CAASPP Reading Comprehension 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student reads: 'The glacier retreated several meters each year, exposing bare rock that had been buried for centuries.' What can the reader most likely infer from this sentence?
- The glacier is growing due to increased snowfall
- Climate conditions may be causing the glacier to melt over time (Correct answer)
- The bare rock was placed there by scientists for study
- Glaciers only exist in places with warm climates
Correct answer: Climate conditions may be causing the glacier to melt over time
A glacier retreating and exposing previously buried rock strongly implies melting, which is most commonly linked to warming climate conditions.
Question 2: Which type of text structure would an author MOST likely use to explain the similarities and differences between two species of birds?
- Chronological order
- Cause and effect
- Compare and contrast (Correct answer)
- Problem and solution
Correct answer: Compare and contrast
Compare-and-contrast structure is used when an author examines how two or more subjects are alike and different.
Question 3: A passage about space exploration uses the phrase 'the final frontier.' In context, this phrase most likely means:
- The last country to launch a spacecraft
- The boundary between two warring nations
- Space as the ultimate unexplored territory yet to be fully discovered (Correct answer)
- The final chapter of a science textbook
Correct answer: Space as the ultimate unexplored territory yet to be fully discovered
'The final frontier' is a figurative phrase suggesting space is the last great unexplored domain left for humanity to discover.
Question 4: An author writing a biography of a scientist uses the phrase 'against all odds, she persisted.' What does this phrase suggest about the subject's experience?
- She had every advantage available to her
- She faced serious obstacles but continued despite them (Correct answer)
- She gave up when challenges became too difficult
- She had no interest in the scientific field
Correct answer: She faced serious obstacles but continued despite them
'Against all odds' implies facing unlikely or difficult circumstances, while 'persisted' shows she continued despite those challenges.
Question 5: A reader wants to determine whether an online article's information is current enough to use for a report on recent technology trends. Which detail is MOST important to check?
- The length of the article
- The publication or last-updated date (Correct answer)
- The number of images included
- Whether the article has a catchy headline
Correct answer: The publication or last-updated date
For a report on recent trends, the publication or last-updated date is the most critical factor in determining whether the information is still current.
Question 6: In a poem, the repeated phrase 'we will rise' appears at the end of every stanza. This technique is called:
- Foreshadowing
- Alliteration
- Refrain (Correct answer)
- Irony
Correct answer: Refrain
A refrain is a phrase or line repeated at regular intervals in a poem, often to emphasize a central idea or create rhythm.
Question 7: A student reads a passage and finds that the author only presents one side of a controversial issue without acknowledging opposing views. This is an example of:
- Balanced reporting
- Bias or one-sided presentation (Correct answer)
- Primary source evidence
- Objective analysis
Correct answer: Bias or one-sided presentation
When an author presents only one perspective on a controversial topic without addressing counterarguments, the text demonstrates bias.
CAASPP Reading Comprehension 5
A student reads: 'The glacier retreated several meters each year, exposing bare rock that had been buried for centuries.' What can the reader most likely infer from this sentence?