[Q]: I read this background article the other day: Candied fruit, also known as crystallized fruit or glace fruit, has existed since the 14th century. Whole fruit, smaller pieces of fruit, or pieces of peel, are placed in heated sugar syrup, which absorbs the moisture from within the fruit and eventually preserves it. Depending on size and type of fruit, this process of preservation can take from several days to several months.[1] This process allows the fruit to retain its quality for a year.[2] The continual process of drenching the fruit in syrup causes the fruit to become saturated with sugar, preventing the growth of spoilage microorganisms due to the unfavourable osmotic pressure this creates.[3] I am facing a new situation today: Greg's grandma is a culinary expert. She is also very eager to teach others how to make great foods. One day she taught Greg how to make candied fruit. Greg was so excited about it that he bought two baskets of fruits, basket A and basket B, to make some candied fruits. He used the basket A fruits to make some candied fruits, but was too lazy to use the basket B fruits. He just kept the basket B fruits on his kitchen top. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which fruits' moisture would not be absorbed from within, basket A fruits or basket B fruits?
****
[A]: basket B fruits

[Q]: I read this background article the other day: In the U.S., the majority of electricity is produced by burning coal or other fossil fuels. This causes air pollution that harms the health of living things. The air pollution also causes acid rain and contributes to global warming. In addition, fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources, so if we keep using them, they will eventually run out. The main advantage of nuclear energy is that it doesn't release air pollution or cause the other environmental problems associated with the burning of fossil fuels. On the other other hand, radioactive elements are nonrenewable like fossil fuels and could eventually be used up. I am facing a new situation today: Two competing countries used different energy sources to produce their electricity. Turkey used mostly fossil fuels, while Greece used nuclear power. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which country caused less acid rain?
****
[A]: Greece

[Q]: I read this background article the other day: In common everyday speech, speed of sound refers to the speed of sound waves in air. However, the speed of sound varies from substance to substance: sound travels most slowly in gases; it travels faster in liquids; and faster still in solids. For example, (as noted above), sound travels at 343 m/s in air; it travels at 1,480 m/s in water (4.3 times as fast as in air); and at 5,120 m/s in iron (about 15 times as fast as in air). In an exceptionally stiff material such as diamond, sound travels at 12,000 metres per second (27,000 mph);[1] (about 35 times as fast as in air) which is around the maximum speed that sound will travel under normal conditions. I am facing a new situation today: John and Keith are neighbors. They have been pondering about how to communicate with each other in a doomsday scenario when all the electronic devices would be useless. They connected their houses with three ducts. One of the ducts is filled with air; they called it channel A. Another duct is filled with water; they called it channel B. And the last duct is filled with iron; they called it channel C. They can now transmit sound with these channels of communication; in case, disaster strikes. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which channel would be faster, channel A or channel B ?
****
[A]: channel B

[Q]: I read this background article the other day: Old age begins in the mid-60s and lasts until the end of life. Many people over 65 have retired from work, freeing up their time for hobbies, grandchildren, and other interests. Stamina, strength, reflex time, and the senses all decline during old age, and the number of brain cells decreases as well. The immune system becomes less efficient, increasing the risk of serious illnesses such as cancer and pneumonia. Diseases such as Alzheimer's disease that cause loss of mental function also become more common. I am facing a new situation today: Mark has just graduated high school and is going to visit his grandpa, Tom, over the summer for a couple days. Since Tom is retired, he often has plenty of time to go fishing, and he even has a small cabin by the lake. The two men are planning to spend several days at the cabin cooking, fishing, chopping firewood to make fires and just general outdoor activities. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Is Mark's chance of getting sick while at the cabin higher or lower than Tom's?
****
[A]:
lower