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 7 )

Updated On: 24-Sep-2026
Page 7 of 164
PDF with 811 Questions

Muzak, the intentionally unobtrusive music that most people associate with elevators and dentists' waiting rooms, represents the paradoxical success story of a product designed to be ignored. Although few people admit to enjoying its blandly melodic sounds, Muzak reaches over 100 million listeners in 14 countries and has played in the White House, the Apollo lunar spacecraft, and countless supermarkets, offices, and factories. This odd combination of criticism and widespread acceptance is not surprising, however, when one considers that Muzak is not created for the enjoyment of its listeners: rather, its purpose is to modify physiological and psychological aspects of an environment.
In the workplace, Muzak is credited with increasing both productivity and profitability. Research into the relationship between music and productivity can be traced to the earliest days of the Muzak Corporation. Developed by a military officer in 1922 as a way of transmitting music through electrical wires, Muzak blossomed in the 1930's following a study which reported that people work harder when they listen to certain kinds of music. Impressed by these findings, the BBC began to broadcast music in English munitions factories during World War II in an effort to combat fatigue. When workers assembling weapons increased their output by 6 percent, the U.S. War Production Board contracted the Muzak Corporation to provide uplifting music to American factories. Today, the corporation broadcasts its "Environmental Music" to countless businesses and institutions throughout the world. And while most people claim to dislike Muzak's discreet cadences, it seems to positively influence both productivity and job satisfaction.
Researchers speculate that listening to Muzak and other soft music improves morale and reduces stress by modifying our physiology. Physiological changes such as lowered heart rate and decreased blood pressure have been documented in hospital studies testing the effect of calming music on cardiac patients. In addition, certain kinds of music seem to effect one's sense of emotional, as well as physical, well being. It is just this sort of satisfaction which is thought to result in increased performance in the workplace. In a study of people performing repetitive clerical tasks, those who listened to music performed more accurately and quickly than those who worked in silence; those who listened to Muzak did better still. Moreover, while Muzak was conceived as a tool for productivity, it also seems to influence a business' profitability. In an experiment in which supermarket shoppers shopped to the mellow sounds of Muzak, sales were increased by as much as 12 percent.
What makes Muzak unique is a formula by which familiar tunes are modified and programmed. Careful instrumentation adds to an overall sound that is neither monotonous nor rousing. But it is the precisely timed programming that separates Muzak from other "easy listening" formats. At the core of the programming is the concept of the "Stimulus Progression". Muzak programs are divided into quarter-hour groupings of songs, and are specifically planned for the time of day at which they will be heard. Each composition is assigned a mood rating between 1 and 6 called a stimulus value; a song with a rating of 2, for example, is slower and less invigorating than one with a value of 5. Approximately six compositions with ascending stimulus values play during any given quarter hour; each 15-minute segment ends in silence. Each segment of a 24-hour program is carefully planned. Segments that are considered more stimulating air at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. (the times when workers typically tire), while more soothing segments play just after lunchtime and towards the end of the day, when workers are likely to be restless.
From the point of view of management, then, Muzak is a useful tool in the effort to maximize both productivity and profits. However, some people object to its presence, labeling it as a type of unregulated air pollution. Still others see it as an Orwellian nightmare, a manipulation of the subconscious. But Muzak's effectiveness seems to lie in the fact that most people never really listen to it. While it may be true that no one actually likes this carefully crafted aural atmosphere, many simply ignore it, allowing its forgettable sounds to soften the contours of the day.
It can be inferred from the statements in the passage that the author regards Muzak as:

  1. a paradoxical phenomenon.
  2. an unnecessary evil.
  3. a violation of privacy.
  4. a pleasurable diversion.

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

This is a question regarding the author's view of Muzak. In the first sentence of the passage the author writes that Muzak represents the "paradoxical success story of a product designed to be ignored". Later, in the last sentence of the passage, the author notes that although no one really seems to like Muzak, they do not seem to object to it either. Rather, people appear to ignore it and allow it to fade into the background of the day. From this, we can infer that the author finds Muzak to be a paradoxical phenomenon, choice (A). In the last paragraph, the author describes a few objections raised against Muzak. But these are the objections of other critics, not those of the author. The author's tone is not condemnatory enough to suggest she herself regards Muzak as an unnecessary evil, choice (B), or a violation of privacy, choice (C). Neither is the author's tone particularly laudatory, as choice (D), "a pleasurable diversion", would suggest. In fact, in the last sentence the author states that no one likes Muzak, and in no way suggests that anyone would regard it as a pleasurable diversion.



The Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia, is a small green insect discovered in southern Russia around the turn of the century. Agricultural researchers are not quite sure, but they believe the Russian aphid adapted itself to wheat about ten thousand years ago, when the crop was first domesticated by man. What is not in doubt is the insect's destructiveness. Spread by both wind and human transport, the Russian aphid has destroyed wheat fields throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Until a few years ago, the United States had been free of this pest. But in the spring of 1986, a swarm of Russian aphids crossed the Mexican border and settled a few hundred miles north, in central Texas. From there, it quickly spread to other Western states, destroying wheat fields all along its path. In fact, the level of destruction has been so great over the past five years that entomologists are calling the Russian aphid the greatest threat to American agriculture since the Hessian fly, Phytophaga destructor, was inadvertently brought to the colonies on ships by German mercenary troops during the Revolutionary War. A combination of several factors have made it particularly difficult to deal with the threat posed by this aphid. First, Russian aphids reproduce asexually at a phenomenal rate. This process, known as parthenogenesis, often results in as many as twenty generations of insects in a single year. Although most generations remain in a limited geographic area because they have no wings, a few generations are born with wings, allowing the insect to spread to new areas. Second, because wheat is a crop with a very low profit margin, most American farmers do not spray it with pesticides; it simply is not economical to do so. And since the Russian aphid has only recently entered the United States, it has no natural enemies among North American insects or animals. As a result, there have been no man-made or natural obstacles to the spread of the Russian aphid in the United States.
Agricultural researchers seeking to control the Russian aphid have looked to its place of origin for answers. In the Soviet Union, the Russian aphid has been kept in check by predators which have evolved alongside it over many thousands of years. One species of wasp seems to be particularly efficient at destroying the aphid. The pregnant females of the species search the Russian aphid's home, the interior of a wheat stalk, sting the aphid into paralysis, and then inject an egg into its body. When the egg hatches the wasp larva feeds off of the aphid, killing it in the process.
The introduction of predators like the wasp, coupled with the breeding of new strains of insect-resistant wheat, may substantially curb the destructiveness of the Russian aphid in the future. For the time being, however, American farmers are left to their own devices when it comes to protecting their wheat crops.
Which of the following statements would be most in agreement with the statements in the passage?

  1. It is no longer economical to grow crops with low profit margins.
  2. Humans are powerless against the forces of nature.
  3. Regional ecosystems are often severely damaged when new organisms are introduced.
  4. It is more difficult to stop the spread of an insect that reproduces asexually than one that reproduces sexually.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

This is an application question asking you to determine which of four general statements most closely reflects ideas contained in the passage.
One way to successfully approach this kind of question is to go through the options, considering the appropriateness of each and keeping an eye out for the one that really sounds consistent with the focus of the passage. Choice (A) indicates that it is no longer economical to grow crops with low profit margins. But the passage neither states nor suggests this. The only point in the passage regarding the economics of farming, made in the fifth sentence of the third paragraph, states that American farmers do not spray their wheat crops with pesticides because it is not economically logical to spray such low-profit mar- gin crops with expensive pesticides. In other words, it is not economical to spray these crops, but that doesn't mean it is not economical to grow them at all. Furthermore, this passage concerns just one type of crop ­ wheat crops. One cannot generalize this passage to make a statement regarding all low profit-margin crops, so there's no basis for supporting choice (A). The sentiment expressed in choice (B), that of human powerlessness in the face of nature, seems to be contradicted by the passage. The fourth and fifth paragraphs state that agricultural researchers are examining methods for controlling the Russian aphid in the United States, particularly by importing its natural enemies to the United States and breeding insect-resistant strains of wheat, and that these methods may curb the aphid's future destructiveness. In other words, the passage suggests that it probably is possible for humans to exercise some control over nature, so choice (B) is wrong. Choice (C) appears to accurately reflect one of the passage's principal ideas. The passage, particularly the first three paragraphs, strongly suggests that the Russian aphid has caused a great deal of destruction in areas outside of the Soviet Union because these areas had no natural defenses against this insect. Thus, a general statement to the effect that regional ecosystems are often severely damaged when new organisms are introduced into them, choice (C), accurately reflects a major idea conveyed in this passage and is the correct answer. Finally, the passage does indeed suggest, in the first two sentences of the third paragraph, that the aphid's rapid asexual reproduction is one reason for the difficulty in controlling this pest, but it would be wrong to read into this one detail of the passage that it is always more difficult to control asexual insects, so choice (D) is wrong. Notice that all of the incorrect choices in this question are strongly-worded generalizations ­ sweeping conclusions which go way beyond the scope of this passage. Only choice (C) is strongly supported by the passage and is correct.



The Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia, is a small green insect discovered in southern Russia around the turn of the century. Agricultural researchers are not quite sure, but they believe the Russian aphid adapted itself to wheat about ten thousand years ago, when the crop was first domesticated by man. What is not in doubt is the insect's destructiveness. Spread by both wind and human transport, the Russian aphid has destroyed wheat fields throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Until a few years ago, the United States had been free of this pest. But in the spring of 1986, a swarm of Russian aphids crossed the Mexican border and settled a few hundred miles north, in central Texas. From there, it quickly spread to other Western states, destroying wheat fields all along its path. In fact, the level of destruction has been so great over the past five years that entomologists are calling the Russian aphid the greatest threat to American agriculture since the Hessian fly, Phytophaga destructor, was inadvertently brought to the colonies on ships by German mercenary troops during the Revolutionary War. A combination of several factors has made it particularly difficult to deal with the threat posed by this aphid. First, Russian aphids reproduce asexually at a phenomenal rate. This process, known as parthenogenesis, often results in as many as twenty generations of insects in a single year. Although most generations remain in a limited geographic area because they have no wings, a few generations are born with wings, allowing the insect to spread to new areas. Second, because wheat is a crop with a very low profit margin, most American farmers do not spray it with pesticides; it simply is not economical to do so. And since the Russian aphid has only recently entered the United States, it has no natural enemies among North American insects or animals. As a result, there have been no man-made or natural obstacles to the spread of the Russian aphid in the United States.
Agricultural researchers seeking to control the Russian aphid have looked to its place of origin for answers. In

the Soviet Union, the Russian aphid has been kept in check by predators which have evolved alongside it over many thousands of years. One species of wasp seems to be particularly efficient at destroying the aphid. The pregnant females of the species search the Russian aphid's home, the interior of a wheat stalk, sting the aphid into paralysis, and then inject an egg into its body. When the egg hatches the wasp larva feeds off of the aphid, killing it in the process.
The introduction of predators like the wasp, coupled with the breeding of new strains of insect-resistant wheat, may substantially curb the destructiveness of the Russian aphid in the future. For the time being, however, American farmers are left to their own devices when it comes to protecting their wheat crops.
According to the passage, which of the following statements is/are true of Russian wheat aphids?
I). Most are capable of flight.
II). They are resistant to pesticides.
III). They are capable of spreading rapidly.

  1. II only
  2. III only
  3. I and II only
  4. II and III only

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

This is a scattered detail question in Roman numeral format. It's scattered in the sense that the reader must scan various parts of the passage in order to pinpoint the details the question requires. The fourth sentence of the third paragraph tells us that most Russian aphids are born without wings only a few generations have them), so most can't fly, making option I a false statement. Option II suggests that aphids are resistant to pesticides. We have no basis for concluding that this is true because the passage doesn't provide any information about whether or not Russian aphids are resistant to pesticides. In fact, the only piece of information the passage provides about pesticides is the fact, stated in the middle of the third paragraph, that American farmers haven't used pesticides against the Russian aphid for economic reasons. So far, then, neither options I nor II are true statements. The third sentence of the second paragraph asserts that once Russian aphids invaded the United States, they spread rapidly to different areas. Option III, therefore, is a true statement. They are capable of spreading rapidly.



The Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia, is a small green insect discovered in southern Russia around the turn of the century. Agricultural researchers are not quite sure, but they believe the Russian aphid adapted itself to wheat about ten thousand years ago, when the crop was first domesticated by man. What is not in doubt is the insect's destructiveness. Spread by both wind and human transport, the Russian aphid has destroyed wheat fields throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Until a few years ago, the United States had been free of this pest. But in the spring of 1986, a swarm of Russian aphids crossed the Mexican border and settled a few hundred miles north, in central Texas. From there, it quickly spread to other Western states, destroying wheat fields all along its path. In fact, the level of destruction has been so great over the past five years that entomologists are calling the Russian aphid the greatest threat to American agriculture since the Hessian fly, Phytophaga destructor, was inadvertently brought to the colonies on ships by German mercenary troops during the Revolutionary War. A combination of several factors has made it particularly difficult to deal with the threat posed by this aphid. First, Russian aphids reproduce asexually at a phenomenal rate. This process, known as parthenogenesis, often results in as many as twenty generations of insects in a single year. Although most generations remain in a limited geographic area because they have no wings, a few generations are born with wings, allowing the insect to spread to new areas. Second, because wheat is a crop with a very low profit margin, most American farmers do not spray it with pesticides; it simply is not economical to do so. And since the Russian aphid has only recently entered the United States, it has no natural enemies among North American insects or animals. As a result, there have been no man-made or natural obstacles to the spread of the Russian aphid in the United States.
Agricultural researchers seeking to control the Russian aphid have looked to its place of origin for answers. In the Soviet Union, the Russian aphid has been kept in check by predators which have evolved alongside it over many thousands of years. One species of wasp seems to be particularly efficient at destroying the aphid. The pregnant females of the species search the Russian aphid's home, the interior of a wheat stalk, sting the aphid into paralysis, and then inject an egg into its body. When the egg hatches the wasp larva feeds off of the aphid, killing it in the process.
The introduction of predators like the wasp, coupled with the breeding of new strains of insect-resistant wheat, may substantially curb the destructiveness of the Russian aphid in the future. For the time being, however, American farmers are left to their own devices when it comes to protecting their wheat crops.
It can reasonably be inferred that the author of the passage is:

  1. a botanist with an interest in wheat production.
  2. an agriculturist with an interest in pest control.
  3. a pest exterminator with an interest in agriculture.
  4. an entomologist with an interest in asexual reproduction.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

This is an application question about the passage's authorship. In order to answer a question about authorship, it is necessary to consider the passage as a whole, particularly its content and level of complexity. Two major themes are reflected in this passage: (1) Russian aphids have spread far and wide, causing serious damage to wheat fields in America and other countries and (2) methods for controlling the aphid's destructiveness are currently being investigated by agricultural researchers. Given that the focus is on an agricultural crop being plagued by a destructive pest, an agriculturist with an interest in pest control, choice (B), is most likely to have written this passage. A botanist with an interest in wheat production, choice (A), is not likely to have written this passage because, although the passage deals with wheat and briefly mentions the possibility of producing insect-resistant strains of wheat (in the last paragraph), the passage certainly doesn't focus on the botany of wheat production. As for choice (C), if a pest exterminator with an interest in agriculture had written this passage we would expect a much more technical and detailed discussion about the ridding of this pest and the use of pesticides (and perhaps other chemicals) as possible means of controlling the aphid. And, this passage is unlikely to have been written by an entomologist with an interest in asexual reproduction, choice (D).
Although an entomologist, or someone who studies insects, may be a likely author, the aphid's method of reproduction is a minor issue in this passage, confined to a couple of sentences in the first half of the third paragraph.



The Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia, is a small green insect discovered in southern Russia around the turn of the century. Agricultural researchers are not quite sure, but they believe the Russian aphid adapted itself to wheat about ten thousand years ago, when the crop was first domesticated by man. What is not in doubt is the insect's destructiveness. Spread by both wind and human transport, the Russian aphid has destroyed wheat fields throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Until a few years ago, the United States had been free of this pest. But in the spring of 1986, a swarm of Russian aphids crossed the Mexican border and settled a few hundred miles north, in central Texas. From there, it quickly spread to other Western states, destroying wheat fields all along its path. In fact, the level of destruction has been so great over the past five years that entomologists are calling the Russian aphid the greatest threat to American agriculture since the Hessian fly, Phytophaga destructor, was inadvertently brought to the colonies on ships by German mercenary troops during the Revolutionary War. A combination of several factors has made it particularly difficult to deal with the threat posed by this aphid. First, Russian aphids reproduce asexually at a phenomenal rate. This process, known as parthenogenesis, often results in as many as twenty generations of insects in a single year. Although most generations remain in a limited geographic area because they have no wings, a few generations are born with wings, allowing the insect to spread to new areas. Second, because wheat is a crop with a very low profit margin, most American farmers do not spray it with pesticides; it simply is not economical to do so. And since the Russian aphid has only recently entered the United States, it has no natural enemies among North American insects or animals. As a result, there have been no man-made or natural obstacles to the spread of the Russian aphid in the United States.
Agricultural researchers seeking to control the Russian aphid have looked to its place of origin for answers. In the Soviet Union, the Russian aphid has been kept in check by predators which have evolved alongside it over many thousands of years. One species of wasp seems to be particularly efficient at destroying the aphid. The pregnant females of the species search the Russian aphid's home, the interior of a wheat stalk, sting the aphid into paralysis, and then inject an egg into its body. When the egg hatches the wasp larva feeds off of the aphid, killing it in the process.
The introduction of predators like the wasp, coupled with the breeding of new strains of insect-resistant wheat, may substantially curb the destructiveness of the Russian aphid in the future. For the time being, however, American farmers are left to their own devices when it comes to protecting their wheat crops.
The passage supplies information for answering all of the following questions EXCEPT:

  1. What measures were taken to combat the Hessian fly during the 18th century?
  2. Why does the Russian wheat aphid cause less damage in the Soviet Union than in other countries?
  3. Is it logical for American farmers to use pesticides in order to attempt to protect their wheat crops from the Russian aphid?
  4. What sorts of solutions have agricultural researchers investigated in their efforts to curb the destructiveness of the Russian wheat aphid?

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

This is another scattered detail question that requires the reader to search throughout the passage to determine which answer choice is not covered. In the last sentence of the second paragraph, it is discussed that the Hessian fly was a major menace to American agriculture at the time of the Revolutionary War, but nowhere in the passage is it stated what, if anything, was done to combat this menace, so choice (A) is not answered in the passage and is the correct answer to this question. The second sentence of the fourth paragraph indicates that the Russian wheat aphid has done less damage in the Soviet Union than in other areas because natural predators which have evolved with it over the centuries have kept it in check, so choice (B) is addressed and is incorrect. In the fifth sentence of the third paragraph, we are told that it is not economical for American farmers to spray pesticides on their wheat in an attempt to protect their crops from the Russian aphid, so choice (C), too, is answered in the passage and is an incorrect choice. And, finally, the fourth and fifth paragraphs discuss possible means for controlling the aphid, particularly the introduction of the aphid's natural enemies, such as the female wasp, into new ecosystems and the breeding of insect-resistant strains of wheat, so choice (D), like (B) and (C), is answered and is wrong.



  PDF
Viewing page 7 of 164
Viewing questions 31 - 35 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!