CAASPP Reading Comprehension 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student is asked to summarize a passage. Which of the following should a summary include?
- Every detail and example from the passage
- Only the most interesting sentences copied word for word
- The main idea and key supporting points in the student's own words (Correct answer)
- The student's personal opinion about the topic
Correct answer: The main idea and key supporting points in the student's own words
A good summary captures the main idea and essential supporting points, written in the reader's own words without personal opinion.
Question 2: A passage argues that renewable energy is cheaper than fossil fuels and includes a graph showing cost trends. How does the graph help support the argument?
- It distracts readers from the passage's weaknesses
- It provides visual evidence that reinforces the written claim about costs (Correct answer)
- It replaces the need for any further explanation in the text
- It introduces a new argument unrelated to energy costs
Correct answer: It provides visual evidence that reinforces the written claim about costs
Graphs provide visual data that can verify and strengthen written claims, making the argument more convincing.
Question 3: Two authors write about the same historical event. Author A uses mostly emotional language, while Author B uses mostly statistics. What does this difference most likely reflect?
- Author A is more accurate than Author B
- Their different purposes or audiences (Correct answer)
- Author B has less knowledge about the event
- Both authors are being equally objective
Correct answer: Their different purposes or audiences
The choice of emotional language versus statistical data often reflects different purposes—one may aim to move readers, the other to inform them objectively.
Question 4: In a story, a young athlete keeps practicing even after losing multiple competitions. By the end, she wins the championship. What theme does this story most likely convey?
- Natural talent always beats hard work
- Winning is the only goal worth pursuing
- Persistence leads to eventual success (Correct answer)
- Competition makes people selfish
Correct answer: Persistence leads to eventual success
The athlete's repeated practice despite losses, ultimately leading to victory, supports the theme that persistence and determination lead to success.
Question 5: A reader encounters an unfamiliar word in a passage. Which strategy would be MOST effective for determining its meaning without a dictionary?
- Skip the word and continue reading
- Look for context clues in surrounding sentences (Correct answer)
- Replace it with a random synonym and continue
- Stop reading and memorize the whole paragraph
Correct answer: Look for context clues in surrounding sentences
Context clues—information in surrounding words, phrases, or sentences—are the most effective in-text strategy for determining an unfamiliar word's meaning.
Question 6: An author ends a persuasive essay with a call to action asking readers to sign a petition. What is the purpose of this conclusion strategy?
- To summarize every detail discussed in the essay
- To motivate readers to take a specific step aligned with the author's argument (Correct answer)
- To introduce a new counterargument at the last moment
- To entertain readers with a story unrelated to the topic
Correct answer: To motivate readers to take a specific step aligned with the author's argument
A call to action in a conclusion urges readers to do something specific, reinforcing the persuasive goal of the essay.
Question 7: Which text structure is used when an author explains that deforestation causes soil erosion, which then leads to flooding in nearby communities?
- Compare and contrast
- Problem and solution
- Cause and effect (Correct answer)
- Chronological order
Correct answer: Cause and effect
Presenting one event or situation leading to another (deforestation → erosion → flooding) is the cause-and-effect text structure.
CAASPP Reading Comprehension 3
A student is asked to summarize a passage.
Which of the following should a summary include?