Reading Comprehension and Passage Analysis Flashcards

A passage states: 'Despite the heavy rain, the farmers were relieved—their crops desperately needed water after weeks of drought.' What is the farmers' emotional state?

Answer: Pleased because the rain benefits their crops

The word 'relieved' and the context about drought make clear the farmers are pleased the rain has come.

Which reading strategy is MOST useful when you encounter an unfamiliar word in a passage?

Answer: Look at surrounding sentences for context clues

Context clues in surrounding sentences often reveal the meaning of unfamiliar words.

A passage discusses both advantages and disadvantages of a new policy. What is the BEST description of its organizational structure?

Answer: Compare and contrast

Presenting advantages versus disadvantages is the compare-and-contrast structure.

Read: 'The committee's decision was not without controversy; several members walked out in protest.' What does 'controversy' mean here?

Answer: Disagreement or dispute

The protest walkout signals that the decision caused disagreement, which is what 'controversy' means.

A passage ends with: 'Only time will tell whether this approach succeeds.' This sentence is an example of:

Answer: A concluding prediction or open-ended statement

The phrase signals uncertainty about the future, making it an open-ended concluding statement.

Which of the following is an OPINION rather than a fact?

Answer: The new park is the most beautiful in the city.

Calling the park 'the most beautiful' is a subjective judgment, not a verifiable fact.

A passage uses the phrase 'in contrast' between two paragraphs. What does this signal to the reader?

Answer: The next paragraph will present a different or opposing idea

'In contrast' is a transition that signals the author is about to present a different or opposing point.