Reading Comprehension

“Cured” in passage I would entail

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

The mind has an incredible power. We see it as we go through our everyday activities, constantly displaying the wonders of logic, thought, memory and creativity. Yet, can the mind be more powerful than we know? Is it possible to reduce or even eliminate pain, illness and disease by using the natural powers it possesses? Can the mind heal?

Many of our finest researchers and scientists have explored that question, and while the exact answer still eludes us, the facts seem to bear out that the mind does have the power to assist in both healing, and conversely, bringing on "disease" as well. Two such examples of mind and body healing are hypnotherapy and meditation. There are others such as ionization, which focuses on thinking positive instead of negative. But first, I will describe the reasoning behind the mind-body connection.

Psycho-neuro-immunology is the name for the study of the min-body connection, or PNI for short. PNI has been around for the last 20 years or so and has revolutionized the way we look at health and wellness. There was a point in human existence when the connection between the mind and the body was taken for granted. A couple of centuries ago, science had grown to understand the "mechanical universe" concept. The laws of Sir Newton and the science of physics had begun to infiltrate the science of medicine. If the universe followed mechanical laws, so might the body. To prove this theory, scientists needed to open a body up to observe how it worked.

The Church was very adamant about the body being the temple of the soul and could never be desecrated. After much haggling and several smoke-filled back room discussions, an agreement was reached. The Church would maintain it’s jurisdiction over "the mind" for that is were the personality and soul "truly" resides and science could have the body, which is just a "machine for the mind" and upon death, would become simply an empty vessel.

Furthering the rift, more recent science has discovered that specific diseases can be "cured" through specific medicinal formulas or drugs. This "magic bullet" mentality spread throughout medicine and science. Science has tried to brush aside or explain away this phenomenon by saying, "Oh, it’s just the placebo effect" or "It’s spontaneous remission" as well as other innocuous terms seemingly to lessen it’s importance. It is human nature when something is not understood to either dismiss it, diminish it or ignore it all together. This search to seek out answers to this reoccurring phenomenon is the basis for PNI, the way the mind-body connection is made and how we can utilize it for greater health and well-being.

Passage – II

The brain is a two and a quarter pound piece of living organic tissue that controls the human nervous system. Music is a collection of sound waves that propagate through the air, and has varying frequencies and tones following a discernible order. Yet we all recognize the significance of the brain beyond its physical function. Our minds are the essence of what we are. The brain enigmatically stores memories, and lets people experience such things as emotion, sensations, and thoughts. In the same sense, music is more than just a collection of vibrations. This leads to the question of how does music affect the mind, and in addition, how does music affect human behavior? The reader might ask why such a question should be relevant. If more is known about the psychological and neurophysiological effects of music on the human mind, then the possibilities of this knowledge are unbounded. Music can be used to treat social and behavioral problems in people with disabilities. The use of music in the classroom might enhance or weaken a student's work characteristics. Therefore, whether the influence of music is positive or negative, much needs to be explored about the link between the mind and music.

Physiologically, the brain receives information about sound waves from the ear through the auditory nerve. This information is then processed by the brain and analyzed for the juxtaposition of melody and rhythm. The mixture of melody and rhythm is what we commonly refer to as music. However, our minds interpret this auditory information as more than just sound signals; somehow, we are able to differentiate between certain types of music, and develop preferences for these different types. Yet, what are the ways in which the effects of music manifest themselves?

First, there are particular biochemical responses in the human body to music. Research shows that college students, when listening to music, have more galvanic skin response peaks, as opposed to when they were not listening to music. This research also indicates a significant decrease of nor epinephrine levels in students while they listen to preferred music. Nor epinephrine is a neurotransmitter that arbitrates chemical communication in the sympathetic nervous system of the human body. The release of this neurotransmitter, as a consequence of a function of the brain, results in an increased heart rate and heightened blood pressure. Therefore, the decrease of nor epinephrine in these college students results in a more relaxed state. This could suggest that favored or pleasant music somehow affects the mind, resulting in the relaxing of the body. Another research project, undertaken at the Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, focuses on the effects of music on the mind using electroencephalograms (EEG). An electroencephalograph is a medical instrument that is capable of showing the electrical activity of the brain by measuring electrical potentials on the scalp. In this experiment, volunteers were exposed to silence, music, white noise (simulated hiss), and then silence. The result of this experiment coincides with the previous findings. The volunteers all reported feeling a calming sensation. However, the researches did not attribute the lowered tension to reduced neurotransmitter levels. While listening to music, many of the subjects reported that they felt pleasantly relaxed or comfortable… Music may evoke more organized mental activities which result in subjectively comfortable feelings.

The quotation marks in Passage I would denote

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

The mind has an incredible power. We see it as we go through our everyday activities, constantly displaying the wonders of logic, thought, memory and creativity. Yet, can the mind be more powerful than we know? Is it possible to reduce or even eliminate pain, illness and disease by using the natural powers it possesses? Can the mind heal?

Many of our finest researchers and scientists have explored that question, and while the exact answer still eludes us, the facts seem to bear out that the mind does have the power to assist in both healing, and conversely, bringing on "disease" as well. Two such examples of mind and body healing are hypnotherapy and meditation. There are others such as ionization, which focuses on thinking positive instead of negative. But first, I will describe the reasoning behind the mind-body connection.

Psycho-neuro-immunology is the name for the study of the min-body connection, or PNI for short. PNI has been around for the last 20 years or so and has revolutionized the way we look at health and wellness. There was a point in human existence when the connection between the mind and the body was taken for granted. A couple of centuries ago, science had grown to understand the "mechanical universe" concept. The laws of Sir Newton and the science of physics had begun to infiltrate the science of medicine. If the universe followed mechanical laws, so might the body. To prove this theory, scientists needed to open a body up to observe how it worked.

The Church was very adamant about the body being the temple of the soul and could never be desecrated. After much haggling and several smoke-filled back room discussions, an agreement was reached. The Church would maintain it’s jurisdiction over "the mind" for that is were the personality and soul "truly" resides and science could have the body, which is just a "machine for the mind" and upon death, would become simply an empty vessel.

Furthering the rift, more recent science has discovered that specific diseases can be "cured" through specific medicinal formulas or drugs. This "magic bullet" mentality spread throughout medicine and science. Science has tried to brush aside or explain away this phenomenon by saying, "Oh, it’s just the placebo effect" or "It’s spontaneous remission" as well as other innocuous terms seemingly to lessen it’s importance. It is human nature when something is not understood to either dismiss it, diminish it or ignore it all together. This search to seek out answers to this reoccurring phenomenon is the basis for PNI, the way the mind-body connection is made and how we can utilize it for greater health and well-being.

Passage – II

The brain is a two and a quarter pound piece of living organic tissue that controls the human nervous system. Music is a collection of sound waves that propagate through the air, and has varying frequencies and tones following a discernible order. Yet we all recognize the significance of the brain beyond its physical function. Our minds are the essence of what we are. The brain enigmatically stores memories, and lets people experience such things as emotion, sensations, and thoughts. In the same sense, music is more than just a collection of vibrations. This leads to the question of how does music affect the mind, and in addition, how does music affect human behavior? The reader might ask why such a question should be relevant. If more is known about the psychological and neurophysiological effects of music on the human mind, then the possibilities of this knowledge are unbounded. Music can be used to treat social and behavioral problems in people with disabilities. The use of music in the classroom might enhance or weaken a student's work characteristics. Therefore, whether the influence of music is positive or negative, much needs to be explored about the link between the mind and music.

Physiologically, the brain receives information about sound waves from the ear through the auditory nerve. This information is then processed by the brain and analyzed for the juxtaposition of melody and rhythm. The mixture of melody and rhythm is what we commonly refer to as music. However, our minds interpret this auditory information as more than just sound signals; somehow, we are able to differentiate between certain types of music, and develop preferences for these different types. Yet, what are the ways in which the effects of music manifest themselves?

First, there are particular biochemical responses in the human body to music. Research shows that college students, when listening to music, have more galvanic skin response peaks, as opposed to when they were not listening to music. This research also indicates a significant decrease of nor epinephrine levels in students while they listen to preferred music. Nor epinephrine is a neurotransmitter that arbitrates chemical communication in the sympathetic nervous system of the human body. The release of this neurotransmitter, as a consequence of a function of the brain, results in an increased heart rate and heightened blood pressure. Therefore, the decrease of nor epinephrine in these college students results in a more relaxed state. This could suggest that favored or pleasant music somehow affects the mind, resulting in the relaxing of the body. Another research project, undertaken at the Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, focuses on the effects of music on the mind using electroencephalograms (EEG). An electroencephalograph is a medical instrument that is capable of showing the electrical activity of the brain by measuring electrical potentials on the scalp. In this experiment, volunteers were exposed to silence, music, white noise (simulated hiss), and then silence. The result of this experiment coincides with the previous findings. The volunteers all reported feeling a calming sensation. However, the researches did not attribute the lowered tension to reduced neurotransmitter levels. While listening to music, many of the subjects reported that they felt pleasantly relaxed or comfortable… Music may evoke more organized mental activities which result in subjectively comfortable feelings.

What does the author implies via the term 'magic bullet'?

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

The mind has an incredible power. We see it as we go through our everyday activities, constantly displaying the wonders of logic, thought, memory and creativity. Yet, can the mind be more powerful than we know? Is it possible to reduce or even eliminate pain, illness and disease by using the natural powers it possesses? Can the mind heal?

Many of our finest researchers and scientists have explored that question, and while the exact answer still eludes us, the facts seem to bear out that the mind does have the power to assist in both healing, and conversely, bringing on "disease" as well. Two such examples of mind and body healing are hypnotherapy and meditation. There are others such as ionization, which focuses on thinking positive instead of negative. But first, I will describe the reasoning behind the mind-body connection.

Psycho-neuro-immunology is the name for the study of the min-body connection, or PNI for short. PNI has been around for the last 20 years or so and has revolutionized the way we look at health and wellness. There was a point in human existence when the connection between the mind and the body was taken for granted. A couple of centuries ago, science had grown to understand the "mechanical universe" concept. The laws of Sir Newton and the science of physics had begun to infiltrate the science of medicine. If the universe followed mechanical laws, so might the body. To prove this theory, scientists needed to open a body up to observe how it worked.

The Church was very adamant about the body being the temple of the soul and could never be desecrated. After much haggling and several smoke-filled back room discussions, an agreement was reached. The Church would maintain it’s jurisdiction over "the mind" for that is were the personality and soul "truly" resides and science could have the body, which is just a "machine for the mind" and upon death, would become simply an empty vessel.

Furthering the rift, more recent science has discovered that specific diseases can be "cured" through specific medicinal formulas or drugs. This "magic bullet" mentality spread throughout medicine and science. Science has tried to brush aside or explain away this phenomenon by saying, "Oh, it’s just the placebo effect" or "It’s spontaneous remission" as well as other innocuous terms seemingly to lessen it’s importance. It is human nature when something is not understood to either dismiss it, diminish it or ignore it all together. This search to seek out answers to this reoccurring phenomenon is the basis for PNI, the way the mind-body connection is made and how we can utilize it for greater health and well-being.

Passage – II

The brain is a two and a quarter pound piece of living organic tissue that controls the human nervous system. Music is a collection of sound waves that propagate through the air, and has varying frequencies and tones following a discernible order. Yet we all recognize the significance of the brain beyond its physical function. Our minds are the essence of what we are. The brain enigmatically stores memories, and lets people experience such things as emotion, sensations, and thoughts. In the same sense, music is more than just a collection of vibrations. This leads to the question of how does music affect the mind, and in addition, how does music affect human behavior? The reader might ask why such a question should be relevant. If more is known about the psychological and neurophysiological effects of music on the human mind, then the possibilities of this knowledge are unbounded. Music can be used to treat social and behavioral problems in people with disabilities. The use of music in the classroom might enhance or weaken a student's work characteristics. Therefore, whether the influence of music is positive or negative, much needs to be explored about the link between the mind and music.

Physiologically, the brain receives information about sound waves from the ear through the auditory nerve. This information is then processed by the brain and analyzed for the juxtaposition of melody and rhythm. The mixture of melody and rhythm is what we commonly refer to as music. However, our minds interpret this auditory information as more than just sound signals; somehow, we are able to differentiate between certain types of music, and develop preferences for these different types. Yet, what are the ways in which the effects of music manifest themselves?

First, there are particular biochemical responses in the human body to music. Research shows that college students, when listening to music, have more galvanic skin response peaks, as opposed to when they were not listening to music. This research also indicates a significant decrease of nor epinephrine levels in students while they listen to preferred music. Nor epinephrine is a neurotransmitter that arbitrates chemical communication in the sympathetic nervous system of the human body. The release of this neurotransmitter, as a consequence of a function of the brain, results in an increased heart rate and heightened blood pressure. Therefore, the decrease of nor epinephrine in these college students results in a more relaxed state. This could suggest that favored or pleasant music somehow affects the mind, resulting in the relaxing of the body. Another research project, undertaken at the Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, focuses on the effects of music on the mind using electroencephalograms (EEG). An electroencephalograph is a medical instrument that is capable of showing the electrical activity of the brain by measuring electrical potentials on the scalp. In this experiment, volunteers were exposed to silence, music, white noise (simulated hiss), and then silence. The result of this experiment coincides with the previous findings. The volunteers all reported feeling a calming sensation. However, the researches did not attribute the lowered tension to reduced neurotransmitter levels. While listening to music, many of the subjects reported that they felt pleasantly relaxed or comfortable… Music may evoke more organized mental activities which result in subjectively comfortable feelings.

'Propagate' in the passage II means

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

The mind has an incredible power. We see it as we go through our everyday activities, constantly displaying the wonders of logic, thought, memory and creativity. Yet, can the mind be more powerful than we know? Is it possible to reduce or even eliminate pain, illness and disease by using the natural powers it possesses? Can the mind heal?

Many of our finest researchers and scientists have explored that question, and while the exact answer still eludes us, the facts seem to bear out that the mind does have the power to assist in both healing, and conversely, bringing on "disease" as well. Two such examples of mind and body healing are hypnotherapy and meditation. There are others such as ionization, which focuses on thinking positive instead of negative. But first, I will describe the reasoning behind the mind-body connection.

Psycho-neuro-immunology is the name for the study of the min-body connection, or PNI for short. PNI has been around for the last 20 years or so and has revolutionized the way we look at health and wellness. There was a point in human existence when the connection between the mind and the body was taken for granted. A couple of centuries ago, science had grown to understand the "mechanical universe" concept. The laws of Sir Newton and the science of physics had begun to infiltrate the science of medicine. If the universe followed mechanical laws, so might the body. To prove this theory, scientists needed to open a body up to observe how it worked.

The Church was very adamant about the body being the temple of the soul and could never be desecrated. After much haggling and several smoke-filled back room discussions, an agreement was reached. The Church would maintain it’s jurisdiction over "the mind" for that is were the personality and soul "truly" resides and science could have the body, which is just a "machine for the mind" and upon death, would become simply an empty vessel.

Furthering the rift, more recent science has discovered that specific diseases can be "cured" through specific medicinal formulas or drugs. This "magic bullet" mentality spread throughout medicine and science. Science has tried to brush aside or explain away this phenomenon by saying, "Oh, it’s just the placebo effect" or "It’s spontaneous remission" as well as other innocuous terms seemingly to lessen it’s importance. It is human nature when something is not understood to either dismiss it, diminish it or ignore it all together. This search to seek out answers to this reoccurring phenomenon is the basis for PNI, the way the mind-body connection is made and how we can utilize it for greater health and well-being.

Passage – II

The brain is a two and a quarter pound piece of living organic tissue that controls the human nervous system. Music is a collection of sound waves that propagate through the air, and has varying frequencies and tones following a discernible order. Yet we all recognize the significance of the brain beyond its physical function. Our minds are the essence of what we are. The brain enigmatically stores memories, and lets people experience such things as emotion, sensations, and thoughts. In the same sense, music is more than just a collection of vibrations. This leads to the question of how does music affect the mind, and in addition, how does music affect human behavior? The reader might ask why such a question should be relevant. If more is known about the psychological and neurophysiological effects of music on the human mind, then the possibilities of this knowledge are unbounded. Music can be used to treat social and behavioral problems in people with disabilities. The use of music in the classroom might enhance or weaken a student's work characteristics. Therefore, whether the influence of music is positive or negative, much needs to be explored about the link between the mind and music.

Physiologically, the brain receives information about sound waves from the ear through the auditory nerve. This information is then processed by the brain and analyzed for the juxtaposition of melody and rhythm. The mixture of melody and rhythm is what we commonly refer to as music. However, our minds interpret this auditory information as more than just sound signals; somehow, we are able to differentiate between certain types of music, and develop preferences for these different types. Yet, what are the ways in which the effects of music manifest themselves?

First, there are particular biochemical responses in the human body to music. Research shows that college students, when listening to music, have more galvanic skin response peaks, as opposed to when they were not listening to music. This research also indicates a significant decrease of nor epinephrine levels in students while they listen to preferred music. Nor epinephrine is a neurotransmitter that arbitrates chemical communication in the sympathetic nervous system of the human body. The release of this neurotransmitter, as a consequence of a function of the brain, results in an increased heart rate and heightened blood pressure. Therefore, the decrease of nor epinephrine in these college students results in a more relaxed state. This could suggest that favored or pleasant music somehow affects the mind, resulting in the relaxing of the body. Another research project, undertaken at the Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, focuses on the effects of music on the mind using electroencephalograms (EEG). An electroencephalograph is a medical instrument that is capable of showing the electrical activity of the brain by measuring electrical potentials on the scalp. In this experiment, volunteers were exposed to silence, music, white noise (simulated hiss), and then silence. The result of this experiment coincides with the previous findings. The volunteers all reported feeling a calming sensation. However, the researches did not attribute the lowered tension to reduced neurotransmitter levels. While listening to music, many of the subjects reported that they felt pleasantly relaxed or comfortable… Music may evoke more organized mental activities which result in subjectively comfortable feelings.

It can be derived from the passage II that

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

Reincarnation is the belief that after death, one's soul keeps existing and is reborn another person or animal. It keeps reborning until it redeems itself. Then it returns to the temple of god, which the Buddhists call Nirvana - eternal tranquillity. Two of the many ancient tribes who believed in reincarnation are the Greeks and the Egyptians.

Karma, the belief that our actions determine our future, is one of the foundations of reincarnation. For example, a person who lived a sinful life will return, after death, as an animal, as opposed to a person who lived an honest life, who will return as a person.

Despite the resistance of many Jewish leaders, reincarnation also played a role in Judaism due to the Kabala who developed this idea. Some Jewish philosophers even believed that a soul of a sinner can enter a live man's body and posses him. Special rituals were used in order to cure the man.

T. Gomertz, a famous philosopher, thought of three very good reasons why one should believe in reincarnation: 1. It is believed that dreams are attempts of the soul to live the body. If this is true, than the soul can leave the body and it does so when a person dies. This also means that a soul can exist without a body. 2. If we assume that the soul dies with the body it is connected to, than we will have to assume there is an endless number of souls which is improbable. 3. Matter is enduring and, therefore, so is the soul. If the soul exists after death, hens it had existed before birth.

Gomertz believes the origin of this belief is in India, where it was believed that every action had a hidden reaction, other than the obvious one. This reaction is obscure at first and is only later revealed, sometimes even in the next life

Passage – II 

When a person dies the soul undergoes a process called reincarnation, in which the soul lives another life in the future. The evidence to back up this particular claim is that of a story. In this story a woman, who goes by the name of Jenny Cockell, claims to have experienced reincarnation. She claims she was once a woman, who went by the name of Marry Sutton, who died 21 years before Jenny's own birth. Jenny believes this because of dreams she has had since the age of three. These dreams were unlike ordinary dreams in how vivid and real they seemed. In the dreams Jenny saw herself in another time and place. She saw herself as a young mother living in a small cottage somewhere in Ireland.

In one dream particularly Jenny saw herself with a terrible fever on her own deathbed, terrified of what was to become of her children. One day Jenny decided to find out what had become of these children. So Jenny went to Ireland and while looking at a map of Ireland she sensed that Mary had lived in the small town of Malahide. Then she checked local church records for any mothers of eight named Mary that had gone there. Since from her dreams Jenny recalled there being eight children and the only name she could remember from the dreams was Mary. Sure enough Jenny found a Mary Sutton had lived and died in Malahide. Mary's children had been scattered among family members and orphanages. Then through much search and hard work to find these children Jenny eventually found all of Mary's children. Before Jenny met with any of the children she and the children both agreed to allow a BBC researcher to test Jenny's memories of Mary and Mary's children. The tests resulted in a 98 percent agreement. Jenny knew what pictures were on the walls of the Sutton home, other objects in the house, and even how the house was built. This evidence further backed up the fact of Mary Sutton being reincarnated through Jenny Cockell. As of today there has been no new evidence found to discredit the fact that Jenny has experienced reincarnation.

What cannot be derived from the 1^st passage?

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

Reincarnation is the belief that after death, one's soul keeps existing and is reborn another person or animal. It keeps reborning until it redeems itself. Then it returns to the temple of god, which the Buddhists call Nirvana - eternal tranquillity. Two of the many ancient tribes who believed in reincarnation are the Greeks and the Egyptians.

Karma, the belief that our actions determine our future, is one of the foundations of reincarnation. For example, a person who lived a sinful life will return, after death, as an animal, as opposed to a person who lived an honest life, who will return as a person.

Despite the resistance of many Jewish leaders, reincarnation also played a role in Judaism due to the Kabala who developed this idea. Some Jewish philosophers even believed that a soul of a sinner can enter a live man's body and posses him. Special rituals were used in order to cure the man.

T. Gomertz, a famous philosopher, thought of three very good reasons why one should believe in reincarnation: 1. It is believed that dreams are attempts of the soul to live the body. If this is true, than the soul can leave the body and it does so when a person dies. This also means that a soul can exist without a body. 2. If we assume that the soul dies with the body it is connected to, than we will have to assume there is an endless number of souls which is improbable. 3. Matter is enduring and, therefore, so is the soul. If the soul exists after death, hens it had existed before birth.

Gomertz believes the origin of this belief is in India, where it was believed that every action had a hidden reaction, other than the obvious one. This reaction is obscure at first and is only later revealed, sometimes even in the next life

Passage – II 

When a person dies the soul undergoes a process called reincarnation, in which the soul lives another life in the future. The evidence to back up this particular claim is that of a story. In this story a woman, who goes by the name of Jenny Cockell, claims to have experienced reincarnation. She claims she was once a woman, who went by the name of Marry Sutton, who died 21 years before Jenny's own birth. Jenny believes this because of dreams she has had since the age of three. These dreams were unlike ordinary dreams in how vivid and real they seemed. In the dreams Jenny saw herself in another time and place. She saw herself as a young mother living in a small cottage somewhere in Ireland.

In one dream particularly Jenny saw herself with a terrible fever on her own deathbed, terrified of what was to become of her children. One day Jenny decided to find out what had become of these children. So Jenny went to Ireland and while looking at a map of Ireland she sensed that Mary had lived in the small town of Malahide. Then she checked local church records for any mothers of eight named Mary that had gone there. Since from her dreams Jenny recalled there being eight children and the only name she could remember from the dreams was Mary. Sure enough Jenny found a Mary Sutton had lived and died in Malahide. Mary's children had been scattered among family members and orphanages. Then through much search and hard work to find these children Jenny eventually found all of Mary's children. Before Jenny met with any of the children she and the children both agreed to allow a BBC researcher to test Jenny's memories of Mary and Mary's children. The tests resulted in a 98 percent agreement. Jenny knew what pictures were on the walls of the Sutton home, other objects in the house, and even how the house was built. This evidence further backed up the fact of Mary Sutton being reincarnated through Jenny Cockell. As of today there has been no new evidence found to discredit the fact that Jenny has experienced reincarnation.

What does the author mean by the term 'redeems' in the opening sentence? (Passage I)

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

Reincarnation is the belief that after death, one's soul keeps existing and is reborn another person or animal. It keeps reborning until it redeems itself. Then it returns to the temple of god, which the Buddhists call Nirvana - eternal tranquillity. Two of the many ancient tribes who believed in reincarnation are the Greeks and the Egyptians.

Karma, the belief that our actions determine our future, is one of the foundations of reincarnation. For example, a person who lived a sinful life will return, after death, as an animal, as opposed to a person who lived an honest life, who will return as a person.

Despite the resistance of many Jewish leaders, reincarnation also played a role in Judaism due to the Kabala who developed this idea. Some Jewish philosophers even believed that a soul of a sinner can enter a live man's body and posses him. Special rituals were used in order to cure the man.

T. Gomertz, a famous philosopher, thought of three very good reasons why one should believe in reincarnation: 1. It is believed that dreams are attempts of the soul to live the body. If this is true, than the soul can leave the body and it does so when a person dies. This also means that a soul can exist without a body. 2. If we assume that the soul dies with the body it is connected to, than we will have to assume there is an endless number of souls which is improbable. 3. Matter is enduring and, therefore, so is the soul. If the soul exists after death, hens it had existed before birth.

Gomertz believes the origin of this belief is in India, where it was believed that every action had a hidden reaction, other than the obvious one. This reaction is obscure at first and is only later revealed, sometimes even in the next life

Passage – II 

When a person dies the soul undergoes a process called reincarnation, in which the soul lives another life in the future. The evidence to back up this particular claim is that of a story. In this story a woman, who goes by the name of Jenny Cockell, claims to have experienced reincarnation. She claims she was once a woman, who went by the name of Marry Sutton, who died 21 years before Jenny's own birth. Jenny believes this because of dreams she has had since the age of three. These dreams were unlike ordinary dreams in how vivid and real they seemed. In the dreams Jenny saw herself in another time and place. She saw herself as a young mother living in a small cottage somewhere in Ireland.

In one dream particularly Jenny saw herself with a terrible fever on her own deathbed, terrified of what was to become of her children. One day Jenny decided to find out what had become of these children. So Jenny went to Ireland and while looking at a map of Ireland she sensed that Mary had lived in the small town of Malahide. Then she checked local church records for any mothers of eight named Mary that had gone there. Since from her dreams Jenny recalled there being eight children and the only name she could remember from the dreams was Mary. Sure enough Jenny found a Mary Sutton had lived and died in Malahide. Mary's children had been scattered among family members and orphanages. Then through much search and hard work to find these children Jenny eventually found all of Mary's children. Before Jenny met with any of the children she and the children both agreed to allow a BBC researcher to test Jenny's memories of Mary and Mary's children. The tests resulted in a 98 percent agreement. Jenny knew what pictures were on the walls of the Sutton home, other objects in the house, and even how the house was built. This evidence further backed up the fact of Mary Sutton being reincarnated through Jenny Cockell. As of today there has been no new evidence found to discredit the fact that Jenny has experienced reincarnation.

The tone of passage II is

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

Reincarnation is the belief that after death, one's soul keeps existing and is reborn another person or animal. It keeps reborning until it redeems itself. Then it returns to the temple of god, which the Buddhists call Nirvana - eternal tranquillity. Two of the many ancient tribes who believed in reincarnation are the Greeks and the Egyptians.

Karma, the belief that our actions determine our future, is one of the foundations of reincarnation. For example, a person who lived a sinful life will return, after death, as an animal, as opposed to a person who lived an honest life, who will return as a person.

Despite the resistance of many Jewish leaders, reincarnation also played a role in Judaism due to the Kabala who developed this idea. Some Jewish philosophers even believed that a soul of a sinner can enter a live man's body and posses him. Special rituals were used in order to cure the man.

T. Gomertz, a famous philosopher, thought of three very good reasons why one should believe in reincarnation: 1. It is believed that dreams are attempts of the soul to live the body. If this is true, than the soul can leave the body and it does so when a person dies. This also means that a soul can exist without a body. 2. If we assume that the soul dies with the body it is connected to, than we will have to assume there is an endless number of souls which is improbable. 3. Matter is enduring and, therefore, so is the soul. If the soul exists after death, hens it had existed before birth.

Gomertz believes the origin of this belief is in India, where it was believed that every action had a hidden reaction, other than the obvious one. This reaction is obscure at first and is only later revealed, sometimes even in the next life

Passage – II 

When a person dies the soul undergoes a process called reincarnation, in which the soul lives another life in the future. The evidence to back up this particular claim is that of a story. In this story a woman, who goes by the name of Jenny Cockell, claims to have experienced reincarnation. She claims she was once a woman, who went by the name of Marry Sutton, who died 21 years before Jenny's own birth. Jenny believes this because of dreams she has had since the age of three. These dreams were unlike ordinary dreams in how vivid and real they seemed. In the dreams Jenny saw herself in another time and place. She saw herself as a young mother living in a small cottage somewhere in Ireland.

In one dream particularly Jenny saw herself with a terrible fever on her own deathbed, terrified of what was to become of her children. One day Jenny decided to find out what had become of these children. So Jenny went to Ireland and while looking at a map of Ireland she sensed that Mary had lived in the small town of Malahide. Then she checked local church records for any mothers of eight named Mary that had gone there. Since from her dreams Jenny recalled there being eight children and the only name she could remember from the dreams was Mary. Sure enough Jenny found a Mary Sutton had lived and died in Malahide. Mary's children had been scattered among family members and orphanages. Then through much search and hard work to find these children Jenny eventually found all of Mary's children. Before Jenny met with any of the children she and the children both agreed to allow a BBC researcher to test Jenny's memories of Mary and Mary's children. The tests resulted in a 98 percent agreement. Jenny knew what pictures were on the walls of the Sutton home, other objects in the house, and even how the house was built. This evidence further backed up the fact of Mary Sutton being reincarnated through Jenny Cockell. As of today there has been no new evidence found to discredit the fact that Jenny has experienced reincarnation.

What is the link between passage I and II?

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

Reincarnation is the belief that after death, one's soul keeps existing and is reborn another person or animal. It keeps reborning until it redeems itself. Then it returns to the temple of god, which the Buddhists call Nirvana - eternal tranquillity. Two of the many ancient tribes who believed in reincarnation are the Greeks and the Egyptians.

Karma, the belief that our actions determine our future, is one of the foundations of reincarnation. For example, a person who lived a sinful life will return, after death, as an animal, as opposed to a person who lived an honest life, who will return as a person.

Despite the resistance of many Jewish leaders, reincarnation also played a role in Judaism due to the Kabala who developed this idea. Some Jewish philosophers even believed that a soul of a sinner can enter a live man's body and posses him. Special rituals were used in order to cure the man.

T. Gomertz, a famous philosopher, thought of three very good reasons why one should believe in reincarnation: 1. It is believed that dreams are attempts of the soul to live the body. If this is true, than the soul can leave the body and it does so when a person dies. This also means that a soul can exist without a body. 2. If we assume that the soul dies with the body it is connected to, than we will have to assume there is an endless number of souls which is improbable. 3. Matter is enduring and, therefore, so is the soul. If the soul exists after death, hens it had existed before birth.

Gomertz believes the origin of this belief is in India, where it was believed that every action had a hidden reaction, other than the obvious one. This reaction is obscure at first and is only later revealed, sometimes even in the next life

Passage – II 

When a person dies the soul undergoes a process called reincarnation, in which the soul lives another life in the future. The evidence to back up this particular claim is that of a story. In this story a woman, who goes by the name of Jenny Cockell, claims to have experienced reincarnation. She claims she was once a woman, who went by the name of Marry Sutton, who died 21 years before Jenny's own birth. Jenny believes this because of dreams she has had since the age of three. These dreams were unlike ordinary dreams in how vivid and real they seemed. In the dreams Jenny saw herself in another time and place. She saw herself as a young mother living in a small cottage somewhere in Ireland.

In one dream particularly Jenny saw herself with a terrible fever on her own deathbed, terrified of what was to become of her children. One day Jenny decided to find out what had become of these children. So Jenny went to Ireland and while looking at a map of Ireland she sensed that Mary had lived in the small town of Malahide. Then she checked local church records for any mothers of eight named Mary that had gone there. Since from her dreams Jenny recalled there being eight children and the only name she could remember from the dreams was Mary. Sure enough Jenny found a Mary Sutton had lived and died in Malahide. Mary's children had been scattered among family members and orphanages. Then through much search and hard work to find these children Jenny eventually found all of Mary's children. Before Jenny met with any of the children she and the children both agreed to allow a BBC researcher to test Jenny's memories of Mary and Mary's children. The tests resulted in a 98 percent agreement. Jenny knew what pictures were on the walls of the Sutton home, other objects in the house, and even how the house was built. This evidence further backed up the fact of Mary Sutton being reincarnated through Jenny Cockell. As of today there has been no new evidence found to discredit the fact that Jenny has experienced reincarnation.

Both the passages support the claim that

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

Reincarnation is the belief that after death, one's soul keeps existing and is reborn another person or animal. It keeps reborning until it redeems itself. Then it returns to the temple of god, which the Buddhists call Nirvana - eternal tranquillity. Two of the many ancient tribes who believed in reincarnation are the Greeks and the Egyptians.

Karma, the belief that our actions determine our future, is one of the foundations of reincarnation. For example, a person who lived a sinful life will return, after death, as an animal, as opposed to a person who lived an honest life, who will return as a person.

Despite the resistance of many Jewish leaders, reincarnation also played a role in Judaism due to the Kabala who developed this idea. Some Jewish philosophers even believed that a soul of a sinner can enter a live man's body and posses him. Special rituals were used in order to cure the man.

T. Gomertz, a famous philosopher, thought of three very good reasons why one should believe in reincarnation: 1. It is believed that dreams are attempts of the soul to live the body. If this is true, than the soul can leave the body and it does so when a person dies. This also means that a soul can exist without a body. 2. If we assume that the soul dies with the body it is connected to, than we will have to assume there is an endless number of souls which is improbable. 3. Matter is enduring and, therefore, so is the soul. If the soul exists after death, hens it had existed before birth.

Gomertz believes the origin of this belief is in India, where it was believed that every action had a hidden reaction, other than the obvious one. This reaction is obscure at first and is only later revealed, sometimes even in the next life

Passage – II 

When a person dies the soul undergoes a process called reincarnation, in which the soul lives another life in the future. The evidence to back up this particular claim is that of a story. In this story a woman, who goes by the name of Jenny Cockell, claims to have experienced reincarnation. She claims she was once a woman, who went by the name of Marry Sutton, who died 21 years before Jenny's own birth. Jenny believes this because of dreams she has had since the age of three. These dreams were unlike ordinary dreams in how vivid and real they seemed. In the dreams Jenny saw herself in another time and place. She saw herself as a young mother living in a small cottage somewhere in Ireland.

In one dream particularly Jenny saw herself with a terrible fever on her own deathbed, terrified of what was to become of her children. One day Jenny decided to find out what had become of these children. So Jenny went to Ireland and while looking at a map of Ireland she sensed that Mary had lived in the small town of Malahide. Then she checked local church records for any mothers of eight named Mary that had gone there. Since from her dreams Jenny recalled there being eight children and the only name she could remember from the dreams was Mary. Sure enough Jenny found a Mary Sutton had lived and died in Malahide. Mary's children had been scattered among family members and orphanages. Then through much search and hard work to find these children Jenny eventually found all of Mary's children. Before Jenny met with any of the children she and the children both agreed to allow a BBC researcher to test Jenny's memories of Mary and Mary's children. The tests resulted in a 98 percent agreement. Jenny knew what pictures were on the walls of the Sutton home, other objects in the house, and even how the house was built. This evidence further backed up the fact of Mary Sutton being reincarnated through Jenny Cockell. As of today there has been no new evidence found to discredit the fact that Jenny has experienced reincarnation.

What is enigmatic about the brain storing memory in passage II?

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage – I

The mind has an incredible power. We see it as we go through our everyday activities, constantly displaying the wonders of logic, thought, memory and creativity. Yet, can the mind be more powerful than we know? Is it possible to reduce or even eliminate pain, illness and disease by using the natural powers it possesses? Can the mind heal?

Many of our finest researchers and scientists have explored that question, and while the exact answer still eludes us, the facts seem to bear out that the mind does have the power to assist in both healing, and conversely, bringing on "disease" as well. Two such examples of mind and body healing are hypnotherapy and meditation. There are others such as ionization, which focuses on thinking positive instead of negative. But first, I will describe the reasoning behind the mind-body connection.

Psycho-neuro-immunology is the name for the study of the min-body connection, or PNI for short. PNI has been around for the last 20 years or so and has revolutionized the way we look at health and wellness. There was a point in human existence when the connection between the mind and the body was taken for granted. A couple of centuries ago, science had grown to understand the "mechanical universe" concept. The laws of Sir Newton and the science of physics had begun to infiltrate the science of medicine. If the universe followed mechanical laws, so might the body. To prove this theory, scientists needed to open a body up to observe how it worked.

The Church was very adamant about the body being the temple of the soul and could never be desecrated. After much haggling and several smoke-filled back room discussions, an agreement was reached. The Church would maintain it’s jurisdiction over "the mind" for that is were the personality and soul "truly" resides and science could have the body, which is just a "machine for the mind" and upon death, would become simply an empty vessel.

Furthering the rift, more recent science has discovered that specific diseases can be "cured" through specific medicinal formulas or drugs. This "magic bullet" mentality spread throughout medicine and science. Science has tried to brush aside or explain away this phenomenon by saying, "Oh, it’s just the placebo effect" or "It’s spontaneous remission" as well as other innocuous terms seemingly to lessen it’s importance. It is human nature when something is not understood to either dismiss it, diminish it or ignore it all together. This search to seek out answers to this reoccurring phenomenon is the basis for PNI, the way the mind-body connection is made and how we can utilize it for greater health and well-being.

Passage – II

The brain is a two and a quarter pound piece of living organic tissue that controls the human nervous system. Music is a collection of sound waves that propagate through the air, and has varying frequencies and tones following a discernible order. Yet we all recognize the significance of the brain beyond its physical function. Our minds are the essence of what we are. The brain enigmatically stores memories, and lets people experience such things as emotion, sensations, and thoughts. In the same sense, music is more than just a collection of vibrations. This leads to the question of how does music affect the mind, and in addition, how does music affect human behavior? The reader might ask why such a question should be relevant. If more is known about the psychological and neurophysiological effects of music on the human mind, then the possibilities of this knowledge are unbounded. Music can be used to treat social and behavioral problems in people with disabilities. The use of music in the classroom might enhance or weaken a student's work characteristics. Therefore, whether the influence of music is positive or negative, much needs to be explored about the link between the mind and music.

Physiologically, the brain receives information about sound waves from the ear through the auditory nerve. This information is then processed by the brain and analyzed for the juxtaposition of melody and rhythm. The mixture of melody and rhythm is what we commonly refer to as music. However, our minds interpret this auditory information as more than just sound signals; somehow, we are able to differentiate between certain types of music, and develop preferences for these different types. Yet, what are the ways in which the effects of music manifest themselves?

First, there are particular biochemical responses in the human body to music. Research shows that college students, when listening to music, have more galvanic skin response peaks, as opposed to when they were not listening to music. This research also indicates a significant decrease of nor epinephrine levels in students while they listen to preferred music. Nor epinephrine is a neurotransmitter that arbitrates chemical communication in the sympathetic nervous system of the human body. The release of this neurotransmitter, as a consequence of a function of the brain, results in an increased heart rate and heightened blood pressure. Therefore, the decrease of nor epinephrine in these college students results in a more relaxed state. This could suggest that favored or pleasant music somehow affects the mind, resulting in the relaxing of the body. Another research project, undertaken at the Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, focuses on the effects of music on the mind using electroencephalograms (EEG). An electroencephalograph is a medical instrument that is capable of showing the electrical activity of the brain by measuring electrical potentials on the scalp. In this experiment, volunteers were exposed to silence, music, white noise (simulated hiss), and then silence. The result of this experiment coincides with the previous findings. The volunteers all reported feeling a calming sensation. However, the researches did not attribute the lowered tension to reduced neurotransmitter levels. While listening to music, many of the subjects reported that they felt pleasantly relaxed or comfortable… Music may evoke more organized mental activities which result in subjectively comfortable feelings.

What does the author mean by the term 'global annihilation' in Passage II?

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage - I

As the forces of globalization change the economic, political, and social relationships between nations, the geographic bulwarks that America counted on to protect it are proving insufficient. Two oceans and two friendly neighbors may help protect a nation from invasion but do little to thwart terrorists. Advances in information technologies have, in essence, shrunk the distances between countries, allowing people to conduct business from anywhere on the globe. Such advances made it possible for the September 11 terrorists to coordinate the attack from various nations. Globalization has also led to an increase in tourism and travel, making it easier for terrorists to hide in host countries without drawing attention.

In addition to globalization, other changes have affected America’s security. With the Cold War over, America’s enemies have changed. Some of the most serious threats to national security are no longer established nation-states such as Russia but terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the September 11 attacks. During the Cold War, security was in large part a matter of out-spending enemies on military hardware and sending American spies to the Kremlin. Such Cold War methods have proven ineffective in combating loosely organized terrorist groups scattered all over the globe. As became evident after September 11, the largest military in the world cannot prevent terrorists from flying commercial airplanes into buildings

Passage - II
As nuclear security becomes increasingly threatened, calls for more nuclear arms as well as calls for disarmament grow more vociferous. Many opponents of nuclear arms believe that the inherent risk of nuclear weapons—global annihilation—make the possession and use of these weapons immoral and indefensible. They assert that if countries persist in maintaining nuclear arsenals as a defense against growing nuclear threats, the world will actually be less safe. Nations that maintain a nuclear arsenal encourage others to develop nuclear weapons as a defense, abolitionists argue, which increases the likelihood that a mistaken or intentional deployment somewhere in the world will set off a sequence of retaliatory deployments that could eventually destroy the earth. The Goodpaster Committee for the Project on Eliminating Weapons of Mass Destruction asserts that “only [an international] policy aimed at steadily curbing global reliance on nuclear weapons . . . is likely to progressively eliminate nuclear dangers.”

According to the passage I, following are not the factors influencing America's security:

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage - I

As the forces of globalization change the economic, political, and social relationships between nations, the geographic bulwarks that America counted on to protect it are proving insufficient. Two oceans and two friendly neighbors may help protect a nation from invasion but do little to thwart terrorists. Advances in information technologies have, in essence, shrunk the distances between countries, allowing people to conduct business from anywhere on the globe. Such advances made it possible for the September 11 terrorists to coordinate the attack from various nations. Globalization has also led to an increase in tourism and travel, making it easier for terrorists to hide in host countries without drawing attention.

In addition to globalization, other changes have affected America’s security. With the Cold War over, America’s enemies have changed. Some of the most serious threats to national security are no longer established nation-states such as Russia but terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the September 11 attacks. During the Cold War, security was in large part a matter of out-spending enemies on military hardware and sending American spies to the Kremlin. Such Cold War methods have proven ineffective in combating loosely organized terrorist groups scattered all over the globe. As became evident after September 11, the largest military in the world cannot prevent terrorists from flying commercial airplanes into buildings

Passage - II
As nuclear security becomes increasingly threatened, calls for more nuclear arms as well as calls for disarmament grow more vociferous. Many opponents of nuclear arms believe that the inherent risk of nuclear weapons—global annihilation—make the possession and use of these weapons immoral and indefensible. They assert that if countries persist in maintaining nuclear arsenals as a defense against growing nuclear threats, the world will actually be less safe. Nations that maintain a nuclear arsenal encourage others to develop nuclear weapons as a defense, abolitionists argue, which increases the likelihood that a mistaken or intentional deployment somewhere in the world will set off a sequence of retaliatory deployments that could eventually destroy the earth. The Goodpaster Committee for the Project on Eliminating Weapons of Mass Destruction asserts that “only [an international] policy aimed at steadily curbing global reliance on nuclear weapons . . . is likely to progressively eliminate nuclear dangers.”

What does the author imply by the term 'vociferous' in passage II?

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage - I

As the forces of globalization change the economic, political, and social relationships between nations, the geographic bulwarks that America counted on to protect it are proving insufficient. Two oceans and two friendly neighbors may help protect a nation from invasion but do little to thwart terrorists. Advances in information technologies have, in essence, shrunk the distances between countries, allowing people to conduct business from anywhere on the globe. Such advances made it possible for the September 11 terrorists to coordinate the attack from various nations. Globalization has also led to an increase in tourism and travel, making it easier for terrorists to hide in host countries without drawing attention.

In addition to globalization, other changes have affected America’s security. With the Cold War over, America’s enemies have changed. Some of the most serious threats to national security are no longer established nation-states such as Russia but terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the September 11 attacks. During the Cold War, security was in large part a matter of out-spending enemies on military hardware and sending American spies to the Kremlin. Such Cold War methods have proven ineffective in combating loosely organized terrorist groups scattered all over the globe. As became evident after September 11, the largest military in the world cannot prevent terrorists from flying commercial airplanes into buildings

Passage - II
As nuclear security becomes increasingly threatened, calls for more nuclear arms as well as calls for disarmament grow more vociferous. Many opponents of nuclear arms believe that the inherent risk of nuclear weapons—global annihilation—make the possession and use of these weapons immoral and indefensible. They assert that if countries persist in maintaining nuclear arsenals as a defense against growing nuclear threats, the world will actually be less safe. Nations that maintain a nuclear arsenal encourage others to develop nuclear weapons as a defense, abolitionists argue, which increases the likelihood that a mistaken or intentional deployment somewhere in the world will set off a sequence of retaliatory deployments that could eventually destroy the earth. The Goodpaster Committee for the Project on Eliminating Weapons of Mass Destruction asserts that “only [an international] policy aimed at steadily curbing global reliance on nuclear weapons . . . is likely to progressively eliminate nuclear dangers.”

What does the author mean by the expression 'geographic bulwarks' in the opening lines of passage I?

Directions: Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the twin passage.

Passage - I

As the forces of globalization change the economic, political, and social relationships between nations, the geographic bulwarks that America counted on to protect it are proving insufficient. Two oceans and two friendly neighbors may help protect a nation from invasion but do little to thwart terrorists. Advances in information technologies have, in essence, shrunk the distances between countries, allowing people to conduct business from anywhere on the globe. Such advances made it possible for the September 11 terrorists to coordinate the attack from various nations. Globalization has also led to an increase in tourism and travel, making it easier for terrorists to hide in host countries without drawing attention.

In addition to globalization, other changes have affected America’s security. With the Cold War over, America’s enemies have changed. Some of the most serious threats to national security are no longer established nation-states such as Russia but terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the September 11 attacks. During the Cold War, security was in large part a matter of out-spending enemies on military hardware and sending American spies to the Kremlin. Such Cold War methods have proven ineffective in combating loosely organized terrorist groups scattered all over the globe. As became evident after September 11, the largest military in the world cannot prevent terrorists from flying commercial airplanes into buildings

Passage - II
As nuclear security becomes increasingly threatened, calls for more nuclear arms as well as calls for disarmament grow more vociferous. Many opponents of nuclear arms believe that the inherent risk of nuclear weapons—global annihilation—make the possession and use of these weapons immoral and indefensible. They assert that if countries persist in maintaining nuclear arsenals as a defense against growing nuclear threats, the world will actually be less safe. Nations that maintain a nuclear arsenal encourage others to develop nuclear weapons as a defense, abolitionists argue, which increases the likelihood that a mistaken or intentional deployment somewhere in the world will set off a sequence of retaliatory deployments that could eventually destroy the earth. The Goodpaster Committee for the Project on Eliminating Weapons of Mass Destruction asserts that “only [an international] policy aimed at steadily curbing global reliance on nuclear weapons . . . is likely to progressively eliminate nuclear dangers.”