Luck is when opportunity meets preparation

Which detail belongs in paragraph 5 to support the main idea of the paragraph? a) places to receive acupuncture are increasingly easy to find all across the united states. b) not everyone is necessarily fond of acupuncture; some patients prefer other methods of physical therapy. c) even though acupuncture is a popular chinese treatment, it has grown popular around the world. d) most of the adverse effects of acupuncture that have been reported do not derive from the procedure itself but from improper application.

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.

The cheerleading squad practiced their routine, they were still not ready to perform for an audience. choose the best transitional word or phrase to complete the sentence. a) however b) besides c) although d) therefore