Description: Reading Quiz

Answer the questions in this quiz to see how well you've read and understood the chapter. Feel free to link back and forth between the chapter on descriptions and this quiz to check your answers.

When you're through, just click on Check your answers.

1. In the online textbook, the term description is used to mean:
   A discussion of the physical characteristics of an object, mechanism, place, or organism
   An account of how something works or happens--the events in that process
   An explanation of what a potentially unfamiliar term means
2. In the introduction to a description, the textbook recommends including which of the following (there is more than one answer):
   Defining, or at least clearly identifying the thing about to be described.
   Providing an overview list of the parts or characteristics that will be described.
   Providing an overview list of the steps, phases, or time periods that will be described.
   Explaining, step by step, how the thing is used.
   Giving a general description of the thing about to be described.
   Indicating the audience for whom the description is written.
   Describing in detail each of the parts or components of thing.
3. Take a look at the following paragraphs. Which of the following is most descriptive?
   A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) is a mechanism used to measure extremely weak signals, such as subtle changes in the human body's electromagnetic energy field. A SQUID can detect a change of energy as much as 100 billion times weaker than the electromagnetic energy that moves a compass needle. SQUIDs have been used for a variety of testing purposes that demand extreme sensitivity, including engineering, medical, and geological equipment. Because they measure changes in a magnetic field with such sensitivity, they do not have to come in contact with a system that they are testing.
   Oxygen concentration cells are located under metallic and nonmetallic deposits (dirt) on the metal surface and under faying surfaces such as riveted lap joints. Oxygen cells can also develop under gaskets, wood, rubber, plastic tape, and other materials in contact with the metal surface. Corrosion will occur at the area of low-oxygen concentration (anode). The severity of corrosion due to these conditions can be minimized by sealing, maintaining surfaces clean, and avoiding the use of material that permits wicking of moisture between faying surfaces.
   On each Mars Exploration Rover, the core structure is made of composite honeycomb material insulated with aerogel. This core body is topped with a triangular surface that is populated with three antennas, a camera mast and a panel of solar cells. Additional solar panels are connected by hinges to the edges of the triangle. The solar panels fold up to fit inside the lander for the trip to Mars and deploy to form a total area of 1.3 square meters (14 square feet) of three layer photovoltaic cells. Each layer is made of different materials: gallium indium phosphorus, gallium arsenide and germanium. The array can produce nearly 900 watt hours of energy per martian day, or sol.
   Pluto was officially proclaimed a planet in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory. However, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union approved and published a set of criteria for an astronomical object to be classified as a planet: (a) it must orbit the sun, (b) it must not be a satellite, (c) it must be massive enough for its own gravity to keep it round, and (d) it must be big enough to dominate its own orbit. Pluto does not meet this final requirement and thus cannot be considered a true planet according to the International Astronomical Union's definition.
4. As explained in the online textbook, one common way to organize a description is to:
   Divide the thing being described into steps, phases, periods of time and describe each one separately.
   Divide the thing being described into types and describe each type separately.
   Divide the thing being described into parts, components, or characteristics and describe each one separately.
   Provide at least three examples of the thing being described and describe each example separately.
5. In the online textbook, the materials used to describe the thing are called:
   Sources of definition
   Short definitions
   Formal sentence definitions
   Sources of description
   Description
   

The next questions are based on the following description:

Beverly High School in Beverly, Massachusetts, uses a system of solar photovoltaic flat-plate panels to generate its electricity needs. Currently, this system produces 100 kw, but could produce considerably more with some simple modifications. The Beverly photovoltaic system is made up of more than 3,000 panels. Each panel contains 10 photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic array is made up of separate subarrays of photovoltaic modules deployed in rows on a southerly facing slope. Each subarray is made from 3 standalone (but electrically integral) sections called panels, supported by a portable mechanical jack. Although the panels can be manually tilted to follow the path of the sun, they have been put in a stationary position that optimizes their exposure to the sun. Each panel measures 292 inches by 93 inches and contains 10 photovoltaic cells. The power generated by these panels is transmitted at 4160 v from the inverters and a step-up transformer to the main 4160 v utility feed line into the school. Separate meters are used to measure power bought from or sold to the local utility. At the optimum tilt angle—about 40 degrees—the array provides about 14% of the annual school load. This amounts to annual energy savings of between $8,000 and $16,000.



6. Which of the following words is entire paragraph devoted to describing?
   Beverly High School
   Photovoltaic system
   Solar photovoltaic flat-plate panel
   Photovoltaic subarray
7. Does the Beverly High School system provide all of the school's electricity needs?
   Yes
   No
   
8. Which of the following accurately lists the parts of the Beverly High School system?
   Panels, photovoltaic cells, arrays, subarrays, photovoltaic modules, portable mechanical jack, inverters, step-up transformer, meters
   Subarrays, panels, photovoltaic cells, portable mechanical jack, inverters, step-up transformer, meters
   Panels, photovoltaic cells, arrays, photovoltaic modules, portable mechanical jack, inverters, step-up transformer, meters
   Subarrays, panels, photovoltaic cells, portable mechanical jack, inverters, step-up transformer
9. The paragraph provides short definitions for which of the following sets of words?
   Photovoltaic cell, photovoltaic array
   Photovoltaic panel
   Portable mechanical jack
   Photovoltaic panel, optimum title angle
10. The online textbook states that a description can focus on characteristics as well as parts. Which of the following best defines characteristic?
    The characteristics of a mechanism or object are the components that make it up as opposed to the parts that make up the object or mechanism being described.
    The characteristics of a mechanism or object are its different categories or types as opposed to the parts that make up the object or mechanism being described.
    The characteristics of a mechanism or object are the features of an object or mechanism that cannot be localized to a single part. Examples are height, weight, color, texture.
    The characteristics of a mechanism or object are the features of the thing that cannot be accurately measured.
    

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