Many people incorrectly believe the Vlad III Dracula was a huge inspiration for Stoker in writing his novel, but actually he was only minor and tied primarily to his famous villain’s name. Why do you think perceptions about this fact are often wrong?

Read this passage: many manufacturers prefer plastic as a material for containers because it can be molded into many shapes. but plastic is not very strong. it must be fused with glass or steel for strength. it is also not very durable. even the strongest plastic can break under enough pressure. the biggest disadvantage to using plastic is that it does not decompose. while plastic can be recycled, doing so is tedious and difficult. while it may be more expensive and difficult to work with, aluminum is a much stronger building material with far greater tensile strength. it conducts electricity because it is metal. best of all, aluminum is very easy to recycle. even if it is thrown away, it decomposes much more quickly than most manufacturing materials. how does the compare-and-contrast organizational pattern of the passage support the author's purpose? a. the passage gradually leads up to the point about decomposition to inform the reader about the importance of recycling plastics. b. the passage lists the advantages and disadvantages of each material to make a case for the use of plastic and not aluminum in containers. c. the passage begins with a description of plastic's problems in order to call attention to the good qualities of aluminum. d. the passage shows the superiority of aluminum in order to make a case for the production of stronger plastics.

Ron and nick chose to start their own businesses. ron wanted to start an ice cream shop, and nick wanted to launch a television manufacturing company. ron and nick had equal amounts of funds on hand and no government regulations restricting them. months later, however, ron has already set up his business, while nick is still struggling to raise additional funds to build a factory. what was the main factor that affected nick’s business? a. an irrelevant business idea b. low demand for tvs in his country c. high start-up costs d. lack of labor economics

Consider the text from "machu picchu: a city in the sky” and its central idea. informational text: every year, thousands of tourists come to peru to see machu picchu. to reach machu picchu, tourists can hike along the famous inca trail. the trail covers twenty-six miles. it winds through beautiful mountains, forests, and jungle. visitors can also take a bus or train ride up to the ruins. the train takes you past miles of farmland along the urubamba river valley. above are the andes mountains. the tops of the mountains are often covered with mist. then, the train goes up a mountain on a winding road. the road climbs almost 1,640 feet. other incan ruins can be seen beside the road. most are very small compared to the city ahead. central idea: tourists enjoy visiting machu picchu in the mountains of peru. what supporting detail is most important to include in a summary of this text? people can hike the inca trail or take a train or bus to reach machu picchu. when people travel to machu picchu, they see miles of surrounding farms. people are surprised by the mist on the peaks of the andes mountains. when people visit machu picchu, they sometimes see other smaller ruins.