In the Blink of an Eye

Why aren't people bothered by the interruptions to vision caused by blinking?

• The brain is designed to ignore very brief moments of darkness

• Blinking relaxes people's eyes

• Blinking removes dust that lands on the eyes.

• The brain can process information even when people's eyes are closed

The section "Think Before You Blink" is organized in a way that shows --

• how blinking is affected by the use of different electronic devices

• the various factors associated with blinking rates

• the different benefits babies and adults get from blinking

• which parts of the eye responsible for blinking

Based on the labels in the diagram of the human eye, the reader can conclude that --

• more muscles are used to move the eye than to blink

• eye muscles are stronger than any other muscles in the body

• blinking provides several benefits to the eyeball

• blinking happens in a way that does not affect a person's vision

Read this sentence from paragraph 1.

"Blinking usually occurs automatically, like your heartbeat."

Which statement from the article supports the idea in this sentence?

• That's when the muscles that control eyelids eventually lose some of their tone and ability to move

• You rarely notice this type of blink, which is incredibly fast.

• Without this repeated lubrication, your eyeballs begin to dry, and your eyelids feel sticky.

• Each time you blink, your eye closes for about three-tenths of a second

Which sentence from the article helps explain why staring at a computer screen affects blink rate?

• Then blink rates decrease as people move into older adulthood.

• After 30 seconds you probably struggle to resist closing and then reopening your eyes.

• You'll blink less when you're concentrating on something.

• When you're thinking but not actually looking at something, your blink rate will also decrease.

What does the word involuntarily mean in the following sentence from the passage?

"People can blink on purpose. However, most blinking occurs involuntarily."

• without control

• happens often

• to be painful

• to happen by choice

What does the word absorbed mean in the following sentence from the passage?

"If you’re absorbed in reading, your blink rate will decrease."

• having one's attention fully engaged

• to soak up liquid

• to be forgetful

• to be distracted

What does the word pondering mean in the following sentence from the passage?

"What happens if you think aloud while pondering the answer to a question?"

• to collaborate with others

• to take control

• to think about something carefully

• to be patient

What does the word interrogating mean in the following sentence from the passage?

"Police use this knowledge to gain information from suspects when interrogating them."

• to avoid

• to irritate someone

• to identify

• to ask questions aggressively

What does the word contract mean in the following sentence from the passage?

"Then two different muscles contract, raising your eyelids back up."

• to combine

• to decrease in size

• to break

• to reveal