NWT Apprenticeship Support Materials · 1 The competency based approach taken by this curriculum is different than the approach taken in a general course in pre-trades reading comprehension

NWT Apprenticeship Support Materials

Reading Comprehension * Comprehension Module

Math

Science

P A R T N E R S

Education, Culture and Employment

De Beers Canada Mining Inc. --- Snap Lake Diamond Project Government of the Northwest Territories --- Education, Culture and Employment Government of Canada --- Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Government of Canada --- Human Resources Development Canada Government of Canada --- Canadian Rural Partnership Aurora College Skills Canada NWT/NU The Genesis Group Ltd. Author

Thomas O'Connor M.A., Education Consultant with the Genesis Group Ltd., is the author of the NWT Apprenticeship Support Materials. The Partnership Steering Committee wishes to acknowledge his dedication to the goals of northern adult education. NWT Apprenticeship Support Materials Reading Comprehension Module 1 Reading Comprehension

ISBN : 0-7708-0123-4

Copyright

Copyright 2003 The Apprenticeship Support Materials Consortium. All rights reserved.

All partners listed below may copy the materials for distribution and use in the Northwest Territories only. Use of the material by any other organization or in any location other than the Northwest Territories requires the permission of The Apprenticeship Support Materials Consortium. Acknowledgements:

The following partner organizations have all contributed to the development of these materials:

First Printing: February 2003 Second Printing: March 2004

The Apprenticeship Support Materials Project has been a true partnership. The challenge has been to develop a set of study materials, which covers every competency in the "Entrance Level Competencies for Apprenticeship Programs" developed by Alberta Advanced Education, Apprenticeship and Industry Training. These study materials although written for Northerners using northern examples, issues and problems, are appropriate for any individual entering the trades. The goal is to equip Northerners for the Trades Entrance Exam as well as to support them through the apprenticeship process.

Reading Comprehension

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Reading Comprehension for Trades Entrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

How to Use this Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Develop a Study Plan that Works for You. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Part One: Five Areas of Reading Comprehension. . . . . . . . . . 15

Unit 1 – Literal Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Identify facts in a written passage.

Topic 1 – Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Topic 2 – Examples and Explanations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Topic 3 – Practice Exam Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Unit 2 – Comprehension of Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Identify the concepts in a written passage.




Unit 3 – Application of Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Apply the concepts in a written passage to practical situations.




Unit 4 – Analysis of Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Analyze the concepts contained in a written passage.




Table of Contents

3


Unit 5 – Making Judgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Make judgements based on information contained in a written passage.




Part Two - Sample Questions with Explanations . . . . . . . . . . 95

Practice Exam Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Table of Contents

4

This curriculum guide is intended tobuild the skills of individuals who arepursuing apprenticeship trades in theNorthwest Territories. It is alsodesigned to prepare people for theNorthwest Territories trades entranceexamination in readingcomprehension. This guide is not theanswer for everyone seeking to entera trade. For some people tradesentrance reading comprehensionrequires only a quick review of whatwas learned in school. For others,including those who had unsuccessfullearning experiences in school, thiscurriculum will provide an opportunityto learn reading competencies used intrades for the first time.

The reading selections have beenchosen to be “self-contained”,meaning that content area knowledgeis not expected. On the exam you will

answer questions that are based on

your ability to read, not on your

knowledge of a subject.

The selections contain everything thata careful reader needs in order toanswer the questions. The selectionsuse vocabulary and have a level ofdifficulty that you will find intextbooks used in apprenticeshipprograms. Many of the selections aretaken from practical trades relatedmaterials. This guide, as well as thecurriculum guides for math andscience, are based on the Alberta listof competencies for trades entrance.

Is Independent Study Right

for You?

Independent study, based on acurriculum guide, whether forreview or for first time learning-requires discipline, commitment,and motivation as well as goodliteracy skills. If you have needsthat cannot be met by thisresource, there are programs atAurora College, and textbookresources such as the GEDpreparation workbooks availableto help you. See your advisor,career counsellor, or educationalinstitution for assistance. Askthem to guide you to a resourcethat will help you.

You may decide that the best wayfor you to work on this curriculumis with a tutor or in a study group.Alternatively, you may decide thatyour best option is to enrol in acollege course in pre-tradesreading comprehension. Thisapproach is recommended if youneed detailed lessons withpractical examples that aresupported by learning aids andresources.

Introduction

5Reading Comprehension

Competency:An ability that can bedemonstrated.

Introduction

The Exam has five levels

There are five versions, or levels, forthe trades entrance exam. Eachversion is designed for a specificgroup of trades. Your choice of tradewill determine which version of theexam you should prepare for. Thisguide will also help you build skillsthat will be useful throughout your lifeas you pursue your apprenticeshipand/or work in your trade. However,the same reading comprehension

skills are required for all trades,

therefore this reading comprehensioncurriculum guide will meet the needsof all candidates preparing for a tradesentrance examination in theNorthwest Territories. Examcandidates will select specific scienceand math curriculum booklets for theexam level that is required for theirtrade, but all candidates will beresponsible for the same readingcomprehension topics.

The exam assesses specific

competencies

The trades entrance examination usesa competency based approach toassessment. This means that what youknow not how you learned it, will beassessed. It also means that only whatyou need to know for entrance into atrade will be assessed.1

This guide has selected problems andexamples that tend to the upper halfof difficulty likely to be encounteredon the exam, and that will be neededfor successful completion of anapprenticeship program. If you cancomplete the examples in this guideand apply the principles involved, youcan be confident as a reader goinginto an apprenticeship.

The exam tests what you know -not how you learned it.

Don’t Waste Time:

Only learn what you need toknow.

1 The competency based approach taken by this curriculum is different than the approach taken in ageneral course in pre-trades reading comprehension or in the larger subject of English. In a course,a wide range of communication skills for reading, writing, and speaking are covered. Thiscurriculum is not the equivalent of a pre-trades English course, nor of a K-12 education in readingcomprehension, it is designed specifically to review the comprehension competencies that arerequired for an apprenticeship program.6

Be Prepared

Reading comprehension is more thansimply being able to speak the wordsprinted on a page. Comprehension

means the ability to understand and

apply what you read.

Understanding is a broad term thatincludes the skills of identifying factsand concepts, comparing ideas,drawing conclusions, applyinginformation to problems, seeingimplications, forming judgments andinterpreting the writer’s purpose.

These skills are also known as critical

thinking skills.

What Does a Test of Reading

Comprehension Look Like ?

On the exam there will be multiplechoice answers that may all havesome validity based on a readingselection. The reading selections willvary in length and difficulty fromsingle paragraphs to longer pieceswith three or four paragraphs. Yourjob will be to read the selectioncarefully and pick the best answerfrom several that may be reasonable.Each choice may be partly right, butyour job will be to pick the best

answer from several that may make

some sense. To do this, you must notonly read the passage carefully- youmust also read the question carefully.Detailed explanations are given foranswers to examples in this guide toshow you how to succeed at this.


for Trades Entrance 2


2 Tables, graphs, diagrams, cartoons, and maps are not part of this curriculum. They can be studiedin the Math and Science pre-trades curriculum guides. In this curriculum, reading comprehensionfocuses on understanding text alone.

There are five major competencyareas in reading comprehension fortrades entrance that are presented inPart One of this guide:

Unit 1 – Literal Comprehension

Identify facts in a written passage.

Unit 2 – Comprehension

of Concepts

Identify the concepts in a writtenpassage.

Unit 3 – Application of

Concepts

Apply the concepts in a writtenpassage to practical situations.

Unit 4 – Analysis of Concepts

Analyze the concepts contained in awritten passage.

Unit 5 – Making Judgements

Make judgements based oninformation contained in a writtenpassage.

These units, overlap, and on theexamination more than one will betested by using the same readingselection. The first two, LiteralComprehension and Comprehensionof Concepts, are the “input” functionsof reading. Review them first3.Information and concepts must begathered before concepts can beapplied and analyzed in topics threeand four. Topics three and four are the“output” functions of reading.

Topic five, Making Judgements, putseverything together, and requiresmore interpretation by the reader.Making judgements based on readingrelies on mastering the competenciesthat are presented in the first fourtopics. Topic five has the mostchallenging questions in thecurriculum.

This curriculum is divided into twoparts.

Part One will focus, somewhatartificially, on each of these five topicsas though it could be studied inisolation from the others.

Part Two will combine all of thecompetencies presented in Part One insample exam questions with answersthat are explained. In practice, all fiveunits will be needed to comprehendthe reading selections given on theexam.

How to Use This Guide


3 See Application of Concepts - Background for a discussion on what a concept is. This curriculum isbuilt around an understanding of concepts and their use.


10

Assess Yourself

This guide is based on a self-directedapproach to testing yourself anddetermining what you need to study.The emphasis in trades is on usingwhat we read in practical situations.Each unit in Part One has threesections:

Background and Theory

Examples and Explanations

Practice Exam Questions with

Answers and Explanations

The background for each unit includesa brief overview of what you need toknow. Before any examples are given,the main ideas in each topic areexplained. You may want to skip thetheory and go right to the examples tosee how well you do. You can alwaysgo back to the theory if you find youneed it. When you read the theselections for an example, cover thetext below with the card provided withthis guide so that you don’t see theanswer and explanation prematurely.

Key concepts and guidelines forsuccess are placed in text boxes andput in bold type. This is “need toknow” information. Some text boxesinclude optional topics orsupplementary details. These provide“nice to know” information. They areindicated by borders to help you selectwhat you want to learn.

If you scan the explanations foranswers to questions in thisdocument, you will find bold typewhen a general strategy for gettingthe right answer is discussed. You canprepare for the exam by looking overthese highlights and studying theexplanations that reinforce what youneed to know for success.

Answers to sample questions areexplained to show what makes ananswer the best one. Key points inbold type can be reviewed beforetaking the exam. Some students willonly need to read the bold type andtext boxes to prepare for the exam.



11

Pre-Test Yourself

You can do the practice examquestions in Part Two or at the end ofeach of the five topics in Part One tosee how much work you need to do.The Practice Exam Questions are thesame kinds of questions that you willfind on your trades entrance exam.They are in multiple choice format. Ifyou have difficulty with any of thepractice exam questions, you shouldgo back and study the background andexamples given for the fivecompetency areas on Part One.


When you study an

example, the right approach

is to work slowly:

After giving your answer, thinkcarefully through eachexplanation. If you get this partright, you will be able to solve allof the problems in the practiceexam questions. If you only needthis curriculum for a quick review,you may want to read the textboxes, skip the longerexplanations, and do the practiceexam questions.

The explanations given for rightanswers are very thorough anddetailed in order to suggest howyou might talk to yourself as youthink through the questions. Evenwhen you don’t need anexplanation, check to see if itdescribes how you found the bestanswer. Cover the answers as youread. You will not have to flippages to find answers in thisguide because they are given withall of the examples in both PartOne and Part Two.

Use the card provided to cover theanswers and explanations that aregiven below each question as youwork on the examples in thisguide.

Adults have busy lives with manyresponsibilities. Finding study timewill be a challenge. Here are a fewsuggestions to guide you.

Study in Several Short Sessions

Rather Than in a Long Period

This will help you remember moreand learn faster. Make and use flashcards to test yourself at odd momentsduring the day. This is a good way tolearn formulas, definitions, and newvocabulary.

Use More Than One Channel and You

Will Learn More

Seeing, listening, writing, andspeaking are different channels thatcan help to reinforce what you need toknow for the exam. For example, tryreading out loud, speaking a term asyou write it down, sketching aproblem before you solve it. Alwayswrite down what you are learning bytaking notes, solving practiceexamples, and recording definitionsand formulas. Writing adds to the“channels” you are using when youlearn from reading.

Pick the Best Time of Day for Study

Many people find mornings are best,but you will know best what times arebest for yourself.

Find Quiet Times and Places That Are

Comfortable

Learning requires undivided andundisturbed time for concentration.

Read Constantly

The more you read the more youexpand your knowledge base. Usereading to find words that you canlook up in a dictionary. A dictionary isa powerful tool that you should use todevelop your reading skills.

Develop a Study Plan

That Works for You


Vocabulary is something that webuild over a lifetime. Vocabulary isa list of the words we understand.Most of us understand morewords than we use in our ownspeech or writing. We have apassive vocabulary that is largerthan our active vocabulary.Reading comprehension relies ona growing vocabulary, particularlyin the receptive or passive sense.


Develop a Study Plan That Works for You

14

Write down your questions

One of the most important things youcan do for yourself is identify whatyou need to know more about. Takeyour questions to someone who canhelp you learn how to answer them.

Work with a partner

Find someone to work with on thepractice questions. One person maybe able to explain something better, orboth partners may find they have thesame questions or don’t understandthe same thing. Having a partner canincrease motivation and lead toaccelerated learning. This will allowyou to approach a tutor or instructorfor joint help. In a classroom situation,an adult educator may decide to givea lesson on a topic that several peoplehave identified.

Use a dictionary and keep a

vocabulary notebook

When you read a word you don’tunderstand, write it down andlook it up. This will mean that youuse a dictionary or a computerprogram to find out what a wordmeans. Keep a personalvocabulary builder notebook toprepare for the trades exam.Identify whether the word is anoun, adjective, verb, or adverb.Use new words in sentences toreinforce the context in whichthey would be used.

Notebook examples:

Ungulate: (noun) hoofed animal

“The caribou is a northernungulate.”

Deliberate: (verb) consider, thinkabout, form judgments

“He deliberated for a longtime before deciding to takethe job at the mine.”

Irate: (adjective) angry, frustrated,resentful

“People noticed that hebecame irate whenever hedidn’t get his way at aproduction meeting.”

Torque: (noun) a twisting forcemeasured in foot pounds orNewton metres.

“Bolts on a head gasket aretightened to a specifictorque.”

Dictionaries can do a lot

1. The most common use of aword comes first.

2. Other uses are listed in orderof frequency.

3. Examples of the word in asentence are given to illustratethe meaning.

4. The roots of a word are oftengiven to show where it comesfrom and who its nearestrelatives are.

5. Technical dictionaries areavailable for electricians,plumbers, and other tradespeople.

6. Dictionaries can be foundonline by using an internetsearch engine.

If you are reading this curriculum, youare literate. The first step incomprehension is being able todecode the symbols on the page.Before we can evaluate what a readingselection means, what a writer istelling us, or what we can do with ourunderstanding, we must first get anaccurate understanding of whatindividual words mean. As you workthrough the sample passages in thiscurriculum, prepare for the questionsby first making sure that you know thedictionary definition of any unfamiliarwords. For example, there may be afew words in this paragraph that youneed to look up: “evaluate”,“symbol”, or “literate”.

Part One:

Five Areas of Reading Comprehension


Objective: Identify facts in a written passage.

We begin with a summary of what youneed to know followed by somepractice examples with explanations.This section concludes with somepractice exam questions with answersand explanations.

Guidelines for Successful

Literal Comprehension

Don’t make assumptions when youare asked to look for facts.

Find quotes that support your

claims about the facts given in apassage.

Always favor what you can know

for certain based on the reading

over what you know to be true orlikely to be true based on your ownexperience or what the passagesuggests but doesn’t state explicitly.

Don’t confuse identifying what isgiven as a fact with deciding if thefacts given are correct or not.

Read the question about a passageliterally and stay focused on exactly

what it asks for.

Pay close attention to the little

logical words: “all”, “some”, “any”,“every”, “none”, “or”, “and” and“not”. Notice that even oneexample allows the use of “some”,and even one exception preventsthe use of “all”, and “every.”

Read the entire selection –sometimes facts require us to makeconnections between different partsof the reading.

Unit 1

Literal Comprehension


Stick to the Facts

• Steel melts at a highertemperature than copper

• Residential wiring is done withparallel circuits

• Area is the product of lengthtimes width

• Northern game meat showsdangerous amounts ofmercury

We can identify these asstatements of fact in a readingselection because each one can betested to see if it is true. Somemay turn out to be false, but we

can understand what they mean

even without knowing if they are

true. We can also see that the

writer intends to present them as

facts.

Identifying a fact in a reading

passage doesn’t mean agreeing

with it

In order to comprehend literally,you must be able to identify whatan author claims is a fact- whetheror not you agree.

Unit 1 – Literal Comprehension UNIT 1Topic 1 – Background

18

Literal comprehension refers to whatis NOT controversial in a readingselection. Facts are claims, or truths,that can’t be argued with. A factualstatement is a statement that isbelieved to be true and that can betested to see if it is true. Facts describesomething that everyone should beable to verify. What makes somethingcount as a fact is the agreement orsupport that it receives from evidence.To sum up, “no evidence – no facts”.

The skills you will need

The exam will test your ability toliterally comprehend a passage. Theemphasis in literal comprehension ison the meaning of a passage – not onwhether you believe it, or on whetheryou can prove that it says things thatare true or not. Literal comprehensiongets the facts that are presented sothat we are free to investigate them,use them, or challenge them. On theexam, you will have to be careful andchoose the answers that are mostclosely supported by what ispresented as fact in the passage. Thepractice examples for this sectionhave been designed at the upper endof difficulty. If you can get the factsright from these selections, you can beconfident that you have mastered thecompetency.

Facts can be verified withevidence.




Important Guideline:

Strive to be 100% sure of what the

passage presents as fact

When reading for literalcomprehension, always choosewhat you can be 100% certain ofover what you can only say is 90%probably true. It’s better to be“safe than sorry”. Ask yourself:“What can I use to prove thatsomething is a fact given in areading selection?”

Literal Comprehension:

requires “seeking to understandbefore we seek to be understood”.

Identifying Meaning

Semantics:

Denotation and Connotation

Semantics is the study ofmeaning. The meaning of wordsgoes beyond literalcomprehension. Literalcomprehension relies first of allon what a word refers to most ofthe time. This is the denotation,

literal, or primary meaning, of theword. “blond” denotes a yellowrange of hair coloring, “stingy”denotes a reluctance to spendmoney. These are the most literalmeanings for these words.

Connotations add to the literalmeaning of words. Connotationsattach values and judgments thatinterpret what the word tells uswhen it is used as a label. Forexample, “blond” can connotedumb, or slow-witted, “stingy”can connote selfish, meanspirited, or unkind.

Connotations are secondary or

associated meanings that caninfluence how words are used.Some connotations become“slang” when they are only usedor accepted by a specific groupwithin a language community.Language changes: what is aconnotation at one time, canbecome a denotation at anothertime and vice versa.


20 Reading Comprehension

Metaphors, similes, and

“slang” are usually not

meant literally

Don’t take me literally when I say,

“It’s raining cats and dogs”means: “it’s a fact that its rainingvery hard”

“The early bird catches the worm”means: “It’s a fact that peoplewho start early have anadvantage”

“He has more money than he cancount” means “It’s a fact that hehas a great deal of money” (butnot literally so much that he can’tcount it)

Intended meanings are more

complicated than the literal

meaning of our words (and

writing)

“She runs like a deer”means: sheruns quickly and gracefully (notliterally the way a deer runs)

“He was giving me the gears”means “he was giving me a hardtime” (not literally grinding gears)

“The customer is always right”means “service to customers is ofthe greatest importance” (notliterally that customers nevermake mistakes)

Consider the Source

Be aware that incorrect

information can be presented as

though it is factual. This canhappen when someonemistakenly believes something tobe true, expresses themselvespoorly, or when someonedeliberately wants to misinformand mislead others.

For example, you could readsomewhere (in a newspaperperhaps) “According to the 2000census, population in Yellowknife,declined”. However, anindependent look at the censuswill show that the population ofYellowknife increased.

If you encountered this quote on atest of reading comprehension,you can see that the author,although wrong, expressespopulation decline in Yellowknife,as if it is a fact. On the exam youwould have to separate yourknowledge of the facts from whatthe author presents as a fact.

UNIT 1


Topic 2 – Examples and Explanations


An Example of Literal Comprehension:

“You can’t argue with the facts”

Facts are facts, whether or not we like them or agree with them. For example,think about what is claimed in this statement: “Some people can smokeheavily and live in good health until they are ninety years old”. This statementmakes a claim that could be true or that could be false – evidence to support itis needed before we can know.

Some readers will find this claim reassuring because they may be smokerswho believe that they fall into the category of people who can smoke withoutfear of harming their health. Others will find it misleading or offensive even ifit is true. This group may believe the statement interferes with an accurateassessment of the health risks posed by smoking for most people.

We can argue about the connections between smoking and health, butreaders on both sides of the issue will have to admit that this statement, takenliterally, is a matter of fact that can be proven true.

However, if “some” were changed to “many”, or “all” then the statementwould no longer state a fact. However, anyone would have to agree that somecases, i.e. at least one, can be found where someone smokes heavilythroughout a long and healthy lifetime. This much is literally true.

For literal comprehension, simply record the facts in a passage as they are

given. Think of literal comprehension as the work of recording informationthat is based on the simplest and most direct reading of what is before you. Afact leaves no room for interpretation or imagination.

Identifying facts in a readingselection really means identifyingwhat is presented as factual in theselection.

• Don’t take everything literallyunless it is meant that way.

• Rely on accepted usage andmeaning unless there is areason not to.

UNIT 1



Example A:

Rotational Work Schedules

Rotational work schedules are a fact oflife for mining employees, but somepeople in the communities of theNorthwest Territories need to bepersuaded that working on a rotatingschedule is a good idea.

Identifying the facts

If a question asked you for a list offacts given by this passage you couldproduce the following list proven bysupporting quotes:

a) Mining employees work onrotational schedules.

“Rotational work schedules are afact of life…”

b) Some people in communities donot think rotating schedules are agood idea.

c) Some people in communities dothink rotating schedules are agood idea.

d) The writer thinks that people incommunities need to bepersuaded that rotational work is agood idea.

Facts b, c and d are supported by

“…some people in the communities ofthe Northwest Territories need to bepersuaded…”

Discussion

Facts can be implied, or hidden, in

statements. This reading selectionimplies that some (but not all)northern people living in communitiesshould be persuaded or will bepersuaded (i.e. “…need to bepersuaded”) that rotational work is agood idea. Whether or not you agreewith this – a literal reading of the

statement supports these

implications as facts in the mind of

the writer. Notice that the word“some” is the key to extracting factsb, c and d. The next example will askyou to identify the facts that are givenin it.


UNIT 1




Example B:

Fall Comes Early in the North

A few warm days may linger towardthe end of August but there is a chillin the air at night. The skies are clearblue, frost-tipped leaves touch thetundra with scarlet and gold, andblueberries and red cranberries coverthe bushes. The clouds of bitinginsects are gone, the birds havefinished their frenzy of raisingfamilies, and for a short time theNorth seems to rest.

Question B-1:

Which of the following statements isNOT a fact given in this passage?

a) Biting insects leave when fallbegins in the North.

b) Birds are finished raising familieswhen fall comes to the North.

c) Skies are clear blue in late Augustin the North.

d) Blueberries and red cranberriesare found in the fall in the North.

Answer: a

Explanation

This question asks you to decide whatis most certainly presented as a fact,then you can identify the choice thathas the least support in the passage.All four choices are possible becausethey are either stated or implied bythe passage. In order to answer this

question, you have to pick the choice

that is given the least direct support

as a fact.

Choice a) makes an assumption thatthe absence of biting insects in lateAugust means that they leave whenfall starts, “The clouds of bitinginsects are gone”. However, theabsence of these insects in late Augustdoes not necessarily mean that theyleft at the end of August. From thispassage we know for a fact that theyare gone, but we don’t know for a factwhen they left. They could have left inearly August. Knowing the fact thatthey are gone doesn’t tell us clearlyabout when they left – although it isnatural to assume (and likely true) thatbiting insects depart when the colderweather of autumn begins.

The other choices are facts that are

given explicitly by the passage. Forchoice b) we have, “the birds havefinished their frenzy of raisingfamilies”, for choice c) we have,“toward the end of August …The skiesare clear blue”, and for choice d wehave, “Fall comes early in theNorth…toward the end of August…and blueberries and red cranberriescover the bushes.” Look for quotes to

support your claims about facts given

in a passage.

Literal comprehension is all aboutlooking for guaranteed facts infavor of assumptions, no matterhow much your own knowledgeapart from the reading mightsupport an assumption as a trueone.

UNIT 1




Question B-2:

Which statement best describes whatthis passage tells us about the onsetof fall in the north?

a) Fall comes early, it is chilly atnight, and insects are no longer aproblem.

b) Fall comes in late August, thereare no more warm days, andinsects leave the area.

c) Fall comes early, the skies areclear blue, and the birds havefinished raising their families.

d) Fall comes early and frost-tippedleaves are on the blueberry andred cranberry bushes.

Answer: c

Explanation

A process of elimination will work

here. We need to verify each fact thatis claimed in each choice. Choice a)fails because the passage does not tellus that insects are no longer aproblem, only that clouds of them aregone. Choice b) fails because we aretold that, “A few warm days maylinger toward the end of August”, andthis fact makes b) false.

Choice d fails because we are onlygiven the fact that, “frost-tippedleaves touch the tundra with scarletand gold, and blueberries and redcranberries cover the bushes.” Wemight assume that the leaves on thesebushes are frost covered, and wemight be right- but a literal reading

does not support this conclusion as

100% certain. Choice c) is 100% certainbecause we can verify each of thethree facts in choice c) explicitly in thepassage, “Fall comes early in theNorth…, “, and, “The skies are clearblue…”, and, “the birds have finishedtheir frenzy of raising families”.

Read as though you are

listening

Gathering facts from a readingselection is similar to listeningcarefully to another person. Whenwe listen we also try to pick upintended meanings. We listen tohow a word is being used inaddition to what it literally means.“Listen, don’t react, record, don’tjudge” is the main idea behindliteral comprehension.

In practice, identifying facts fromreading may not be simple andstraightforward. Facts are notalways black and whiteannouncements that advertisethemselves. Listening skills can becompared to reading skills, butwithout the advantage of being ableto ask questions about intendedmeaning.

UNIT 1



Topic 3 – Practice Exam Questions

Objective: Identify facts in a

written passage

Reading A: Growth Rings

Tree growth- the result of reproductiveactivity in the cambium just under thebark- continues as long as the tree isalive to the extent that environmentalconditions and tree vigor permit. Inthe forests of the Deh Cho, forexample, we can find evidence of anannual growth cycle that has twoparts: a growth season and a dormantseason.

When a tree grows it produces visiblegrowth layers, or growth rings. Theseincrements are called annual ringswhen they form as a result of annualgrowth. The size of the rings will notonly vary with the species, but alsoaccording to the favorable orunfavorable conditions during thegrowing season. Some growth ringsare very obvious, while others arealmost invisible. Variations in thegrowing environment of a particularspecies can have a pronounced effectupon the appearance of growth rings.ii

Vocabulary

Cambium: layer of cellsunderneath the bark of a tree.These cells reproduce and makethe tree grow.

Dormant: sleeping, inactive, quiet

Increments: small increases

Pronounced: marked, significant,important, noticeable

UNIT 1




Question A-1

According to this passage, what has asignificant effect on the visibility of agrowth ring?

a) The species of the tree.

b) The geography of the forest thetree is growing in.

c) The favorable or unfavorableconditions of the growingenvironment.

d) Tree vigor.

Answer: c

Explanation

The question focuses on the visibilityof growth rings. We are being asked touse the passage to find the facts aboutthe ability to see growth rings. Thevisibility of a growth ring is also itsappearance. You have to be able tosee the ring for it to be visible. Thequestion also uses the word“significant” to focus on what willhave a major or important effect ongrowth ring visibility. Our choice of c)is supported by, “Variations in thegrowing environment of a particularspecies can have a pronounced effectupon the appearance of growthrings.” Appearance and visibility havesimilar meanings, and this allows usto use this quote to provide the factthat answers the question. The otherchoices, although connected to growthring size in the passage, do not focusprecisely on the visibility (i.e.appearance) of growth rings.

Question A-2

What fact is given about trees growingin the Deh Cho in this passage?

a) They are vigorous.

b) They have visible growth rings.

c) They display reproductive activityin their cambium layer.

d) They complete an annual growthcycle.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choice b) is the only one we can ruleout right away because, “Somegrowth rings are very obvious, whileothers are almost invisible.” From thefact that some growth rings can bealmost invisible, we can’t be certainthat Deh Cho trees have visible rings,and this rules b) out.

Choices a), c), and d) record facts thatare given in the passage about alltrees, and therefore also apply to treesin the Deh Cho. This situation istypical for exam questions that lookfor facts. Our task is not only to

separate true from false, but also to

select the best choice for the

question.

The question focuses on trees in theDeh Cho forests, and we read, “In theforests of the Deh Cho, for example,we can find evidence of an annualgrowth cycle that has two parts: agrowth season and a dormantseason.” This quote supports choiced) as the best choice because it is100% certain that this fact was singledout and applied to the Deh Cho treesreferred to in the question.

Choices a) and c) may also be true,but they are not linked specifically tothe Deh Cho trees in the passage theway that choice d) is and this is whatmakes d the best choice.

UNIT 1




Reading B:

Northern Estimates Cost More

In the Northwest Territories everythingcosts more to import, transport, andstore than in the southern provinces.Furthermore, the weather limits theconstruction season, and labour costsinclude significant overhead related toaccommodation, food, and travel.

Northern construction companies relyon accurate estimates of costs forplanning and profit. Every job willhave its own requirements formaterials, equipment, and labour.

Accurate material estimation will allowa company to order what is needed tocomplete a job on time and withinbudget. One approach to estimatingthe cost of materials needed forconstruction in the NT is to add 30%to the cost that would apply to thesame materials if they were purchasedin Alberta. This rule of thumbapproach can save a lot ofunnecessary time spent in figuring outthe cost details for constructionmaterials used in the NorthwestTerritories.

Question B-1

According to this passage, what is thebest way to estimate the cost ofmaterials needed for construction inthe NT?

a) Add a Northern surcharge fortransportation and labour.

b) Know the requirements for the job.

c) A rule of thumb approach basedon 130% of costs in Alberta.

d) Estimate the cost of requiredmaterials accurately.

Answer: c

Explanation

The facts given in this passage maynot agree with the reality of theconstruction industry in the NorthwestTerritories, or with the reader’sexperience. However, the writingrecommends a rule of thumbapproach based on a surcharge of30% over the Alberta cost forestimated materials. This is equivalentto 130% of the Alberta cost. The other

choices, even though true or

reasonable, do not answer the

question.

UNIT 1




Question B-2

From this selection we know that:

a) northern weather limits theconstruction season.

b) profits depend mainly on accurateestimates.

c) Alberta costs are fair.

d) a rule of thumb approach willalways work best.

Answer: a

Explanation

We read that “The weather limitsconstruction season…” This is astatement of a fact according to thewriter. The other choices all involve

assumptions that are not given as

facts. Choice b) goes beyond the factsthat are given by adding “mainly” tointerpret the statement “…rely onaccurate estimations for planning andprofit”. While we have the fact thataccurate estimations are critical, wedo not know from a literal reading ofthis passage that they are the only, ormost important, factor determiningprofits. Other factors, for example newtechnology, could be equallyimportant.

Choice c) is easiest to eliminate,because the selection says nothingabout the fairness of costs in Alberta.Finally, choice d also goes beyond theselection by assuming that a rule ofthumb approach to estimation willalways be best. The selection onlygives us the fact that the authorrecommends this approach- based ona 30% markup over Alberta costs. We

cannot conclude (from a literal

reading of the selection) that a rule of

thumb approach to estimation will

always be best.

Question B-3

Which of the following is NOT a factgiven in the passage?

a) Northern construction costs arehigher than in the southernprovinces.

b) The construction season in theNorthwest Territories is limited byweather.

c) Overhead costs for labour includeaccommodation, transportation,and food.

d) Accurate Northern constructionestimates are difficult to make.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choices a), b), and c) can be verifiedexplicitly by quotes in the first fewlines of the passage, but choice d is, atmost, only implied by the passage.

With respect to choice d), the passageonly says, “This rule of thumbapproach can save a lot ofunnecessary time spent in figuring outthe cost details for constructionmaterials used in the NorthwestTerritories.” We cannot tell from thisstatement that construction estimatesare difficult, only that they will be timeconsuming unless a rule of thumbapproach is used. It may be natural toequate “time consuming” with“difficult”- but this requires more ofan assumption on our part than theother three choices do. Therefore

choice d) has the least explicit

support from the passage and is the

best answer to this question.

UNIT 1




Reading C:

Northern Pipelines Need

Protection

In the oil and gas industry, it is wellknown that care is being taken toprotect the environment of the NTalong present and proposed pipelineroutes. Less well known, is the carebeing taken to protect the metal out ofwhich the pipeline itself is made.Corrosion occurs in nature andinvolves the oxidation of metal atoms.Corrosion weakens the binding energybetween the molecules in a metal. Acorroded pipeline can fail, leak, andcause environmental damage.

Metal corrosion is really an electriccircuit. In metal pipeline corrosionthere is a flow of current betweennegatively charged and positivelycharged sites on the metal. Thepositively charged areas are calledanodes (they donate electrons) andthe negatively charged sites are calledcathodes (they receive electrons). Partof the corrosion circuit is the pipeitself; the rest of the circuit existsbetween the pipe and the externalmaterial that it contacts and that canconduct electricity. Moist soil canconduct electricity. A solution thatconducts electricity is called anelectrolyte. The electrolyte must be incontact with the metal for corrosion tooccur.

For example, rain on metal providesthe electrolyte that increases the flowof electrons from one place to another.In the case of acid rain, sulphuric acidis dissolved in the rainwater making ita better electrolyte. This makes acidrain more corrosive than pure water.Engineers have designed solutions forthe protection of pipelines that arebased on our understanding of theelectro-chemical principles ofcorrosion.

UNIT 1

30



Question C-1

Which statement is NOT supported bythe facts given in this passage?

a) Pipeline corrosion is anenvironmental problem thatrequires protection.

b) Electrolytes are responsible for theability of anodes and cathodes tocorrode metal.

c) Engineers have designed solutionsfor the problems of corrosion onpipelines.

d) Metal corrosion is really anelectrical circuit between differentsites on the metal and the materialit is in contact with.

Answer: b

Explanation

We need the choice with the leastfactual support. Begin by eliminatingthe choices for which there is literalsupport in the passage. Choice a is afact stated by, “A corroded pipelinecan fail, leak, and cause environmentaldamage.” Choice c is given as a factin, “Engineers have designed severalsolutions for the protection ofpipelines that are based on ourunderstanding of the electro-chemicalprinciples of corrosion.”

Choice d) connects two facts given atdifferent places in paragraph two. Thefirst part of choice d), “metal corrosionis really an electrical circuit betweendifferent sites on the metal…” is givenby, “Metal corrosion is really anelectric circuit. In metal pipelinecorrosion there is a flow of currentbetween negatively charged andpositively charged sites on the metal”.The second part of choice d), “…andthe material it is in contact with”, isgiven as a fact by “…the rest of thecircuit exists between the pipe and theexternal material that it contacts andthat can conduct electricity.”

This analysis of choice d) supports ourselection of choice b) as the bestanswer. Choice b) only tells half of thestory about corrosion circuits,“electrolytes are responsible for theability of anodes and cathodes tocorrode metal”. The passage,however, tells us that electrolytescontribute to the flow of electrons, buteven in the absence of a surroundingelectrolyte, there is a corrosive circuitin the metal of the pipeline itself.

The complete fact is given inparagraph two by, “Part of thecorrosion circuit is the pipe itself; therest of the circuit exists between thepipe and the external material that itcontacts and that can conductelectricity.” Choice b) is not a fact

given in the passage, because it gives

an incomplete picture of the two ways

corrosive circuits can work as

described in the passage. This is what

makes b the best answer for the

question. Notice that you don’t need

to understand what an electron is, or

what the molecular theory of matter

involves in order to answer this

question correctly.

Analysis:Taking something apart in order tounderstand it better.


UNIT 1




Question C-2

A solution that conducts

electricity is:

a) An anode.

b) A cathode.

c) An electrolyte.

d) An oxidizing agent.

Answer: c

Explanation

This question asks the reader to checkfor the definition of an electrolyte inthe passage. The answer is found inparagraph two,”A solution thatconducts electricity is called anelectrolyte.” Literal comprehension

includes finding the definition of

terms in a reading selection.

Question C-3

What is corrosion?

a) Corrosion is really an electricalcircuit in the metal of a pipeline.

b) Corrosion weakens the bindingenergy between the molecules in ametal.

c) A corroded pipeline can fail, leak,and cause environmental damage.

d) Pipeline corrosion is anenvironmental threat.

Answer: a

Explanation

Choice a)is the best answer because itis the most literal and completedefinition given in paragraph two ofthe passage. Choice b), while true,doesn’t tell us what corrosion is.Choice b) describes how corrosionworks by describing its effects. Choicec), while true, doesn’t tell us whatcorrosion is- only what it can cause tohappen in a pipeline. Finally, choice d),while true, doesn’t tell what corrosionis- it tells us about the significance ofpipeline corrosion on theenvironment. Stay focused on the

question in order to get the right

answer. The best answer has to do

more than simply be true.

UNIT 1




Question C-4

Which of the following best

describes how pipeline

corrosion works?

a) Acid rain causes a corrosive circuitthat weakens the metal.

b) Oxidation causes the metal to fail.

c) The electrolytes in the groundmake the metal corrode.

d) A combination of two corrosivecircuits, one between sites on themetal, and one between the metaland the material it touches,weakens the binding energybetween the molecules in a metal.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choices a), b), and c) are each partly

correct given the facts in the passage

but they are not as complete as

choice d). Choice d) can be verified inevery detail from the reading, and d)answers the question by giving thebest explanation because it is themost complete.

Question C-5

What can be said about pure

water based on this passage?

a) Pure water is highly corrosivewhen it contacts a metal pipe.

b) Pure water is more corrosive whenit becomes an electrolyte.

c) Pure water is less corrosive thanacid rainwater.

d) Pure water will be unable toconduct electricity when it forms acorrosive circuit.

Answer: c

Explanation

Here you are asked to draw a

conclusion based on facts given in the

selection. Choice c) is supported by,“In the case of acid rain, sulphuricacid is dissolved in the rainwatermaking it a better electrolyte. Thismakes acid rain more corrosive thanpure water.” Although pure water isnot explicitly referred to in thepassage, rainwater is described aswater that can have acid dissolved init. This implies that rainwater is lesspure after something is dissolved in it.Choice a fails because the term“highly corrosive” doesn’t apply topure water, only to acid water.

Choice b) receives weak support fromthe facts given, in that water canconduct electricity and become anelectrolyte- but we are also told thatacidified water is a better electrolyte.Pure water has the same potential toconduct electricity whether or not itcontacts a metal pipe. Choice d) drawsa conclusion that contradicts this fact,“…rain on metal provides theelectrolyte that increases the flow ofelectrons from one place to another.”

33

Objective: Identify the Concepts in a Written

Passage

Guidelines for successful

Comprehension of Concepts

Stay focused on the question. Thebest choice will answer thequestion better than thealternatives.

List any words in the passage

that name a concept that is beingexplained or applied to asituation.

Identify the writer’s perspective:

What is being said about aconcept? How is a concept beingexplained or being used to explainsomething?

Look for signals that an

explanation is being given ornamed in the passage: xhappened because of y, x explains

how y works, x is the reason y

happened, etc.

Unit 2

Comprehension of Concepts


UNIT 2


Unit 2 – Reading Comprehension

Topic 1 – Background

A concept is an idea that helps usunderstand something better. Apowerful concept is one that helps ussolve problems and do work moreeasily. The concept of volume, forexample, helps us understand howmuch fuel can be contained in a threedimensional object like a gasoline tank.The concept of buoyancy helps uspredict whether an object will float ornot float in water, oil or other liquids.4

Concepts are tools for thinking andacting. For example, the concept offriction helps us understand why weneed lubrication in machinery.

Concepts are ideas that help usunderstand cause and effect and manyother relationships. For example, thelegal concepts of guilt and innocencecan help us understand how a verdictwas reached in a trial. Concepts areman-made ideas that we use tounderstand the world and solveproblems.

In a reading passage, concepts (just aswe saw with facts) do not alwaysannounce themselves. On the exam

you must read carefully for clues that

an explanatory idea is being

presented. A description of an ideathat helps to explain something willalso describe a concept.

Concepts are ideas that

explain something …and

they are used everyday

The concept of culture

The concept of energy

The concept of weight

The concept of time

The concept of money

The concept of efficiency

The concept of action and reaction

The concept of______

Where are the concepts?

In order to identify a concept in awritten passage look for signals

that are closely associated with

explanatory ideas. When a name

is given to an idea that explains

what is happening, why it is

happening, what something

means, or how something came

to be – we can expect that a

concept is involved. The broadidea of a concept is that it explainssomething. Related terms thatinclude concepts are theories,explanations, ideals, models, andprinciples.

4 The concept of buoyancy is reviewed in the trades entrance science curriculum guide, and theconcept of volume is reviewed in the trades entrance Mathematics curriculum.

Concepts don’t grow on trees,people create them.

UNIT 2




Example A:

The Price of Eggs

When a lot of people want somethingthat is scarce, for example eggs inDawson City, Yukon, during the goldrush- the price of eggs will go up.Even though it didn’t happen, we canimagine that too many eggs beingavailable to the people of that timeand place would make the price ofeggs go down. This is explained bythe law of supply and demand ineconomics.

Question A-1:

What concept is used to explain theprice of eggs in this passage?

a) Economics.

b) Demand.

c) The gold rush.

d) The relationship between supplyand demand.

Answer: d

Explanation

The law of supply and demand isgiven in the passage as a name for therelationship between the number ofeggs (supply) and the price people arewilling to pay for them (demand). Theother choices do have a bearing onthe price of eggs, but they do not give

us a general explanatory idea, i.e. they

do not present a concept.

UNIT 2




Example B:

Drainage Fieldsiii

To determine the condition of your soilyou can perform a “percolation” test.Dig about six small holes to the depthof the proposed drainage trenches,over the area where the drain lineswill be placed. Then fill the holes withwater. After about 24 hours, add orremove water from the holes so youhave about a 6 inch depth. At thispoint you must determine how long ittakes the water level to drop 1 inch.Based on this percolation test, you canconsult charts in local codes todetermine the number of square feetof absorption area that a buildingrequires.

Question B-1:

What concept is explained in thispassage?

a) Absorption area.

b) Soil condition.

c) Percolation.

d) Local codes.

Answer: c

Explanation

The explanatory idea in this passage ispercolation. A test of percolation isused to discover how quickly waterdisperses through pre-soaked soil. Theother choices identify relatedconcepts, but these are not explainedas thoroughly as percolation is.Absorption area is referred to but isnot explained. Soil condition is linkedto percolation when the passageindicates that percolation will tell usabout soil condition. In this selection,soil condition is a “downstreamconcept” in that it depends on firstunderstanding percolation, “Todetermine the condition of your soilyou can perform a “percolation” test.”Local codes are referred to but notexplained. The percolation test isexplained step by step as well as thereasons for performing it. By staying

focused on the question you can see

that the concept with the greatest

amount of explanation in the passage

will be the best choice.

UNIT 2




Objective: Identify the Concepts

in a Written Passage

The questions following these readingselections will ask you to identifyconcepts in the passage.

Reading A:

Interdependence: Good or Bad?

Technology has connected Northernpeople to the rest of the worldthrough communications, commerceand travel. As the world becomesmore interconnected, questions arebeing asked in new ways about therisks and benefits of increasing globalinterdependence for Northern society.More connection through technologymeans more forms of exchange, andthis means more opportunities forgroups to depend on each other forspecific goods and services.

Today, in the North we have growingevidence that we can be bothnegatively and positively affected bywhat happens far away. Airbornepollution has been found in Northernlands that comes from othercontinents, satellite television hasbrought the world’s media into remotesettlements, and air travel has openedup new economies and opportunitiesfor cultural exchange. The jury is stillout as to whether the benefits ofinterdependence outweigh the risksfor Northern communities.

UNIT 2




Questions A-1:

According to this passage, how caninterdependence be judged?

a) By looking at technology.

b) By becoming more interconnected.

c) By weighing risks and benefits.

d) By looking for spiritualconnections.

Answer: c

Explanation

In this passage, interdependence is aconcept that is used to describe themixed effects of increased connectionsto other parts of the world. Someeffects are good and some are bad.The passage tells us thatinterdependence is not all bad and notall good. “The jury is still out as towhether the benefits ofinterdependence outweigh the risks. “

The opening sentence, “As the worldbecomes more interconnected,questions are being asked in newways about the risks and benefits ofinterdependence,” also supportschoice c).

Choice c) is the best answer, but theother answers also have some validity.However, the other choices do not tellhow interdependence can be judged.Choices a),b) and d), tell us aboutrelated ideas that shape the writer’sperspective towards interdependence.These choices do not tell us how to

evaluate interdependence, which is

what the question asks.

Question A-2:

Based on this passage, which of thefollowing gives the best example ofthe concept of interdependence?

a) Traditional communities.

b) Technology that connects people.

c) Satellite television.

d) Opportunities to rely on others forgoods and services.

Answer: d

Explanation

Each choice can be used to illustrateinterdependence, however, thepassage does not mention traditionalcommunities (choice a), and satellitetelevision (choice c) is only one ofseveral technologies that connectpeople (choice b) without necessarilymaking anyone more interdependent.Notice that interdependence is not

the same concept as interconnection.

Interdependence is a consequence ofinterconnection according to thispassage: “More connection throughtechnology means more forms ofexchange, and this means moreopportunities for groups to depend oneach other for specific goods andservices.” Choice d) is the best choicebecause it illustrates the concept ofinterdependence as a form ofexchange leading to dependence byone group on another.

UNIT 2




Question A-3:

Based on this passage, which of thefollowing is most unlike the concept ofinterdependence?

a) Conservation.

b) Supply and demand.

c) Independence.

d) Cooperation.

Answer: c

Explanation

The idea of interdependence explainedin the passage emphasizes thedependence that can occur whenpeople have more connections to eachother around the world. Independenceincludes the idea of taking care ofoneself, of being independently ableto meet all of one’s own needs. Thisidea is the one most opposed tointerdependence.

The other choices are not inconsistentwith, or opposed to interdependence,in fact they share features withinterdependence. For example, bothconservation and interdependence cansupport protecting a sharedenvironment. Supply and demanddescribe the basis for exchange whenpeople are connected, andcooperation is part of what makesinterdependence possible.

UNIT 2




Reading B:

The Events of 1921

In 1921 oil was discovered by ImperialOil at Norman Wells. A stampedeensued as prospectors came up theMackenzie River to make their fortune.Scenes reminiscent of the Yukon goldrush days were common as every boatin the river was pressed into service.

This was the first oil discovery inwestern Canada and Arcticsovereignty took on a newsignificance. Canada had not signed atreaty with Indian people north ofGreat Slave Lake. If commercialactivity was close at hand it wasnecessary to come to an agreementwith the Aboriginal people; it was alsonecessary to reinforce the rule ofCanadian law. This had been done inearlier days in the Klondike so that,unlike the California gold rush,developments would be orderly andpeaceful.iv

Question B-1:

According to this passage, what wasthe purpose of coming to anagreement with the Aboriginal peoplenorth of Great Slave Lake?

a) To avoid the problems of theYukon gold rush.

b) To prevent a stampede byprospectors.

c) To develop oil fields near Tulita.

d) To make developments orderlyand peaceful.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choice a) can be rejected because noproblems are reported about theYukon, only that all boats werepressed into service during the goldrush there. Furthermore, at theconclusion of the passage theKlondike gold rush is referred to as anexample of orderly and peacefuldevelopment. Choice b) can berejected because the stampede hadalready occurred before an agreementwas reached, “A stampede ensued asprospectors came up the MackenzieRiver to make their fortune.”

Choice c) can be rejected becauseTulita (Fort Norman) is not mentionedspecifically, although Northern readerswill know that this community wasaffected. Choice d) is the best answer

because it explains why an agreementwith Natives was desired. The conceptof orderly development can beidentified in the conclusion of thepassage:

“This (i.e. to come to an agreementwith the Aboriginal people) had beendone in earlier days in the Klondike sothat, unlike the California gold rush,developments would be orderly andpeaceful.”

Vocabulary

Reminiscent of: calling to mind,reminding of, similar to.

Ensued: following on, comingafter, resulting from.

Sovereignty: royal power togovern, sole or ultimate source ofpolitical authority claimed by anation or state.

Pressed into service: required orcompelled to be used for aproject.

UNIT 2




Question B-2:

Which statement best describes theconcept of sovereignty that is given inthis passage?

a) Sovereignty is based on treaties.

b) Commercial activity requiresCanadian law.

c) Sovereignty becomes moresignificant when economicdevelopment is close at hand.

d) Sovereignty explains howgovernment works in Canada.

Answer: c

Explanation

Choice c) is supported by, “This wasthe first oil discovery in westernCanada and Arctic sovereignty took ona new significance… If commercialactivity was close at hand it wasnecessary to come to an agreementwith the Natives; it was also necessaryto reinforce the rule of Canadian law.”The other choices are only partlyrelated to the question. Choice a)makes a generalization aboutsovereignty that goes beyond what isgiven in the passage. Choice b) is ageneralization about commercialactivity that is not supported by thepassage, and choice d) doesn’tdescribe the concept of sovereignty,but uses the idea of sovereignty toexplain government in Canada.

Question B-3:

What concept is used in this passageto explain why prospectors stampededto Norman Wells in 1921?

a) The discovery of oil.

b) The desire to make one’s fortune.

c) The need for a treaty.

d) The number of boats available onthe river.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choices a) and d) state facts- andneither fact explains why prospectorscame in great numbers. Choice c),while it explains why the governmentof Canada acted, does not explain thestampede. Choice b) is the best choice

because it provides an explanation, i.e.

a motive, for the prospectors’ actions.

UNIT 2




Reading C:

The Value of Money

Was there money before people? Theobvious answer is no, and this leadsus to ask how money was invented.Money is understood today as a usefultool for economic exchange. Intraditional times, Northern trappersand hunters would exchange goodswith each other. Trading came beforemoney, and trappers and huntersdidn’t need money even though theywere businessmen.

The magic of money comes from anagreement between people to allowsomething to stand in place of realgoods. Without an agreement,“money isn’t worth the paper it’sprinted on”. Whether it is paper,beaver hides, metal stamped intocoins, beads, tobacco, or some otherportable commodity- trading came toinclude these substitutes for the realgoods that people need for life. Theadvantages of money are obvious- butthe disadvantages are less so. Thedisadvantages can include inflation,deflation, and other changes to thevalue that money represents.

Question C-1:

According to this passage, howimportant was money to Northernbusinessmen in traditional times?

a) Very important.

b) Not important.

c) Depended on how much tradingthey did.

d) Important because it was lighter tocarry than trade goods.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choice b) is supported by thesesentences, “In traditional times,Northern trappers and hunters wouldexchange goods with each other.Trading came before money, andtrappers and hunters didn’t needmoney even though they werebusinessmen.” However, from thepassage it is unclear what period ismeant by “traditional times”, and so itis possible that choices a), b) and d)could have some validity.

The passage deals with the concept ofmoney, and gives an account of theidea of money as a means ofexchange that developed after tradingpractices were already in place.Northern businessmen in traditionaltimes are described as traders whodidn’t rely on money for exchange.

UNIT 2




Question C-2:

Which idea best explains why moneyworks?

a) Money is easier to carry than tradegoods.

b) People agree on what money canbe exchanged for.

c) Money can be stored indefinitely.

d) Money makes business easier.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choice a) is a true statement, but itdoesn’t answer the question. Beinglighter is one advantage of moneyover trade goods, but more is neededto explain how it can be used betweenpeople as a means for exchange.Choice b gives the best explanationand is supported by, “The magic ofmoney comes from an agreementbetween people to allow something tostand in place of real goods. Withoutan agreement, “money isn’t worth thepaper its printed on”. Choice c)describes an advantage of money thatis not mentioned in the passage.Choice d), like choice a), describes oneof the advantages of money but itdoes not answer the question. In this

passage, the concept of an agreement

explains best why money works.

Question C-3:

According to the passage, which ofthe following is a possibledisadvantage that can take away fromthe value of money?

a) Disagreements about what moneyis worth.

b) Choosing a heavy material to useas currency.

c) Inflation.

d) Making too much depend onmoney instead of on real goods.

Answer: c

Explanation

Each choice has some bearing on theconcept of money that is given in thispassage. However, only choice c) has

explicit support, “The disadvantagescan include inflation, deflation, andother changes to the value that moneyrepresents.” From this we can be100% sure that inflation is a possibledisadvantage. Choice a) is a possibleimplication of the passage butdisagreements by themselves are notdiscussed as a disadvantage in thepassage. Choice b) may be adisadvantage, but it wouldn’tnecessarily affect the value of money.Choice d) is also a possible implicationthat is not as strongly supported aschoice c).

UNIT 2




Reading D:

Fair Salaries

When you apply for a job you deservea fair salary. How can you tell if asalary is fair? In order to be fair, asalary should match what otherworkers with the same skills andexperience are getting for similar workacross the Northwest Territories. Thisapproach is called the method of faircomparison.

When labour is in short supply,employers face the challenge ofdeveloping salary standards that areboth fair and competitive. Fair salariesare the result of comparisons acrossan industry. Employees will generallyaccept the employment that givesthem the best compensation for theirskills and experience.

Compensation includes more than asalary. Employers are finding thatbenefits and working conditions-including opportunities foradvancement- play a large role inhiring successfully in the North as wellas elsewhere. Human resourcedepartments in the private and publicsectors actively recruit workers bydesigning compensation packagesthat will attract skilled workers andmake their organization stand out asthe employer of choice.

Question D-1:

According to this passage, what bestexplains why a skilled worker willchoose a Northern employer?

a) Earning a fair salary.

b) Opportunities for advancement.

c) A fair and competitivecompensation package.

d) Matching what others are gettingfrom their employer of choice.

Answer: c

Explanation

The second paragraph supports choicec. Choices a), b) and d) are all referredto as parts of a successfulcompensation package. The conceptof a fair and competitivecompensation package is the maintopic developed in the passage. The

concept of compensation includes

more than salary.

UNIT 2




Question D-2:

When labour is in short supply, whatbest describes the impact this willhave on employers?

a) Employers will find cheaperlabour.

b) Employers will offer fair salaries.

c) Employers will offer fair andcompetitive compensationpackages.

d) Employers will match the salariesof their competitors.

Answer: c

Explanation

Choice a) may be what employerswould like to do, but short supply willnot allow this option to succeed. If youchoose a), you are assuming thatemployers will be able to find cheaperlabour, but the passage does notsupport this assumption. The passagesupports choices b) and d), but theseonly tell part of the story on theimpact for employers of short laboursupply. The passage makes the pointthat matching salaries is not aseffective as a comprehensive packageof salary plus benefits, workingconditions, and opportunities foradvancement. Choice c) is best

because it summarizes the full impact

on employers of the concept of shortlabour supply.

Question D-3:

What can be said about the concept offair comparison based on thisselection?

a) A method of fair comparison isbeing used by Northern employersto determine salaries.

b) Fair comparisons depend on highsalaries for equal skill andexperience.

c) The method of fair comparisonexamines what other workers withthe same skills and experience aregetting.

d) Fair comparison is a way offinding the best people for the job.

Answer: c

Explanation

Choice c) is given direct support by,“In order to be fair, a salary shouldmatch what other workers with thesame skills and experience are gettingfor similar work across the NorthwestTerritories. This approach is called themethod of fair comparison.” The otherchoices make assumptions (choice a),or draw conclusions that are notdirectly support by the passage(choices b and d).


Objective: Apply the concepts in a written

passage to practical situations.

In this topic, and in topic four“Analysis of concepts”, we takereading comprehension beyondidentification and into application andanalysis. Notice that you must first

identify a concept before you can

apply it.

Practical situations are the concern oftrades people every day. Thinkinglogically in order to solve problems isthe basic pattern that we will explorein this topic. To prepare for thissection, review topic two whereconcepts are identified. A technicalmanual, an explanatory article, or abulletin or notice are examples of thepractical reading materials that requirethe application of concepts. Use thefollowing guidelines to answerquestions that apply the conceptspresented in a reading passage.

Unit 3

Application of Concepts

Guidelines for success:

Applying Concepts

a) Notice examples in thereading that show how theconcept is used to solve aproblem. Find similaritiesbetween the problems in thequestions and these examples.

b) Imagine situations (scenarios,examples) that are similar tothe ones in the reading.

c) Learn the technical or

specialized meaning of theconcepts that are introduced.(see below “population”defined in sampling).

d) Make diagrams and list stepsto illustrate how a concept isused. (see above concept of“earlier than”).

e) Use process of elimination tofind reasons in the passage forrejecting an answer choice.

UNIT 3


Unit 3 – Application of Concepts


Solving Logical Problems

Applying a concept means solving aproblem. When based on reading thisis also known as solving wordproblems. You may have worked onthese in math and science courses.

Many logical concepts can be appliedto situations. For example the conceptof “earlier than”.

This example points the way to anumber of strategies that will help youto apply concepts and solve problemsbased on what you read. The ability tothink logically is a big part of applyingconcepts successfully. Logic is

concerned with what must be true

once we accept a set of assumptions,

principles, and facts. Work in the

trades involves reading instructions

and procedures that must be followed

in the right order.

Begin with the Facts

When you are given a problem tosolve based on a reading, begin byidentifying the facts and concepts thatyou will apply to find the solution.Note what information is given,including any formulas.

Sketch diagrams that help you see thesequence of events, causes andeffects, or the description of a shape,location, area, or measurement.Identify the main problem and thenany sub problems that must be solvedfirst. Give a name to the concepts thatyou will apply. When a procedure ormethod is described, list the steps inthe correct order. Test the procedureon examples of your own choosing.This technique is illustrated below inexample b) titled “all averages are notequal”.

A word problem applies the

concept of “earlier than”

Example

“At Arctic Expediters we staggerour lunch breaks in order toprovide customers with servicethroughout the noon hour. Billeats his lunch before Jim, and Jimeats his lunch before Abe.”

Question

If Bruce eats with Bill, which ofthe following is true?

a) Bruce eats after Jim.

b) Bruce eats after Abe.

c) Abe and Jim eat after Bruceand Bill.

d) Abe eats before Jim starts hislunch.

Answer: C

Explanation

Sometimes a diagram can showhow a concept works. For thisproblem you could use a logicalformula: “B then J then A”. SinceBruce eats with Bill, statement c)is the only one that is true. Theother choices contradict thereading:

a) J then B, (false).

b) A then B (false).

c) B and B then A and J (true).

d) A then J (false).

UNIT 3




Identify the Concepts You Need

to Apply

a) Picture in your mind what theapplication of a concept involves.In the above example, representthe men taking their lunch breakson a horizontal or vertical timeline.A timeline can help you see causeand effect relationships as well assequences.

Bill eats with Bruce and:

b) In another example you mightimagine what happens if youcontinue to divide a number inhalf. It will get smaller and smallerand closer and closer to zero. Theconcept you need is repeateddivision. A diagram will revealthis:

Pick a number, say 10, and dividerepeatedly by 2:

10/2 = 5, 5/2 = 2.5, 2.5/2 = 1.25, 1.25/2 = .725… and so on…

getting closer and closer to 0.

C) In another passage you may beasked how much shoreline will belost if Great Slave Lake rises 1foot. The concept you need is therelationship between volume andarea in the lake. The relationshipmay be complex, but you cananticipate that some formula willrelate volume increase to dry landarea decrease and answer thequestion.

D) Use thought experiments toimagine “what if” or hypotheticalsituations. If you are reading apassage on geology, you may findit helpful to speed up or slowdown a process, erosion forexample, to see how a landscapewill look in the future.Hypothetical thinking also leads to

accurate predictions. Hypothetical

statements are also called

conditional statements and take

the form of “if______ then_______”.

For example, you may be given theformula for compound interest andasked to predict what a deposit will beworth in two years. Then you may beasked to make accurate predictions ifthe interest rate is changed. Thisproblem could be expressed as aconditional statement (or hypothesis):“If you deposit $1000 at 6% per year,(then) how much will your depositequal in 3 years?” Look for conditionalstatements in the exam questions.What follows “if” will be the facts youare given, and what follows “then”will be the results of applying aconcept to the facts. For example, ifwe know that our money will earn 5%annually, then we can predict that$1000 will grow to $1112.50 after twoyears.

1. Bruce eats 2. Jim eats 3. Abe eats.

noon hour lunch period

“If” is the biggest word in thedictionary: everything depends onit.

UNIT 3




Example A:

Drainage Fieldsvi


Question A-1:

If you performed a percolation testand saw that the water in each holedropped 2 inches in one hour, whatcould you look up in the charts thatare mentioned in this passage?

a) The number of square feet ofabsorption area that a buildingrequires.

b) The soil condition for the drainagetrenches that you will need.

c) The size of the drainage field thatwill give this absorption rate.

d) The number of trenches that abuilding will require for drainagebased on this percolation rate.

Answer: a

Explanation

The concept of percolation rate isapplied by consulting, “…charts inlocal codes to determine the numberof square feet of absorption area thata building requires.” This supportschoice a). In the question we are givena percolation rate and we could thenuse the code to relate this rate to thedrainage area required for a building.For example, such a chart might tellus that a 2000 square foot buildingneeds a 500 square foot drainage areawhen the percolation rate is 2 inchesper hour, but a 1000 square footdrainage area when the rate is 1 inchper hour. Choices b), c) and d) do notapply the concept of a percolation rateto the building code described in thepassage.

UNIT 3




Example B:

All Averages are Not Equal

When we are asked to calculate anaverage, we are really calculating amean. A mean is the number thatresults from adding a list of valuesand then dividing the total by thenumber of values in the list.

Another important way of looking foran average is to calculate a median. Amedian is also a kind of average. Inorder to have a better understandingof the concept of an average, thinkabout the difference between a meanand a median.

For example, if you earn $250 onMonday, $300 on Tuesday, $100 onWednesday, and nothing on Thursdayand Friday- your mean wage over thefive day period will be $100 + $300 +$250 + 0 + 0 = $650 divided by 5,which equals $130. You can say thatyou earned $130, on average, eachday that week even though youearned nothing on Thursday andFriday. This kind of average is the onecommonly understood by the word“average”.

A median value, however, is anotherkind of “average”. A median is themidpoint in a range of values that areordered by size. In order to find themedian in a list of values, arrange thevalues in the list from smallest tolargest. If the number of values in thelist is odd, the median value will be inthe middle of the list. If the number ofvalues is even, the median will be themean between the two values in thecentre of the list. You can see that themedian salary for the example givenabove is $100 because we have fivevalues and $100 is in the middle whenthey are ordered from smallest tolargest. Unless someone asksspecifically for the median, we assumethat they are interested in the meanwhen they ask for an average.

UNIT 3




Question B-1:

If there are 12 values in a list, how canwe calculate the median according tothis passage?

a) Find the middle value in the list.

b) Divide the list into two parts andtake the cut off number.

c) Order the list from smallest tolargest value and find the meanvalue of items six and seven in thelist.

d) Add the values and divide by 12.

Answer: c

Explanation

In this question we must apply theconcept of a median to a list with 12values. 12 is an even number. Thepassage tells us what to do when thelist of values is even: “If the number ofvalues is even, the median will be themean between the two values in thecentre of the list.” A diagram willshow that items 6 and 7 “surround”the middle of the list. The median isfound by adding these items anddividing the result by two. This givesus the mean for items 6 and 7.

The other choices can be ruled outbecause they contradict informationgiven in the passage. Choice a) failsbecause there is no middle number inan even number of items. Choice b)fails because there is no cut offnumber in an even numbered listdivided into two parts- other than inthe sense that each half of the list willhave a smallest and largest value.Choice d fails because it describeshow to find the mean, and thequestion asks for the median.

Question B-2:

When someone asks for an averagevalue from a list of numbers, what isthe best question you can ask beforeyou give an answer?

a) Is the average a mean or amedian?

b) Is the value a midpoint in a evenor an odd list of numbers?

c) How many numbers are in theaverage?

d) What are the largest and smallestnumbers in the list?

Answer: a

Explanation

The passage explains that the conceptof an average can have two meanings.The best question is one that exploreswhich meaning of “average” isintended by the person asking for anaverage value. The other choices canbe ruled out because they are eithernot helpful (d), or they have only apartial bearing on how to calculate anaverage (c) and (b).

UNIT 3




Question B-3:

What can you conclude if you are toldthat the median salary for an oddnumber of workers on a drilling rig is$2500 every two weeks?

a) Every worker earns $2500 everytwo weeks.

b) An odd number of workers earn$2500 every two weeks.

c) An equal number of workers earnmore than $2500 every two weeksas earn less.

d) The average wage is more than$2500 every two weeks.

Answer: c

Explanation

When the concept of a median isapplied to a range of values, we knowby its definition that the median is themidpoint in an odd numbered list.This means there will be as manyvalues above the median as below it,“A median is the midpoint in a rangeof values that are ordered by size.”The other choices can be ruled out byapplying the concept of a median.

Choice a) assumes without evidencethat all salaries in the list are equal.Choice b) assumes that the mediansalary of $2500 is earned by an oddnumber of workers, but there is noevidence for this. We only know thereis an odd number of workers- we don’tknow that they all receive the samesalary.

Choice d) is unclear (ambiguous)because we don’t know which averageis meant (mean or median). However,using the guideline in the passage,“Unless someone asks specifically forthe median, we assume that they areinterested in the mean when they askfor an average.”, we can assume thatthe mean is meant. Even with thisassumption, it doesn’t follownecessarily that a median wage of$2500 implies that the mean wage isgreater than the median i.e. that “Theaverage wage is more than $2500every two weeks.” We need moreinformation about the size of thesalaries in the list to know if d is true,the median by itself doesn’t tell usthis.

Try your own experiment

To work on this question it is agood idea to write up differentscenarios that capture the factsthat are given in the question. Forexample, a median salary of$2500 will result from thefollowing two lists of 7 salaries(an odd number of workers) :

1) $1500, $1700, $1750, $2500,$2600, $3000, $3500

2) $600, $780, $800, $2500,$3000, $3100, $3200

This experiment, designed by thereader, shows that the samemedian value can appear in liststhat have the same number ofitems, but that have two differentmeans, or average salaries. Inscenario 1) the mean salary =$2364.28, in scenario 2) the meansalary = $1997.14

UNIT 3




Example C:

Poverty is Relative

How poor is someone who lives on$450 a month? The answer:” Itdepends on what their cost of living is,and that depends on where they live.”The definition of poverty will varyaround the world because basicstandards of living are judgeddifferently in wealthy countries suchas Canada than in, for example,poorer countries such as Bangladeshor Afghanistan. A poor person inAfghanistan might think themselvesrich if they could have the standard ofliving available to a person living on$450 a month in Canada. A relativedefinition of poverty will only apply tosome people in some places.

An absolute definition of povertywould settle on one definition ofpoverty that could be applied toanyone anywhere in the world.However, many people believe that aminimum global standard of livingnecessary for basic health, shelter andfood could have the effect ofdrastically lowering what currentlycounts as the poverty line in Canada.

UNIT 3




Question C-1:

According to this passage, if adefinition of absolute poverty wereapplied to Canada what mightchange?

a) People would lose jobs.

b) People would have to give more tothe poor.

c) The poverty line in Canada wouldbe lowered.

d) A basic standard of living wouldcost more.

Answer: c

Explanation

This passage gives information aboutthe relative way that poverty isdefined by comparing a person’sincome with a minimum standard ofliving in a particular country. Thequestion asks what the passage saysabout the effect of applying theconcept of absolute poverty toCanada. Choice c) is supported by,“However, many people believe that aminimum global standard of livingnecessary for basic health, shelter andfood would have the effect ofdrastically lowering what currentlycounts as the poverty line in Canada.”This is a reasonable application of theconcept of absolute poverty based onthe facts given in the passage:

1) An absolute definition of povertywould be a minimum globalstandard of living necessary forbasic health, shelter and food thatwould apply to anyone anywhere.

2) Countries around the world havedifferent minimum standards ofliving.

3) Canada is a wealthy country with ahigher standard of living thanpoorer countries.

Based on these facts, choice c) is aresult of applying the concept ofabsolute poverty to Canada. Theremaining choices do not answer thequestion and are not supported by thepassage.

UNIT 3




Question C-2:

Based on this passage, whatdetermines how poor someone is?

a) Whether their income is enoughfor a basic standard of living.

b) Whether they are in Canada.

c) Whether they fit a global definitionof poverty.

d) Whether they have saved enoughmoney for emergencies.

Answer: a

Explanation

Only choice a refers to the definitionof poverty used in the passage: “Howpoor is someone who lives on $450 amonth? The answer:” it depends onwhat their cost of living is, and thatdepends on where they live.” Thedefinition of poverty will vary aroundthe world…”. We know from thepassage that a basic standard will varyaround the world, therefore, how poorsomeone is depends on whether theycan afford a basic standard of livingwhere they live. This eliminateschoices b and c. Choice d is notsupported by anything in the passage.

Question C-3:

Based on this passage, which of thefollowing best applies the concept ofrelative poverty?

a) Measurements of individual need.

b) Comparisons between the averagestandard of living and anindividual’s standard of living.

c) Comparisons of average incomebetween the poorest nations andthe wealthiest nations.

d) Determining how much incomemost people live on in Yellowknife.

Answer: b

Explanation

Relative poverty is explained in thepassage as a comparison between anindividual’s income and what isrequired for a basic standard of living.The reading also indicates that thiscan vary from country to country.Choice b applies this concept bycomparing an average standard ofliving to an individual standard ofliving.

Choice a doesn’t compare (relate)individual need to anything andtherefore doesn’t apply the concept ofa relative measure of poverty. Choice ccompares average incomes betweennations but does not apply theconcept of individual incomes to apoverty line or to a minimum basicstandard of living. Choice d onlydescribes an average income level,there is no comparison to a basicstandard of living in Yellowknife toestablish a relative level of poverty.

UNIT 3




Example D:

Heat and Temperature are

Different

The concepts of heat and temperatureare often confused with each other.What is the difference? The differencebetween heat and temperature can beunderstood by thinking about a firethat is used to heat a pot of water fortea. As the water gets warmer thetemperature goes up until the waterstarts to boil.

Heat is the energy transferred fromthe fire to the water in the pot. Thistransfer of energy causes themolecules of water to move morequickly. Energy based on motion iscalled kinetic energy. Heat is a form ofkinetic energy. The heat energysupplied to the water would be givenback if the pot of water is set aside tocool and the water molecules allowedto slow down as they transfer theirkinetic energy to the coolersurroundings. When heat is allowed totransfer between objects in a closedsystem they will come to have thesame temperature.

Temperature is a measurement thatcompares the amount of molecularmotion in a substance to a standard.As heat transfer causes moremolecular motion in the water that iscoming to a boil, the temperaturegoes up. Temperature is ameasurement of the average kineticenergy in a substance. A thermometerin the pot of boiling water will read100 degrees Celsius, or 212 degreesFahrenheit, but it will climb no highereven though the fire keeps burningbeneath the pot. Heat energycontinues to be added, but thetemperature doesn’t change once theboiling point is reached and waterstarts to change into water vapour,and “boil off”.

Question D-1:

Which conclusion is supported by thispassage?

a) The concepts of heat andtemperature aren’t really thatdifferent.

b) The difference between heat andtemperature is one of degree.

c) The amount of heat in a substanceis the same as its temperature.

d) The temperature of a substancemeasures the average kineticenergy of its molecules.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choice d) is supported by a directquote: “Temperature is ameasurement of the average kineticenergy in a substance.” Choice c) isrefuted by the passage whose wholepurpose is to explain the differencebetween heat and temperature. Choicea) is likewise in opposition to the pointof the passage and is not supportedby similarities between heat andtemperature. Choice b) is false, takenliterally, only temperature is measuredin degrees. Units of heat (joules orcalories) are not discussed in thepassage. Taken connotively, b is alsofalse because heat and temperaturedo not differ by having something incommon to different extents.

UNIT 3




Question D-2:

According to this passage, why doesthe temperature of the water in thepot increase?

a) The temperature goes up.

b) Heat energy is transferred fromthe fire to the water.

c) The average molecular speed ofthe water is decreasing.

d) The boiling point is reached.

Answer: b

Explanation

The concept of heat is needed toexplain why temperature increases.We know from the passage that theaverage molecular speed of the wateris increasing when the temperaturerises, therefore choice c) is wrong andcan be eliminated from consideration.Choice a) is true, but this fact does notexplain why the temperature goes up.Choice d) also does not explaintemperature increase.

Choice b) applies the concept of heatto the situation in the question and issupported by direct quotes from thepassage, “Heat is the energytransferred from the fire to the waterin the pot. This transfer of energycauses the molecules of water tomove more quickly.” From paragraphtwo we find a direct quote thatcompletes the explanation, “As heattransfer causes more molecularmotion in the water, the temperaturegoes up.”

Question D-3:

From this passage what can youconclude about heating and cooling?

a) Heating and cooling are based onopposite principles.

b) Heating is really a form of cooling.

c) Cooling transfers kinetic energyfrom a substance to itssurroundings.

d) Heating withdraws kinetic energy.

Answer: c

Explanation

Heating and cooling are based on thesame concept of kinetic energytransfer with an increase calledheating and a decrease called cooling.This eliminates choice a). Choice b) isfalse because the passage indicatesthat heating is an increase in kineticenergy and cooling is a decrease.Choice d) is false because the passageindicates that heating involves anincrease, not a decrease, of kineticenergy.

UNIT 3




Question D-4:

The difference between heat andtemperature is correctly applied inwhich of the following statements:

a) Temperature only tells how hotsomething is, not how cold it is.

b) Heat transfer only happens whenthere is a difference intemperature between twosubstances.

c) The more heat that is transferredto a pot of boiling water, the moreits temperature will go up.

d) The temperature of boiling waterdepends on how much heat issupplied.

Answer: b

Explanation

The passage supports choice b: “Theheat energy supplied to the waterwould be given back if the pot ofwater is set aside to cool and thewater molecules allowed to slowdown as they transfer their kineticenergy to the cooler surroundings.When heat is allowed to transferbetween objects in a closed systemthey will come to have the sametemperature.” This implies that adifference in temperature willdisappear when heat is allowed totransfer. Consequently, if there is nodifference in temperature there will beno difference in kinetic energy andnothing to transfer betweensubstances. The other choices can beruled out by applying the concepts ofheat and temperature.

Choice a) fails because temperature isdescribed as a comparison between astandard and the average kineticenergy in a substance. Hot and coldare both relative to a standard, andtemperature can be used to makejudgments about hot and cold. Choicec) fails because “A thermometer in thepot of boiling water will read 100degrees Celsius, or 212 degreesFahrenheit, but it will climb no highereven though the fire keeps burningbeneath the pot. Heat energycontinues to be added, but thetemperature doesn’t change once theboiling point is reached and waterstarts to change into water vapour,and “boil off”. We can conclude thatadding heat only raises temperatureuntil the boiling point is reached.Choice d) fails because water onlyboils at 100 degrees Celsius. This factwon’t change no matter how muchheat is or is not supplied.

Also notice that while the passagedoesn’t explain the phrase “closedsystem”, we can still know enoughfrom the selection to conclude thatheat transfer can cause temperaturechange. This is an example wherereading comprehension skills areneeded independently fromknowledge of content.

UNIT 3




Objective: Apply the concepts

in a written passage to

practical situations.

Reading A:

Sampling

The GNWT Department of Statisticswants to know what percent of theworkforce is unemployed. An engineerwants to know what percentage of oreat a mine near Lac De Gras containsdiamonds, and the GNWT Departmentof Transportation wants to know howmany people support stricterlegislation against drunk driving.

It is too expensive and timeconsuming to look at every individualworker, inspect every ton of ore, or askevery citizen in every community-especially if we can gather informationfrom part of a group and still drawaccurate conclusions about the whole.This can be done by sampling. Insampling, the entire group of items(workers, tons of ore, citizens) is calledthe population. Individuals in apopulation are the elements that makeup the whole group. Individuals canbe workers, tons of ore, or any otherelements that make up a whole thatwe want to sample. A sample is a partof the population that is used togather information.

When the population is homogeneous,it is easy to draw accurate conclusionsabout the whole on the basis of asample because there are nodifferences between the individuals inthe population. For example, if the orein the mine was of the same qualityeverywhere, it wouldn’t matter wherea sample was taken for analysis.However, when the population islarge, and varied, it is more difficult tochoose a representative sample. Twosteps must be completed to startsampling. First, the population mustbe carefully described, secondly whatwe want to measure must be definedexactly.

UNIT 3




Question A-1:

If the concept of sampling is appliedto a population, what would NOT be aresult?

a) Every individual in the populationwill be contacted or examined.

b) Some individuals in the populationwill be contacted or examined.

c) A representative sample will becontacted or examined.

d) The population will be describedcarefully.

Answer: a

Explanation

Sampling is one of the conceptsexplained in this passage: “A sampleis a part of the population that is usedto gather information.” Choice a) isfalse given this definition. Theremaining choices are all applicationsthat result from sampling apopulation. Choice b) is implied by thefact that not all members will becontacted. Choice c) is supported by,“However, when the population islarge, and varied, it is more difficult tochoose a representative sample.” Thisimplies that a representative samplemay be difficult to find, but that it isthe goal of a sampling approach tolarge and varied populations. Choiced) is a result of sampling that issupported by, “Two steps must becompleted to start sampling. First, thepopulation must be carefullydescribed…” Only choice a) is not aresult of adopting a samplingapproach.

Question A-2:

Which of the following populations ishomogeneous so that the whole canbe judged by examining any samplewe choose?

a) Bannock from three camps.

b) Diamonds from a mine.

c) Wages paid by an employer.

d) A glass of coca cola.

Answer: d

Explanation

Only the coca cola would allow anysample to give an accurate picture ofthe whole glass because the contentsare the same (homogeneous) in allparts of the glass. This is not the casefor the other choices.

UNIT 3




Question A-3:

The GNWT wants to know how manypeople want stricter legislation fordrunk driving. Which of the followinggives the best reasons for samplingthe population in order to find out?

a) Sampling is cheaper.

b) Sampling is quicker.

c) Sampling can be just as accurateas contacting everyone in the NT.

d) All of the above.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choice d) is supported by, “It is tooexpensive and time consuming to lookat every individual worker, inspectevery ton of ore, or ask every citizen inevery community- especially if we cangather information from part of agroup and still draw accurateconclusions about the whole. This canbe done by sampling.”

Question A-4:

How would a mining engineer applythe concepts in this passage to learnhow many diamonds to expect from aton of ore in a mine?

a) Design a filter for each ton to gothrough.

b) Count the diamonds produced byeach ton.

c) Examine a representative sampleof ore taken from various places inthe mine.

d) Go by past experience.

Answer: c

Explanation

The passage recommendsrepresentative sampling for large andvaried populations. Unless we knowthat the mine is homogeneous therepresentative sampling method mustbe used. Choices a), b) and d), couldprovide information on the ore quality,but none of these choices apply theconcepts (sampling) that are discussedin the reading.

UNIT 3




Question A-5:

What best describes the concept of apopulation in this passage?

a) A sample of people.

b) The whole group of individuals,including things, people, or otheritems in a whole.

c) The individuals that represent awhole group.

d) The most homogeneous sample.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choice b) is supported by, “Insampling, the entire group of items(workers, tons of ore, citizens) is calledthe population. Individuals in apopulation are the items that make upthe whole group. Individuals can beworkers, tons or ore, or any otherelements that make up a whole thatwe want to sample.” Choice a) is onlypart of a population, choice c) is also adescription of a part of a population,namely the representative sampleselected from it. Choice d) alsodescribes a kind of sample based onsimilarity rather than on beingrepresentative.

UNIT 3




Reading B:

Viscosity

Viscosity refers to the thickness of afluid (liquid or gas) at a giventemperature. Viscosity is internalfriction. How fast a liquid pours is anindication of its viscosity. Viscositydetermines the rate of flow for a fluid.

Higher viscosity means slowerflowing. Thicker fluids have moreinternal friction to overcome beforethey will flow. Oils are gradedaccording to their viscosity with anumber or “weight” of the oil.Viscosity is determined at a giventemperature and standard pressure.

Viscosity is one of the importantfactors that determine what a lubricantwill do. Viscosity is measured byviscometers. A Seybolt viscometer is astandard instrument that measures thetime for oil to flow into a receivingflask under standardized conditions.The higher the temperature of a liquidthe less the viscosity. As syrup heatsup it pours more quickly and becomes“thinner”. With gases, the reverse istrue. A gas will flow more slowlywhen heated.

The Society of Automotive Engineers(SAE) created a numbering system foroils based on Seybolt universalseconds of flow time. Thick oils flowslowly and have higher numbers. Forexample 30 weight oil will flow moreslowly than 20 weight oil at the sametemperature and pressure. Inindustrial applications, the weight ofthe oil used in machinery is chosen forthe flow rate desired at a certaintemperature and pressure. “W” afterthe SAE number means “winter”.These oils are used in colderconditions.

Question B-1:

What does a Seybolt viscometermeasure?

a) The temperature of oil.

b) The pressure of oil.

c) The friction in oil.

d) The flow rate of oil.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choice d) is supported by “A Seyboltviscometer is a standard instrumentthat measures the time for oil to flowinto a receiving flask understandardized conditions.” Choices a)and b) can be ruled out as false. Onlychoice c) offers a possible alternativebecause viscosity is defined in termsof internal fluid friction. While frictionwill affect viscosity, the metermeasures an effect of friction notfriction itself, namely the flow rate ofthe oil. The best answer is d) becauseit answers the question moreprecisely.

UNIT 3




Question B-2:

The SAE number can be used for all ofthe following purposes except:

a) To decide on a suitable lubricantfor a desired flow rate.

b) To determine the cost of oillubrication.

c) To choose a winter oil.

d) To decide which of two oils willpour more slowly under the sameconditions of temperature andpressure.

Answer: b

Explanation

Only choice b) has no connection tothe concept of SAE numbers. Cost isnot related to viscosity number,although it could turn out that heavieroils cost less because they are simplerto refine and produce- but this is notsupported by anything in the passage.The other choices are all supported bythe passage.

Question B-3:

What concept is used to best explainwhy warm syrup pours more quicklythan cold syrup?

a) Friction is lower.

b) Higher temperature lowersviscosity.

c) Viscosity determines temperatureof pouring.

d) Syrup has a lower SAE numberwhen it is warm.

Answer: b

Explanation

Each choice has some basis in thepassage, but b) gives the bestexplanation by applying the conceptof temperature (increasing it lowersviscosity). Choice a) is true of theinternal friction in warm syrup, but itdoes not spell out, i.e. explain, whythe friction is lower and what it’seffects are. Choice c) introduces aconcept, “temperature of pouring”that is not used in the passage andthat doesn’t answer the question.Choice d) is false because SAEnumbers are assigned based onstandard conditions of temperatureand pressure- the number doesn’tchange when pressure or temperaturechange.

UNIT 3




Question B-4:

If you apply the concepts given in thispassage, which statement is true?

a) Gases flow more slowly when theyare heated because they are fluidsjust like oil.

b) SAE numbers for oil are notreliable.

c) As temperature increases, oilsflow more quickly and gases flowmore slowly.

d) Lubrication should always bemeasured in flow rate per second.

Answer: c

Explanation

This question asks the reader toconnect different parts of the passage.Choice c) is supported by, “The higherthe temperature of a liquid the less theviscosity. As syrup heats up it poursmore quickly and becomes “thinner”.With gases, the reverse is true. A gaswill flow more slowly when heated”.Choice a) fails because the reasongiven for gas flow is false. Choice b)has no support from the passage.Choice d) makes an assumption thatmay not be true.

UNIT 3




Reading C:

Employment Contracts

An employment contract is just likeany other legal contract in that it mustsatisfy the conditions of fair offer andacceptance. Contracts are bindingagreements that create obligations onboth sides of the bargain. A contract isan exchange of promises, withpenalties attached to non-performance.

In an employment contract, the partiesagree to an exchange of services formoney and other forms ofcompensation. In order for a contractto be legally binding, i.e. valid, it mustbe free from any conditions ofcoercion or ignorance. This meansthat both parties have the right toknow what they are signing (noignorance) and both are under nothreats or pressure (coercion) to actagainst their will.

Question C-1:

According to this passage what wouldbe an example of coercion?

a) Telling an employee they are freeto accept or reject an offer ofemployment.

b) Telling an employer that they musthire someone or face theconsequences.

c) Telling an employee that they canapply for advancement aftersuccessfully completing aprobationary period.

d) Telling an employer that they aregetting the best person for the job.

Answer: b

Explanation

The passage concludes with a briefreference to the concept of coercion:“…and both are under no threats orpressure (coercion) to act against theirwill.” Choice b) is a threat that couldcause an employer to hire againsttheir will, therefore it counts as anexample of coercion. The otherchoices do not interfere with theability to act without interference.

UNIT 3




Question C-2:

An example of offer and acceptancewould be:

a) Asking someone for a date.

b) Having a personal chequeaccepted at the Coop.

c) Offering to clean a fish for $1.50.

d) Being invited to take a test for apromotion.

Answer: b

Explanation

Only choice b) applies the concept of acontract (offer and acceptance) fullyby including both an offer and anacceptance. The other choices onlyinvolve making an offer, acceptance isnot included – therefore no contractresults.

Question C-3:

What is not true of an employmentcontract?

a) A bargain is struck that both sidesagree to.

b) A contract has to be in writing.

c) A fair contract is free fromcoercion and ignorance.

d) An exchange of money forservices is involved.

Answer: b

Explanation

The passage does not say thatcontracts must be in writing. Althoughthis may be common practice, there isno indication in the passage tosupport this claim. The other choicesare all supported by the passage.

UNIT 3




Question C-4:

According to the passage, what couldcount as a reason for deciding that anemployment contract was invalid?

a) The parties didn’t know each otherbeforehand.

b) The parties didn’t like each other.

c) One side didn’t know what theywere agreeing to.

d) One side decided to stop doingwhat they agreed to do.

Answer: c

Explanation

The passage only tells us that coercionand ignorance could count as reasonsfor deciding that contract was invalid:“In order for a contract to be legallybinding, i.e. valid, it must be free fromany conditions of coercion orignorance. “The other choices may bereasons for changing a contract (a andb), or seeking damages for the failureto perform according to a contract (d),but they do not make it invalid.


Objective: Analyze the concepts contained in a

written passage.

You have seen in earlier sections howto identify and apply concepts. In thissection we extend these skills bylooking more closely atcomprehension skills that are includedunder the heading of “analysis”.

Unit 4

Analysis of Concepts

UNIT 4




Analysis has the root meaning oftaking something apart. Analysis isdisassembly in order to understand.The purpose of analysis is to gainmore knowledge. There are manyways to analyze something. Analysishas many meanings, including: reduceto simplest parts, understand thecauses of something, reveal the truthor assumption behind a claim orbelief, explain what something means,expose the most important features ofsomething.

In reading comprehension what

we are taking apart are ideas,

claims, and concepts- rather than

physical objects. In the lastsection we discussed conditionalstatements (hypotheses). We cananalyze a passage by testingconditional statements. Analysisoften benefits from using thisform to test the implications ofstatements that are used aspremises to try and provesomething. A premise can be astatement of fact, an assumption,or a principle.

For example, the premise that theearly migration of caribouindicates a long winter can beused to predict the length of thecoming winter. In a conditionalform: “If caribou migrate early,then the winter will be long”.

When you read, see how manytrue conditional statements youcan make based on the premisesyou are given in a readingselection. Remember, it may turn

out that a premise is not true, but

you may be asked to draw

conclusions that follow when you

assume it is true.

Analyze concepts in order to

understand them betterTo analyze concepts look for theconclusions that you can drawfrom them. Conclusions includeimplications, predictions,inconsistencies, andcontradictions that follow frominformation that is accepted ascorrect, useful, or possible.

Example

1. Analyze the concept that theearth is round by drawingconclusions:

Infer, predict and conclude:

• That if the earth is roundwe will arrive where westart if we travel in onedirection

• That if the earth is round itcan’t also be flat

• That if the earth is roundall directions from thenorth pole are south

• That if the earth is round itmust have a centre

If you accept the premise, that theearth is round, then these andmany other conclusions mustfollow.

UNIT 4




The following strategies will help youanalyze the concepts presented inreading selections on the exam.

Contradictions and

Inconsistencies

Watch for contradictions. Acontradiction results from sayingsomething and then the opposite. Forexample, “Everyone who studies willlearn, and everyone who studies won’tlearn”. In a reading selection, twocontradictory statements may be inthe passage, but at different places.Also you may be asked to select ananswer that contradicts somethingthat is given in the passage.

An inconsistency is similar to acontradiction. When two or morestatements can’t all be true they areinconsistent with each other. Forexample, “Parents should treat theirchildren equally, there should be oneset of rules for girls and one set ofrules for boys”. The statement as awhole is inconsistent because youcan’t have equality when there are twosets of rules.

The difference between acontradiction and an inconsistency liesin the fact that a contradiction is theexplicit negation of a statement, whilean inconsistency is the impossibility oftwo or more statements being true atthe same time even when onestatement does not explicitly negateanother one.

Analyze cause and effect

In a reading selection, noticecauses and their effects. Inpractical situations things have tobe done in the correct order andthe laws of nature cannot beignored. For example, because weknow that water expands when itfreezes, pipes will burst when theyare allowed to freeze. Plumbershave to insulate or heat pipes as aresult. As you read, pay attentionto cause and effect as well as tothe correct order in whichsomething must be done.

Contradictory:

“He thinks everyone should beable to sleep all day and not sleepduring the day.”

Inconsistent:

“He thinks everyone should beable to sleep all day but get upwith the sun.”

UNIT 4Unit 4 – Analysis of Concepts


Example:

39% of all teenagers will try drinkingand driving, but only 5% of these willbe caught by the police. It’s impossibleto stop a teenager from drinking anddriving when the chances of beingcaught are so remote.

Question:

Which of the following contradicts oneof the claims made in this selection?

a) More teenagers will try drinkingand driving when they know theyare unlikely to be caught.

b) Some teenagers are afraid ofbeing caught drinking and driving

c) None of the 39% who drink anddrive will be caught by police.

d) Every time a teenager is caughtdrinking and driving thepercentage of those drinking anddriving also goes up.

Answer: c

Explanation

Choice c) contradicts the statementthat, “39% of all teenagers will trydrinking and driving, but only 5% ofthese will be caught by the police.” Ifthis is true, then choice c) is falsebecause some drinking and drivingteenagers will be caught among the39% who drink and drive. Choice d)doesn’t follow from anything, choicea) is suggested by the passage anddoesn’t contradict anything. Choice b)could be true, and is consistent withwhat is said, choice b) doesn’tcontradict anything that is said.

Implications

Implications are true statements

that can be derived from what is

said or written. For example, fromthe statement “He always showsup late for work” we can infer (i.e.conclude) that he is likely to belate for work tomorrow. From thestatement, “The GNWT supportslocal community government” wecan conclude that the GNWTwants to help communitygovernments. From thestatements “heavier oils pourmore slowly, and bunker oil isheavier than 20 weight motor oil”,we can conclude that 20 weight oilpours more quickly than bunkeroil at the same temperature. Eachof these statements implies theconclusions that are implied ifthey are true statements. Drawingconclusions can be a direct one-step process, or the outcome of amore complicated chain ofreasoning.

Concepts in math and scienceoften involve chains of reasoningthat combine several facts andconclusions. For example, severalconclusions can be drawn fromthe facts in the followingexamples. When theseconclusions are combined,additional conclusions can bedrawn.

Reading Comprehension74

UNIT 4




Reading A:

To Maintain or to Replace – That

is the Question

The proper maintenance of machinerycombines procedures that keep oldequipment running with replacementprocedures for worn out parts.Preventive maintenance looks aheadto possible problems and replacesparts before they fail. In somesituations it may not be clear whetherit is better to replace or to continue tomaintain a piece of equipment. Costeffectiveness requires that the greatestbenefits are achieved at the least costwithout compromising safety.

What is the most cost effectiveapproach to maintenance for anelectric motor that has bearings thatare guaranteed to last for 2000 hoursbefore they need to be replaced at acost of $100.00?

The answer is influenced by the factthat the same bearings can berepacked with grease at the 1000 hourmark and used for an additional 1500hours before they must be replaced.The cost of repacking with grease is$75.00. What is the most cost effectivething to do? Should the bearings bereplaced after 2000 hours ormaintained by repacking the bearings?

UNIT 4




Question A-1:

Based on this selection, what is themost cost effective approach toservicing the bearings in this motor?

a) Replace the bearings every 2000hours.

b) Repack the bearings after 1000hours.

c) Repack the bearings after 2500hours.

d) Keep a large number of newbearings in stock.

Answer: a

Explanation

This passage gives us a word problemto solve. The facts must be listedbefore we can analyze a concept thatuses them. In this selection, theconcept of cost effectiveness can beapplied to decide which answer thefacts support.

The Facts

1. The bearings on an electric motorwill wear out and need replacingevery 2000 hours.

2. The cost of new bearings is$100.00.

3. Bearings can be repacked withgrease after 1000 hours.

4. Repacked bearings will last for1500 more hours of operation.

5. The cost of repacking is $75.00

Concept: Cost Effectiveness

A cost effective plan will be one thatkeeps bearings going safely for thelongest period with the least cost.

Conclusions

1. If bearings are allowed to wearout, $100 will be spent every 2000hours for replacement. (followsfrom facts 1 and 2).

2. If bearings are repacked after 1000hours the cost will be $75.00.(follows from facts 3 and 5).

3. Bearings that are repacked will runan additional 1500 hours beforethey must be replaced at a cost of$100. (follows from facts 2 andfour).

Solution

This question not only asks us toanalyze the concept of costeffectiveness, but also to apply it to aproblem situation about bearings in amotor. By analyzing the concept weare most of the way to a solution. Thecost per hour using a replacementapproach can be compared to the costper hour of a repacking and thenreplacing approach. This comparisonwill show that the least expensiveroute is the best one.

Calculate the cost per hour by drawingsome more conclusions from the factsthat are given.

1. The cost per hour using areplacement approach is found bydividing $100 by 2000 hours. Thisis equal to 5 cents per hour, or$.05. (follows from conclusion 1).

UNIT 4




2. The cost per hour using arepacking approach is found bydividing the total cost of repackingat 1000 hours for $75.00, and thenreplacing 1500 hours later for$100.00. The total cost will be$75.00 plus $100.00 = $175.00 for atotal of 2500 hours of service. Thecost per hour is found by dividing$175.00 by 2500, which equals $.07or seven cents per hour. (thisfollows from conclusions 2 and 3).

3. It is more cost effective to replacebearings every 2000 hours than torepack them and then replacethem at the 2500 hour mark. Thisconclusion answers the questionand follows from a comparison oftwo approaches. Replacing is $.02cheaper per hour than repackingand replacing at the 2500 hourmark. This makes choice a thecorrect answer.

Notice also that choices c) and d) canbe eliminated at the outset because“…repacked with grease at the 1000hour mark and used for an additional1500 hours before they must bereplaced. “, contradicts choice c) andd) does not answer the question byshowing which approach is more costeffective based on the readingselection.

Alternate Solution: Use a Diagram

The two approaches can be comparedon a timeline diagram.

If you repack the bearings, you get2500 hours from them, but at a cost of$175.

If you replace the bearing every 2000hours, this costs you $100.

This may help you to see how thecosts per hour of service can becompared. Replacing costs $.05per hour, and repacking costs $.07per hour for each service cycle.

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000

$75.00 + $100.00= $175.00

+ $75.00= $250.00

+ $100.00= $350.00

+ $75.00= $425.00

+ $100.= $200.

+ $100.= $300.

ReplaceOption

RepackOption

Hours

= 5¢/hour

= 7¢/hour

UNIT 4




Reading B:

Drainage Fieldsvii


Question B-1:

Why does a percolation test requirethat you wait for 24 hours after fillingthe test holes with water?

a) It takes a day for the water todisperse.

b) The test needs a control.

c) The test holes will absorb morewater when they are dry thanwhen they are wet.

d) We want to know how fast waterwill disperse when the drainagefield is wet.

Answer: d

Explanation

The concept of percolation is appliedin a test that will tell us how to plan adrainage field that works. The point ofthe test is to see how much water willdisperse after the soil has absorbedwater, i.e. when the ground issaturated. This is the limiting case, orsituation that could cause the mosttrouble for a septic system. The

question asks “why?” and this word

signals that a reason or explanation is

sought. Choice a) may be a true fact,but it doesn’t answer the question.Also we can infer from the passage,that in clay soils, no water may leave ahole that is filled-even after a day.

Choice b) is closer to offering areason, but the test is not presentedas an experiment in the passage. Also,no control is needed for this testbecause we aren’t testing ahypothesis- we are only gatheringinformation about how fast waterpercolates through a proposeddrainage field. Choice c) states a factthat could be true, but it also doesn’tanswer the question. In fact, itreinforces the need for a 24 hoursoaking period in order to really learnwhat we are after.

UNIT 4




Reading C:

Construction Projects are Like

Puzzles

Each piece of the puzzle fits in onlyone right way. When a building or ahome is constructed the foundation islaid first, then the framing, roofing,sheathing, wiring, windows,insulation, drywall and cabinet work-in that order. However, unlike a jigsawpuzzle, this order is important, itdescribes a critical path that must befollowed. If anything is out of orderthe whole project can fail. If one stepis unfinished the next step cannotbegin.

This is one reason why theconstruction industry is a high stressoccupational field. Deadlines meaneverything, and each trade dependson the others doing their jobs on timeand at the right time.

Question C-1:

What would be an example of doingthings at the wrong times on aconstruction job?

a) Wiring before insulating.

b) Roofing before sheathing.

c) Framing before roofing.

d) Drywall before insulation.

Answer: d

Explanation

Insulation goes in the walls beforethey are covered with drywallaccording to the passage. The otherchoices are supported by the passageas correct sequences.

UNIT 4




Question C-2:

What best describes what it is like towork in the construction fieldaccording to this selection?

a) Construction is like a puzzle.

b) Many trades are involved inconstruction.

c) Construction is a high stressoccupational field.

d) Following the critical path meanseverything.

Answer: c

Explanation

The passage tells us that constructionis a high stress occupational field, andchoice c) answers the question mostclosely. Choices a), b) and d), say truethings about the field that are given asfacts but the question focuses on thenature of work in the constructionfield, and choice c) gives a summary

that, by implication, includes the

points made by the other choices.

Question C-3:

According to this passage, in whatway is a construction project unlike ajigsaw puzzle?

a) A construction project has adeadline and puzzle does not.

b) A puzzle can be completed in anyorder but a construction projecthas a required order of steps.

c) A construction project has fewersteps than a puzzle has pieces.

d) A puzzle is not stressful and aconstruction project is.

Answer: b

Explanation

The comparison of a jigsaw puzzle toa construction project has similaritiesand differences. In the text, thesupport for choice b) comes from,“However, unlike a jigsaw puzzle, thisorder is important, it describes acritical path that must be followed.”The other choices are not singled outin the selection.

UNIT 4




Objective: Analyze the concepts

contained in a written passage.

You have seen in earlier sections howto identify and apply concepts. In thissection we extend these skills bylooking more closely atcomprehension skills that are includedunder the heading of “analysis”.

Reading A:

Fluorescent Lighting

Fluorescent lamps or tubes haveseveral advantages over standardincandescent lamps. Their mainadvantage is that they can producelight at a much lower cost. Fluorescenttubes produce about four times asmuch light per watt of power than doincandescent lamps. This makes themmuch cheaper to operate.viii

UNIT 4




Question A-1:

How can the cost per watt of powerdetermine which form of lighting ischeaper?

a) The cost per watt is a measure ofhow hot a lamp becomes when itoperates.

b) The cost per watt is irrelevantbecause fluorescent lamps willalways use only one fourth asmany watts as incandescent lampsdo to produce the same amount oflight.

c) The cost per watt is lower forfluorescent lights because theygive off more light for the samenumber of watts that incandescentlamps do.

d) The cost per watt determineswhich lamps use the most power.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choice b) is supported by,“Fluorescent tubes produce about fourtimes as much light per watt of powerthan do incandescent lamps.” Acareful reading of this sentence showsthat the cost per watt is no differentfor each lamp. This rules out choicesc) and d). What is different is thenumber of watts needed by each kindof lamp to produce the same amountof light. Choice a) is false because thepassage makes no connectionbetween heat of a lamp and the costof running it.

Question A-2:

From this passage what is not givenas an advantage of fluorescent lights?

a) Fluorescent lights are available intubes as well as bulbs.

b) Fluorescent lights give off fourtimes as much light asincandescent lamps.

c) Fluorescent lights are cheaper tooperate.

d) Fluorescent lights are cheaper tobuy.

Answer: d

Explanation

We do not know what a fluorescentlight costs in comparison to anincandescent lamp from this selection.We are only told that it is cheaper tooperate fluorescent lamps, and thissupports choice d).

UNIT 4




Reading B:

Fire Controlix

In case of an electrical fire thefollowing procedures should befollowed:

1. Trigger the nearest alarm to alertall personnel in the workplace aswell as the fire department.

2. If possible, disconnect theelectrical power source.

3. Use a carbon-dioxide or dry-powder fire extinguisher to put outthe fire. Under no circumstancesuse water, as the stream of watermay conduct electricity throughyour body and give you a severeshock.

Question B-1:

According to the passage, why shouldwater never be used on an electricalfire?

a) Water is not cold enough forelectrical fires.

b) Water can conduct electricity.

c) Water makes too much of a mess.

d) Water is not always available.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choice b) is supported by, “…thestream of water may conductelectricity through your body and giveyou a severe shock.” This implies thatwater is a conductor. The otherchoices are wrong or irrelevant orboth.

Question B-2:

According to the passage what wouldbe an acceptable reason forattempting to disconnect the powersource in an electrical fire?

a) No one else would be endangered.

b) No other methods were working.

c) It would stop the fire.

d) It was possible to do so.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choice d) is supported by, “If possible,disconnect the electrical powersource.”


Objective: Make judgements based on

information contained in a written

passage.

Unit 5

Making Judgements

UNIT 5




Making judgments completes the workof comprehension. To make ajudgment is to take a position anddefend it with reasons. After you readsomething you may be asked to judgewhat the writer’s purpose was, whatthe main topic is, or how effective aline of argument is.

Judgments involve moreinterpretation, challenges toassumptions, and ideas about rightand wrong, good and bad, effectiveand ineffective. In order to formdefensible judgments based on yourreading, following these guidelines.

Taking Positions

Identify the sides of an argument orissue in the reading and decide howyou would handle the challenge ofpicking a side. Look for indicationsabout how the writer would choose.Use the text to justify your choice. Asthe next example shows, you willjudge the reasonableness of one sideover another based on the reading.

The key to making judgmentsbased on reading is learning topay attention to the reasons you

can give for your judgment. Theexamples will show how thecorrect answer must be backed upby reasons that other readers ofthe same passage would alsosupport.

UNIT 5




Reading A:

Closing the Gap

Non governmental organizations, forexample the World Wildlife Fund,promote conservation in theNorthwest Territories, whilebusinesses can oppose conservationmeasures in favor of economicdevelopment. In this environment,Northern citizens can find themselvestorn between a desire for conservationand a need for economicdevelopment.

The Protected Area Strategy for theNorthwest Territories is one attempt togive communities the ability to closethe gap between these two competingdesires. Critics have argued that thestrategy will have the effect of closingNorthern land to any kind of mineralexploration. Proponents argue that thestrategy is the best tool for striking aneeded balance between preservation-especially of traditional aboriginalareas of cultural significance- andeconomic development. Northerneconomic development today isheavily influenced by mining and oiland gas interests. Without a protectionpolicy there would be no controls tolimit potential environmental damagecaused by mineral exploration.

Question A-1:

What concern of the writer’s will theProtected Area Strategy address?

a) Striking a balance betweenpreservation and development.

b) Preventing the closing of Northernland to mineral exploration.

c) Creating a tool for the protectionof aboriginal areas of culturalsignificance.

d) Controlling mineral exploration.

Answer: d

Explanation

To answer this question you must useyour judgment based on several cluesgiven in the passage. Each choice

must be evaluated to see if it reveals a

concern of the writer that is

supported by the text. Support forchoice d) is given by, “Northerneconomic development today isheavily influenced by mining and oiland gas interests. Without a protectionpolicy there would be no controls tolimit potential environmental damagecaused by mineral exploration.” Thisexpresses the concern that withoutcontrols there will be no limits todamage.

The other choices describe points

made in the passage by proponents

and critics of the strategy, but they do

not focus on the writer’s concern. Inparticular, the author takes no positionon how effective the Protected AreaStrategy will be, we only read that thisstrategy is one attempt to strike abalance, and that it has both criticsand supporters. In addition, thepassage gives no details on what thestrategy consists of.

UNIT 5




Question A-2:

Based on this passage, what would bean unbalanced position?

a) The creation of special places offlimits to exploration.

b) The opening of mines in the NT.

c) The banning of all mineralexploration.

d) The creation of national parks.

Answer: c

Explanation

Only choice c) fails to respect thedescription of balance given by, “…thebest tool for striking a needed balancebetween preservation- especially oftraditional aboriginal areas of culturalsignificance- and economicdevelopment.” The passage impliesthat some mining, some preservation,and some parks are consistent with abalanced approach.

Question A-3:

What is the main idea expressed inthis passage?

a) Preservation of the environmenthas both critics and proponents.

b) The Protected Area Strategy willclose the gap between the needfor economic development and thedesire for conservation.

c) Some kind of protection is neededfor the environment in the NT inorder to close the gap between thedesire for economic developmentand for conservation.

d) The preservation of aboriginalcultural sites is the most importantconsideration for striking abalance.

Answer: c

Explanation

Choice a) states a fact given in thepassage rather than a main idea thatdrives the whole discussion. Choice b)is not supported by the passage. TheProtected Area Strategy is notpresented as the solution that willclose the gap. Choice d) refers to oneof the important goals of preservationbut the passage does not focus onlyon this issue. Choice c) is bestbecause it combines the conclusion ofthe passage for some kind ofprotection with the opening statementof the problem faced by Northerncommunities, namely how to combinea desire for economic developmentwith a desire for preserving theenvironment.

UNIT 5




Objective: Make judgements based on

information contained in a written

passage.

Reading A:

Expediters Fly with the Wind

Transportation is a big part of thecosts of running a business in theNorthwest Territories. Mines and oiland gas rigs depend on airtransportation for much of theirsupplies as well as for travel byworkers.

When a plane has a tailwind the windis blowing in the same direction thatthe plane is travelling. When a planehas a headwind, the reverse is true,and the wind is opposed to thedirection that the plane is traveling in.

The result is that it takes more fuel tofly against a headwind than with atailwind. A diagram can show thedirect effects of wind. If a plane flies at220 mph against a headwind of 40mph, the net speed of the aircraft overthe ground will be 220 – 40 = 180 mph.If the same plane had a tailwind of 40mph, the ground speed would be 220+ 40 = 260mph. You can sketch thesesituations with arrows that show theaddition and subtraction. Expediterswho can schedule flights at times ofday that have no wind or that have atailwind, can save money as a resultof lowering fuel costs because theirflights will be completed more quicklyat higher speeds than when they fightagainst a headwind.

UNIT 5




Question A-1:

Based on the information given in thispassage, which scheduling choicewould reduce fuel costs the most ?

a) Fly whenever necessary to fill anorder.

b) Be flexible and fly when there isno headwind.

c) Fly only when there is a tailwind.

d) Be flexible and fly whenever itpays because income exceedsexpenses.

Answer: c

Explanation

This passage does not addressquestions about how realistic it is toschedule flights only when winds arefavourable. According to the passageflying with a tailwind will result in thelowest costs for fuel. Choice c)receives the greatest amount ofsupport from the reading. Choices a)and d) might be reasonable ways torun an expediting business, but thepassage does not recommend theseideas and it also doesn’t deal with thetopic of how to run the business.

Choice b) is a reasonable compromisefor an expediter, because it reducesfuel costs due to fighting headwindswhile leaving two possibilities openfor flight: no wind and a tailwind.However, the question asks for theoption that produces the lowest fuelcosts and this decides in favor ofchoice c).

Question A-2:

If one plane is flying with agroundspeed of 190 mph, and asecond identical plane with the sameload is flying with a groundspeed of220 mph, what might explain thedifference in speeds based on thereading?

a) The planes are dealing withdifferent wind speeds.

b) The second plane has more fuel.

c) the planes are dealing withdifferent ground speeds.

d) one pilot is more experienced thanthe other.

Answer: a

Explanation

The difference in ground speedscannot be explained by differences inamounts of fuel because this won’taffect how fast the plane travels, onlyhow long it can travel (choice b).Choice c) restates a fact given in thequestion, it doesn’t answer thequestion. Choice d) could explain thedifference, but this requires anassumption and departs from themain topic in the reading. Choice a) issupported by the discussion on theeffects of headwind and tailwind ongroundspeed.

UNIT 5




Question A-3:

If a plane with the same load leavesEkati everyday but takes 1 hour toreach Yellowknife on Monday, whenthere was no wind, and 1 hour and 15minutes on Tuesday, what can be saidabout the direction of the wind?

a) The wind is unpredictable.

b) On Tuesday the wind direction wastoward Ekati and away fromYellowknife.

c) Tailwinds outnumber headwinds.

d) The plane had a tailwind onTuesday.

Answer: b

Explanation

You need to make a judgment aboutwind direction given the informationabout flying time. The clue you needis in the fact that on Monday therewas no wind. This means that longeror shorter flying times will be due to aheadwind or a tailwind. On Tuesdaythe trip was longer than on thewindless Monday, therefore aheadwind can explain the longerflying time. Since you know the planeis heading toward Yellowknife, theheadwind had to come fromYellowknife and toward Ekati.

Reading B:

The Berger Inquiryx

A galvanizing force for these Dene andMetis leaders was an inquiry into aproposal to run a gas pipeline downthe Mackenzie Valley in the mid-1970’s. The federal governmentappointed Mr. Justice Thomas Bergerin 1974 to review the proposal and,government officials hoped, give quickapproval to the project, which wouldunalterably change the lives of Deneand Metis. Meetings were heldinformally in community halls andschools with elders given a chance,often for the first time, to express theirviews on the actions of thegovernment directly to itsrepresentative. To the surprise ofmany, Berger recommended amoratorium on a pipeline through theMackenzie Valley for ten years untilthe Dene and Metis had a chance tosettle their land claims.

UNIT 5




Question B-1:

According to this passage, if thepipeline was approved the lives ofDene and Metis would change:

a) Unalterably.

b) For a long time.

c) After the inquiry ended.

d) When the pipeline was approved.

Answer: a

Explanation

Choice a) is supported by a directquote, “…government officials hoped,give quick approval to the project,which would unalterably change thelives of Dene and Metis.” The otherchoices are implied by the selection,but they do not answer the questionas precisely by using the readingselection.

Question B-2:

Why does the author think the Bergerinquiry was a galvanizing force for theDene and Metis leaders?

a) The leaders would have to protecttheir land.

b) The leaders wanted to consult withtheir communities.

c) The leaders had a pressing reasonto work together on a commonissue.

d) The leaders were shocked intoaction by the approval process.

Answer: c

Explanation

This question asks you to usejudgment to identify the author’sreasons for connecting the Bergerinquiry with the development of Deneand Metis leadership. Choice c)captures the main idea of unifying theleadership around a common purpose.Use your judgment to see that theinquiry changed the situation- we readthat now there was an opportunity tomeet with a representative of thegovernment directly and includecommunity consultations, often for thefirst time.

Choice a) makes an assumption thatgoes beyond the text. The selectiondoes not refer explicitly to land andthe possibility of losing it. Choice b)may be true, but it doesn’t answer thequestion about why the leaders beganto act together on the issue of thepipeline. Choice d) is true but there isless information to explain why theywere shocked into action than is givenin choice c). Choice c) is the bestanswer to the question.

UNIT 5




Question B-3:

According to this passage, what wasthe moratorium meant to accomplish?

a) A cooling off period.

b) Protection of aboriginal lands.

c) Prevent government officials fromgetting a quick approval.

d) To provide an opportunity to settleland claims.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choice d) is supported by, “…Bergerrecommended a moratorium on apipeline through the Mackenzie Valleyfor ten years until the Dene and Metishad a chance to settle their landclaims.” The other choices arepossible, but they receive less directsupport from the text.


All five competency areas arecombined in the following practicequestions. Remember that the test isdesigned to assess your readingability, not your knowledge about anysubject. You may use Part Two as apre test to see what you need toreview in Part One. You may also useit as a post test after completing Part

One.

Part Two:

Sample Questions with Explanations


Part 2

Practice Exam Questions

Reading A:

Accurate Estimates of Materials

Can Save Time and Money

An electrician needs to estimate howmany feet of wire he needs, amechanic needs to estimate howmuch oil he will need to change, and acarpenter will want to know howmuch lumber to order. In every casehaving a little more rather than a littleless of what is required will bedesirable in the long run. Err on theside of overestimating in order toavoid delays from running out ofmaterial- but don’t err too much or itwill cost you money if not time.

Question A-1:

According to this passage, why shouldtrades people err on the side ofoverestimating materials for a job?

a) It saves money in the short run.

b) It avoids delays if materials runout.

c) It might cost money in the longrun.

d) Its always better to have a lot ofextra material.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choice b) has direct support from, “Erron the side of overestimating to avoiddelays…” Choice ) is contradicted bythe passage, because reasonableoverestimations are supposed to savetime and money in the long run.Choice a) is not supported by thepassage, and goes against the mainpoint: namely that some extra costsspent on extra material will provideinsurance against running out ofmaterial on a project. Choice d)doesn’t answer: the question as towhy more material is desirable whenestimating, and it also contradicts therecommendation that overestimationnot be excessive, “…but don’t err toomuch…”


Part 2


Question A-2:

What would count as an example ofoverestimating- but not too much?

a) Ordering twice as much materialas the job requires.

b) Adding 10% extra to all materialsestimated for the job.

c) Finding a way to be accurate.

d) Hiring a consultant to do theestimating.

Answer: b

Explanation

Only choice b) answers the questionby describing a small increase over anestimation. Choice a) overestimatestoo much, and this would cost money.Choice c) is not an example ofoverestimating, and choice d) is notsupported by the passage

Reading B:

Small Measurements

A mechanic has to makemeasurements on piston rings andvalves that are accurate to within onethousandth of an inch. This can bedone by using thin blades of metal ona feeler gauge. Decimal places areused to indicate how accurate ameasurement is .002 inches isaccurate to plus or minus onethousandth of one inch, themeasurement cannot be out by asmuch as one thousandth of an inch. Ifthis measurement is accurate, a feelerblade of .003 won’t fit in the gap, andone measuring .001 will be too loose.

Question B-1:

How far off is a measurement allowedto be when a mechanic uses a feelergauge?

a) 1 inch.

b) .01 inch.

c) One thousandth of one inch.

d) Two decimal places.

Answer: c

Explanation

Direct support is given by, “… themeasurement cannot be out by asmuch as one thousandth of an inch.”The other choices are wrong.


Part 2


Question B-2:

A feeler gauge is used to:

a) Measure thousandths of inches.

b) Measure small gaps.

c) Measure distances betweenpistons.

d) Measure small distances.

Answer: b

Explanation

The feeler gauge is described as a setof thin blades that can be inserted insmall gaps. Even if you have neverseen one, this is all you need tounderstand. Choice b) is the bestanswer because the other choices areeither wrong or only partly right.Choices a) and d) are partly right, butthe gauge is not used as ruler tomeasure distances. Choice c) iswrong, and distances between pistonsare not discussed in the passage.

Question B-3:

If a feeler gauge blade is too loose,what can we conclude from thispassage?

a) A blade twice as thick is needed.

b) The gap being measured is largerthan the blade’s thickness.

c) The gap being measured issmaller than the blade’s thickness.

d) The blade was not insertedproperly.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choice a) makes an assumption, athicker blade will be needed, but notnecessarily one that is twice as thick.Choice b) is correct because we aretold that the blade fits in the gap tooloosely. Choices c) and d) don’t fit thefacts.


Part 2


Reading C:

Boom and Bust

The Cadillac Mine in the MackenzieMountains west of Fort Simpsonopened during the last silver boom. Aboom happens when the price for acommodity like silver goessignificantly higher without warning. Abust can follow a boom just as quickly.

When the mine was ready to operateworld prices for silver fell drastically.The mine was forced to close downbefore it had really started. This is oneof the problems Northern miningindustries face when they depend onworld markets to sell their product.The bad news from the market cancatch up with a development after agreat deal has been invested.Historically, the world diamond marketoffers a remarkably stable price forgem quality stones. This fact hashelped propel enormous investmentsin diamond mining in the NorthwestTerritories in recent years.

Question C-1:

The Cadillac mine was forced to closebecause:

a) There was not enough silver tosell.

b) No one wanted to buy the silverproduced by the mine.

c) No one thought the price of silverwould fall so steeply.

d) The price offered for silver fell solow that the mine could not profit.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choice d) is the only choice with

direct support that does not involve

making assumptions: “When the minewas ready to operate world prices forsilver fell drastically. “


Part 2


Question C-2:

Based on this passage, what can besaid about boom and bust?

a) A boom makes everyone rich whogets in early.

b) A bust is bound to follow a boom.

c) A bust can happen just as quicklyas a boom.

d) Boom and bust cycles are part ofevery mining industry.

Answer: c

Explanation

Choice c) has direct support in, “Abust can follow a boom just asquickly.” Choices a) and b) are basedon assumptions that are notsupported in the text. Choice d) iscontradicted by the comment that thediamond mining industry hashistorically enjoyed stable worldprices.

Question C-3:

According to the passage, what hashelped motivate investment in thediamond mining industry in theNorthwest Territories?

a) The existence of diamonds in theground.

b) The opportunity to sell to a worldmarket.

c) The relative stability of pricesoffered for diamonds.

d) The recent boom environment fordiamonds.

Answer: c

Explanation

The best choice is c) because it hasdirect support from the conclusion ofthe text in, “Historically, the worlddiamond market offers a remarkablystable price for gem quality stones.This fact has helped propel enormousinvestments in diamond mining in theNorthwest Territories in recent years.”Choices a) and b) are implied by thefacts that are given but they are notconnected in the passage to theinvestment of capital in diamondmining. Choice d) has no support fromthe text although it certainly may be acontributing factor.


Part 2


Reading D:

Proper Electrical Connectionsxi

Almost all electrical installations andrepairs consist of connecting wires toterminals or to other wires. Cutting,splicing and connecting electricalwires must be done well or problemswill result. A poorly made electricalconnection will have a much higherthan normal resistance. This results inan excessive amount of heat beingproduced at the connection whennormal current flows through theconnection. A poor electricalconnection will also reduce the totalenergy normally available for the load.This is due to the fact that a portion ofthe energy supplied is used toproduce unwanted heat at the faultyconnection point.

Question D-1:

Which statement best summarizes theconsequences of a faulty electricalconnection?

a) The wires are loose and cancorrode to the point that theyoverheat.

b) The connection will causeproblems including shorts andsparks.

c) The connection will produceunwanted heat and reduce theenergy that is supplied to a load.

d) The resistance will be higher thannormal and wires will heat up.

Answer: c

Explanation

The key word in the questions is“summarizes”. Only choice c)combines the two main outcomes of apoor connection: unwanted heat dueto higher than normal resistance andcurrent loss. The other choices areeither incomplete, choices a) and d)omit to mention current loss, orunsupported by the selection (choiceb).


Part 2


Question D-2:

Which of the following statements isbased on information contained in thispassage?

a) Unwanted heat at a faultyconnection is the result of higherthan normal resistance.

b) Energy supplied to a faultyconnection is wasted when thereis no place for it to go.

c) The resistance in a circuit isincreased when the circuit heatsup.

d) Cutting and splicing areresponsible for faulty connectionsonly when they are done withoutchecking the load.

Answer: a

Explanation

Choice a) is supported by, “A poorlymade electrical connection will have amuch higher than normal resistance.This results in an excessive amount ofheat being produced at the connectionwhen normal current flows throughthe connection.”

Reading E:

Not My Department

Safety in the workplace requires acombination of personal responsibilityand teamwork. When a tool is used itmust be returned in good conditionand never replaced when something iswrong with it. Similarly, when amachine is used, some kind of lockout procedure should be used so thatevery user knows that the equipmentwas shut down and serviced properlyby the last person who used it. One ofthe preventable causes of accidents inthe workplace is the “not mydepartment” attitude. Even though itmay not be your job to correctsomeone else’s mistakes ornegligence- it is your job to notice andreport problems and to make safetyyour responsibility.


Part 2


Question E-1:

Which of the following facts bestsupports the main point made in thispassage?

a) Young workers have the highestrate of accidents suffered in theworkplace.

b) Accidents are prevented when lockout procedures are followed.

c) Proper maintenance of equipmentwill prevent accidents.

d) A combination of safety awarenessand good lockout proceduresprevents accidents in theworkplace.

Answer: d

Explanation

With the exception of choice a), eachfact supports the main point in thepassage. Choice d) is the mostcomprehensive fact in support of theconditions that make a workplace safeand less prone to accidents. Noticethat choice d) includes choice b)because lockout procedures are basedon following maintenance procedures.Choice d) connects the two majorthemes in the passage: awareness ofproblems, and procedures thatsupport safe teamwork.

Question E-2:

According to the passage what iswrong with the attitude, “not mydepartment”?

a) This attitude is preventable.

b) This attitude contributes toaccidents that could be prevented.

c) Everyone has to do their job.

d) Safety should be everyone’sresponsibility.

Answer: b

Explanation

The question asks specifically aboutan attitude. Choice a) is a fact aboutthe attitude that is given in thepassage but it does not explain whatis wrong about the attitude. Choice b)gives the explanation asked for in thequestion. Choice c) is true, but doesnot speak to the question, and actuallypoints away from the main idea in thepassage, which is that everyone has aresponsibility to put safety first.Choice d) is a claim made in thepassage, but it doesn’t answer thequestion.


Part 2


Reading F:

Breakup

Several communities located on theshores of rivers in the NorthwestTerritories organize bets to see whocan predict the day when the frozenriver breaks up and starts to flowagain after the long winter. Sometimesa flag pole is set up in the middle ofthe river as an indicator. When theobject disappears with the movementof the river, breakup is declaredofficially. The pole is supposed tomove only after breakup starts.

Problems with this way of measuringthe start of breakup have troubledsome communities. Who waswatching when the flag poledisappeared? Was there a storm sothat no one could see the flagpole?Did the pole fall over due to localmelting before the river really brokeup? Even the simplest ways to decidesomething can still cause problems itseems.

Question F-1:

What would be the best example of an“indicator”, based on how this word isused in the passage?

a) A wind sock at an airport.

b) A flagpole at a school.

c) A thermometer.

d) A circuit breaker.

Answer: d

Explanation

Even if the reader does not know

exactly what a circuit breaker looks

like, the other choices can be

eliminated in its favor. Keep in mindthat the flagpole set up in the frozenriver is meant to function as anindicator of breakup. A wind sock (a)gives a continuous indication of winddirection, it doesn’t measure a criticalevent that happens at a specific timeafter specific causes – the way theflagpole in the river is supposed to.

Choice b) doesn’t respond to anythingchanging around it. A flagpole in aschoolyard is not used as an indicatorthe way a flagpole placed in a frozenriver is, even though it is a flagpole inboth situations that we are talkingabout. Choice c), a thermometer,measures any temperature anddoesn’t give an indication of when aspecific temperature is reached -although a person watching for aspecific temperature could use athermometer as an indicator if they satand watched it continuously.

Choice d) resembles the flagpole usedas an indicator in the passage mostclosely. When the demand forelectrical current becomes too great,and only then, will the breaker trip,and open the circuit. Like the flagpoleplaced in the frozen river, the breakeris designed to respond to a specificchange and signal that something hashappened that it is designed torespond to. This question assumes

that the reader knows what a wind

sock, and thermometer are- some

questions on the exam will make

assumptions about some “general

knowledge”.


Part 2


Question F-2:

Which observation best supports thewriter’s comment that “Even thesimplest ways to decide somethingcan still cause problems it seems.” ?

a) People like to find things to argueabout.

b) Flagpoles are untrustworthy forthe purpose of indicating breakup.

c) Apparently simple ideas can leadto unexpected complications.

d) Nothing is as simple as it looks.

Answer: c

Explanation

The contest here is between choice c)and choice d). Choice a is too generaland doesn’t focus on the issue thatmakes up the question namely: “Thepole is supposed to move only afterbreakup starts. Problems with this wayof measuring the start of breakup havetroubled some communities.” Choiceb) is a conclusion about flagpoles thatblames the flagpole for the difficultiesthat are described in the passage. Thisconclusion is not drawn by the writer.In fact, the passage suggests that it isthe weather that could be “blamed” ifthe pole fails to indicate breakup.Choice d), like choice a) is too general.It is close, but not as close as choice c.Choice d) is consistent with the pointquoted in the question, but choice c)

specifically expands the idea of simple

appearances to include the important

detail of unexpected complications.

This detail is what the writer focuses

on in the description of the problems

with the use of a flagpole as a

breakup indicator.

Reading G:

Doing and Thinking

Its time to stop separating academictheory from trades’ knowledge. Fortoo long, this division has preventedpeople from seeing how importantboth sides of the knowledge coin are.Theory and action belong together-not apart. Take just one example.Someone may know from experiencethat he or she can only siphon gasfrom one car to another when thereceiving gas tank is lower that thesource tank. They may also havelearned from experience that if you fillthe connecting hose with fuel first,you don’t have to suck on the lowerend and risk getting a mouthful of gas.

However, if this person is asked toexplain why things work this way theymay not have an answer. They knowsomething- but they don’t understandwhat they know. This is like having afish to eat for a day, but not knowinghow to fish so you can eat every day.The explanation for siphoningintroduces the concepts ofatmospheric air pressure (standardpressure), creating a vacuum, and theforce of gravity. When these conceptsare added to experience, they can beused to solve many practical problemsin new situations.


Part 2


Question G-1:

In this passage what is the writer’smain point?

a) Siphoning is a good example ofexperience that works withouttheoretical knowledge.

b) When concepts are added toexperience we have two sides ofthe same coin.

c) Theory and action belong together.

d) It’s better to know how to fish soyou can eat everyday.

Answer: c

Explanation

Choice c) is based on the secondsentence, “Theory and action belongtogether – not apart.” This topic isdeveloped throughout the passage. Itis the theme throughout. The otherchoices refer to supporting details, (a),or comparisons that illustrate the mainidea, e.g. a coin in choice b) andfishing in choice d).

Question G-2:

What does the author mean by, “Theyknow something- but they don’tunderstand what they know”?

a) People can do things withoutacademics.

b) People can know how to dosomething, but can’t explain why itworks.

c) People can siphon gas but notknow why it works.

d) Trades people know a lot based onexperience.

Answer: b

Explanation

The quote in the question is based onthe example of siphoning whichappears as choice c). Choice b) is abetter choice than c) because it makesa more general claim about two kindsof knowledge that uses the example ofsiphoning gas to make a point. Choicea) is true, but it misses the author’spoint that there are practicaladvantages to being able tounderstand why something works theway it does. To realize theseadvantages, know-how must becombined with explanation,academics with experience. Choice d),like a), is also true but doesn’t answerthe question so much as restate themeaning of the quote used in thequestion.


Part 2


Question G-3:

Which statement is supported by theideas in this passage?

a) People need to stop trying to getan explanation for everything theycan do.

b) Siphoning gas should be taught inscience classes.

c) Concepts added to experience canbe used to solve practicalproblems.

d) Trades education and academicsshould be separated.

Answer: c

Explanation

This choice is supported by theconclusion, “…concepts are added toexperience, they can be used to solvemany practical problems in newsituations.” Choices a) and d)contradict what is given in thepassage, and choice b) is not animplication that can be drawn withconfidence from the text.

Question G-4:

Which statement is opposed to themain idea presented in this passage?

a) Academic training is useful fortrades.

b) Knowing what works shouldinclude explaining why it works.

c) People can do things correctlywithout knowing why it works.

d) The division between academictheory and trades’ knowledge is agood idea.

Answer: d

Explanation

All of the other choices are supportedby the passage. Only choice d)opposes it. The text argues thatknowing what works and knowinghow something works are bothvaluable. Choices a) and b) supportthis claim. Choice c) states a) factgiven in the passage that, while notsupporting the main idea directly, alsodoes not contradict it.


Part 2


Question G-5:

What would be the best way toprevent getting a mouthful of gaswhen siphoning between two cars?

a) Sucking gently at first.

b) Increasing the vertical distancebetween the two gas tanks.

c) Putting pressure on the gas.

d) filling the hose with gas and thenusing it to connect the tanks.

Answer: d

Explanation

Choice d) is described in the passage.The other choices involve risks, (a) orare ineffective without furtherinformation, (b) and (c). The passageimplies that solution (d) might notoccur to someone who didn’tunderstand the relationship betweenatmospheric pressure and gravity.

Reading H:

Impaired driving

Alcohol dependency is acknowledgedas one of the main barriers in the wayof a solution to the problem ofimpaired driving. Put simply, if peopledidn’t depend on alcohol, theywouldn’t drive when they drink.Eliminate dependency, and youeliminate the problem. From a healthperspective, impaired drivers needrehabilitation, not punishment. Theyneed to be helped to overcome theirdependency through treatment.However, not all impaired drivers aredependent on alcohol in the same wayor to the same degree. A rehabilitationprogram can’t simply be “one size fitsall”.


Part 2


Question H-1:

Which of the following is not a factgiven in this passage?

a) All impaired drivers have the sameproblem.

b) Rehabilitation is based on a healthperspective.

c) Eliminating dependency willeliminate the problem.

d) Punishment is not part ofrehabilitation.

Answer: a

Explanation

Choice a) is contradicted by,“However, not all impaired drivers aredependent on alcohol in the same wayor to the same degree.” The otherchoices are supported by the passage.

Question H-2:

Why does the writer think that “onesize fits all,” won’t work to rehabilitateimpaired drivers?

a) People are different.

b) Rehabilitation is not for everyonewho drinks and drives.

c) Alcohol dependency is not thesame for all impaired drivers.

d) A health perspective isn’t foreveryone.

Answer: c

Explanation

Choice c) is supported by, “However,not all impaired drivers are dependenton alcohol in the same way or to thesame degree. A rehabilitation programcan’t simply be “one size fits all”. Theother choices make true statementsbut they do not answer the questionexactly and are not supported by thetext explicitly.


Part 2


Reading I:

Electromagnetsxii

Electromagnets can be made muchmore powerful than permanentmagnets. In addition, the strength ofthe electromagnet can be easilycontrolled from zero to maximum bycontrolling the current flowingthrough the coil. For these reasonselectromagnets have many morepractical applications than dopermanent magnets. Large industrialelectromagnets are used with cranesto move scrap iron.

Question I-1:

What can you conclude about thedifference between a permanentmagnet and an electromagnet fromthis passage?

a) Permanent magnets last longer

b) Electromagnets don’t take as muchcurrent

c) Permanent magnets don’t go fromzero to maximum

d) Electromagnets can’t be controlledas easily

Answer: c

Explanation

The passage tells us thatelectromagnets go from zero tomaximum depending on the currentflow. Permanent magnets, byimplication, do not change theirmagnetic properties with current. Theother choices are based onassumptions and receive no supportfrom the text.

Question I-2:

What is a reason given in the passagefor electromagnets to have manymore practical applications thanpermanent magnets?

a) Electromagnets cost less.

b) Electromagnets have the ability tovary their strength.

c) Electromagnets can be used withcranes.

d) Electromagnets are easier tomake.

Answer: b

Explanation

One of the reasons given in the text is,“…the strength of the electromagnetcan be easily controlled from zero tomaximum”. The other choices requireus to make assumptions except for c).Choice c) states a fact given in thepassage, but this fact doesn’t answerthe question- it only gives an exampleof one application.


Part 2


Reading J:

Hard Work

Hard work is not always productive.Human beings have a remarkableability to schedule as much time as isavailable on a task if they have nocompeting pressures. The interestingpoint is that a lot of serious effort cango into doing very little.

For example, a person who has all dayto clean their car could actuallydevelop an all day schedule of actionsthat clean the car. One hour for glasscleaning, one hour for brushing thecarpets, then sponging them off, thenspraying them etc. The reader gets theidea: where there is time there is theopportunity to make work and spreadit out until it fills all the available time.By six p.m. the weary car cleanercould feel that he had done a full day’swork-and in one way he would beright- but he would only havesucceeded in cleaning a car.

This tendency in human behavior hassupported salary plans that rewardhow much work is done, not how longit takes to do the work. We pay forresults, not for rationalizations abouthow long they take.

Question J-1:

What would be an example of thetendency in human behavior that isdescribed in this passage?

a) Brushing your teeth ten times aday.

b) Insisting on perfection at all times.

c) Making sure you have enoughtime for a job.

d) Working all day wateringhouseplants.

Answer: d

Explanation

The passage describes the tendency touse all available time on a job nomatter how quickly it could be takencare of. Choice d) is closest to the carcleaning example given in thepassage. The other choices are relatedideas, but they do not focus on thebehavior that is described in thepassage.


Part 2


Question J-2:

Based on this passage, how wouldyou pay to have your car cleaned?

a) By the hour.

b) According to the qualifications ofthe cleaner.

c) By a fixed rate for cleaning the carto an agreed standard.

d) By amount of effort and care thatwas taken.

Answer: c

Explanation

Direct support for choice c) is foundin, “This tendency in human behaviorhas supported salary plans thatreward how much work is done, nothow long it takes to do the work. Wepay for results, not for rationalizationsabout how long they take.” The otherchoices either contradict or areinconsistent with the main pointsmade about how people tend to taketoo much time to do simple jobs.

Question J-3:

What is the idea that the writer wantsthe reader to get?

a) All work requires effort.

b) People have a tendency to spreadwork out until it uses all the timeavailable.

c) People always work as hard asthey can.

d) Paying for work done by the hourhas risks.

Answer: b

Explanation

The question refers to the writer’sexpression that, “the reader gets theidea, where there is time there is theopportunity to make work and spreadit out until it fills all the availabletime.” This quote summarizes whatthe preceding examples are driving at.The other choices don’t answer thequestion or make assumptions.


Part 2


Reading K:

Wood Shinglesxiii

Wood shingles have the appeal that allwood has. They are a natural material,are nice to work with, weather topleasant colors, and are durable. Theyare taper-sawed from decay-resistantspecies like cypress, redwood, andcedar, with cedar having the edgebecause of characteristics that includea low expansion and contraction ratioin relation to moisture content, a niceeven grain, and a high impermeabilityto liquid. Unfortunately wood does notresist fire too well, so wood shinglesmay be frowned on in some areasunless they have been speciallytreated with a fire retardant. It’s apoint to check.

Question K-1:

What would not be a reason in favorof selecting wood shingles?

a) They are natural and weather topleasant colors.

b) They don’t let water through.

c) They need fire retardants in someareas.

d) They are decay resistant.

Answer: c

Explanation

A fire retardant may be a good idea tohelp resist fire, but the need for thisdoesn’t speak in favor of woodshingles. It would be better if theycould resist fire on their own. Theother choices are all positive reasonsfor choosing wood shingles and theyare given as facts in the passage.

Question K-2:

What does the author mean by “cedarhaving the edge”?

a) Cedar is taper sawed to a sharpedge.

b) Cedar has additional advantages.

c) Cedar is straighter than othershingle material.

d) Cedar is more decay resistant.

Answer: b

Explanation

The term “edge” is used to mean“advantage” here. A connotation,rather than the literal meaning ofedge, is intended6. After being toldthat cedar is one of several decayresistant species, we read, “…cedarhaving the edge because ofcharacteristics that include a lowexpansion and contraction ratio inrelation to moisture content, a niceeven grain, and a high impermeabilityto liquid.” This supports choice b).Choice a) is a fact that is given but itdoesn’t give cedar an advantage overother decay resistant woods. Choice c)is not supported by the passage andchoice d) is contradicted by thepassage. Cedar is included in a list ofdecay resistant species, this is aproperty it shares with them ratherthan a property that gives cedar anedge. Once again, you do not need

subject area knowledge to understand

the meaning of each advantage, for

example “impermeability to liquid”,

and “low expansion and contraction

ratio” in order to answer this question

correctly.

6 See optional topic #1 “Identifying Meaning” in Part One: Literal Comprehension.


Part 2


Reading L:

Symptoms and Causes

A symptom is a sign that something iswrong. People who fix things, just likephysicians who cure people, mustlearn to diagnose symptoms and findcauses. Often there are severalpossible explanations for the samesymptoms. How can a professional besure that they have diagnosed theright problem to work on? Ruling outpossibilities is a large part of thetrouble shooting process.

For example, a vehicle may makenoises when the steering wheel isturned and the driver may feel thatmore force than normal is required toturn the wheel. These symptomscould be caused by any of: a loose fanbelt that powers the steering, lowpower steering fluid, a damagedsteering linkage or broken lubricationseals. A skilled mechanic will rule outthe most common and easiest tocheck possibilities first. Usually it’s thefan belt or the fluid level. These can bechecked first before looking under thevehicle. A final point: more than onecause may be involved.

Question L-1:

What is an example of goodtroubleshooting skills?

a) Finding the cause of the symptomquickly.

b) Investigating the most obviousand common causes first.

c) Checking all possibilities beforemaking a decision.

d) Overhauling the system that isinvolved.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choice b) is supported by, “A skilledmechanic will rule out the mostcommon and easiest to checkpossibilities first.” A cause and apossibility have similar meanings inthe context of this selection. The otherchoices are not supported and don’tfocus on what the passage says abouttroubleshooting.


Part 2


Question L-2:

In this passage, what is the mostimportant comparison made betweena physician and a mechanic?

a) Mechanics and physicians bothsolve problems.

b) Mechanics and physicians arehighly trained specialists.

c) Mechanics and physiciansdiagnose symptoms and identifycauses.

d) Physicians work in hospitals andmechanics work in garages.

Answer: c

Explanation

This question requires judgment. Thepassage compares the work of adoctor with the work of a mechanic inthe first paragraph. All four choicesare supported or implied by thepassage but only choice c details thepoints of comparison that are used bythe author to develop a description oftroubleshooting that is based on thesimilarities between diagnosis ofpeople and finding the causes ofmechanical problems.

Question L-3:

What is significant about the finalpoint made in the passage?

a) Multiple causes means that the jobisn’t completed.

b) There can be more than one causefor a mechanical problem.

c) A mechanic cannot assume thatfixing one cause will also fix theproblem.

d) Mechanical problems can haveseveral explanations.

Answer: c

Explanation

The final point made is in the lastsentence, “A final point: more thanone cause may be involved.” Choice c)draws out the significance of the lastsentence by identifying what amechanic must know and do afterfixing one cause of a problem. Forexample, a loose fan belt may betightened, but the steering problemmay continue because the fluid level isalso low. Choice a) expresses anincomplete thought, it can be rejectedbecause we would need to supply thiscomplete thought, “The presence of

multiple causes means that the jobisn’t completed until all causes have

been addressed”, in order to see it asany kind of answer to the question.Choices b) and d) restate the finalpoint made in the passage withouttelling us anything about itssignificance.


Part 2


Question L-4:

In this passage we are told that rulingout possibilities is a large part of thetrouble shooting process. What otherparts of the process are identified inthe passage?

a) Knowing all of the possible causesfor a symptom.

b) Knowing the most commoncauses of a symptom.

c) Thoroughly checking that allsymptoms are accounted for by asolution.

d) All of the above.

Answer: d

Explanation

The process of elimination issupplemented by all three choices inthis question. Without a knowledge ofwhat could go wrong, its impossibleto start a process of elimination.Choices a) and b) support this idea.Choice c) captures the final pointmade in the passage. After a cause isfound and a solution provided, thework of checking the system to see ifany symptoms remain is still neededto complete the troubleshootingprocess.

Reading M:

Computers Give Orders

It is safe to say that all trades usecomputers for some part of their work.Many business functions areperformed by computers including,scheduling, record keeping,accounting, inventory management,communications with suppliers andcustomers, diagrams and blueprints,and project management.

One of the important benefits ofcomputers is real time inventorymanagement. When an item is takenout of an inventory, a computerprogram can immediately update allrecords based on that inventory. Forexample, if a certain gas fitting istaken from a warehouse several timesa day, a manager can have a computeralert him when the supply is down to500 fittings. The next step, alreadyhappening in some companies, is forthe computer to automaticallygenerate an order for more partswhen the supply reaches a pre-setlower limit.


Part 2


Question M-1:

In order for the computer to do whatthis selection describes, what must betrue?

a) The manager will need to haveMicrosoft windows manage theprogram.

b) The inventory will have to be largeenough to need a computer.

c) Each time a fitting is taken thetotal must be reduced by one inthe computer’s records.

d) The inventory must never beallowed to reach 500 or a lowerlimit.

Answer: c

Explanation

The key is in the phrase “must betrue” in the question. Choice c has tobe true, otherwise the computerwould not be able to track changes inthe inventory and do what thepassage describes. The other choices

do not necessarily have to be true

even though they may turn out to be

true in a particular situation.

Question M-2:

According to this passage, what wouldbe an example of real time inventorymanagement?

a) Finding out how many items in aninventory are left at the end of aday.

b) Inspecting the inventory everyweek to see how manyreplacement items should beordered.

c) Using a computer to print outreports on the size of inventory.

d) Recording every withdrawal frominventory at the same time that itis made.

Answer: d

Explanation

The phrase “real time” means“without any delay”, or “at the sametime as”. These meanings are impliedby the way the expression is explainedin the passage. Only choice d)describes an example whereinstantaneous records accompany atransaction. Choices a) and b) involvedelays, and choice c) does not make itclear that the printed reports areaccurate in real time.


Part 2


Question M-3:

According to this selection, whenwould the computer generate an orderfor more parts?

a) When more parts are needed.

b) When the lower limit programmedinto the computer is reached.

c) When the computer reports thatsupplies are dangerously low.

d) When the limit to the inventorysize is reached.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choice b) is supported by“…automatically generate an order formore parts when the supply reaches apre-set lower limit.” The phrase “pre-set” means that the computer isalready instructed (i.e. programmed)to notice the lower limit. Choices a)and d) are true, but too generalcompared to choice b). The passage isconcerned with what can happenautomatically when a computer isprogrammed to manage inventories,and a detailed description is given forautomatic re ordering. Choice c)describes a different computerfunction, namely reporting. It does notrefer to re-ordering, which is what thequestion asks for.

Question M-4:

Based on this passage, which is anexample of something a computerdoesn’t do?

a) Keep track of expenditures andincome.

b) Hire employees.

c) Contact customers.

d) Print out reports on inventory.

Answer: b

Explanation

Choices a) and c) are explicitlysupported in the selection. Choice d) isimplied, or consistent with the otherthings a computer is described asdoing. Only choice b) stands outsidethe information we are given.Decisions that are complex and thatinvolve dealing with people are notthe focus of this selection. While it ispossible that a computer could beprogrammed to make decisions abouthiring, this possibility is the one mostremoved from the computer functionsthat are discussed in the selection.


Part 2

Answer Key

The following answer key identifieswhich of the five competenciescovered in part one are most involvedin finding the correct answer. If youget an item wrong, review thecompetencies identified in the answerkey for that item.

Question Answer Units to Study

1. A1 b 1

2. A2 b 3

3. B1 c 3

4. B2 b 1

5. B3 b 3

6. C1 d 1 and 5

7. C2 c 2 and 5

8. C3 c 4 and 5

9. D1 c 1 and 4

10. D2 a 1

11. E1 d 1 and 3

12. E2 b 2 and 5

13. F1 d 2 and 4

14. F2 c 2 and 5

15. G1 c 4 and 5

16. G2 b 2 and 4

17. G3 c 3 and 4

18. G4 d 1 and 5

19. G5 d 3 and 4

20. H1 a 1

21. H2 c 1 and 4 and 5

22. I1 c 1 and 4

23. I2 b 1 and 5


Part 2

Answer Key

Question Answer Units to Study

24. J1 d 2 and 3

25. J2 c 2 and 3 and 5

26. J3 b 1 and 2

27. K1 c 2 and 3

28. K2 b 2 and 5

29. L1 b 2 and 3

30. L2 c 2 and 5

31. L3 d 2 and 4

32. M1 c 1 and 4

33. M2 d 4

34. M3 b 3 and 4

35. M4 b 3 and 4

Total correct

= _________

Percentage correct (divide total correctby number of items attempted andmultiply by 100)

= __________


Part 2

Endnotes

Additional Resources

1. Passing the GED, revised Canadian Edition, Gage Publishing, Canada, 1995 orlatest edition. (ISBN# 0-7715-8183-1)

2. How to Prepare for the GED, Canadian Edition, Barron’s, 3rd or later edition,1992. (ISBN# 0-7641-0324-5)

Acknowledgements

i Graves, Jonquil, Gunn Anne, “Fauna of the North”, p. 93 , Canada North ofSixty, Jurgen Boden editor, McClelland & Stewart, Toronto, 1991. (ISBN 0-7710-1581-X)

ii adapted from p.10, Identifying Wood, Taunton, 1990. (ISBN 0-942391-04-7)

iii adapted from p.370, Housebuilding, by R.J. De Cristoforo, Popular Science,Sterling Publishing 1987. (ISBN 0-8069-6512-6)

iv Lewis, Brian, “Canada’s Northwest Territories”, p. 14, Canada North of Sixty,Jurgen Boden editor, McClelland & Stewart, Toronto, 1991. (ISBN 0-7710-1581-X)

v Lewis, Brian, “Canada’s Northwest Territories”, p. 14, Canada North of Sixty,Jurgen Boden editor, McClelland & Stewart, Toronto, 1991. (ISBN 0-7710-1581-X)

vi adapted from p.370, Housebuilding, by R.J. De Cristoforo, Popular Science,Sterling Publishing 1987. (ISBN 0-8069-6512-6)

vii adapted from p.370, Housebuilding, by R.J. De Cristoforo, Popular Science,Sterling Publishing 1987. (ISBN 0-8069-6512-6)

viii Adapted from p.108 , Petruzella, Frank, Introduction to Electricity andElectronics, vol. 2, McGraw Hill Ryerson, 1986. (ISBN 0-07-548900-7)

ix Adapted from Petruzella, vol. 1, page 6

x p. 153, Blondin, Ethel, “The Dene and Metis” in Canada North of Sixty, JurgenBoden editor, McClelland & Stewart, Toronto, 1991. (ISBN 0-7710-1581-X)

xi Petruzella, p.46, vol. 1

xii Petruzella, p. 156, vol. 1

xiii De Cristoforo, p. 261

Documents

NWT Apprenticeship Support Materials · 1 The competency based approach taken by this curriculum is different than the approach taken in a general course in pre-trades reading comprehension