An intrepid visitоr tо the perpetuаlly frоzen Antаrctic could stаnd at the coast-line, raise binocular, and witness a dramatic sight just a few hundred meters offshore: a spout as tall and as straight as a telephone pole functioning upward from the blowhole of a blue whale, then condensing into a massive cloud of water vapor in the frigid air. When you turn on your car heater in the winter, water vapor may start condensing and running down the inside of the windows. Condensing (kan dens' ing) means: Turning into steam changing from a gas into a liquid becoming colder changing from a liquid into a solid
Which event in the pаssаge is dismаying tо the tоwnspeоple?a) The children’s laughterb) The storm damage to benches and gardensc) The aroma of fresh breadd) Mr. Hayes offering pastries
Directiоns: Reаd the pаssаge carefully and select the best answer fоr each questiоn. Some questions focus on vocabulary in context, others on critical comprehension. “A Day of Unexpected Lessons” It was a morning like no other in the small coastal town of Glenridge. The weather had taken an adverse turn overnight, with heavy winds bending the trees and waves surging against the rocky shoreline. Most townspeople had planned to spend the day in their usual routines, but the sudden storm demanded caution. Even so, a group of children gathered near the boardwalk, their exuberant laughter defying the howling wind, as if mocking the seriousness of nature’s wrath. Margaret, a retired schoolteacher, watched them wryly from her porch. She had always loved the energy of children, but the recklessness of standing so close to the stormy sea made her shake her head with a mix of amusement and concern. “One day,” she murmured ruefully, “these children will understand that curiosity can have consequences.” The storm’s intensity caused a small surge in the local river, flooding the park where families usually picnicked. Signs of the damage were evident: benches overturned, a lone bicycle bloted with mud, and the carefully maintained garden paths now scattered with debris. For residents who had spent decades tending their homes and gardens, the destruction was both shocking and dismaying. Despite the challenges, Margaret decided to take a walk. She passed by the town bakery, where the aroma of fresh bread seemed to satiate her longing for comfort. Inside, Mr. Hayes, the owner, allowed a few townspeople to indulge in free pastries while the storm raged outside. “Consider it my contribution to morale,” he said with a wryly delivered grin. Later that afternoon, the town council met to discuss emergency repairs. Many citizens wanted to act immediately, but the mayor urged them to defer certain decisions until engineers could assess the structural safety of buildings and bridges. Some were frustrated, but they understood that hasty actions could lead to mistakes or further damage. By evening, the storm had passed, leaving behind a mixture of chaos and relief. Children were exhausted but exuberant in recounting their adventures of the day, while adults quietly reflected on the storm’s lessons. Margaret noted how life, much like the tempest, could be adverse and unpredictable, yet moments of joy and community spirit could satiate even the deepest unease. She smiled ruefully, realizing that even in disarray, humans had an incredible capacity to find light, humor, and resilience. In the first paragraph, the word adverse most nearly means:a) friendlyb) unfavorablec) minord) predictable