PAX Prep NLN Verbal Comprehension
Passages Answered, 2022
The way Things Work
It was the ancient Greeks who first had the idea that everything is made up of elements. They
conjured up just four of them-earth, fire, wind and water. As it turned out, the idea was right but
the elements were wrong. Modern elements are less evocative but more numerous. They make
up just over one hundred basic substances. Some are commonplace, like hydrogen, oxygen, iron
and carbon; others are rare and precious, such as mercury, uranium and gold.
Purely by the power of reason, the Greeks also made another fundamental discovery, which is
that all things consist of particles called atoms. Elements are substances that contain only one
kind of atom. All other substances are compounds of two or more elements in which the atoms
group together to form molecules.The way molecules behave governs the workings of many
machines, in particular machines such as ships, airplanes, pumps, refrigerators and combustion
engines, all of which harness the ancient elements and set molecules to work.
The idea that everything is made of particles takes some imagination to understand. For example,
as you read this, molecules of oxygen and nitrogen traveling at supersonic speed are bombarding
you from all directions. The reason that you are unaware of this is that the molecules (which
along with those others gases, make up the air) are on the small side. You could get about 400
million million of them into an empty matchbox. In fact, it would be truer to say that you could
get these millions of molecules out of the matchbox, because the molecules of gases are so
hyperactive that they will fill any space open to them. Like five-year-olds, they dash about in all
directions. With unflagging energy, crashing into any obstacle they meet. In liquids, the
molecules are less energetic and go haphazardly about ion small groups, rather like drunken
dancers prone to colliding with the walls of the dance hall. The molecules in solids are the least
energetic; they just huddle together like a flock of sheep shuffling around in a field.
However invisible molecules might be, their existence does explain the properties and behavior
of materials that are put to use in machines. In a solid, the molecular bonds are strong and hold
the molecules firmly together so that the solid is hard and rigid. The weaker bonds between
liquid molecules pull them together to give the liquid a set volume, but the bonds are sufficiently
weak to allow the liquid to flow. The bonds between gas molecules are weaker still. They enable
the molecules to move apart so the gas expands and fills any space. In all materials, the
molecules urge to stick together or spread apart is put to use in machines and devices as different
as the rocket, the toilet tank and the aqualung.
David Macaulay, The way Things Work Houghton Mifflin Co 1988
Question
1 of 5
In the context of this article, the word conjured as used in paragraph one means?
, A.) swept
B.) intertwined
C.) imagined
D.) conferred. - answer: imagined
The way Things Work
Based on this article, we can assume that the author
A.) does not appreciate vocabulary and illustrations.
B.) uses analogies that are confusing.
C.) believes the study of elements is no longer relevant.
D.) is knowledgeable about history and science. - answer: is knowledgeable about history and
science.
The way Things Work
An appropriate title for this selection would be?
A.) Gold in the Elements.
B.) The Useless Molecule.
C.) The Makeup of Everything.
D.) How the Greeks Failed. - answer: The Makeup of Everything.
The way Things Work
From this article we can infer that?
A.) the world is not governed by particles or atoms, but is chaotic.
B.) the ancient Greeks' concept of four elements was the basis of modern science.
C.) modern science does not depend on molecular knowledge.
D.) many machines depend on the properties of molecules. - answer: many machines depend on
the properties of molecules.
The way Things Work
When liquid water is changed to ice, the particles are?
A.) banded further apart.
B.) more energetic.
C.) more fluid.
D.) bound closer together. - answer: bound closer together.
The way Things Work
From the passage, we learn that ancient Greeks proposed that?
A.) the behavior of molecules cannot be observed.
B.) all things are made up of atoms.
Passages Answered, 2022
The way Things Work
It was the ancient Greeks who first had the idea that everything is made up of elements. They
conjured up just four of them-earth, fire, wind and water. As it turned out, the idea was right but
the elements were wrong. Modern elements are less evocative but more numerous. They make
up just over one hundred basic substances. Some are commonplace, like hydrogen, oxygen, iron
and carbon; others are rare and precious, such as mercury, uranium and gold.
Purely by the power of reason, the Greeks also made another fundamental discovery, which is
that all things consist of particles called atoms. Elements are substances that contain only one
kind of atom. All other substances are compounds of two or more elements in which the atoms
group together to form molecules.The way molecules behave governs the workings of many
machines, in particular machines such as ships, airplanes, pumps, refrigerators and combustion
engines, all of which harness the ancient elements and set molecules to work.
The idea that everything is made of particles takes some imagination to understand. For example,
as you read this, molecules of oxygen and nitrogen traveling at supersonic speed are bombarding
you from all directions. The reason that you are unaware of this is that the molecules (which
along with those others gases, make up the air) are on the small side. You could get about 400
million million of them into an empty matchbox. In fact, it would be truer to say that you could
get these millions of molecules out of the matchbox, because the molecules of gases are so
hyperactive that they will fill any space open to them. Like five-year-olds, they dash about in all
directions. With unflagging energy, crashing into any obstacle they meet. In liquids, the
molecules are less energetic and go haphazardly about ion small groups, rather like drunken
dancers prone to colliding with the walls of the dance hall. The molecules in solids are the least
energetic; they just huddle together like a flock of sheep shuffling around in a field.
However invisible molecules might be, their existence does explain the properties and behavior
of materials that are put to use in machines. In a solid, the molecular bonds are strong and hold
the molecules firmly together so that the solid is hard and rigid. The weaker bonds between
liquid molecules pull them together to give the liquid a set volume, but the bonds are sufficiently
weak to allow the liquid to flow. The bonds between gas molecules are weaker still. They enable
the molecules to move apart so the gas expands and fills any space. In all materials, the
molecules urge to stick together or spread apart is put to use in machines and devices as different
as the rocket, the toilet tank and the aqualung.
David Macaulay, The way Things Work Houghton Mifflin Co 1988
Question
1 of 5
In the context of this article, the word conjured as used in paragraph one means?
, A.) swept
B.) intertwined
C.) imagined
D.) conferred. - answer: imagined
The way Things Work
Based on this article, we can assume that the author
A.) does not appreciate vocabulary and illustrations.
B.) uses analogies that are confusing.
C.) believes the study of elements is no longer relevant.
D.) is knowledgeable about history and science. - answer: is knowledgeable about history and
science.
The way Things Work
An appropriate title for this selection would be?
A.) Gold in the Elements.
B.) The Useless Molecule.
C.) The Makeup of Everything.
D.) How the Greeks Failed. - answer: The Makeup of Everything.
The way Things Work
From this article we can infer that?
A.) the world is not governed by particles or atoms, but is chaotic.
B.) the ancient Greeks' concept of four elements was the basis of modern science.
C.) modern science does not depend on molecular knowledge.
D.) many machines depend on the properties of molecules. - answer: many machines depend on
the properties of molecules.
The way Things Work
When liquid water is changed to ice, the particles are?
A.) banded further apart.
B.) more energetic.
C.) more fluid.
D.) bound closer together. - answer: bound closer together.
The way Things Work
From the passage, we learn that ancient Greeks proposed that?
A.) the behavior of molecules cannot be observed.
B.) all things are made up of atoms.
