Some biologists speculate that the genes enabling abilities like echolocation in bats and other nocturnal mammals might actually be ______ in humans. These genes would be present but essentially dormant, having no significant impact on our everyday sensory experiences.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

According to a climate change expert, carbon footprint reduction efforts are ______ other factors when considering the impact on global warming. Even significant reductions in carbon emissions have a lesser effect, while factors like deforestation, industrial pollution, and overconsumption have stronger influences.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Despite the widespread assumption that small and isolated island populations of animals are more likely to go extinct, a 2021 study of reptiles in the Caribbean suggests that these populations might actually have a greater chance of survival. This surprising conclusion compels conservationists to ______ their long-standing strategies.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Observers often note that the fields of astrophysics and literature inhabit separate domains, with the former grounded in empirical data and the latter in creative expression. However, author and scientist Maya Hansen bridges these worlds, her novels weaving complex theories of the cosmos into compelling narratives that ______ both the scientific community and avid readers of fiction.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Biologist Andrew Fuller’s revolutionary research ______ that climate change could be a significant factor influencing migratory patterns of certain bird species. Though the correlation is yet to be proven, the hypothesis carries significant implications for future studies.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

The following text is adapted from Beneath the Silent Stars by Malachi Mercer. The characters Samantha and Ethan discuss the mysteries of the cosmos.

SAMANTHA: The cosmic order could completely upend our understanding, Ethan. Our worldview is fundamentally incomplete.

ETHAN: Because of the unknown?

SAMANTHA: Not just the unknown. It's more about our inability to comprehend the vastness of the universe. Human understanding seems to fall short in the face of such expansiveness.

As used in the text, what does the word “comprehend” most nearly mean?

The following text is adapted from The Scarlet Labyrinth by Esther V. Fawcett. In this passage, Lady Gwen discovers a secret letter tucked in her late father's desk.

Lady Gwen gingerly opened the heavy mahogany desk that once belonged to her father. In the dim candlelight, she spotted a sealed envelope tucked away in a hidden compartment. Carefully, she removed it, her heart pounding with anticipation and anxiety. As she unfolded the aged parchment, Gwen found herself staring at her father's familiar script, revealing secrets of his past and prophecies of her future. Her world turned on its axis as she absorbed each revelation, her understanding of her lineage, her purpose, all rewritten in the span of this one, pivotal letter.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

The following text is from the poem Twilight of Titans by Jonathan Fox.

Beneath the shroud of the nebula, stars twinkle and fade,

Galaxies dance in a celestial parade.

A supernova bursts, shedding radiant light,

Outshining its neighbors in the cosmic night.

Yet, in this grand ballet of space, an elegy is sung,

For even stars, in their celestial grace, must face the end that's sprung.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

The Amazon rainforest, often described as the planet's lungs, is the world's largest tropical rainforest, and its vast canopy shelters a variety of flora and fauna. However, it faces grave dangers as rapid deforestation continues to eat away at its edges. Primary factors like logging, agriculture, and mining activities are accelerating the loss of this essential ecosystem. This unprecedented rate of deforestation is not only a concern for its rich biodiversity but also raises alarms for climate stability.

According to the text, why is there serious concern about the Amazon rainforest?

The following text is from William Wordsworth's 1804 poem, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line.

What is the main idea of the text?