Accuplacer College Placement Reading Comprehension 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage explains a problem, then offers a solution in the final paragraph. This organizational pattern is called:
- Problem and solution (Correct answer)
- Chronological order
- Spatial order
- Definition
Correct answer: Problem and solution
Stating an issue then resolving it is the problem-solution structure.
Question 2: The phrase 'a Herculean effort' is an example of what kind of language?
- Allusion (Correct answer)
- Onomatopoeia
- Alliteration
- Hyperbole only
Correct answer: Allusion
Referencing Hercules to imply great strength is an allusion.
Question 3: If a passage's tone is described as 'sardonic,' the author is being:
- Mockingly sarcastic (Correct answer)
- Warmly sincere
- Strictly neutral
- Deeply sorrowful
Correct answer: Mockingly sarcastic
'Sardonic' means grimly mocking or cynically sarcastic.
Question 4: Which detail would best support a main idea that 'exercise improves memory'?
- A study showing runners scored higher on recall tests (Correct answer)
- A list of popular running shoes
- A history of the Olympic Games
- A recipe for a sports drink
Correct answer: A study showing runners scored higher on recall tests
A study linking running to better recall directly supports the claim.
Question 5: In 'The old bridge groaned under the weight of traffic,' the word 'groaned' is an example of:
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Irony
Correct answer: Personification
Giving the bridge a human action (groaning) is personification.
Question 6: A reader encounters the word 'benevolent' and notices the root 'bene.' This root suggests a meaning related to:
- Good or well (Correct answer)
- Bad or evil
- Time
- Distance
Correct answer: Good or well
The root 'bene' means good, so 'benevolent' means kind or well-meaning.
Question 7: Which statement from a passage is a fact rather than an opinion?
- The building has forty floors. (Correct answer)
- The building is the most beautiful in the city.
- Everyone should admire its design.
- It is the best place to work.
Correct answer: The building has forty floors.
A measurable, verifiable count of floors is a fact.
Accuplacer College Placement Reading Comprehension 3
A passage explains a problem, then offers a solution in the final paragraph.
This organizational pattern is called: