1.

Healthy Japanese Diets

     ¹Japanese diets are very healthy. ²They are low in high-cholesterol items like red meat and dairy products, and they are high in mineral-rich foods like seafood and seaweed. ³Many kinds of fish are eaten, such as salmon, cod, flounder, tuna, and many others. ⁴Vegetables are equally abundant and come in an endless variety. ⁵A few of these vegetables include leeks, white radishes, ginger, eggplant, bamboo sprouts, and wasabi (which is similar to horseradish). ⁶Noodles and tofu are also very popular. ⁷Of course, one common staple of all Japanese diets is rice. ⁸It is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. ⁹As proof of their good health, Japanese have a longer lifespan than most other nations and a startlingly low rate of heart disease.

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2.

Three Waves of Immigration

     ¹The United States has often been called a melting pot. ²This phrase refers to a mixture of cultures, ideas, and peoples. ³This mixture of people occurred because of three waves of immigration. ⁴The first wave of people came before the Civil War. ⁵This group was made up of English, Irish, German, and Scandinavian people. ⁶After the Civil War, Italians, Jews, Poles, and Russians made up the second wave of people. ⁷This group was largest during the first decade of the twentieth century. ⁸Almost all these people passed through Ellis Island in New York. ⁹Recently, a third wave of immigrants are Hispanics from Cuba, Central America, and Mexico. ¹⁰Along with these diverse groups, people have come here from Vietnam, Korea, China, and Japan. ¹¹Each group of people brings with them their dreams, their beliefs, and their special ways of life.

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B. Identify the central idea of each passage.

3.

Changing Relationships

     ¹In general, as people age, they interact with fewer people, but these contacts tend to be close and strong. ²Relationships earlier in life tend to include more friends than relatives, but with age the mix reverses. ³More time is spent with relatives than with friends. ⁴In later life, a relationship long inactive can be picked up and brought back with minimal effort. ⁵After young adulthood, attitudes and behaviors become stable. ⁶This stability makes it easy to "know" someone again even after a long lapse.
     ⁷During young adulthood, people care that their relationships with friends and relatives are equitable—that no one gives more than he or she receives. ⁸As people grow older, such concerns fade into the background. ⁹In successful marriages, couples think of themselves as a team. ¹⁰They do not see themselves as separate people who are in constant debate. ¹¹Because they are in it for the long haul, people trust that the balance of favors and repayment will even out over time. ¹²Adults become more stable and giving as they grow older.

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4.

Trustworthy Journalists

     1Journalists cannot always make sure that their stories are true. 2Yet they can make an extra effort to be truthful and to avoid lying. 3In July 1996, Newsweek writer Joe Klein admitted that he had written the best-selling novel Primary Colors. 4The book sold 1.2 million copies with the name "Anonymous" on its cover and title page. 5Admitting he had written the book may seem minor. 6However, he had denied several times that he had written the book. 7The book was a harsh view of President Clinton's 1992 primary campaign. 8Journalists around the country attacked Klein for lying. 9He replied that he had a right to privacy in writing the novel. 10He then asked whether his denials had hurt anyone. 11Critics noted that making around $6 million from a book and movie rights is his right. 12However, readers might not trust journalism, knowing that powerful journalists are willing to lie to make money.

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