ACT Reading 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On the ACT Reading test, how many passages are presented in the standard format?
- Three passages
- Four passages (Correct answer)
- Five passages
- Six passages
Correct answer: Four passages
The ACT Reading test contains four passages, one per genre.
Question 2: A question asks for the 'main idea' of a passage. What should your answer reflect?
- A minor supporting detail
- The central point the whole passage develops (Correct answer)
- A single example from one paragraph
- The author's biographical background
Correct answer: The central point the whole passage develops
Main-idea answers must capture the overall central point, not a narrow detail.
Question 3: When a Reading question cites specific line numbers, the best strategy is to:
- Answer from memory of the passage
- Read the referenced lines plus surrounding context (Correct answer)
- Skip directly to the answer choices
- Read only the first sentence of the passage
Correct answer: Read the referenced lines plus surrounding context
Reading around the cited lines provides the context needed for accuracy.
Question 4: An 'inference' question on the ACT Reading test asks you to:
- Find a word stated directly in the text
- Draw a logical conclusion supported by the text (Correct answer)
- Summarize the entire passage in one word
- Identify the publication date
Correct answer: Draw a logical conclusion supported by the text
Inference questions require conclusions logically grounded in the passage's evidence.
Question 5: Roughly how much time should you budget per passage to finish the Reading section on time?
- About 2 minutes
- About 5 minutes
- About 8.75 minutes (Correct answer)
- About 15 minutes
Correct answer: About 8.75 minutes
With 35 minutes for four passages, that is roughly 8 to 9 minutes each.
Question 6: A question about the 'tone' of a passage is asking about:
- The author's attitude toward the subject (Correct answer)
- The number of paragraphs
- The font of the passage
- The author's hometown
Correct answer: The author's attitude toward the subject
Tone refers to the author's attitude or feeling conveyed through word choice.
Question 7: If two answer choices both seem correct, the best one is usually the choice that:
- Is the longest
- Is most fully supported by the passage (Correct answer)
- Uses the most difficult vocabulary
- Appears first in the list
Correct answer: Is most fully supported by the passage
The strongest answer is the one with the most direct textual support.
ACT Reading 2
On the ACT Reading test, how many passages are presented in the standard format?