Preparing for Civil Service Examination: Reading Comprehension Practice 3

Do you often worry about how to improve your reading comprehension level efficiently? Now, our website has carefully prepared a series of reading comprehension questions closely related to Civil Service Examination, covering a wide range of topics and question types, aiming to hone your reading analysis and comprehension skills in all aspects.

Read the passages and answer the questions that follow. Good luck!

 

Men with high risk for heart disease had lower blood pressure after drinking nonalcoholic red wine every day for 4 weeks, according to a new study in the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research.
Nonalcoholic red wine increased participants’ levels of nitric oxide, which helped decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, researchers said. Nitric oxide is a molecule in the body that helps blood vessels relax and allows more blood to reach your heart and organs.
Researchers studied 67 men with diabetes or three or more cardiovascular risk factors, who ate a common diet plus one of the following drinks: about 10 ounces of red wine, nonalcoholic red wine, or about 3 ounces of gin. All the men tried each diet/beverage combination for 4 weeks.
The red wine and nonalcoholic wine contained equal amounts of polyphenols, an antioxidant that decreases blood pressure.
During the red wine phase, the men had very little reduction in blood pressure and there was no change while drinking gin. However, after drinking nonalcoholic red wine, blood pressure decreased by about 6 mmHg in systolic and 2 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure— possibly reducing the risk of heart disease by 14% and stroke by as much as 20%.
Researchers concluded that the alcohol in red wine weakens its ability to lower blood pressure. But polyphenols—still present after alcohol is removed from wine—are likely the beneficial element in wine.

 

1. The study in the passage would best conclude that
a. alcohol has no effect on blood pressure.
b. alcoholics are the most likely to suffer strokes.
c. the antioxidants present in red wine that are beneficial to health concerns are negated by alcohol.
d. polyphenols are detrimental to health.
e. drinking gin is a useless endeavor.

Correct Answer: c

Answer Explanation:

This statement would best describe the main idea of this passage. Alcohol negates the benefits of the polyphenols that decrease blood pressure. Its other effects aren’t discussed; therefore, choice a is incorrect. There is no correlation made between alcoholics and strokes, so choice b is incorrect. Polyphenols are the antioxidant known to decrease blood pressure, so choice d is incorrect. Gin may not decrease blood pressure, but whether drinking it is useless is subjective, so choice e is incorrect.

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2. Based on the information in the passage, nonalcoholic red wine will have a better impact on combating
a. neither heart disease nor stroke.
b. stroke.
c. heart disease.
d. stroke and heart disease.
e. nitric oxide.

Correct Answer: d

Answer Explanation:

The passage states that drinking nonalcoholic red wine can potentially reduce the risk of heart disease by 14% and stroke by as much as 20%. All of the other answer choices are contrary to the facts given in the passage.

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3. It can be inferred from the passage that diabetic men
a. have a propensity for eating and drinking beyond the point of average human consumption.
b. are susceptible to having a negative reaction to nitric oxide.
c. are at higher risk than the average male for developing heart disease.
d. have a physiological reaction to red wine.
e. have blood pressure that’s anywhere from 14% to 20% higher than the average male’s.

Correct Answer: c

Answer Explanation:

It is implied that men with diabetes are at higher risk to develop heart disease than the average male. Choice a is a complete fabrication, so it is therefore incorrect. It is never stated or understated that men will respond poorly to nitric oxide, so choice b is incorrect. No physiological reaction is ever reported, so choice d is incorrect. There is no evidence in the passage to support choice e.

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