1 At the turn of the century, nearly eight thousand varieties of apples grew in the United States. Today, ninety-five percent of those species no longer exist. Similarly, in 1949, Chinese farmers were able to grow more than ten thousand types of wheat; by 1970—just twenty-one years later—they were able to grow only one thousand types! This narrowing and specializing trend in farming is threatening the diversity of food crops.

2 Numerous corn and potato species are already extinct. Imagine if one of the extinct potato types happened to carry a gene that is resistant to a new plant disease—that gene would now be lost to the world! Trends such as this have alerted scientists to the need for a global seed bank, to ensure that the genetic diversity of the world’s food crops is preserved for the future.
Which correctly identifies the central idea of paragraphs one and two?
A) Because of the reduction in crop varieties, global seed banks are necessary.
B) Past crop diversity supports the concept of collaborative global seed banks.
C) Global seed banks are necessary to ensure sufficient food to prevent global hunger.
D) Corn and potato crops are particularly susceptible to extinction because of plant disease.

Read the excerpt from act 3 of a doll’s house. mrs. linde: you seemed to me to imply that with me you might have been quite another man. krogstad: i am certain of it. mrs. linde: is it too late now? krogstad: christine, are you saying this deliberately? yes, i am sure you are. i see it in your face. have you really the courage, then—? mrs. linde: i want to be a mother to someone, and your children need a mother. we two need each other. nils, i have faith in your real character—i can dare anything together with you. krogstad [grasps her hands]. , , christine! now i shall find a way to clear myself in the eyes of the world. ah, but i forgot— how does the conflict in this passage develop a theme? mrs. linde creates a conflict by promising something she cannot give to krogstad, which develops the theme that empty promises can destroy relationships. krogstad continues the conflict by choosing clearing his name over having a life with mrs. linde, which develops the theme that you must often choose yourself over others. krogstad creates a conflict by deceiving mrs. linde about his intentions, which develops the theme that, in love, actions speak louder than words. mrs. linde resolves the conflict by committing to a new life with krogstad, which develops the theme that new beginnings are always possible.