if you’re wondering to yourself, where should i volunteer? you’re in luck—we’ve created a quiz to help you decide!

take the quiz below and then read on to learn how to choose where to volunteer your time.

take the quiz!

table of contents

• do you want to work with people?
• are you passionate about a cause?
• what are your strengths?
• where do you like to spend time?
• final word

do you want to work with people?

one of the biggest factors to consider when weighing different volunteer opportunities is whether you would like to spend your time chatting with people or not. if your preference is to minimize your human interactions in any given day, then find a volunteer opportunity where you can work alone, such as sorting books at the library or walking dogs at your local animal shelter.

on the other hand, if you wake up every day ready to chat, then share your social skills at a hospital or school. you probably won’t be happy sorting through mail in a backroom in an office.

whether you prefer the company of people or dogs is totally fine—no judgment here! the most important thing is to be true to yourself and choose the volunteer opportunity where you’ll be most comfortable, and therefore, most effective.

are you passionate about a cause?

the next big consideration is whether you are passionate about a particular cause. do you get outraged when someone throws something in the trash that could have been composted? do you have a history of rescuing baby birds? pay attention to these strong feelings and past actions.

if you have such passionate feelings about a specific issue, find organizations that are working on those important matters. then, find out how you can help support the cause. the most effective volunteers are those who truly care about their work and are dedicated to the cause. so, follow your heart to find your best volunteer opportunity!

if you don’t have a particular passion at the moment, don’t despair. there are loads of other ways to find a volunteer opportunity that’s meant for you, such as volunteering in a field where you might want to have a career someday.

another great way to discover the perfect volunteer opportunity for you is to contemplate what you’re good at doing. so, let’s talk a little bit about strengths.

what are your strengths?

another great way to decide where you should volunteer is to make a list of your strengths. by reviewing what you excel at, you can decide where best to share your talents. think back on past jobs or internships and write down what you did well and what you enjoyed. did you love chatting up strangers at the receptionist desk? did you find it thrilling to help fellow students in class when they struggled?

your reflections will help guide you to decide where you can share your unique strengths and qualities. if people often tell you that you’re good at explaining things, consider teaching or tutoring with a local nonprofit. alternately, if you find that you love cheering people up who are feeling down, consider volunteering at a hospital or nursing home.

no matter what your strengths are there is a place in need of them. so, get out there and start sharing your unique skills!

where do you like to spend time?

one final deliberation is to think about where you choose to spend your free time. if you often find yourself at the art museum or library, these places might be the perfect place to share your talents. alternately, if the thought of a museum immediately makes you sleepy, set your sights elsewhere—maybe coaching youth soccer is a better match for you!

another option, especially if you love to spend time outdoors, is to volunteer at a local or national park. you can give back by helping to repair trails or greeting folks as they enter the park. it’s a great way to get some sun, see some wildlife, and give back all at the same time.

final word

volunteering is a chance for you to give back to the community and strengthen your college application. finding the right volunteer opportunity requires the consideration of many factors. you’ll need to think about your strengths, the places you prefer to spend time, and the why behind your volunteering, such as getting into your dream school. once you’ve determined your passions and strengths, and where you enjoy spending time, you’ll be able to choose the place to volunteer that’s a perfect fit for you!

the post where should i volunteer? take the quiz appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

wondering what size college you should choose? well, you’re in luck. we’ve developed a what size college should i apply to? quiz to help you decide whether you’re best suited for a small, medium, or large college.

first, take the what size college should i apply to quiz, and then read on to learn about how school size will affect your college experience and what school size best suits your personality. this is an important decision, but we’ve laid out all the crucial factors here to help you decide.

take the quiz!

table of contents

• do you want lots of variety?
• do you mind walking a lot?
• are you looking for personal attention?
• have you scheduled school visits?
• takeaway

do you want lots of variety?

if you’re hoping to meet lots of different kinds of people and have the chance to join different interest groups and hobbies every semester, then you should be looking at medium to large colleges. these campuses tend to have more variety in extracurriculars, classes, and people due to the large student body and diverse professional staff.

on the other hand, if you’re hoping to make a close group of friends with similar interests and take classes with them, you should probably focus your school search on small colleges. you’ll feel right at home knowing your way around campus after the first few days and being able to meet friends for dinner at a small number of dining rooms. if you’re looking for a close-knit community in a more intimate setting, focus your search on small colleges.

do you mind walking a lot?

although it may seem like not a big deal, large schools can mean a lot of walking. if you’re not interested in logging miles every day to get to and from class, you may want to consider a smaller college where your dorm, class, and the gym are minutes apart.

as a texan studying in wisconsin, i learned very quickly that long walks in the snow and ice are very different than long walks under the texas sun. be sure to consider the climate where the school is located when making your decision (and get snow boots if you need to!).

are you looking for personal attention?

if you’d prefer a lot of individual attention and assistance picking your classes, understanding the requirements of your major, and handling all other school-related tasks, a small or medium college might be the best fit for you. you’re more likely to have an advisor who knows your goals and can assist you with deciding which courses and professors might be best for you.

also, you’ll get more help with handling your course load and staying on track to graduate on time. so, if you often struggle with keeping track of details and managing course requirements, a smaller college would likely suit you best.

in contrast, at large campuses with student bodies over 20,000, you can’t expect a lot of personalized attention. instead, you’ll be expected to navigate the bureaucracy of the administrative system on your own. think about whether you’d like the challenge of handling these things by yourself.

additionally, you’ll likely have a good deal of classes taught by grad students, so take some time to consider whether that would work for you. if you’re looking to only be taught by an expert in a small group setting, a large college probably isn’t for you.

have you scheduled school visits?

finally, while considering all of the questions presented here will help you think about whether you’d prefer a large or small college, one of the best ways to put together your college list is to visit a variety of schools.

venture onto large campuses and see how you feel lost in a crowd of people. invigorated or overwhelmed? next, take a stroll through a small campus and consider how you feel. do you feel tucked in a cozy place or like you need something more to explore?

wandering through campus and sitting in on classes is a great way to get a feel for how a college will be. don’t forget to ask your guide or current students about their experiences so far. talking to students and asking questions on your visit is crucial to understanding the culture of a campus. so, be sure to speak up on your tour and get your questions answered!

takeaway

if you’re still not sure, try taking the what size college should i apply to? quiz one more time. think carefully about each of your responses in light of the information above and see if you get a different answer than before. if so, take some time to write out the pros and cons of each size college and don’t hesitate to read more tips on finding the right school for you. college is four years of your life—take the time to make the choice that’s best for you!

the post what size college should you choose? take the quiz appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

want to join the fighting illini? who wouldn’t? with a beautiful campus located only a few hours from chicago, the university of illinois at urbana-champaign is a great school with a lot to offer.

did you know that:

• the university of illinois-urbana champaign was recently ranked 13th for best public university in the u.s, with the 6th best engineering program.
• the student to faculty ratio is 20:1, and 40% of classes have twenty students or less.
• among the alumni and faculty, there are 25 nobel prize winners and 28 pulitzer prize winners.

in addition to these impressive stats, the university of illinois also places great importance on the student experience. all freshman are required to live on campus, which helps foster a collegial environment and makes it easier for students to transition to life on campus. there’s also a lot of love for all things sports, so get ready to cheer at football, volleyball, basketball games and more!

now that you’re even more excited to join the fighting illini, let’s look at what it takes to get accepted to the university of illinois.

university of illinois admissions data

while the admissions committee at the university of illinois takes a holistic approach when reviewing candidates, there are still average gpa and test scores for admitted students. here’s a snapshot of some key university of illinois admissions stats:

*starting in fall 2019, university of illinois urbana champaign began offering free tuition to in-state students whose family income is $61,000 or below.

let’s take a closer look at the gpa requirements for incoming freshman.

university of illinois gpa

the gpa range provided above is based on an unweighted 4.0 scale, so be sure to keep that in mind when considering your gpa and your chances. while it’s helpful to know that the gpa range is between 3.45 and 3.92, this doesn’t mean that if your gpa is below a 3.45 you can’t get in the university of illinois. these numbers represent the middle range, which means that 25% of admitted students have a gpa below a 3.45.

it’s also worth pointing out that gpa minimums vary by major, so your gpa might be competitive for the major that you want to apply to. for example, the gpa range for the college of fine and applied arts starts at 3.23, and the college of media’s range starts at 3.30.

don’t know your gpa? you can calculate it here and see how you competitive you are!

university of illinois act and sat scores

while test scores aren’t everything, they are an important part of your university of illinois application. here’s a quick overview of the university of illinois sat scores and act scores to help you see where you stand.

at the university of illinois, students apply to the particular major that they want to study, so you should review the average sat and act scores for your major to see how competitive you’ll be.

if your scores aren’t quite as high as you would like them to be, don’t be discouraged. there is more to your application, and the university of illinois – urbana champaign is looking for more than just test scores.

university of illinois freshman profile

who exactly are the fighting illini? the incoming freshman class of 2023 is the most diverse student group to date, and 24.7% are first-generation college students. while the number of students of students from other countries is lower than in past years, the number of countries represented increased from 36 to 40.

now that you have a sense of the incoming students, let’s take a further look at the other parts of your application to see how you can impress the university of illinois admissions committee and be one of the incoming freshmen soon!

how to get into the university of illinois

the university of illinois admissions committee is dedicated to taking a comprehensive view of applicants. they look not only at test scores, but also at the difficulty of classes taken in high school, extracurriculars, and any honors or awards received.

make sure you’ve taken the required coursework. the school recommends four years in all of the following subjects (and taking the most advanced classes available), but requires a minimum of the following:

• english: 4 years
• math: 3-3.5 years
• social sciences: 2 years
• lab sciences: 2 years
• foreign language: 2 years
• electives: 2 years

when you apply to u of i, you will apply directly to the major you are interested in studying. this means that the admissions committee will be looking to see if you are prepared for a particular course of study. so, if you still have time, be sure to take the most advanced classes in the area of study that most interests you. you can also apply for your second choice major to increase your chances of admission.

along with solid test scores, you’ll want to make sure that you have a strong, well-rounded application to be competitive. here is a quick and comprehensive list of what you need to apply:

• official results of your act or sat, and advanced placement scores
• official high school transcripts or record of academic achievement in secondary school
• response to the essay question
• indication of your desired major and an alternative program*
• a $50 application fee

*depending on the major you apply to, you may have additional application requirements. for example, students interested in dance, music, or theater are required to audition or interview. review the admission requirements for each major carefully to ensure you submit everything you need to.

final word of advice: make sure that each part of your application is as strong as it can be. take time to carefully craft your essays to demonstrate what makes you unique and the perfect fit for the university of illinois.

since the university of illinois accepts students for particular majors, make sure your application demonstrates your passion for that area of study. show how your coursework and extracurricular activities have strengthened your passion for that academic field and how they will help you be successful.

university of illinois faq

does the university of illinois require teacher recommendations?
nope! in fact, ui doesn’t even accept them. however, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need recommendations for other applications, so definitely ask teachers early!

does the university of illinois require the sat essay?
good news! the university of illinois-urbana champaign admissions does not require the sat essay (or the act essay, for that matter). be careful, though—if you’re applying to other universities, they may require it, and you don’t want to have to take the exam twice just for that reason!

how many undergraduates get to participate in research?
research is a top priority at the university of illinois, and 68% of undergraduates are able to assist with this important research.

how many students are from out of state?
the university of illinois welcomes out-of-state students. these students make up 26% of undergraduate students.

what gpa do i need to be able to transfer?
in general, at least a 3.0 gpa is needed to transfer, but there are some majors that accept lower gpas. for example, the school of social work and the school of education accept students with a minimum gpa of 2.5.

the takeaway

the university of illinois is one of the top-ranked public universities in the country. with a diverse student body, and a strong sense of community and school spirit, it’s no surprise that so many students want to attend this great university. make sure you are competitive by getting the best sat or act score that you can.

from all of us here at magoosh, good luck getting into your dream school!

the post university of illinois-urbana champaign: the sat scores, act scores, and gpa you need to get in appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

if you’re feeling burned out from school, you’re probably wondering should i take a gap year? or if you’re itching to travel or experience something new, you’re likely asking yourself the same question.

to help you decide if taking a gap year is right for you, we’ve created a super helpful quiz. take the quiz below and then read on to learn more about how to make the decision that’s right for you!

take the quiz!

table of contents

• why take a gap year?
• ideas for your gap year
• can you afford a gap year?
• do you have support for a gap year?
• gap year: pros and cons
• takeaway

why take a gap year?

there are lots of reasons to take a gap year. some students are just burned out after intense years of school and extracurriculars and stressing about good sat scores. others are just interested in seeing a bit of the world before jumping into more years of studying.

if you haven’t already, sit down and really think about why you’re interested in taking a gap year. are you looking to do some self-exploration? do you want to see another part of the world? or are you just unsure of your next step?

if you’re considering a gap year, you should have a clear sense of what you want to do during your time off. let’s look at some potential ways you can spend your gap year from serving your community at home to venturing abroad.

ideas for your gap year

now that you have a sense of why you want to take a gap year, you can narrow down what you want to do during your time away from school. if you’re looking for a new experience or to learn about a new culture, explore options to work abroad. there are often lots of opportunities for students to work as nannies, teachers, or tutors all over the world from paris to peru!

alternately, if you’re interested in a year of service, you should research all the different nonprofits that offer volunteer opportunities domestically or abroad. for example, americorps offers volunteer opportunities where you can receive a stipend and financial aid in exchange for giving back to your community.

can you afford a gap year?

one of the biggest things to consider when deciding to take a gap year is your financial support. depending on what you want to do during your gap year, you may need a good deal of support from family or friends. alternately, if you’re looking to work abroad, you may just need some start up funds and emergency savings. before you take the leap, consider how much money you’ll need to do what you want to do during your gap year.

you should also think about any potential impacts to your student financial aid. if you’re already completed your fafsa, you may need to reapply next year before you start school.

do you have support for a gap year?

in addition to financial support, you should consider whether you have the support of your family, friends, and teachers for taking a gap year. while others’ opinions shouldn’t dictate what you do, you should consider the viewpoints of those you trust. family and friends who know you well can help you see whether a gap year would work with your personality and your hopes and ambitions.

on the flip side, however, don’t let anyone get you down if your heart is set on taking a gap year. be confident in your dream. set out a clear plan, your expectations for your gap year, and then show the naysayers how solid your vision is. they’ll be helping you pack your bags in no time!

gap year: pros and cons

time for a quick recap of the pros and cons of taking a gap year. feel free to grab a sheet of paper and make your own pros and cons list – sometimes there’s no better way to make a decision than by seeing the options on paper.

gap year pros:

1. extra time to think about what you want to study in college.
2. time and space to recharge.
3. opportunity to experience new places and cultures.
4. chance to save some money before college.

gap year cons:

1. lose momentum with your studies.
2. start college and graduate at different times than your high school friends.
3. may have to reapply for schools and financial aid.

again, take some time to think about any pros or cons specific to your situation – planning to room with your best friend? feeling exhausted after a grueling year of classes and varsity sports? and don’t forget to enlist your friends for help—they may think of things you overlooked!

takeaway

still wondering should i take a gap year? well, ultimately, the decision lies with you. carefully evaluate your answers to the questions (and quiz!) above. if you take the time to make the right choice for you, you can’t go wrong. best of luck on your next adventure – whether that’s college or hiking the andes!

the post should i take a gap year? take the quiz appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

interested in joining the fighting irish for stellar academics, global opportunities, a focus on service…and of course, great football? with a beautiful campus and lots of school pride, the university of notre dame is the top choice for many students. no doubt you’re already familiar with a few reasons why notre dame is such a popular choice, but let’s take a look at a few more:

• notre dame was recently ranked 11th for best undergraduate teaching.
• the median starting salary of a notre dame alum is $65,300, which shows the caliber of students graduating and the solid job opportunities available to them.
• the fighting irish, especially the football team, are a source of pride among the student body and make up a large part of the activities for students.

 
not surprisingly, notre dame is a highly competitive school with an acceptance rate under 20%. we’ll talk more about how to get into notre dame, but first let’s look at why admissions officers say it all comes to down to being a notre dame “fit.”

are you a good fit for notre dame?

notre dame is a unique school for many reasons. since you’d be there for four years of your life, it’s important to think about how you would fit in with the student body and culture of the university.

notre dame is a catholic university that strongly emphasizes faith and service as part of its mission. while you don’t have to be catholic to attend, you should consider whether you would like attending a faith-based university.

in addition to its basis in the catholic faith, notre dame has five pillars that embody the spirit of the notre dame education. these principles are mind, heart, zeal, family, and hope.

much like with the faith consideration above, you should spend some time thinking about whether your personal values align with these principles and if you would like them to guide your undergraduate education. also, keep these in mind when writing your admission essays—you’ll definitely want to weave these principles in throughout your application!

finally, notre dame’s mission is to be a “powerful force for good in the world.” does this speak to your personal mission in life? if so, and you love division i athletics, challenging academics, and a scenic campus, keep reading to find out how to get into notre dame.

freshman profile

so who is the typical fighting irish freshman? the class of 2023 is diverse with students from all 50 states and 82 different countries. accepted students were also very active, with 50% participating in music, drama, fine arts, or dance and 47% captaining a varsity sports team. and they’re a super smart bunch as you’ll see in the sat and act scores reported below.

one more notable statistic about notre dame students is that 48% receive need-based aid scholarships, showing the university’s commitment to helping its students.

notre dame admissions data

here’s a snapshot of some key notre dame admissions stats from the 2018-2019 cycle:

notre dame act and notre dame sat scores

there’s no way around it, really good scores are crucial to getting into notre dame. keep in mind that it’s currently ranked as the 15th best university in the country!

here’s a quick overview of the notre dame sat scores from the 2018-2019 cycle:

notre dame also accepts act scores; here are their most recent numbers:

while notre dame doesn’t require any minimum scores to apply, the ranges above let you know where you stand compared with other applicants. if you’re in the ranges above, then notre dame is definitely within reach for you, especially if the other parts of your application are strong.

however, don’t be discouraged if your scores aren’t as high as you’d like. there is more to your application, and notre dame prides itself on having a diverse student body. let’s take a look at what else the admissions committee is looking for in addition to strong standardized test scores.

university of notre dame gpa average

the university of notre dame does not officially report the average gpa of accepted students, but it’s safe to say the average gpa is mostly likely a 4.0. why it is safe to assume the average gpa is so high? well, 89% of admitted students were in the top 10% of their class, while 98% were in the top 25% of their class. this means you’ll need to get the highest gpa possible to ensure you are ranked at the top of your class. if you’re gpa isn’t as high as you need, you’ll need to focus on bringing up your act and sat scores to be more competitive.

faq

is an in-person interview part of the application process?
no, the university of notre dame does not conduct interviews as part of the admissions process, so be sure to tell your story and demonstrate how awesome you are through the writing supplement and test scores.

does the university of notre dame prefer the act or sat?
the university of notre dame accepts both the act and sat and does not have a preference for one test over the other. just be sure to get the highest score you can on whichever test you decide to take!

are transfer students accepted?
yes, the university of notre dame welcomes transfer students but the application process is highly competitive. transfer students are accepted into a particular college and major, so you should complete courses similar to notre dame’s first year classes to increase your chances of acceptance.

what is the notre dame admissions process?

along with good test scores, you’ll want to make sure that you complete a thorough and competitive application for admission. here is a quick and comprehensive list of what you’ll need for the notre dame admissions process:

as you’re putting together all of these pieces of your application, be sure to keep in mind the evaluation criteria that the notre dame adcom will use to assess candidates. in particular, they’re looking for stellar academic performance and “passions” (aka extracurricular activities).

final word of advice: make sure that your academic strengths shine in your application by demonstrating a range of high-level classes. and if you’re only a freshman or sophomore in high school and notre dame is your dream school, make smart choices now to ensure that you are challenging yourself and getting the highest gpa you can.

the takeaway

notre dame is a highly competitive university, so you need to make sure you get the highest gpa and sat or act score you can. in addition to strong academics, the adcom wants to see passionate students who have a desire to be of service in the world.

given the selective admissions process, you’ll need to prepare, prepare, prepare for your tests ahead of time.

from all of us here at magoosh, good luck getting into your dream school!

the post university of notre dame admissions: the sat scores, act scores, and gpa you need to get in appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

students see the biggest increases in their scores when they practice for the act regularly. by consistently following an act prep schedule, you can improve your score in as little as an hour a day. sounds pretty good, right get started with this daily habit today by reviewing magoosh’s act questions of the day!

(these questions, by the way, are drawn from magoosh’s full free 2022世界杯入门名单, which i also recommend!)

ready to practice?

on this page, you’ll find an act math question of the day and an additional act question of the day from one of the four act sections: english, reading, math, and science. the act math question of the day will update every day of the month, so make sure to come back and check it everyday!

the other questions of the day are all available right now, labeled by day of the week. you can wait for the day of the week to try a particular question, or if you are really feeling you need some more act questions right now, go ahead and jump down to each day’s act question of the day using the links below.

best of luck practicing and improving your score!

act math question of the day

act question of the day

click the buttons to jump to each day’s act practice question.

monday’s act english question of the day

this act question of the day is based on the following passage.

about four hundred years ago, in 1612, northwest england was the scene of england’s largest peacetime witch trial: the trial of the lancashire witches. twenty people, mostly from the pendle area of lancashire, were imprisoned in the castle as witches. in the end, ten were hanged, one died in jail, one was sentenced to the stockades, and eight were acquitted. how did this witch trial come about, and what accounts for its static fame?

we know so much about the lancashire witches because the trial was recorded in unique detail by the clerk of the court thomas potts who published his account soon afterwards. robert poole recently published a modern-english edition of their book, together with an essay piecing together what we know of the events of 1612. it reveals how potts carefully edited the evidence, and also how the case against the “witches” were constructed and manipulated to bring about a spectacular show trial.

it all began in mid-march when a peddler from halifax named john law had a frightening encounter with a poor young woman, alizon device in a field, near the town of colne. he refused her request for pins, and there was a brief argument during which he was seized by a fit that left him with “his head drawn awry, his eyes and face deformed, his speech not well to be understood; his thighs and legs stark lame.” we can now recognize this as a stroke, perhaps triggered by the stressful encounter. alizon device was sent for and surprised all by confessing to the bewitching of john law, and then begged for forgiveness.

when alizon device was unable to cure the peddler the local magistrate, roger nowell, was called in. “with weeping tears,” alizon explained to nowell that she had been led astray by her grandmother, “old demdike,” well-known in the district for her knowledge of old prayers, charms, cures, and curses. nowell quickly interviewed alizon’s grandmother and mother, as well as demdike’s supposed rival, “old chattox.” their panicky attempts to explain themselves and shift the blame to others eventually only ended up incriminating them, and the four were sent to lancashire prison in early april to await trial at the summer courts.

choose the option for the underlined portion that best expresses the idea in standard written english and that is most consistent with the style and tone of the passage. if the original version is correct, select no change. if there is a question provided, choose the best answer to the question.

robert poole recently published a modern-english edition of their book, together with an essay piecing together what we know of the events of 1612.

a. no change
b. its
c. it’s
d. his

click to view the answer and explanation.

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tuesday’s act science question of the day

malaria is an infectious disease that kills more than 600,000 people every year. several species of the genus plasmodium cause malaria, with two of the most common being plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax. though both species cause a very similar illness, p. falciparum malaria is more likely to result in fatalities than p. vivax malaria, while p. vivax malaria is more likely to recur — to return after a period of time during which the patient is healthy and has no parasites present in the blood.

the two species of malaria parasites respond differently to antimalarial medications, but in many areas where malaria is common, testing to determine what type of malaria a patient has is not widely available. therefore malaria treatments are often tested against both species of the parasite, and first-line malaria treatments in these regions ideally should be effective against both parasites.

experiment 1
for many years, public health professionals in papua new guinea have recommended a treatment regimen, drug combination a, as a first-line malaria treatment. recently a new treatment regimen, drug combination b, has been proposed as a potential replacement for combination a, and a study was conducted to compare their effectiveness.

children entering a local health clinic with malaria symptoms were tested to determine which plasmodium species they carried. the patients were then randomly assigned drug combination a or drug combination b, and their blood was tested periodically for the presence of parasites.

figure 1

experiment 2
on rare occasions, patients have severe allergic reactions to a compound that is found in both drug combination a and drug combination b. in these cases, a second-line treatment must be used. a second study was conducted to determine which of several drug combinations would be the best second-line drug to recommend for use in papua new guinea. table 1 shows the treatment response to the second-line drug combinations.

table 1

choose the option that best answers the question.

suppose a patient is brought to the clinic with a life-threatening case of p. falciparum malaria. as the patient’s condition is deteriorating quickly, it is essential that they be given the treatment that eliminates parasites from their blood within 7 days. based on the data from experiments 1 and 2, which treatment should they be given?

a. drug combination a
b. drug combination d
c. drug combination e
d. drug combination b

click to view the answer and explanation.

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wednesday’s act math question of the day

choose the option that best answers the question.

the average of x and t is y. if s = 2y, what is the average of s, x, and t in terms of y?

a. 3y
b. 2y
c. 5y/3
d. 4y/3
e. y

click to view the answer and explanation.

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thursday’s act reading question of the day

the opening scene of the film marie antoinette (sofia coppola, 2006) is set in austria: a static image of a young marie antoinette sleeping in a dark room. the establishing shot that follows shows schönbrunn palace in the early, grey morning light, before reverting to a close-up of marie antoinette waking up. completely unaware of what the future has in store for her, marie antoinette allows the attendants to dress her just as on any other day. while she waits for them to lace the corset and finish her hair, she appears unconcerned and plays with her little pug. dressed in a soft, velvety and lavender blue two-pieced dress, she then meets with her mother, before being sent off to france.

the theme of dressing and redressing, which is accentuated in the opening scene, is pursued throughout the film marie antoinette, establishing costume as a significant feature for reading the movie. costumes help in the construction of cinematic identities. their colors and configurations intervene with the actors’ movements, allowing further characterization on a more associative level. a character’s story is visualized through clothing. at first glance the attire of a filmic character connotes time period, social status, and whether or not the cinematic world refers to fantasy or reality. a closer examination reveals more subtle details: a character’s state of mind, motivations, and how the character wishes to be perceived.

costume design involves conceptualizing and creating garments that capture and define the personalities of fictional characters and are therefore intended to embody the psychological, social and emotional condition of the character at a particular moment in the screenplay. for instance, one of the scenes in the “i want candy” montage in the film shows marie antoinette trying on new high-heeled shoes, and next to her on the floor lays a pair of well-worn, light blue converse boots. the anachronistic feature is a cross-reference to today’s fashion and youth culture, reminding the audience that this is a film about teenagers and not really an 18th century period piece.

additionally, in marie antoinette, color is used in a nuanced way, not only to describe the characters, but also in order to facilitate a specific look for the whole movie. on a conceptual level, the colors are used to tell a story. in this case, a story with an unhappy ending. in this early stage of marie antoinette’s time at versailles, the colors worn and applied are light and icy, more sorbet-like. in the middle of the film—depicting her party years—her gowns become most dessert-like in their choice of color and even in cut, with bright yellow, pink and blue combinations creating a macaroon effect with the ornamentation of petticoats and skirts. her dresses are modified in configuration as well and become bolder, with more daring garnish. in the final sequences of marie antoinette’s life at versailles, the colors grow a bit darker, faded, and become stricter. the fabric seems to change as well, and the dresses look heavier and more formal. the whole mise-en-scène subsequently becomes darkened and the film ends with a frame of her wrecked apartment overlaid with the sound of the guillotine as it slices the air (implying marie antoinette’s beheading).

the color palette of the costumes might be translated to a depiction of marie antoinette’s inner journey. the range of colors are comparable to those of the seasons, beginning with the light, spring-like pastels for her youth; bright summer colors representing her party years; and the darker, autumn-like shades for the last period at versailles. as such, the costumes have metaphoric meaning; they are symbols of a stage in life and a state of mind. the costumes for marie antoinette are thus understood as being designed in order to communicate the inner experiences of the characters.

ultimately, costume design in marie antoinette allows us to quickly grasp what the characters are all about. the actual changes in french fashion that began in the 1780s are in the film used as a way to visualize marie antoinette’s state of mind. the costumes conspire with the other cinematic features, generating a symbolic network for telling a story through dress.

choose the option that best answers the question.

the main point of the passage is that:

a. marie antoinette uses the symbolism of costumes more than many other films like it.
b. costume design in marie antoinette allows audiences to more easily understand the psychological state of the main character.
c. marie antoinette’s use of anachronous costuming helps audiences today better relate to the movie’s time period.
d. costume design in marie antoinette allows the audience to more easily distinguish between the personalities of the different characters.

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friday’s act english question of the day

writing a personal essay
[1]
acclaimed novelist, toni morrison, likens memory to the way the mississippi river, and other rivers like it, years after being straightened and pushed into levees by the army corps of engineers, still strain at times to flood its banks and revisit the original, meandering route. “all water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was,” morrison tells us, “writers are like, that remember where we were, what valley we ran through, what the banks were like, the light that was there, and the route back to our original place.”

[2]
i have worked with so many writers who worry their inconsistent memory is not sharp enough, exact enough, or reliable enough for them to capture childhood moments with any authority, and, of course, science had proven the fallibility of memory time and time again. [a] but what can we do, as writers?

[3]
it has been my experience that most of us remember more than we think that we do. [b] it just takes some time to stop, think, and take our minds back to the original riverbanks. once we have latched onto one of them—the color of the tablecloth on aunt jean’s holiday table and the old fashioned centerpiece she inherited from her grandmother, perhaps—that tiny, small foothold of memory is often the impetus to memories that can help to unloosen yet another, and then another, small detail. [c] these past moments are in your mind still, morrison is telling us, waiting for us to uncover the moments we have since forgotten. bringing it to the front just takes time.

[4]
in the end, all we promise the reader is that we have done our absolute best to fact-check our memories, and that we have tried our hardest to be accurate. [d] smart readers know that no other guarantee is necessary or possible.

[5]
so, go to the river of memory. find one small detail, and start writing for just ten minutes, trying to remember one small detail at a time. see where it takes you today.

after reading the passage, choose the option for the underlined portion that best expresses the idea in standard written english and that is most consistent with the style and tone of the passage. if the original version is correct, select no change. if there is a question provided, choose the best answer to the question.

in the end, all we promise the reader is that we have done our absolute best to fact-check our memories, and that we have tried our hardest to be accurate.

a. no change
b. additionally,
c. however,
d. as a result,

click to view the answer and explanation.

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saturday’s act reading question of the day

passage a
edmund burke, the british writer of political theory, believed government had been improved by every preceding generation up to his own. he saw the successive effort of early greek democracies and byzantine emperors and the rules set forth by the magna carta coalescing into a consummately effective—though far from perfect—society. in his eyes, the british parliamentary system of his day represented the realization of all of the efforts theretofore drawn together by the work of enlightenment philosophers in the 18th century. it was the fullest expression of liberty balanced with order yet known to man. a deep sense of gratitude to his forbears reigned in every word from his lips and from his pen.

due to this national pride and patriotism, burke’s dismissal of the french revolution brings little surprise to the student of history. yet, his positive attitude toward the american revolutionaries, so uncommon in his time and station, was no less a natural expression of his political stance.

years before the fateful july fourth, burke addressed the british house of commons regarding the trouble stirring far across the atlantic. the british had treated the american englishmen unjustly, he argued. taxation without representation violated the principles foundational to parliament. taking a long and careful view of history, burke believed that the colonists had both tactical and ideological advantages; they wielded the two-edged sword of power and virtue. as long as the english people exploited their overseas brethren, they could not hope to suppress the colonists with violence.

burke’s call to action went unheeded, and the american revolution began. still appealing to his perennial belief in the superiority of the parliamentary system of government, he pled with the house, “as long as you have the wisdom to keep the sovereign authority of this country as the sanctuary of liberty, the sacred temple consecrated to our common faith, wherever the chosen race and sons of england worship freedom, they will turn their faces towards you. the more they multiply, the more friends you will have; the more ardently they love liberty, the more perfect will be their obedience. slavery they can have anywhere. it is a weed that grows in every soil. they may have it from spain, they may have it from prussia. but, until you become lost to all feeling of your true interest and your natural dignity, freedom they can have from none but you.” despite his wise words, the english still sought to enslave the colonies, thereby losing america.

passage b
a refugee torn from the prisons of the french revolution, political philosopher thomas paine ended his life without the slightest loss of confidence in the beauty and value of revolution. as he had stood with america throughout his boyhood and early manhood, paine stood with france even as it sought to kill him. for paine, the world had been a brutal, unjust place until the enlightenment in the 1700s. in the light of liberty and intellectual freedom, the dusty thrones and inbred monarchy that filled europe’s ruling class seemed a matter for history books rather than newspapers.

paine championed these views and praised the necessity of the american revolution in his famous pamphlet, common sense. read in bars and parlors throughout the colonies, the straightforward, sometimes vulgar language of paine’s writings provided the battle cry of an enlightened people against the old, cold ways of king george iii. it argued that ordinary people had not only the ability and the right to contribute to the structure of their leadership, but even the duty.

what was true in america was doubly true in france. a little over a decade after arguing the american people into shuffling off the shackles of the english monarchy, paine joined what he saw as a parallel effort in france. when the peasants deposed the king and tore apart the structure of their government, paine lauded the end of tyranny. the political philosopher joined the effort in france with almost complete accord, although he did try to argue against the execution of king louis xvi, who had been an ally to the americans in their own fight for independence. even after that execution, paine went on to write headstrong defenses of the french revolution until the tides turned. in the unstable atmosphere of the french political landscape, paine soon found himself on the wrong side of the ruling powers. imprisoned and sentenced to death, paine relied on allies from america and england to help him escape.

despite this accident of history, paine refused to speak against the french revolution. to his death, he continued to claim that individual safety and stability ought to be sacrificed on the altar of liberty.

choose the option that best answers the question.

the author’s attitude toward edmund burke in passage a can best be described as:

a. interest and wariness.
b. skepticism and apprehension.
c. amusement and sentimentality.
d. reverence and fascination.

click to view the answer and explanation.

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sunday’s act science question of the day

ethylene glycol, a popular industrial chemical used in the manufacture of polyester fibers and in industrial applications like antifreeze, has the structure shown below:

figures 1-3 each show how a property of solutions of ethylene glycol in h2o varies as the concentration of ethylene glycol increases at 1 atmosphere (atm) of pressure. concentration is given as the percent ethylene glycol by mass in h2o. figure 1 shows how the freezing point varies with % ethylene glycol. figure 2 shows how the boiling point varies with % ethylene glycol. the surface tension is the property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force due to the cohesive forces between molecules in the liquid. figure 3 shows how surface tension varies with % ethylene glycol at 25°c.

choose the option that best answers the question.

according to figure 1, at 1 atm, the melting point of pure 100% ethylene glycol is closest to which of the following?

a. 0°c
b. -13°c
c. -33°c
d. -52°c

click to view the answer and explanation.

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a final word

keep practicing every day and you’ll see your score improve in no time. if you want to move on from attempting one act question of the day to multiple act questions each day, check out magoosh act prep for more than 500 additional practice problems!

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