Reading Comprehension

After-hours convenience store clerks do not work typical
nine-to-five shifts in which they wake up at 7:30 am,
shower, get dressed, arrive at work, meet lots of people, and
then leave for standard social activities. Instead, these clerks
(5) survive on wages earned during graveyard shifts, have
limited social contact and often exhibit different personal
characteristics than most daytime workers. The quirky
characteristics of graveyard clerks often result in behavior
such as confusing dates, crashing asleep, forgetting to brush
(10) their teeth, and occasionally skipping showers; and
ultimately fighting harder to integrate these problems into a
functioning lifestyle.
For years sleep study doctors have noted how a lack of
sleep has affected the lives of graveyard shift workers. Most,
(15) however, have failed to understand that the disconnected
social lives these workers live are what really set them apart.
Some sleep scientists believe that these workers suffer from
simple sleep deprivation and that their socially disjointed
characteristics are a result of irregular sleep habits.
(20) Ryan Tilson's new research into the social interactions of
graveyard workers reveals that their erratic personal
characteristics are not the result of sleep deprivation alone,
but rather social deprivation. Tilson has uncovered that all
after-hours clerks have five characteristics in common. First,
(25) they tend to exhibit signs of mild, chronic depression.
Second, they suffer from paranoia leading to a general
mistrust of strangers. In some cases this has lead to a
recurring fear that they will be robbed at gunpoint before the
end of their shifts. Third, they all fail to sustain meaningful
(30) intimate relationships. Tilson has discovered that their
inability to maintain a common social schedule results in the
"Oh no! I'm too tired!" response, which hinders their
attempts at forming lasting romantic connections. Fourth,
they are often shy and awkward when trying to engage the
(35) few people they meet when working night shifts. A stumbling
utterance of, "Hello, how are you?" from a clerk rarely
generates more than a shrug and a humoring smirk from a
customer. Finally, they tend to be mildly agoraphobic,
especially during daylight hours, which only serves to isolate
(40) them further. Tilson views these common five characteristics
and problems as being caused by their lonely schedules, and
the corresponding lack of opportunity for normal social
contact.
There are many negative implications to the real world
(45) difficulties that the graveyard workers must face with their
awkward personal characteristics. The social deprivation that
plagues them is a vicious circle. Since they miss most
opportunities for the social interaction that would help them,
they can never get better. If their problems were solely the
(50) result of sleep loss, then more sleep would be the quick
solution, but no amount of sleep will turn these clerks into
graceful social butterflies. They need to be around other
people in stable social situations for long periods of time.
Unfortunately, these clerks get stuck in their dead-end jobs
(55) with little chance to move up and make promotions. In
conclusion, social deprivation is a depleting hindrance that
often leads to bad hygiene, depression, paranoia, and more.
If one must work after-hours shifts, it is best to stick to a
part time schedule in which adequate room is left for some
(60) social interaction.

Which of the following most accurately illustrates the "Oh no! I'm too tired!" response (line 32) as found in the passage?
A] A graveyard shift worker tells the truth to someone to see how it will make other people feel.
B]A graveyard shift worker creates detailed excuses in order to avoid personal contact.
C]A graveyard shift worker ruins a chance for a date due to a lack of energy and ability to function on a normal schedule.
D] A graveyard shift worker describes his or her own state of mind in order to attract intimacy.
E] A graveyard shift worker tries to impress many potential dates at once in order to benefit more immediately.

In the passage, graveyard shift workers are said to exhibit all of the following behaviors EXCEPT:
A] failure to plan sleep
B] uncertainty regarding plans or appointments
C] failure to address some facets of oral hygiene
D] holding doors open for people when they work part-time shifts.
E] avoiding normal personal cleansing or grooming

For which of the following assertions can one find evidence in the passage?
A] Graveyard shift workers work more hours than daytime shift workers.
B] Graveyard shift workers' lives are not affected by their socially uncommon work schedules.
C] Analysis from careful study of graveyard workers' sleep patterns will help the workers find better jobs.
D] Graveyard shift workers find comfort in consulting with their co-workers.
E] It is difficult for graveyard shift workers to rid themselves of the quirky social behaviors that adversely affect them.


OA C , D and E