Sunshine Premier SAT Reading Practice 9

[1] Judicial review 1 has had a significant impact on people's daily lives. [2] Judicial review allows the courts to strike down any law, treaty, or administrative regulation that violates the United States Constitution, a state constitution, or another law. [3] Judicial review has been used to protect the civil rights of minority groups.[4] Judicial review has also upheld free speech.[5] For example, Lodue v Gilleo (1994) struck down a law that outlawed yard signs on front lawns, as these signs allow people to express their political views. 2 [6] An example of such a case was Brown v. The Board of Education (1954), which invalidated state laws establishing public schools that were segregated by race. [7] Clearly, 3 judicial review is needed to analyze the technical complexities of laws.

4 [1] Unpaid internships often give students a competitive advantage when applying for full-time jobs, and prospective employers often look favorably upon relevant internship experier
5 [2] Some employers violate these rules by essentially utilizing interns to perform basic operations of their businesses without pay instead of providing them with educationally enriching; experiences.[3] However/there is a growing scholarly and societal debate over the ethics of unpaid internships and the dynamics of power and exploitation that characterize many of them. [4] The Department of Labor's Fair Labor Standards Act requires that for-profit companies provide interns with legitimate training in skills that can benefit them outside of the internship. [5] The result of this practice is that employers save large amounts of money that would have otherwise been allocated to paid employees. 6

7 [1] Shakespeare sought to malign major historical figures in order to promote violent revolutions. [2] He often altered historical details to suit his dramatic and political purposes. [3] For example, in "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar," he changed the timeline of certain battles so that they would better fit into his storyline. [4] He also included Caesar's famous last words, "Et tu. Brute? (and you, Brutus?) to dramatize Caesar's feelings of betrayal when he learned that Brutus took part in the plan to assassinate him, though there is no historical evidence that the real Julius Caesar ever said these words. [5] Interestingly, the manner in which Shakespeare portrayed Rome's shift away from republicanism paralleled England’s shift towards a more powerful monarchy. [6] Thus, Shakespeare could criticize developments during his own era indirectly by using ancient Rome as his setting. 8 [7] In certain cases, Shakespeare outright misrepresented historical figures. [8] Most notably, there is weak historical evidence to suggest that King Richard III was the villain that Shakespeare made him out to be, and Shakespeare exaggerated or fabricated Richard’s role in certain crimes. [9] In addition to making for arguably more entertaining stories, Shakespeare's characterization of Richard III and other rulers throughout his historical plays served to critique the dangers of war and tyrannical rulers.9

[Paragraph 1] When shopping, why are you drawn to some items and not others? According to some scientists, you may be "programmed" to have positive responses to certain products. Neuromarketing is a field that uses brain imaging and eye tracking technologies to study the brain’s responses to marketing stimuli. The field is premised in the notion that the decisions consumers-make are primarily emotional. For researchers, neuroscience is primarily used as a means of understanding what happens in the brain when purchasing decisions are made. For corporations, science is used for the purpose of driving business. 10 Thus. businesses are likely to continue applying neuromatketing techniques in the future.

[Paragraph 2] 11 [1] One common critique of surveys is that the person conducting the survey can-influence the responses of the participants. [2] In comparison with traditional market research methods,neuromarketing can potentially prove more reliable since its findings are backed by science. [3] Specifically, participants who know they are being studied may alter their behavior or lie in order to give answers that they believe are more socially desirable. [4] By studying subjects' physiological responses to certain stimuli, researchers can avoid encountering such problems.

[Paragraph 3] Supporters of neuromarketing also argue that 12 neuromarketing is the key to fixing all problems that companies face. Many companies such as Google have used neuromarketing technologies to determine how consumers react to their products.In an era in which brands are becoming increasingly competitive with one another, neuromarketing technology can help companies remain competitive. Businesses can more successfully sell their, products by altering their brands and advertising in a way that elicits positive emotional < J responses from potential consumers. However, in the process, they can also make improvements to products and services that genuinely meet consumers7 needs.

13 [Paragraph 4] [1] In addition to concerns about neuromarketing's effectiveness, neuromarketing 14 js criticized on ethical grounds. [2] Some critics argue that the techniques used to study subjects are invasive and infringements on their privacy. [3] Furthermore, there is some concern that neuromarketing is Immoral for the way it arguably manipulates customers. [4] Because neuromarketing can be used to reach people on the subconscious level (the level below rational awareness), people might struggle to differentiate between truth and untruth, thus falling prey to immoral business practices. [5] Instead, neuromarketing's proponents argue that it is a tool that helps companies tailor their products and advertising methods to their consumers' needs. [6] They also argue that the power of neuromarketing to actually manipulate shoppers to buy products they do not want or need is exaggerated.

15 [Paragraph 5] Despite the apparent benefits of neuromarketing, there are many people who are critical of this field. Some scientists doubt the claims made by neuromarketing's proponents and believe more studies need to be done in peer-reviewed journals on its effectiveness. While neuroscientists can observe people's brain activity in response to stimuli, they cannot be sure about what these observations mean. For example, a positive brain response can signify genuine amazement or mild amusement. Responses detected in subjects do not guarantee that consumers will make specific purchasing decisions. Instead, they provide clues as into how businesses can better design and position their products.

[Paragraph 6] Despite its controversies, it is clear that interest in neuroscience and its connection to consumer behavior is not likely to wane any time soon. While neuromarketing technologies might not function as "mind readers," they nonetheless provide valuable insights into consumers7 responses to products and advertisements.

[Paragraph 1] Water scarcity is n serious environmental concern because water 16 sustains both our economy and life itself. Many industrial, recreational, and agricultural processes depend on water. Sadly, most water is too salty to be consumed or used for agriculture.

[Paragraph 2] [1] Surging populations have put pressure on the global water supply. [2] In many arid regions of the world, groundwater aquifers are unable to be replenished fast enough, resulting in inadequate supplies of pure drinking water. [3] Despite these dangers, some people are forced to drink contaminated wafer anyway. [4] Water scarcity also has negative environmental impacts. 17 [5] Consumption of impure water can load to tho transmission of deadly diseases, many of which arc preventable. [6] Dams and reservoirs that arc built in , populated areas to provide people with water are disturbing natural ecosystems and harming freshwater aquatic species. 18

21 [Paragraph 3] 19 [1] Water is used more efficiently by some countries than others. 20 [2] Fortunately, the company is seeking partners to build tho necessary equipment. [3] One company is planning to ship glacial spring water from Iceland to more arid countries. [4] The lack of suitable harbors and terminals might delay this project, so it is necessary that appropriate infrastructure be built. [5] Alternatively, desalinization technology can be used to filter salt from water so that it becomes drinkable, a practice that many countries ore already employing. [6] While the process of removing salt from water can be costly, it has become more practical in recent years. [7] Also, on the municipal level, more wastewater can be recycled and reused by cities, as this would conserve money and protect the environment.

[Paragraph 4] [1] Some companies are developing more efficient ways to conduct common commercial practices. [2] However, smart irrigation systems allow farmers to irrigate with a greater degree of precision.
[3] Sensors located throughout a field can detect changes in soil moisture so that only the dry sections receive water at any given time. 22 [4] The agricultural industry is one industry that is notorious for wasting water. [5] Some companies are also developing common household products that conserve water. [6] A British company developed a washing machine that uses less water and detergent than traditional washing machines do.
[7] While the machine is currently used for commercial purposes, the company hopes to have: household version available by 2016. 23

[Paragraph 5] [1] Individuals should avoid using more water than they need when performing basic household and hygienic tasks such as washing dishes, showering. Brushing their teeth and shaving. 24 [2] For example, there is no need to leave the water running once a person has wet the bristle of his or her toothbrush, [3] Outdoors, there are also various actions people take to conserve water. [4] For example, people can save water simply by not using a hose when washing their cars (except when rinsing) or cleaning their driveways (a broom should used instead). [5] Homeowners should also mow their lawns sparingly and always check for leaks in pipes, hoses, and faucets so that they can avoid wasting hundreds of gallons of water. [6] Finally, consumers can invest in products that are known to save water, such as watersaving showerheads, low-flow faucet aerators, and insulators for water pipes.

[Paragraph 6] While water scarcity is a serious issue, there is reason to be optimistic. However, there are never any guarantees in life.