The layer of air next to the earth, which extends upward for about 10

Question

The layer of air next to the earth, which extends upward for about 10 miles, is known as the troposphere. On the whole, the troposphere makes up about 75% of all the weight of the atmosphere. It is the warmest part of the atmosphere because most of the solar radiation is absorbed by the earth’s surface, which warms the air immediately surrounding it. A steady decrease of temperature with increasing elevation is a most striking characteristic of this region, whose upper layers are colder because of their greater distance from the earth’s surface and because of the rapid radiation of heat into space. (Temperatures within the troposphere decrease about 3.5° per 1,000-foot increase in altitude.) Within the troposphere, winds and air currents distribute heat and moisture. Strong winds, called jet streams, are located at the upper levels of the troposphere. These jet streams are both complex and widespread in occurrence. They normally show a wave-shaped pattern and move from west to east at velocities of 150 mph, but velocities as high as 400 mph have been noted. The influences of changing locations and strengths of jet streams upon weather conditions and patterns are no doubt considerable. Current intensive research may eventually reveal their true significance.    1 
 1. It can be inferred from the passage that a jet plane will usually have its best average rate of speed on its run from

A. New York to San Francisco 
B. Los Angeles to New York
C. Boston to Miami
D. Bermuda to New York
E. London to Washington, DC

2  
 2. It can be inferred from the passage that at the top of Jungfrau, which is 12,000 feet above the town of Interlaken in Switzerland, the temperature is usually

A. below freezing
B. about 42° colder than on the ground
C. warmer than in Interlaken
D. affected by the ionosphere
E. about 75° colder than in Interlaken

3  
 3. The passage states that the troposphere is the warmest part of the atmosphere because it

A. is closest to the sun
B. contains electrically charged particles
C. radiates heat into space
D. has winds and air currents that distribute the heat
E. is warmed by the earth’s heat

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

1. It can be inferred from the passage that a jet plane will usually have its best average rate of speed on its run from

If the jet streams move from west to east at high velocities, then this suggests that jet planes flying from the west (Los Angeles) to the east (New York) will enjoy a better rate of speed than jet planes flying from the east to the west. 
 
  Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

2. It can be inferred from the passage that at the top of Jungfrau, which is 12,000 feet above the town of Interlaken in Switzerland, the temperature is usually

Lines 14–16  (Temperatures within the troposphere decrease about 3.5° per 1,000-foot increase in altitude.) state that  “temperatures within the troposphere decrease about 3.5° per 1,000-foot increase in altitude.”  The question specifies that the top of Jungfrau is 12,000 feet above the town of Interlaken. If you multiply 3.5° by 12, your answer is 42°. This suggests that the temperature on the mountaintop should be about 42° colder than on the ground. 
 
  Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

3. The passage states that the troposphere is the warmest part of the atmosphere because it

Scan the passage looking for the key phrase  “warmest part.”  You will find the phrase, and the answer to this question, in  lines 5–9: “It is the warmest part of the atmosphere because most of the solar radiation is absorbed by the earth’s surface, which warms the air immediately surrounding it.”  The warmth or heat of the earth’s surface makes the troposphere the warmest part of the atmosphere. 
 
  Answer: E

The layer of air next to the earth, which extends upward for about 10

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