CBEST Reading 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the following excerpt: 'Unlike its predecessor, the revised curriculum emphasizes critical thinking over rote memorization. Teachers report that students are more engaged, though some parents worry that foundational facts may be overlooked.' Which statement best summarizes the excerpt?
- The revised curriculum has been rejected by most teachers
- A new curriculum focuses on critical thinking but raises parental concern about basics (Correct answer)
- Students perform worse under the revised curriculum
- Rote memorization is no longer taught anywhere in the district
Correct answer: A new curriculum focuses on critical thinking but raises parental concern about basics
The summary captures both the shift toward critical thinking and the parental concern about foundational facts.
Question 2: A reader encounters the phrase 'the bill was tabled by the committee.' In American English, 'tabled' most likely means:
- Passed without debate
- Postponed or set aside for later (Correct answer)
- Signed into law immediately
- Sent to the public for a vote
Correct answer: Postponed or set aside for later
In American English, 'to table' a motion means to postpone or set it aside, unlike British English where it means to bring something forward.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of a primary source?
- A textbook chapter summarizing the Civil War
- A documentary film about World War II
- A diary written by a soldier during a battle (Correct answer)
- An encyclopedia entry on Abraham Lincoln
Correct answer: A diary written by a soldier during a battle
A primary source is an original, firsthand document created at the time of the event, such as a diary written by a soldier.
Question 4: The passage states: 'The policy was not without its detractors.' What does 'detractors' mean?
- Supporters who had doubts
- People who oppose or criticize something (Correct answer)
- Officials who created the policy
- Experts who studied the outcomes
Correct answer: People who oppose or criticize something
'Detractors' are people who criticize or speak negatively about something.
Question 5: A passage describes wolves, then describes dogs, noting similarities in pack behavior and differences in domestication. What text structure is being used?
- Chronological order
- Cause and effect
- Compare and contrast (Correct answer)
- Classification
Correct answer: Compare and contrast
Examining similarities and differences between two subjects is the compare-and-contrast structure.
Question 6: Which of the following sentences contains a context clue that helps define the underlined word? 'The scientist's hypothesis, or educated guess, was tested through several experiments.'
- The scientist's hypothesis was tested
- or educated guess (Correct answer)
- several experiments
- through experiments
Correct answer: or educated guess
The phrase 'or educated guess' is an appositive that directly defines 'hypothesis' within the sentence.
Question 7: A reader is skimming an article about renewable energy. To quickly find statistics about solar panel efficiency, the reader should look at:
- The introduction paragraph
- Headings, subheadings, and bold text (Correct answer)
- The author's biography
- The article's publication date
Correct answer: Headings, subheadings, and bold text
Headings, subheadings, and bold text help readers locate specific information quickly without reading every word.
CBEST Reading 3
Read the following excerpt:
'Unlike its predecessor, the revised curriculum emphasizes critical thinking over rote memorization.
Teachers report that students are more engaged, though some parents worry that foundational facts may be overlooked.'
Which statement best summarizes the excerpt?