Reading & Literacy Support Flashcards

A CPA exam reading passage includes the signal phrase 'contrary to popular belief.' This phrase most likely indicates that the following sentence will:

Answer: Contradict a misconception and present a more accurate statement

Phrases like 'contrary to popular belief' signal that the author is about to correct a common misunderstanding.

In reading an audit report, the phrase 'in our opinion' signals which of the following about the nature of the statement that follows?

Answer: The statement represents a professional judgment, not absolute certainty

The phrase 'in our opinion' explicitly frames the audit conclusion as a professional judgment based on evidence, not a guarantee.

A student struggles to understand a paragraph about deferred tax assets. The most effective remediation strategy is to:

Answer: Break the paragraph into individual sentences and paraphrase each one before reconstructing the whole idea

Sentence-by-sentence paraphrasing forces the reader to actively process meaning before moving forward, resolving comprehension gaps.

Which reading approach is best suited for quickly locating a specific dollar threshold within a long FASB codification passage?

Answer: Scanning — running the eye quickly over the text looking for numerical patterns

Scanning is a targeted search strategy for specific information like numbers, names, or dates within a longer text.

A passage states: 'Although lease payments are fixed in nominal terms, their present value declines over time.' The logical relationship between the two clauses is best described as:

Answer: The second clause presents a consequence that contrasts with or qualifies the first clause

The 'although' construction signals a concession: the nominal fixity of payments (clause 1) is qualified by the declining present value (clause 2).

When reading a multi-part exam question stem, which step should a candidate take first to avoid misreading the question?

Answer: Identify the specific requirement word (calculate, identify, determine, select) and the subject of the question

The requirement word and subject define exactly what the question is asking, preventing misinterpretation of the task.

In a passage about going concern, the author writes: 'Management's plans, while potentially mitigating, do not eliminate the substantial doubt.' The word 'while' in this context functions to:

Answer: Acknowledge a partial concession before asserting a stronger opposing conclusion

'While' here introduces a concessive clause that grants a partial point (plans may help) before asserting the dominant conclusion (doubt remains).