aReading Case Analysis 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A FastBridge reading passage presents a case where a company reduced employee work hours and productivity increased. The author's PURPOSE in presenting this case is most likely to:
- Entertain readers with an unusual business story
- Argue that shorter work hours can benefit employers (Correct answer)
- Prove that all companies should reduce work hours immediately
- Describe the history of labor laws in the United States
Correct answer: Argue that shorter work hours can benefit employers
The author uses this case as evidence to support the argument that reducing work hours can lead to productivity gains.
Question 2: In a case analysis, a reader encounters two paragraphs that seem to contradict each other. What should the reader do?
- Skip the second paragraph since the first is always correct
- Reread both paragraphs to determine if one qualifies or limits the other (Correct answer)
- Assume the author made an error and stop reading
- Accept both paragraphs as equally true without question
Correct answer: Reread both paragraphs to determine if one qualifies or limits the other
Careful readers reread apparent contradictions to determine whether one statement qualifies, limits, or refines the other.
Question 3: A passage about school lunch programs includes a table showing caloric intake data. A student ignores the table and reads only the text. What skill is the student FAILING to use?
- Phonemic awareness
- Integration of information across text formats (Correct answer)
- Syllabication strategies
- Root word analysis
Correct answer: Integration of information across text formats
Integrating information from both text and visual elements like tables is a key reading comprehension skill tested by aReading.
Question 4: A case study passage uses the phrase 'it goes without saying' before a key claim. A skilled reader should:
- Accept the claim since the author signals it is obvious
- Recognize this as a rhetorical move that avoids providing evidence (Correct answer)
- Skip the sentence because it contains no new information
- Assume the claim has already been proven earlier in the passage
Correct answer: Recognize this as a rhetorical move that avoids providing evidence
Phrases like 'it goes without saying' are rhetorical devices that can mask unproven assumptions by treating them as self-evident.
Question 5: A student reads a case analysis and identifies the central claim. The NEXT step in a thorough analysis is to:
- Write a personal opinion about whether the claim is likeable
- Locate each piece of evidence and evaluate how well it supports the claim (Correct answer)
- Search for other authors who agree with the same claim
- Restate the claim in different words and submit the summary
Correct answer: Locate each piece of evidence and evaluate how well it supports the claim
After identifying the central claim, the next step is to locate and evaluate the quality of the evidence provided to support it.
Question 6: In an aReading passage, the author writes: 'Opponents argue X, but this view ignores Y.' What technique is the author using?
- Listing facts without interpretation
- Acknowledging a counterargument before refuting it (Correct answer)
- Presenting two equally valid positions
- Summarizing the history of the debate
Correct answer: Acknowledging a counterargument before refuting it
Acknowledging a counterargument and then refuting it is a common rhetorical strategy to strengthen the author's own position.
Question 7: A case analysis passage ends with a recommendation. For a reader to evaluate this recommendation critically, they should FIRST consider:
- Whether the recommendation sounds appealing
- Whether the evidence presented earlier in the passage actually supports it (Correct answer)
- How long the recommendation paragraph is
- Whether the author uses formal vocabulary in the recommendation
Correct answer: Whether the evidence presented earlier in the passage actually supports it
A recommendation is only as strong as the evidence that precedes it; evaluating that link is the foundation of critical analysis.
aReading Case Analysis 3
A FastBridge reading passage presents a case where a company reduced employee work hours and productivity increased.
The author's PURPOSE in presenting this case is most likely to: