CBEST California Teacher Exam Prep - Question List

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16. Palladium, a soft shiny silvery-white metal, is one of six platinum group metals and is relatively rare. It was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. Palladium often replaces platinum since it is cheaper, harder and lighter. It can be drawn into wire or hammered out into sheets, it is often mixed with gold for “white gold” jewelry. Palladium can also be used to make surgical instruments. Automobile manufacturers need the world’s palladium for catalytic converters. Along with gold, silver, and platinum, palladium is a precious metal owned and traded by investors.

Palladium mining is an intricate process because it is spread out under the earth’s surface. Mining palladium uses mechanical extraction methods that simplify the process. Makes it easier to get down into the Earth’s crust. The reserves in the upper portions of the crust is becoming depleted, so miners have to dig deeper. Most palladium is in Russian, North America, South Africa, and South America. The largest North American palladium mine - Montana’s Stillwater mine - is located in the United States. In South Africa, there is the largest proportion of palladium and platinum resource located mainly at the Bushveld Igeneous Complex.

Which is a valid comparison supported by this passage?
  1. Gold is more expensive than platinum.
  2. Silver, gold, platinum, and palladium are very similar.
  3. Gold is softer than palladium.
  4. Platinum is softer than palladium.
17. There are a group of islands located in the East China Sea that are the subject of a dispute between two nations. China calls the islands Diaoyu; in Japan, they are known as the Senkaku. Both nations claims sovereignty over the islands. China asserts that they discovered the eight uninhabited islands, and controlled them until the end of the Sino-Japanese War in 1895. Before the war, Japan incorporated the islands into their territory.

Japan control the disputed East China Sea islands until World War II. Following the war, a 1951 treaty with Japan gave the United States rights to administer the islands. That authority reverted back to Japan in 1971. China asserts that the 1951 treaty should have given them control over the islands. In 1969, the United Nations reported that there was a possibility of large oil reserves in the East China Sea near the islands location. China and Japan have been locked in a territorial dispute since the 1970s. Its conflict has escalated in recent times, with citizens from both nations protesting and raising flags on different islands. The countries have launched diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue.

Which country had the earliest claim on these islands?
  1. Neither country can, with certainty, identify the earliest claim.
  2. Japan’s first claim to the islands is earlier than China’s.
  3. China’s first claim to the islands is earlier than Japan’s.
  4. The U.N. has determined that neither country had a claim earlier than another.
18. Palladium, a soft shiny silvery-white metal, is one of six platinum group metals and is relatively rare. It was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. Palladium often replaces platinum since it is cheaper, harder and lighter. It can be drawn into wire or hammered out into sheets, it is often mixed with gold for “white gold” jewelry. Palladium can also be used to make surgical instruments. Automobile manufacturers need the world’s palladium for catalytic converters. Along with gold, silver, and platinum, palladium is a precious metal owned and traded by investors.

Palladium mining is an intricate process because it is spread out under the earth’s surface. Mining palladium uses mechanical extraction methods that simplify the process. Makes it easier to get down into the Earth’s crust. The reserves in the upper portions of the crust is becoming depleted, so miners have to dig deeper. Most palladium is in Russian, North America, South Africa, and South America. The largest North American palladium mine - Montana’s Stillwater mine - is located in the United States. In South Africa, there is the largest proportion of palladium and platinum resource located mainly at the Bushveld Igeneous Complex.

What is the main idea of this passage?
  1. Worldwide reserves of palladium are depleted, leading to deeper mines and higher prices.
  2. Discovered in 1804, palladium, a precious metal, is used for jewelry and industry, and is mined in North and South America, Russia, and South Africa.
  3. The Palladium mines in North America and South Africa produce most of the world’s supply of this precious metal.
  4. Mechanical extraction of palladium is a simple process and has made it easier to extract the metal from the earth.
19. Palladium, a soft shiny silvery-white metal, is one of six platinum group metals and is relatively rare. It was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. Palladium often replaces platinum since it is cheaper, harder and lighter. It can be drawn into wire or hammered out into sheets, it is often mixed with gold for “white gold” jewelry. Palladium can also be used to make surgical instruments. Automobile manufacturers need the world’s palladium for catalytic converters. Along with gold, silver, and platinum, palladium is a precious metal owned and traded by investors.

Palladium mining is an intricate process because it is spread out under the earth’s surface. Mining palladium uses mechanical extraction methods that simplify the process. Makes it easier to get down into the Earth’s crust. The reserves in the upper portions of the crust is becoming depleted, so miners have to dig deeper. Most palladium is in Russian, North America, South Africa, and South America. The largest North American palladium mine - Montana’s Stillwater mine - is located in the United States. In South Africa, there is the largest proportion of palladium and platinum resource located mainly at the Bushveld Igeneous Complex.

Why do palladium miners use mechanical processes to access the metal?
  1. It is cheaper to use mechanical mining technology.
  2. Mechanical mining technology is the most effective way to reach the palladium near the surface of the crust.
  3. Most of the palladium at the surface has been depleted, so mechanical mining is needed to dig deeper.
  4. Most palladium is mined in South Africa, where mechanical mining equipment is common.
20. Palladium, a soft shiny silvery-white metal, is one of six platinum group metals and is relatively rare. It was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. Palladium often replaces platinum since it is cheaper, harder and lighter. It can be drawn into wire or hammered out into sheets, it is often mixed with gold for “white gold” jewelry. Palladium can also be used to make surgical instruments. Automobile manufacturers need the world’s palladium for catalytic converters. Along with gold, silver, and platinum, palladium is a precious metal owned and traded by investors.

Palladium mining is an intricate process because it is spread out under the earth’s surface. Mining palladium uses mechanical extraction methods that simplify the process. Makes it easier to get down into the Earth’s crust. The reserves in the upper portions of the crust is becoming depleted, so miners have to dig deeper. Most palladium is in Russian, North America, South Africa, and South America. The largest North American palladium mine - Montana’s Stillwater mine - is located in the United States. In South Africa, there is the largest proportion of palladium and platinum resource located mainly at the Bushveld Igeneous Complex.

For what reason is palladium used as a replacement for platinum?
  1. Palladium is cheaper than platinum.
  2. Platinum is not as hard as palladium.
  3. Both A and B
  4. None of the above.

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