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Flashcards: Tone, Audience, and Point of View in Natural Science Passages
Adapted from Ice-Caves of France and Switzerland by George Forrest Browne (1865)
This account states that the cave is in the county of Thorn, among the lowest spurs of the Carpathians. The entrance, which faces the north, and is exposed to the cold winds from the snowy part of the Carpathian range, is eighteen fathoms high and nine broad; and the cave spreads out laterally, and descends to a point fifty fathoms below the entrance, where it is twenty-six fathoms in breadth, and of irregular height. Beyond this no one had at that time penetrated, on account of the unsafe footing, although many distant echoes were returned by the farther recesses of the cave; indeed, to get even so far as this, much step-cutting was necessary.
When the external frost of winter comes on, the account proceeds, the effect in the cave is the same as if fires had been lighted there: the ice melts, and swarms of flies and bats and hares take refuge in the interior from the severity of the winter. As soon as spring arrives, the warmth of winter disappears from the interior, water exudes from the roof and is converted into ice, while the more abundant supplies which pour down on to the sandy floor are speedily frozen there. In the dog-days, the frost is so intense that a small icicle becomes in one day a huge mass of ice; but a cool day promptly brings a thaw, and the cave is looked upon as a barometer, not merely feeling, but also presaging, the changes of weather. The people of the neighborhood, when employed in field-work, arrange their labour so that the mid-day meal may be taken near the cave, when they either ice the water they have brought with them, or drink the melted ice, which they consider very good for the stomach. It had been calculated that six hundred weekly carts would not be sufficient to keep the cavern free from ice. The ground above the cave is peculiarly rich in grass.
In explanation of these phenomena, Bell threw out the following suggestions, which need no comment. The earth being of itself cold and damp, the external heat of the atmosphere, by partially penetrating into the ground, drives in this native cold to the inner parts of the earth, and makes the cold there more dense. On the other hand, when the external air is cold, it draws forth towards the surface the heat there may be in the inner part of the earth, and thus makes caverns warm. In support and illustration of this view, he states that in the hotter parts of Hungary, when the people wish to cool their wine, they dig a hole two feet deep, and place in it the flagon of wine, and, after filling up the hole again, light a blazing fire upon the surface, which cools the wine as if the flagon had been laid in ice. He also suggests that possibly the cold winds from the Carpathians bring with them imperceptible particles of snow, which reach the water of the cave, and convert it into ice. Further, the rocks of the Carpathians abound in salts, nitre, alum, etc., which may, perhaps, mingle with such snowy particles, and produce the ordinary effect of the snow and salt in the artificial production of ice.
The point of view from which the passage is told can best be described as that of __________.
a novelist
an ethnographer
a geographer
a mountaineer
a statistician
All PSAT Critical Reading Resources
For many students, the PSAT is a chance to test-drive the SAT. It is an opportunity to exercise those skills that are necessary for a high score - to determine where you can improve before you take the real SAT, as well as where you currently excel.
Some high school students approach the PSAT like a practice test. After all, it is a fantastic tool for focusing your studies and prep appropriately. However, unlike other practice exams that may not demand your full attention, the PSAT is also your ticket to a National Merit Scholarship. A National Merit Scholarship can provide you with money for college, as well as resume prestige. Do not discount the PSAT just because it might seem like a practice test.
The PSAT Critical Reading exam, for instance, is one section where thorough prep is especially valuable. The ability to read with intention is a skill that you will need to master now, for the PSAT, and later, for the ACT and SAT, your college and high school courses, and your future career. The energy you invest in developing your critical reading skills will serve you well in many regards.
This portion of the PSAT, and the PSAT as a whole, will change in the fall of 2015 to better reflect the Revised SAT. The Critical Reading section will consist of 47 questions, for which you will be given 60 minutes. You will be asked to read four stand-alone passages, as well as a pair of selections. Each passage will be several hundred words in length. You might see selections that discuss topics in history, science, or social science, or you might receive a literature excerpt. No matter the content, your task is to extract meaningful information and draw conclusions. This might mean identifying a vocabulary word based on its context, or evaluating which statements support the main idea. Can you draw conclusions from and make inferences based on written material? Are you a critical reader?
The problem, of course, is that it is not easy to become a great critical reader. You simply cannot turn into an accomplished literary critic overnight. Instead, you have to develop your critical reading skills slowly, over time. This is more akin to becoming a champion basketball player than it is to memorizing facts.
The best way to prepare for the PSAT Critical Reading exam is to challenge yourself now. You will want to spend time seeking out and reading material that you might not encounter otherwise. If you work with tutors, you can take what you read and discuss the material together. You will be forced to synthesize the content and deliver it in your own words, thus encouraging your understanding. With these techniques, your PSAT Critical Reading score can reach its maximum potential, and you will be well on your way to ultimate success on the SAT and ACT!
