The mihrab (or niche) is one of many features that are foundational to traditional mosque architecture and is therefore considered ______ blank aspect of mosque design. Even mosques that exhibit elements of multiple architectural styles, such as the Kocatepe Mosque, which incorporates elements from the Neoclassical Ottoman and modern styles, will also include several of these standard features. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

The following text is adapted from Willa Cather’s 1912 novel Alexander’s Bridge. For the next few days Alexander was very busy. He took a desk in the office of a [Scottish] engineering firm on Henrietta Street, and was at work almost constantly. He avoided the clubs and usually dined alone at his hotel. As used in the text, what does the word “constantly” most nearly mean?

Siemowit is said to have ruled what eventually became Poland in the 9th century. Unlike that of Bezprym or other well-attested figures from early Polish history, Siemowit’s existence has been the subject of debate, as our knowledge of him is ______ blank somewhat dubious oral traditions first written down hundreds of years after the events they describe. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Parapuzosia seppenradensis, known to have lived in what is now Mexico, and Parapuzosia leptophylla, known to have lived in what is now England, were both ammonites, but P. seppenradensis was much larger than P. leptophylla. Recent research by Christina Ifrim, Nils Schorndorf, and colleagues has suggested that this _______ blank resulted from the unique predator threat faced by each species. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

In their study of fossils of the extinct arthropod Mollisonia symmetrica, Javier Ortega-Hernández, Sarah Losso, and team reported some obvious indications of M. symmetrica ’s nervous system—for example, the animal’s primary nerve cord. They also saw signs of what might be a synganglion, a brain–like mass of nerve tissue, in the animal’s head. This evidence is exciting because it could help us better understand how M. symmetrica is related to other arthropods, such as cave crickets and krill. Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

High-speed rail systems, in which trains can move at great speeds, are expanding in many countries because high-speed rail can reduce the number of automobiles on the road and ultimately conserve energy. In Morocco, for instance, 186 kilometers of high-speed rail lines are in operation as of 2023, and 1,287 kilometers are under construction. Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A microgenre is a specialized genre consisting of a comparatively small number of stylistically similar artists. The microgenre of electronic music known as hyperpop emerged in the 2010s, with American musician Laura Les as an early exponent. Her combination of dense synthesizer arrangements and metallic percussion with vocals electronically shifted in pitch above her natural range exemplifies the hyperpop sound. More recently, British recording artist Charli XCX has contributed to that sound by incorporating pop melodies into it. Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence?

Women like Minnie McNeal Kenny made important early contributions to the history of US cryptology, a field concerned with secure data communication and storage. Kenny worked for the National Security Agency (NSA) and received the NSA’s two highest awards. She also held istative positions at the National Cryptologic School. In this way, Kenny and others like her helped make it possible for more women—such as Anna Lysyansakya, who currently works in and teaches digital cryptography—to enter the field of cryptology. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

Tokyo has high pedestrian traffic, but other cities cannot increase their pedestrian traffic simply by replicating a single feature of Tokyo—e.g., its high population density —that is associated with walkability. As urbanist Mariela Alfonzo argues, many factors influence people’s decision-making about whether to walk: some studies have shown the importance of personal preference, others have shown the importance of perceived safety, and so on, and it is clear that none of these factors in isolation fully explains pedestrian habits in a given city. Based on the text, the author would most likely agree with which statement about Tokyo’s “high population density”?

Meredith E. Protas and colleagues have explored how convergent evolution—a phenomenon that occurs when the same trait evolves independently in two reproductively separate lineages—can result from a genetic mechanism shared by both lineages. Meanwhile, Cynthia C. Steiner and colleagues have investigated how convergence occurs through different genetic mechanisms, but the relative prevalence of convergence through shared and different genetic processes is still poorly understood. This motivated biologists Delbert A. Green II and Cassandra G. Extavour to evaluate both types of convergence in a single study for their 2012 paper. According to the text, what did Protas and colleagues focus on in their study?