Q: I read this background article the other day: During late adulthood, the risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer continues to rise. Most people also have a decline in strength and stamina. Their senses may start failing, and their reflex time typically increases. Their immune system also doesn't work as well as it used to. As a result, common diseases like the flu may become more serious and even lead to death. The majority of late adults develop arthritis, and as many as one in four develop Alzheimer's disease. I am facing a new situation today: Mike is studying the population growth rate of countries around the world. He noticed that countries like Japan and Russia are having a demographic shift. They have a growing population of late adulthood. He recorded the late adulthood population as population A. On the other hand, many developing countries have growing population of younger people. He recorded younger population as population B. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which population would see stronger immune system, population A or population B?
A: population B

Q: I read this background article the other day: All living organisms must have the ability to reproduce. Living things make more organisms like themselves. Whether the organism is a rabbit, or a tree, or a bacterium, life will create more life. If a species cannot create the next generation, the species will go extinct. Reproduction is the process of making the next generation and may be a sexual or an asexual process. Sexual reproduction involves two parents and the fusion of gametes , haploid sex cells from each parent. Sexual reproduction produces offspring that are genetically unique and increases genetic variation within a species. Asexual reproduction involves only one parent. It occurs without a fusion of gametes and produces offspring that are all genetically identical to the parent. I am facing a new situation today: two groups of students studied animal reproduction. Group Alpha studied sexual reproduction, while group Beta studies asexual reproduction. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which group of students learned less about offspring that are genetically unique?
A: Beta

Q: I read this background article the other day: The Hawaiian Islands ( Figure above ) are in the central Pacific Ocean. The islands are volcanoes that increase in age from southeast to northwest. The youngest island is the Big Island of Hawaii at the southeast end of the chain. The volcanoes get older through Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau Islands through the northwest. The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii has been erupting almost continuously since 1983. There are also eruptions at an underwater volcano called Loih I am facing a new situation today: Pete lived in Alaska, but visited his friend Julia from Hawaii very often. They had many mutual interests, including geology and earthquakes. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which person lived closer to Loih volcano?
A: Julia

Q: I read this background article the other day: A thermometer is a device used to measure temperature. It is placed in contact with an object and allowed to reach thermal equilibrium with the object (they will have the same temperature). The operation of a thermometer is based on some property, such as volume, that varies with temperature. The most common thermometers contain liquid mercury, or some other liquid, inside a sealed glass tube. The liquid expands and contracts faster than the glass tube. Therefore, when the temperature of the thermometer increases, the liquid volume expands faster than the glass volume, allowing the liquid to rise in the tube. The positions of the liquid in the tube can then be calibrated for accurate temperature readings. Other properties that change with temperature can also be used to make thermometers; liquid crystal colors and electrical conductivity change with temperature, and are also relatively common thermometers. I am facing a new situation today: A group of middle school students is measuring the temperature of various liquids for a chemistry lab using a mercury thermometer. They have a beaker of boiling water, a beaker of ice water, and a beaker of water at room temperature. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: If the mercury in the thermometer contracted did the students record a higher or lower temperature?
A:
lower