and recognized carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms in miners.  He also knew that canaries, who, like most birds, take in air both when they inhale and when they exhale, would show the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning before humans would, acting as tragic but effective warning signals.

  1. One must risk one's life to make scientific breakthroughs.
  2. Canaries remain indispensable in coal mining.
  3. Small birds have given their lives to save the lives of many miners.
  4. Science can lead to very strange ideas.

 

5. _________________________________________. Like small, cone shaped volcanoes, limpets cling to rocks with such force that one must imagine that they are attached permanently, like muscles or barnacles.  But in fact, limpets are sea snails and capable of moving along the rocks just like other sea snails, or garden snails for that matter.  But when they determine to stay put, a combination of suction in their muscle foot and very strong adhesive mucous make them near permanent fixtures to whatever surface they prefer.

  1. Limpets' closest relatives are barnacles.
  2. Limpets look deceivingly stationary.
  3. Limpets only stick firmly to rocks when they are dead.
  4. Tidepools contain a wide tapestry of sea life.

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