Delta Test 5 Reading 2

15. According to paragraph 1, one similarity between the tropical and temperate rainforests of the Americas is

16. The word traps in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

17. In paragraph 2, what does the author state about the layers of tropical rainforests?

18. The word luxuriant in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

19. Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 2? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

20. The word littered in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

21. In stating that the low–growing plants are shade tolerant in paragraph 3, the author means that the plants

22. Which of the following is given to illustrate the apparent slow passage of time in temperate rainforests?

23. What can be inferred from paragraphs 4 and 5 about the rate of decomposition in rainforests?

24. Paragraph 4 supports which statement about tropical rainforests?

25. What is the main purpose of paragraph 5?

26. Look at the four squares,  A  ,  B ,  C   and  D , which indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

For this reason, even though the vegetation may be lush, the soil itself contains few available nutrients.

When trees and plants die, their nutrients are recycled to maintain the forest.   A   Nutrients in rainforests are recycled at various rates, due to differences in rates of decomposition and variations in soil chemistry. In tropical rainforests, the warm temperatures and abundant precipitation cause most organic material to decompose in a few months to a few years.  B   Because decomposition is so rapid, relatively little organic material accumulates on the floor of tropical forests. As the vegetation dies and decays, the roots of the trees quickly absorb the nutrients.  C   Most of the nutrients supporting the rainforest—about 75 percent of those in the ecosystem—are stored in the woody trunks of trees, while only about 10 percent are contained in the soil. The relatively low concentrations of nutrients in the soil are a result of the fast cycling time rather than a shortage of these elements in the ecosystem.  D