EOC Drills - Passage 5

1. 1. Part A: In paragraph 1, Thoreau writes, “The natural day is very calm, and will hardly reprove his indolence.” Which word from paragraph 1 is a synonym for indolence?

• Evening

• Fortune

• Chuckle

• Idleness

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1. 1. Part B: Which phrase from paragraph 1 gives a clue to the correct meaning of indolence?

• “To light some work of mine”

• “Nothing memorable is accomplished”

• “Singing like the birds”

• “Overhead for a passing day”

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2. 2. What is the central idea of passage A?

• People who appreciate the natural world tend to be lazier than other people.

• Enjoying nature is just as demanding as working hard to earn a living.

• Life is better when you surround yourself with nature and pay attention to it.

• It can be difficult to accomplish anything when you are surrounded by nature’s wonders.

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3. Which detail from passage B best supports the idea that being immersed in nature helps the brain recover from what modern life does to us?

• “...Strayer knows our brains are prone to make mistakes, especially when we’re multitasking and dodging distractions” (3).

• “Our brains, he says, aren’t tireless three-pound machines; they’re easily fatigued” (5).

• “The early evening sun has saturated the red canyon walls; the group is mellow and hungry in that satisfying, campout way” (6).

• “Feeling like a beached sea urchin, I walk carefully to a grassy bank along the San Juan River for ten minutes of restful contemplation” (8).

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4. In passage B, what is the author’s point of view toward Strayer’s research?

• The research findings will alarm people enough to change their habits.

• The research findings are more interesting to observe than participate in.

• The research focuses on an important issue that has become part of modern life.

• The research is based on a complicated theory that can’t be proven.

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5. Part A: How is Strayer’s point of view about the experience of being in nature, as the author presents it in passage B, different from Thoreau’s point of view in passage A?

• Strayer tries to explain the experience scientifically, but Thoreau does not.

• Strayer is more certain than Thoreau that the experience has positive effects.

• Strayer suggests that nature should be experienced with other people, but Thoreau does not.

• Strayer pays more attention to the nature around him than Thoreau does.

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5. Part B: Which detail from passage B best supports the answer to part A?

• “When you head out to the desert, David Strayer is the kind of man you want behind the wheel. He never texts or talks on the phone while driving” (3).

• “The early evening sun has saturated the red canyon walls; the group is mellow and hungry in that satisfying, campout way” (6).

• “Strayer, in a rumpled T-shirt and with a slight sunburn, is definitely looking relaxed. ‘I’m more in tune with nature,’ he goes on” (6).

• “Strayer’s hypothesis is that being in nature allows the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s command center, to dial down and rest, like an overused muscle” (7).

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