All questions
Question 1
Text
Coral reefs are often called "rainforests of the sea," because they support many kinds of life. Reefs form when tiny animals called coral polyps build hard skeletons over time. Fish and other sea creatures use reefs for food and shelter. However, reefs are sensitive to changes in water temperature. When the ocean gets too warm, corals can lose the algae that help feed them. This loss causes coral bleaching. Bleached corals are not always dead, but they are weaker and may die if temperatures stay high. Reducing pollution and protecting reef areas can help reefs recover.
Video Version
A short documentary covers the same points while showing underwater footage of colorful reefs, then a sudden cut to pale, bleached coral. The narrator's voice stays calm, but the music shifts from bright to slow and tense during the bleaching section.
How does the video medium portray coral bleaching differently than the text?
- It shifts the feeling toward relief, because the calm narration and steady voice signal that the reef damage is not really a serious threat.
- It adds visual contrast and mood through footage and music, making the shift from healthy to bleached coral feel more immediate. (correct answer)
- It lets viewers rewind and pause the footage, because the science becomes simpler to study once you can control the pace yourself.
- It focuses only on the causes of bleaching, because the footage explains warming water while leaving out the recovery steps entirely.
Explanation: The text explains bleaching in plain sentences, but the video shows it. The footage cuts from bright, colorful reefs to pale coral while the music turns tense, so the change hits viewers all at once and carries feeling that words alone do not. The correct choice describes that added contrast and mood. The choice about relief is wrong because the tense music and sudden cut make bleaching feel more alarming, not less. The choice about rewinding and pausing is wrong because the description never mentions viewer controls, and it focuses on pacing instead of how the medium portrays the event. The choice about focusing only on causes is wrong because the passage says the documentary covers the same points as the text, which include recovery steps like reducing pollution.
Question 2
TEXT
Earthquakes happen when stress builds up along cracks in Earth's crust and is released all at once. The released energy travels as waves that shake the ground. How strong an earthquake feels depends on a few things, like how much energy is released and how close a place is to the center. Buildings can be made safer in several ways. They can use flexible materials, special supports that reduce shaking, and strong links between the walls and the roof. People can also get ready. They can practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On, fasten heavy furniture, and keep emergency supplies on hand.
MULTIMEDIA VERSION
A safety website covers the same information in a different way. It uses short paragraphs and a narrated clip that turns urgent when it describes what to do during shaking. It also has clickable checklists for supplies and a short quiz that gives instant feedback.
How does the multimedia version most likely affect a student's ability to prepare, compared with reading the text alone?
- It probably reduces preparation, because the clickable checklists and quiz feedback mostly pull attention away from the safety steps a student needs to remember.
- It improves preparation by pairing the information with interactive tools, like checklists and quiz feedback, and urgent narration that reinforces the actions to take. (correct answer)
- It probably makes little difference, because the narrated clip and quiz simply repeat the written facts without giving a student any new way to act on them.
- It mainly helps a student memorize science terms, because the urgent narration and the quiz focus on defining energy and waves rather than on preparing.
Explanation: The website does not just restate the text; it adds tools a student can use. The clickable checklists and the quiz with instant feedback let a student practice and act on the information, and the urgent narration highlights what to do during shaking. That combination is why the option about interactive tools reinforcing the actions to take is the best answer. The choice claiming the tools distract from the safety steps is wrong, because checklists and quiz feedback point straight at those steps. The choice saying it makes little difference is wrong, because the tools give a student a new way to act, not just the same facts again. The choice about memorizing science terms is wrong, because the narration and quiz emphasize the preparation actions, not definitions of energy and waves.
Question 3
TEXT
Engineers design bridges to be strong, safe, and able to carry weight across a gap. Two common types are beam bridges and suspension bridges. A beam bridge rests on strong beams and is often used for shorter distances. A suspension bridge uses cables hung from tall towers, which lets it span longer distances. Wind and shaking can affect a bridge, so engineers test their designs and use materials that can handle stress. Regular inspections look for cracks, rust, or loose parts, so repairs can be made before problems grow. Good bridge design blends math, materials science, and careful planning.
VIDEO VERSION
A science video explains the same types of bridges. It adds close-up shots of cables and towers and time-lapse clips of a bridge being built. It also uses animated overlays that show where forces pull and push, plus dramatic music during the stress-test part.
Which choice best explains a technique the video uses, which the text cannot, to improve understanding?
- It uses time-lapse clips to sum up the whole idea, but this only repeats the same facts the text already states in its sentences.
- It uses animated overlays and close-ups to show the forces and structures directly, making abstract ideas more concrete than words alone. (correct answer)
- It works better as a lasting reference, because a viewer can pause and reread any single detail as easily as a reader scans the text.
- It adds dramatic music during the stress test, which signals the topic is exciting but does not make the science any clearer to follow.
Explanation: A medium-specific strength is something one format can do that the other cannot. Video can show motion and structure, so its animated overlays and close-ups make invisible forces and hidden parts concrete in a way words alone cannot. That choice is correct. The time-lapse choice is wrong because it claims the video only repeats facts, ignoring that showing a bridge being built adds understanding the text cannot. The reference choice describes a text advantage—pausing and rereading a single detail—not something the video does better. The music choice is a partial truth: music can add excitement, but it does not directly explain the science, so it fails the stem's ask about improving understanding of the content.
Question 4
Text
The water cycle describes how water moves on, above, and below Earth's surface. Heat from the Sun causes evaporation. This turns liquid water into water vapor. Plants also release water vapor through transpiration. As water vapor rises, it cools and condenses into tiny droplets that form clouds. When the droplets grow heavy, precipitation falls as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Water then collects in rivers, lakes, oceans, and the ground. Then the cycle begins again. The water cycle matters, because it helps spread fresh water and shapes weather patterns.
Multimedia Version
An interactive lesson gives the same explanation with short text blocks. A narrated track stresses key words like evaporation and condenses. Clickable pop-ups define vocabulary, and a slider lets students move through each stage at their own pace.
Which advantage does the multimedia version have over the text for learning this process?
- It lets learners skip the written words entirely, since the narrated track is meant to replace reading rather than support it.
- It adds interactive pacing, audio emphasis, and vocabulary support, which can strengthen understanding of the step-by-step stages. (correct answer)
- It makes the exact wording easier to copy down, since the audio track can be quoted more precisely than short text blocks.
- It keeps learners more focused, since a multimedia lesson tends to include fewer things to look at than plain text.
Explanation: The multimedia version adds tools that plain text lacks. The slider lets you set your own pace, the narration stresses key words, and the pop-ups define vocabulary, and each of these can strengthen your understanding of the stages. That is why the choice naming interactive pacing, audio emphasis, and vocabulary support is best. The choice saying it lets you skip the written words is wrong, because the lesson still uses short text blocks and the narration supports reading rather than replacing it. The choice about copying the exact wording is wrong, because audio is harder to quote precisely than written text, not easier. The choice claiming fewer things to look at is wrong, because this multimedia lesson actually adds elements like pop-ups and a slider, so it does not have fewer than plain text.
Question 5
The water cycle describes how water moves on Earth. Heat from the sun causes evaporation, which turns liquid water into water vapor. As the vapor rises, it cools and condenses into tiny droplets that form clouds. When droplets join and grow heavy, precipitation falls as rain or snow. Water then collects in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Some of it soaks into the ground as groundwater. Because the cycle repeats over and over, the same water can move through air, land, and living things many times.
Which choice best explains an advantage of the multimedia version over the text for learning this topic?
- It lets students interact, hear narration, and get immediate feedback, which can support understanding of the sequence of steps. (correct answer)
- It presents the stages using colorful animation and sound, which can make the lesson feel more entertaining than a page of writing.
- It removes the need to read carefully, so learners can absorb every stage of the cycle without paying close attention.
- It shows every stage at once on a single screen, which lets students compare all the steps side by side more easily.
Explanation: The multimedia version adds tools the plain text does not have. Its narration, clickable labels, step-by-step animation, and instant quiz feedback all help you follow the order of the water cycle, so the choice naming interaction, narration, and immediate feedback is correct. The choice about colorful animation and sound describes a real feature, but 'feeling more entertaining' is not the same as learning the topic better, so it misses what the question asks. The choice claiming it removes the need to read carefully is wrong, because the lesson still requires attention—clicking labels and answering the quiz all demand focus. The choice saying every stage appears at once is a misreading: the description says the animation plays each stage in order when students press next, so the steps are not shown side by side. Only the first choice names features that actually support understanding the sequence.
Question 6
TEXT: Nutrition labels help people understand what is in packaged food. A label lists the serving size, the calories, and nutrients like fat, sodium, sugar, and protein. The Percent Daily Value shows how much of a nutrient one serving adds to a full day's diet. Labels can help people compare foods, especially when they want less added sugar or sodium. But labels can be confusing if someone forgets to check the serving size. That matters because one package may hold more than one serving. Learning to read labels can lead to healthier choices.
MULTIMEDIA VERSION: A classroom slideshow covers the same points with short text on each slide. A voice-over repeats and stresses serving size. Clickable practice questions let students pick the healthier option. After each choice, the slideshow gives an instant explanation.
Which choice best explains why the multimedia version may teach label-reading skills better than the text?
- It adds practice questions, instant feedback, and audio that stresses key ideas, which can help students actually apply what they learn. (correct answer)
- It covers the same serving size and Percent Daily Value points, but the extra slides may overwhelm students so they remember less overall.
- It looks more colorful and modern, which by itself may make students trust the nutrition facts more even without practicing the skill.
- It repeats the same information as the reading, so the two versions may teach the skill about equally well rather than one being better.
Explanation: The slideshow does more than repeat the text. The best answer points to practice questions, instant feedback, and audio that stresses key ideas—these let students try the skill and learn from their choices, not just read about it. That active practice is why the multimedia version may teach label-reading better. The choice about extra slides overwhelming students is wrong because nothing in the passage says the slideshow adds more content; it covers the same points in a more interactive way. The choice about looking colorful and modern focuses on appearance, not on learning, and trusting facts is not the same as building a skill. The choice claiming both versions teach about equally well ignores the interactive features—practice, feedback, and audio emphasis—that give the slideshow an advantage the plain text does not have.
Question 7
School gardens can improve student learning in several ways. Working in a garden teaches responsibility, because plants need regular care. Measuring plant growth can build math skills, and watching insects and soil can connect to science lessons. Gardens can also encourage healthier eating when students grow vegetables and taste them. Some schools donate extra produce to local food banks, which links the garden to community service. Even small raised-bed gardens can offer these benefits if students have set time to care for them.
Which choice best analyzes what the audio delivery adds that the text alone cannot?
- A steady, unchanging reading voice that treats every fact the same way, so no single benefit sounds more important than another.
- Vocal emotion and emphasis that highlight which ideas feel the most important or the most fun to the speaker. (correct answer)
- Extra spoken facts about the garden that were never stated in the written version, giving the listener more information overall.
- A clearer logical order for the benefits, arranging them from most to least useful so the argument is easier to follow.
Explanation: Audio can carry things the page cannot: tone, pace, and stress. The narrator's light laugh, his slower pace on the list of benefits, and his louder voice on "community service" all signal which ideas feel most important or fun to him. That is why the choice about vocal emotion and emphasis is correct. The choice claiming a steady, unchanging voice is wrong because this narrator clearly does change his delivery to spotlight certain ideas. The choice about extra spoken facts is wrong because the narrator reads the same content, adding no new information. The choice about a clearer logical order is wrong because the audio follows the same sequence as the text and does not rerank the benefits. Only vocal emotion and emphasis describe something added by hearing the speaker rather than reading the words.
Question 8
Text
A student council speech argues for adding more library hours after school. The speaker says many students need a quiet place to study. They also need to use computers and get help finding books for projects. The speech suggests opening the library two extra days per week. It also suggests recruiting parent volunteers to help supervise. It notes that students who stay after school would have a safe place to wait for rides. The speech ends by asking the administration to try the change for one month and then review student feedback.
Audio version
The same speech is recorded. The student speaks quickly at first, then slows down and pauses before "quiet place to study" and "safe place to wait," sounding sincere and slightly nervous.
Which analysis best compares how the audio and text versions present the speaker?
- The audio makes the speaker seem more human and sincere through pace, pauses, and voice quality, while the text alone cannot show nervousness. (correct answer)
- The text makes the speaker seem more confident and sincere through its clear wording, while the audio hides feelings behind a shaky, uncertain voice.
- The audio and text present the speaker equally well, since each version delivers the same words and lets the reader picture the exact same emotion.
- The text is better for showing emotion, because printed sentences let readers add their own tone and hear the pauses in their heads more accurately.
Explanation: Hearing a speaker adds cues that print cannot. The quick start, the slowing and pausing before key lines, and the sincere, slightly nervous voice make the speaker feel more human, while the text gives you only the words. The choice describing that difference is correct. The option saying the text makes the speaker seem more confident gets it backward—the audio, not the plain words, is what reveals nervousness and sincerity. The option claiming both versions work equally well ignores what you were told: the pacing, pauses, and voice quality change how the speaker comes across, so the versions are not the same. The option praising the text for showing emotion is wrong because printed words cannot control tone or reproduce spoken pauses; readers may imagine a voice, but that is not the same as hearing one, and it does not beat the real audio.
Question 9
The school cafeteria throws away a lot of food each day. A student survey found that many students take milk or fruit even when they do not want it. The student council suggests a share table, where unopened items can be placed for others to take. This could cut waste and help students who are still hungry. The plan also suggests smaller portion options, so students can choose what they will actually eat. Finally, the council asks the principal to track how much food is thrown away each week. This would show if the changes work.
Which choice best explains how the audio version changes the impact, compared with reading the text?
- It makes the message feel more urgent and emotional by using tone, pacing, and pauses to stress key lines in a way the text alone cannot. (correct answer)
- It lets the listener pause and reread the most important sentences more carefully than the written passage allows a reader to do.
- It focuses the message on brand-new facts about food waste that make the plan seem more complete than the written passage does.
- It shows the plan will likely succeed, since the confident voice makes the ideas sound more reliable than the plain written words.
Explanation: A spoken version can shape feeling in ways print cannot. The speaker's upbeat tone, quick pacing on the solutions, and the soft pause before the key line make the message feel more urgent and emotional. The choice about tone, pacing, and pauses names exactly that, so it is the best answer. The choice about pausing to reread is wrong because listening actually makes it harder to go back over sentences than reading does. The choice about brand-new facts is wrong because the audio reads the same ideas as the text and adds no new information. The choice about the plan likely succeeding is wrong because a confident voice can change how ideas feel, but it cannot make the plan more reliable or prove it will work.
Question 10
Text
Coral reefs are sometimes called rainforests of the sea. They support many kinds of living things. Reefs form when tiny animals called coral polyps build hard skeletons. Over time, these skeletons pile up and create reef structures. The reefs give shelter to fish and other ocean creatures. Warmer ocean water can stress corals and cause bleaching. Bleaching happens when corals lose the algae that give them color and energy. Pollution and overfishing can also harm reefs. Scientists and local communities are working on solutions. They protect reef areas, reduce runoff from land, and restore damaged reefs by growing coral in nurseries.
Video Version
A short documentary covers the same points, but it uses underwater footage. It cuts quickly between healthy, colorful reefs and pale, bleached reefs. On-screen labels mark polyps and bleaching, and somber background music plays during the bleaching section.
How does the video version portray the problem of bleaching differently than the text does?
- It focuses on listing the causes of bleaching one by one, laying out pollution, warming, and overfishing more thoroughly than the text manages to.
- It makes bleaching feel more real and serious by showing the visual contrast and using music and editing to shape the viewer's emotions. (correct answer)
- It presents bleaching as a simple, calm process by keeping a steady tone and letting the on-screen labels do most of the explaining for viewers.
- It treats bleaching as less urgent than the text does, because the quick underwater footage moves past the damaged reefs too fast to notice them.
Explanation: The video shows the very same facts as the text, but it shapes how those facts feel. By cutting between bright reefs and pale, bleached ones and adding somber music, it makes the loss look real and serious in a way plain sentences cannot. That is why the choice about the visual contrast and emotional music is the best answer. The choice claiming the video lists causes more thoroughly is wrong: the video's strength is its images and mood, not extra detail about pollution or warming. The choice saying the video keeps a calm, simple tone ignores the somber music and the sharp contrast between healthy and bleached reefs. The choice saying the video makes bleaching feel less urgent gets it backward, since the emotional footage makes the problem feel more urgent, not less. Only one choice matches how the video actually changes the viewer's experience of the problem.
Question 11
Text passage
Recycling aluminum saves energy. Making new aluminum from ore needs very high heat. When aluminum is recycled, it can be melted and reshaped using far less energy. Recycling also cuts the amount of waste sent to landfills. However, recycling works best when people rinse containers and put them in the correct bins. Food and liquid can spoil other materials. Communities can boost recycling by making bins easy to find. They can also teach residents what can and cannot be recycled.
Video version
A public service video shares the same ideas with a fast-paced sequence. It shows an aluminum can being tossed, then a landfill pile growing. Then the can rides a conveyor belt to be melted and turned into a new can. On-screen text briefly flashes "Save energy" and "Rinse first!" while upbeat music plays.
Which choice best evaluates why the video might be more persuasive than the text for some viewers?
- Because it uses visuals, editing, and on-screen words to make the process and its consequences easy to picture quickly, which can motivate action. (correct answer)
- Because the moving images and background music might feel exciting, which some viewers may assume means the information is more complete than the passage.
- Because the upbeat background music might make viewers feel good, which some might treat as proof that recycling actually works.
- Because viewers can pause and reread the flashing on-screen text just as easily as they can reread a printed page whenever they choose.
Explanation: The video persuades by showing the whole process and its results: a can tossed, a landfill growing, the can reshaped into something new. Seeing this quickly helps viewers picture the idea and feel moved to act, which is exactly what the best choice describes. The choice about exciting images and music assumes that feeling excited means the video is more complete than the text, but persuasive feelings do not equal more information. The choice about upbeat music treats a good mood as proof that recycling works, confusing emotion with evidence. The choice about rereading flashing text is wrong because on-screen words flash by briefly and cannot be reread the way a printed page can. Only the first choice explains persuasion through how visuals and editing let viewers understand the process fast.
Question 12
Text
A short article explains that practicing a musical instrument builds skills over time. It suggests setting a small daily goal, like mastering four measures, which beats trying to learn a whole song at once. The article says to slow down the hard parts, use a metronome, and repeat tricky sections. It also notes that short breaks can prevent frustration and help the brain remember patterns. Finally, it encourages students to notice their progress. They can record themselves once a week and listen for improvement.
Audio version
A podcast host reads the same advice. The host speaks slowly during the steps and uses a friendly, encouraging tone. The host laughs lightly when mentioning frustration and places a long pause before the words notice progress to make them stand out.
How does the audio version's delivery most likely change how listeners receive the advice, compared with reading the text?
- It makes the advice feel more supportive and memorable, using tone, pacing, and pauses to draw attention to the key points. (correct answer)
- It makes the practice steps feel more urgent and demanding, since the host's serious voice pushes listeners to rush through them.
- It lets listeners study the steps in any order they choose, because a spoken version is just as easy to pause and reread as a page.
- It clears up confusion about the exact timing, because the host counts out loud and names the precise speed for each measure.
Explanation: The host's friendly tone, the light laugh at "frustration," and the long pause before "notice progress" make the tips feel encouraging and easier to remember. That is what the supportive, memorable delivery choice describes, so it is the best answer. The choice about the steps feeling urgent and rushed misreads the host, who actually speaks slowly and sounds friendly, not demanding. The choice about studying steps in any order is wrong because a spoken podcast is not easy to reread or scan the way a printed page is. The choice about counting out loud and naming exact speeds adds details the audio never includes; the host only reads the same advice with warmer delivery, not new timing instructions.
Question 13
When people exercise, their muscles need more oxygen. The heart responds by beating faster and pumping more blood. Breathing rate also rises. This brings in more oxygen and removes carbon dioxide. Over time, regular exercise can strengthen the heart muscle, so it can pump more blood with each beat. This often lowers a person's resting heart rate. Drinking water is important during exercise. The body loses water through sweat, and sweat helps cool the body.
What does the audio version mainly add to the message?
- A stronger sense of priority, using volume, pace, and pauses to stress hydration as the key takeaway. (correct answer)
- A steady, even delivery that gives every fact the same weight, treating hydration as one detail among many.
- A slower pace on the science facts, using pauses to stress how the heart strengthens over time.
- A clearer sequence of steps, using pauses between sentences to help listeners memorize the order of events.
Explanation: The audio uses the very same words as the text, so what it adds is emphasis, not new information. The coach speeds through the science, then slows down, gets louder, and pauses on the line about drinking water. Those spoken choices signal that hydration is the most important point, which is why the answer about a stronger sense of priority through volume, pace, and pauses is correct. The option about a steady, even delivery is wrong because the coach does not give every fact equal weight; the whole point is that hydration stands out. The option about slowing down on the science facts misplaces the emphasis, since the coach actually speeds through those and stresses hydration instead. The option about a clearer sequence of steps is wrong because the coach's pauses spotlight one key line, not the order of events. Only the first choice matches what the audio actually emphasizes.
Question 14
Text
Plastic pollution is a major problem in oceans and rivers. Many plastics do not break down quickly. Instead, they slowly become smaller pieces called microplastics. Animals may mistake plastic for food or get tangled in it, which can cause injury or death. Microplastics can also enter the food chain when small organisms eat them. People can help in several ways. They can use reusable bottles and bags, recycle correctly, and support rules that cut single-use plastics. Clean-up events can remove trash, but stopping plastic before it reaches the water is often more effective.
Video Version
A news-style segment explains the same ideas. It shows close-up shots of a turtle struggling with a plastic ring. It then switches to a lab scene, where scientists examine microplastics under bright lights. On-screen text briefly displays key terms like microplastics, and the editing cuts quickly between scenes.
How do the video techniques most likely affect the viewer, compared with reading the text?
- They make the issue feel more distant and abstract, because fast cuts and quick labels replace the real details that written explanations provide.
- They lower the emotional impact, because the shifting visuals mostly pull the viewer's attention away from the facts being presented.
- They add visual evidence and build urgency through the close-ups and quick editing, which can make the problem feel more real and immediate. (correct answer)
- They mainly deliver dry statistics, because the lab scene and on-screen terms turn the segment into a report that feels colder than the text.
Explanation: The video uses tools that plain text cannot. The close-up of a struggling turtle and the fast cuts give viewers something to see and a sense that the problem is happening now. That is why the choice about adding visual evidence and building urgency, making the problem feel more real and immediate, is the best answer. The choice saying the video feels distant and abstract is wrong because real footage of an animal in trouble does the opposite of distancing you. The choice claiming the visuals lower emotional impact and distract from facts is wrong because the images actually reinforce the message emotionally. The choice saying the segment mainly delivers cold statistics misreads the video: it centers on dramatic footage and only briefly flashes terms, so it does not feel like a dry report. Only one choice correctly matches how these video techniques work on a viewer.
Question 15
Text
In many cities, light pollution makes it hard to see stars at night. Light pollution happens when outdoor lights shine upward or sideways instead of focusing on the ground. This can waste energy. It can also affect animals that rely on darkness, like migrating birds and some insects. People can reduce light pollution in several ways. They can use shielded fixtures that aim light downward, choose warmer-colored bulbs, and turn off lights when they are not needed. Communities may also create dark sky guidelines for new buildings and streetlights. Reducing light pollution can help people enjoy the night sky and can lower electricity costs.
Video Version
A news-style video covers the same solutions, but it begins with a time-lapse of a bright city sky. Then it cuts to a darker rural sky full of stars. The narrator speaks more softly during the starry scene, and the video uses a bright-to-dark color shift and gentle music to create a calmer mood.
Which choice best explains how the video elements influence the viewer's response, compared with the text?
- The video's visuals, color shift, and music create an emotional contrast that makes the loss of stars feel personal, while the text relies on plain description. (correct answer)
- The video mainly adds factual detail about energy waste and animals, so it delivers more information than the text without changing how viewers feel.
- The video and the text create the same emotional response, because both rely on background music and a slow bright-to-dark color shift.
- The video's softer narration and gentle music work against its point, because a calm mood makes the loss of stars seem unimportant to viewers.
Explanation: The video adds feeling that plain text cannot. Cutting from a washed-out city sky to a star-filled rural one, with a softer voice and gentle music, builds a contrast that makes losing the stars feel personal, while the text simply explains the facts. The choice describing that emotional contrast is correct. The choice that says the video mainly adds facts misses the point: the video covers the same solutions as the text, so its real effect is emotional, not extra information. The choice claiming both versions feel the same is wrong because the text has no music or color shift—those belong only to the video. The choice saying the calm mood works against the video's point misreads that effect: the gentle mood draws viewers in and makes the loss feel meaningful, not unimportant.
Question 16
A city's heat island effect happens when streets, parking lots, and buildings soak up sunlight and release it slowly. These surfaces can make cities warmer than nearby rural areas, especially at night. Higher temperatures can raise energy use for air conditioning. They can also make health problems worse during heat waves. Planting trees and adding green roofs can help. They give shade and cool the air as water evaporates from leaves. Light-colored pavement and reflective roofs can also cut how much heat is soaked up.
How does the audio delivery most likely affect the listener, compared with reading the text?
- It makes the emotional mood stronger but hides the practical solutions, since a serious tone can pull attention away from the useful steps.
- It highlights which ideas matter most by using tone, repetition, and pauses to guide the listener's attention. (correct answer)
- It presents every idea with equal weight, since a steady speaking voice treats all the details as exactly the same in importance.
- It adds extra scientific facts about weather forecasts that the written passage chose to leave out of its explanation.
Explanation: A spoken version can steer your attention in ways text cannot. The host's serious-then-hopeful tone and the repeated, paused phrase "especially at night" signal which ideas matter most, and the choice describing that guidance through tone, repetition, and pauses is correct. The option saying the mood hides the solutions is wrong because the host actually sounds more hopeful when listing them, drawing attention toward them, not away. The option claiming every idea gets equal weight contradicts the description, which shows the host clearly stressing certain words and shifting tone. The option about extra weather-forecast facts is wrong because the podcast reads the same information, adding no new content.
Question 17
TEXT
Earthquakes happen when stress builds up along cracks in Earth's crust and is released all at once. The release sends waves through the ground. These waves can shake buildings and roads. Scientists measure the size of an earthquake using its magnitude. But the damage also depends on the depth, the distance from people, and the building design. Communities can lower the risk in several ways. They can use stronger building materials, practice drills, and keep emergency supplies ready. During an earthquake, experts say to Drop, Cover, and Hold On to stay safe from falling objects.
MULTIMEDIA VERSION
A safety website shares the same information in a different way. It uses short paragraphs and a narrated clip that shows Drop, Cover, and Hold On. It also has interactive buttons that reveal what to pack in an emergency kit, plus a quiz that gives instant feedback.
Which choice best explains why the multimedia version might be more effective for safety training than the text alone?
- It presents the same magnitude and depth details as the text, which may help users understand the science of earthquakes more deeply than reading alone.
- It adds demonstrations and interactive practice, like checklists and quizzes, which can help users remember the safety actions, not just the facts. (correct answer)
- It moves the emergency-kit list into buttons that users tap, which may make the packing steps feel more organized and easier to skim through quickly.
- It uses several modes at once, like a clip and a quiz, which may split a user's attention and make the safety steps harder to follow than plain text.
Explanation: Safety training is about doing, not just knowing, so a format that lets people practice has an edge. The version that adds demonstrations and interactive practice—showing Drop, Cover, and Hold On and letting users try checklists and a quiz—helps people remember and perform the actions, so it is the best answer. The choice about presenting magnitude and depth details focuses on understanding the science, not on training people to act safely, which is what the question asks. The choice about moving the kit list into buttons only claims the steps become easier to skim; being easier to skim is not the same as helping people practice or remember the safety actions. The choice about several modes splitting attention claims the multimedia version is harder to follow, which is the opposite of the likely benefit of showing and practicing the steps.
Question 18
TEXT
Coral reefs are built by tiny animals called coral polyps. The polyps make hard skeletons that form reef structures over time. Reefs give many sea creatures a home, and they protect coastlines by weakening waves. Coral bleaching happens when the water gets too warm and corals lose the colorful algae that help feed them. If the high temperatures last too long, the corals can die. Cutting pollution, limiting overfishing, and slowing climate change can help reefs recover and survive.
VIDEO VERSION
A news segment shares the same information with underwater footage. The footage shifts from bright, colorful reefs to pale, bleached coral. The editor uses a quick cut and lowers the background sound the moment the narrator says the reef can starve. Then slow, sad music comes in over shots of empty spaces where fish used to swim.
Which choice best explains how the video techniques shape the way coral bleaching is shown?
- The cuts and the music create an emotional contrast that makes the damage feel immediate and serious, beyond what the plain text describes. (correct answer)
- The bright-to-pale footage and the sad music mainly add scientific detail, giving viewers exact facts about temperature that the plain text leaves out.
- The quick cut and the drop in sound mainly let viewers control the pace of the story more easily than they ever could while reading the plain text.
- The empty-water shots and slow music prove the video is weaker than the text, because it never shows any real living reefs the way the words do.
Explanation: The video uses techniques the text cannot. The shift from bright to bleached footage, the quick cut with lowered sound on "the reef can starve," and the slow, sad music build an emotional contrast that makes the loss feel immediate and serious. That is why the best answer names the cuts and music creating emotional impact beyond the plain text. The choice about "scientific detail" and "exact facts about temperature" is wrong because these techniques stir feeling rather than add data; the video never gives precise temperature numbers. The choice about viewers controlling the pace describes on-demand video in general, not the specific editing described here, so it misses what the cuts and music actually do. The last choice is contradicted by the passage, which says the video uses "underwater footage" of bright, colorful reefs, so it clearly does show real reefs.
Question 19
TEXT:
The school cafeteria is testing a "share table" to cut food waste. Students who do not want an unopened item can place it on the table instead of throwing it away. That could be a sealed milk carton, a whole piece of fruit, or a packaged snack. Other students may take items from the table for free. The program follows safety rules: only unopened foods are allowed, and staff members check the table during lunch. Supporters say the share table can help students who are still hungry and can cut the trash the school sends to landfills. The cafeteria will track how much food is shared each week.
AUDIO VERSION:
The principal reads the announcement over the intercom in a calm, reassuring voice. She slows down when she explains the safety rules, and she uses a firm tone on the words only unopened foods.
What does the audio delivery add that the written text alone does not provide?
- The exact list of allowed foods spelled out clearly, which reminds students what they may share.
- The principal's tone and pacing, which stress the safety rules and help students trust the program. (correct answer)
- A steady pace the listener can choose to slow down, which lets students reread the safety section.
- A lasting record students can hold in their hands, which they can quickly scan again later at lunch.
Explanation: Only sound can carry a speaker's voice, so the best answer points to the principal's tone and pacing, which stress the safety rules and help students trust the program. The choice about the exact list of allowed foods is wrong because that information already appears in the written text word for word, so the audio adds nothing new there. The choice about a pace the listener can slow down misreads how audio works: it is the principal, not the listener, who controls the speed, so this is really an advantage of reading text yourself. The choice about a lasting record students can hold and scan again also names a strength of written text, not of a spoken announcement that plays once and is gone. Because the question asks what the audio adds, only the answer about the principal's voice fits.
Question 20
Mangrove forests grow where rivers meet the sea. Their tangled roots hold soil in place, which helps prevent coastal erosion during storms. Mangroves also act as nurseries for young fish and crabs, giving them shelter from predators. They also store large amounts of carbon in their muddy soil. This helps them slow climate change. However, many mangrove areas have been cut down to build shrimp farms and seaside buildings. Scientists and local communities are now planting new mangroves and protecting the forests that remain. Their goal is to keep coastlines safer and support wildlife.
Which choice best analyzes what the video adds that the text cannot do as directly?
- It layers the narrator's words with visuals, so viewers absorb every fact faster than readers can, making the written version mostly unnecessary for learning.
- It lets viewers pause and reread whenever they want, giving them the same close control over pacing that a page of printed text gives a reader.
- It provides visual evidence and emotional tone through footage, interviews, and music, which makes erosion and protection feel more real. (correct answer)
- It focuses on shoreline images and background music, so it leaves out the causes and solutions that the text explains in full detail.
Explanation: The video shows things writing can only describe. Footage of the protected shore beside the collapsing sand, the fishers' interviews, and the tense music give real visual evidence and emotion that make the stakes feel true. That is what the choice about visual evidence and emotional tone captures, so it is correct. The choice claiming visuals make the text mostly unnecessary is wrong because the video still depends on a narrator and interviews to explain ideas. The choice about pausing and rereading is wrong because a video plays in time and cannot be scanned the way a page can. The choice saying the video leaves out causes and solutions is wrong because the documentary 'covers the same points' as the text, so it does not drop that information.