support@Free-Braindumps.com
Register Login
Cisco
CompTIA
ISC
EC-Council
EXIN
Fortinet
ITIL
Juniper
Microsoft
VMware
Avaya
SAP
Google
NVIDIA
Salesforce
Amazon
Palo Alto Networks
ISC2
CrowdStrike
Anthropic
All Vendors
  1. Home
  2. Exams
  3. Test Prep
  4. MCAT Test

Test Prep MCAT Test Exam Prep
Medical College Admission Test: Verbal Reasoning, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Writing Sample (Page 22 )

Updated On: 30-Sep-2026
Page 22 of 164
PDF with 811 Questions

The Russia which emerged from the terrible civil war after the 1917 Revolution was far from the Bolsheviks' original ideal of a non-exploitative society governed by workers and peasants. By 1921, the regime was weakened by widespread famine, persistent peasant revolts, a collapse of industrial production stemming from the civil war, and the consequent dispersal of the industrial working class ­ the Bolsheviks' original base of support. To buy time for recovery, the government in 1921 introduced the New Economic Policy, which allowed private trade in farm products (previously banned) and relied on a fixed grain tax instead of forced requisitions to provide food for the cities. The value of the ruble was stabilized. Trade unions were again allowed to seek higher wages and benefits, and even to strike. However, the Bolsheviks maintained a strict monopoly of power by refusing to legalize other parties.
After the death of the Revolution's undisputed leader, Lenin, in January 1924, disputes over the long-range direction of policy led to an open struggle among the main Bolshevik leaders. Since open debate was still possible within the Bolshevik Party in this period, several groups with differing programs emerged in the course of this struggle.
The program supported by Nikolai Bukharin ­ a major ideological leader of the Bolsheviks with no power base of his own ­ called for developing agriculture through good relations with wealthy peasants, or "kulaks." Bukharin favored gradual industrial development, or "advancing towards Socialism at a snail's pace." In foreign affairs, Bukharin's policy was to ally with non-Socialist regimes and movements that were favorable to Russia.
A faction led by Leon Trotsky, head of the Red Army and the most respected revolutionary leader after Lenin, called for rapid industrialization and greater central planning of the economy, financed by a heavy tax on the kulaks. Trotsky rejected the idea that a prosperous, human Socialist society could be built in Russia alone (Stalin's slogan of "Socialism in One Country"), and therefore called for continued efforts to promote working- class revolutions abroad. As time went on, he became bitterly critical of the new privileged elite emerging within both the Bolshevik Party and the Russian state.
Joseph Stalin, General Secretary of the Bolshevik Party, was initially considered a "center," conciliating figure, not clearly part of a faction. Stalin's eventual supremacy was ensured by three successive struggles within the party, and only during the last did his own program become clear.
First, in 1924-25, Stalin isolated Trotsky, allying for this purpose with Grigori Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev, Bolshevik leaders better known than Stalin himself, whom Trotsky mistakenly considered his main rivals. Stalin maneuvered Trotsky out of leadership of the Red Army, his main potential power base. Next, Stalin turned on Zinoviev and Kamenev, using his powers as head of the Party organization to remove them from party leadership in Leningrad and Moscow, their respective power bases. Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev then belatedly formed the "Joint Opposition" (1926-27). With Bukharin's help, Stalin easily outmaneuvered the Opposition: Bukharin polemicized against Trotsky, while Stalin prevented the newspapers from printing Trotsky's replies, organized gangs of toughs to beat up his followers, and transferred his supporters to administrative posts in remote regions. At the end of 1927, Stalin expelled Trotsky from the Bolshevik Party and exiled him. (Later, in 1940, he had him murdered.) Zinoviev and Kamenev, meanwhile, recanted their views in order to remain within the Party.
The final act now began. A move by kulaks to gain higher prices by holding grain off the market touched off a campaign against them by Stalin. Bukharin protested, but with the tradition of Party democracy now all but dead, Stalin had little trouble silencing Bukharin. Meanwhile, he began a campaign to force all peasants ­ not just kulaks ­ onto state-controlled "collective farms," and initiated a crash industrialization program during which he deprived the trade unions of all rights and cut real wages by 50%. Out of the factional struggle in which he emerged by 1933 as sole dictator of Russia, Stalin's political program of building up heavy industry on the backs of both worker and peasant emerged with full clarity.
The passage supports the idea that struggles within the Bolshevik Party were primarily:

  1. reflections of struggles among important groups in the general population.
  2. the result of differences over economic policy.
  3. the result of misdirected loyalty on the part of the Red Army.
  4. caused by Russian social elites outside the Party.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

You know from the second paragraph that disputes over the long-range direction of policy led to the struggles within the Bolshevik party. This rules out Choices A and D, and all you have to figure out is whether the policy was foreign or economic policy. Since foreign policy is mentioned only once in the passage, the differences were clearly over economic policy (Choice B).



One of the basic principles of ecology is that population size is to some extent a function of available food resources. Recent field experiments demonstrate that the interrelationship may be far more complex than hitherto imagined. Specifically, the browsing of certain rodents appears to trigger biochemical reactions in the plants they feed on that help regulate the size of the rodent populations. Two such examples of phytochemical regulation (regulation involving plant chemistry) have been reported so far.
Patricia Berger and her colleagues at the University of Utah have demonstrated that instrumentality of 6- methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) in triggering reproductive behavior in the mountain vole (Microtus montanus), a small rodent resembling the field mouse. 6-MBOA forms in young mountain grasses in response to browsing by predators such as voles. The experimenters fed rolled oats coated with 6-MBOA to non- breeding winter populations of Microtus. After three weeks, the sample populations revealed a high incidence of pregnancy among the females and pronounced swelling of the testicles among the males. Control populations receiving no 6- MBOA revealed no such signs. Since the timing of reproductive effort is crucial to the short-lived vole in an environment in which the onset of vegetative growth can vary by as much as two months, the phytochemical triggering of copulatory behavior in Microtus represents a significant biological adaptation.
A distinct example is reported by John Bryant of the University of Alaska. In this case, plants seem to have adopted a form of phytochemical self-defense against the depredations of the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) of Canada and Alaska. Every ten years or so, for reasons that are not entirely understood, the Lepus population swells dramatically. The result is intense overbrowsing of early and mid-successional deciduous trees and shrubs. Bryant has shown that, as if in response, four common boreal forest trees favored by Lepus produce adventitious shoots high in terpene and phenolic resins which effectively discourage hare browsing. He treated mature, non-resinous willow twigs with resinous extracts from the adventitious shoots of other plants and placed treated and untreated bundles at hare feeding stations, weighing them at the end of each day. Bryant found that bundles containing only half the resin concentration of natural twigs were left untouched. The avoidance of these unpalatable resins, he concludes, may play a significant role in the subsequent decline in the Lepus population to its normal level.

These results suggest obvious areas for further research. For example, observational data should be reviewed to see whether the periodic population explosions among the prolific lemming (like the vole and the snowshoe hare, a small rodent in a marginal northern environment) occur during years in which there is an early onset of vegetative growth; if so, a triggering mechanism similar to that found in the vole may be involved.
The author describes the effect of 6-MBOA on voles as a "significant biological adaptation" (lines 27-28) because it:

  1. limits reproductive behavior in times of food scarcity.
  2. leads the vole population to seek available food resources.
  3. tends to ensure the survival of the species in a situation of fluctuating food supply.
  4. maximizes the survival prospects of individual voles.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

This inference question contains a line reference which leads you to the end of Paragraph 2. The biological adaptation to which the sentence is referring is the "phytochemical triggering of copulatory behavior" in voles ­ that is, the chemical MBOA in young mountain grasses causes voles to reproduce at just the right time, when there is a lot of grass for voles to feed on. This is important because the amount of available grass varies considerably. 6-MBOA, then, ensures the survival of voles in a situation of fluctuating food supply (Choice B).
6-MBOA doesn't limit reproduction; it encourages reproduction, so A is wrong. Use your common sense to eliminate Choice B: seeking available food resources comes pretty naturally to animals. D is wrong because a biological adaptation maximizes the survival of the entire species, not just individual voles.



One of the basic principles of ecology is that population size is to some extent a function of available food resources. Recent field experiments demonstrate that the interrelationship may be far more complex than hitherto imagined. Specifically, the browsing of certain rodents appears to trigger biochemical reactions in the plants they feed on that help regulate the size of the rodent populations. Two such examples of phytochemical regulation (regulation involving plant chemistry) have been reported so far.
Patricia Berger and her colleagues at the University of Utah have demonstrated that instrumentality of 6- methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) in triggering reproductive behavior in the mountain vole (Microtus montanus), a small rodent resembling the field mouse. 6-MBOA forms in young mountain grasses in response to browsing by predators such as voles. The experimenters fed rolled oats coated with 6-MBOA to non- breeding winter populations of Microtus. After three weeks, the sample populations revealed a high incidence of pregnancy among the females and pronounced swelling of the testicles among the males. Control populations receiving no 6- MBOA revealed no such signs. Since the timing of reproductive effort is crucial to the short-lived vole in an environment in which the onset of vegetative growth can vary by as much as two months, the phytochemical triggering of copulatory behavior in Microtus represents a significant biological adaptation.
A distinct example is reported by John Bryant of the University of Alaska. In this case, plants seem to have adopted a form of phytochemical self-defense against the depredations of the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) of Canada and Alaska. Every ten years or so, for reasons that are not entirely understood, the Lepus population swells dramatically. The result is intense overbrowsing of early and mid-successional deciduous trees and shrubs. Bryant has shown that, as if in response, four common boreal forest trees favored by Lepus produce adventitious shoots high in terpene and phenolic resins which effectively discourage hare browsing. He treated mature, non-resinous willow twigs with resinous extracts from the adventitious shoots of other plants and placed treated and untreated bundles at hare feeding stations, weighing them at the end of each day. Bryant found that bundles containing only half the resin concentration of natural twigs were left untouched. The avoidance of these unpalatable resins, he concludes, may play a significant role in the subsequent decline in the Lepus population to its normal level.
These results suggest obvious areas for further research. For example, observational data should be reviewed to see whether the periodic population explosions among the prolific lemming (like the vole and the snowshoe hare, a small rodent in a marginal northern environment) occur during years in which there is an early onset of vegetative growth; if so, a triggering mechanism similar to that found in the vole may be involved.
It can be inferred that the study of lemmings proposed by the author would probably:

  1. fully explain the interrelationship between food supply and reproductive behavior in northern rodent populations.
  2. disprove the conclusions of Berger and her colleagues.
  3. be irrelevant to the findings of Berger and her colleagues.
  4. provide evidence indicating whether the conclusions of Berger and her colleagues can be generalized.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

The author recommends research on the reproductive behavior of lemmings because lemmings are similar in kind and in habitat to voles. Knowing whether lemmings have a reproductive trigger mechanism similar to that of voles would allow us to determine whether Berger's findings about voles are true of other species as well.
This idea is captured by Choice D.
Choices B and C contradict this notion entirely. Choice A goes way too far: there is no way one study of lemmings could tell us all there is to know about the interrelationship between food supply and reproductive behavior in northern rodent populations.



One of the basic principles of ecology is that population size is to some extent a function of available food resources. Recent field experiments demonstrate that the interrelationship may be far more complex than hitherto imagined. Specifically, the browsing of certain rodents appears to trigger biochemical reactions in the plants they feed on that help regulate the size of the rodent populations. Two such examples of phytochemical regulation (regulation involving plant chemistry) have been reported so far.
Patricia Berger and her colleagues at the University of Utah have demonstrated that instrumentality of 6- methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) in triggering reproductive behavior in the mountain vole (Microtus montanus), a small rodent resembling the field mouse. 6-MBOA forms in young mountain grasses in response to browsing by predators such as voles. The experimenters fed rolled oats coated with 6-MBOA to non- breeding winter populations of Microtus. After three weeks, the sample populations revealed a high incidence of pregnancy among the females and pronounced swelling of the testicles among the males. Control populations receiving no 6- MBOA revealed no such signs. Since the timing of reproductive effort is crucial to the short-lived vole in an environment in which the onset of vegetative growth can vary by as much as two months, the phytochemical triggering of copulatory behavior in Microtus represents a significant biological adaptation.
A distinct example is reported by John Bryant of the University of Alaska. In this case, plants seem to have adopted a form of phytochemical self-defense against the depredations of the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) of Canada and Alaska. Every ten years or so, for reasons that are not entirely understood, the Lepus population swells dramatically. The result is intense over browsing of early and mid-successional deciduous trees and shrubs. Bryant has shown that, as if in response, four common boreal forest trees favored by Lepus produce adventitious shoots high in terpene and phenolic resins which effectively discourage hare browsing. He treated mature, non-resinous willow twigs with resinous extracts from the adventitious shoots of other plants and placed treated and untreated bundles at hare feeding stations, weighing them at the end of each day. Bryant found that bundles containing only half the resin concentration of natural twigs were left untouched. The avoidance of these unpalatable resins, he concludes, may play a significant role in the subsequent decline in the Lepus population to its normal level.
These results suggest obvious areas for further research. For example, observational data should be reviewed to see whether the periodic population explosions among the prolific lemming (like the vole and the snowshoe hare, a small rodent in a marginal northern environment) occur during years in which there is an early onset of vegetative growth; if so, a triggering mechanism similar to that found in the vole may be involved.
The statement: "The interrelationship may be far more complex than hitherto imagined" (lines 4-5) suggests that scientists previously believed that:

  1. the amount of food available is the only food based factor that affects population size.
  2. reproductive behavior is independent of environmental factors.
  3. food resources biochemically affect reproduction and the lifespan of some species.
  4. population size is not influenced by available food resources.

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

Ecologists have long thought, according to the first sentence of the paragraph, that population size is a function of available food (this, by the way, rules out Choice D). They just didn't realize that the interrelationship of food and population size was so complex. In other words, they thought that the amount of available food was the only food factor that affected population (Choice A); they didn't know about food that biochemically encouraged or discouraged reproduction (which eliminates Choice C). A is the correct answer.
We don't know what scientists formerly thought about the link between environmental factors and reproductive behavior, so B is not an option.



One of the basic principles of ecology is that population size is to some extent a function of available food resources. Recent field experiments demonstrate that the interrelationship may be far more complex than hitherto imagined. Specifically, the browsing of certain rodents appears to trigger biochemical reactions in the plants they feed on that help regulate the size of the rodent populations. Two such examples of phytochemical regulation (regulation involving plant chemistry) have been reported so far.
Patricia Berger and her colleagues at the University of Utah have demonstrated that instrumentality of 6- methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) in triggering reproductive behavior in the mountain vole (Microtus montanus), a small rodent resembling the field mouse. 6-MBOA forms in young mountain grasses in response to browsing by predators such as voles. The experimenters fed rolled oats coated with 6-MBOA to non- breeding winter populations of Microtus. After three weeks, the sample populations revealed a high incidence of pregnancy among the females and pronounced swelling of the testicles among the males. Control populations receiving no 6- MBOA revealed no such signs. Since the timing of reproductive effort is crucial to the short-lived vole in an environment in which the onset of vegetative growth can vary by as much as two months, the phytochemical triggering of copulatory behavior in Microtus represents a significant biological adaptation.
A distinct example is reported by John Bryant of the University of Alaska. In this case, plants seem to have adopted a form of phytochemical self-defense against the depredations of the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) of Canada and Alaska. Every ten years or so, for reasons that are not entirely understood, the Lepus population swells dramatically. The result is intense overbrowsing of early and mid-successional deciduous trees and shrubs. Bryant has shown that, as if in response, four common boreal forest trees favored by Lepus produce adventitious shoots high in terpene and phenolic resins which effectively discourage hare browsing. He treated mature, non-resinous willow twigs with resinous extracts from the adventitious shoots of other plants and placed treated and untreated bundles at hare feeding stations, weighing them at the end of each day. Bryant found that bundles containing only half the resin concentration of natural twigs were left untouched. The avoidance of these unpalatable resins, he concludes, may play a significant role in the subsequent decline in the Lepus population to its normal level.
These results suggest obvious areas for further research. For example, observational data should be reviewed to see whether the periodic population explosions among the prolific lemming (like the vole and the snowshoe hare, a small rodent in a marginal northern environment) occur during years in which there is an early onset of vegetative growth; if so, a triggering mechanism similar to that found in the vole may be involved.

The experiments described in the passage involved all of the following EXCEPT:

  1. measuring physiological changes in reproductive organs after a specific compound was ingested.
  2. testing whether breeding behavior could be induced in normally non-breeding animals by a change in diet.
  3. measuring an animal's consumption of treated and untreated foods.
  4. measuring changes in the growth cycle 6-MBOAproducing mountain grasses.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

In this All-Esxcept question, you have to identify the choice that is not an element of either experiment. Choice A is mentioned in the middle of Paragraph 2 as part of the mountain vole experiment. Choice B was part of that experiment as well, as indicated at the beginning of Paragraph 2. Measuring consumption of treated and untreated foods (Choice C) was the method used in the experiment on hares.
Choice D is the one choice that was not an element of either experiment discussed in the passage. The passage does discuss the use of a control group in the 6-MBOA experiment, but this experiment was not measuring changes in the birth rate of the animals, so D is the correct answer.



  PDF
Viewing page 22 of 164
Viewing questions 106 - 110 out of 811 questions


Post your Comments and Discuss Test Prep MCAT Test exam prep with other Community members:

AI Tutor AI Tutor 👋 I’m here to help!