CHSPE Critical Reading 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An author uses the phrase 'the clock devoured the hours' in a passage about a stressful exam. What literary device is this?
- Simile
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Alliteration
- Hyperbole
Correct answer: Personification
Personification gives human qualities (devouring) to a non-human object (the clock).
Question 2: A passage states: 'While solar energy is abundant, the infrastructure cost remains prohibitive for many rural communities.' What is the author's main point?
- Solar energy is not a viable power source
- Cost barriers limit solar energy access despite its availability (Correct answer)
- Rural communities should not use solar energy
- Solar infrastructure is easy to build
Correct answer: Cost barriers limit solar energy access despite its availability
The author acknowledges solar energy's abundance but highlights cost as a limiting factor for rural areas.
Question 3: Which context clue best helps you determine the meaning of 'verbose' in: 'His verbose essay used 5,000 words to make a point that needed only 500'?
- The word 'essay'
- The contrast between 5,000 and 500 words (Correct answer)
- The word 'point'
- The word 'needed'
Correct answer: The contrast between 5,000 and 500 words
The contrast between the excessive word count used and the smaller number needed signals that 'verbose' means using too many words.
Question 4: A persuasive article claims, 'Nine out of ten dentists recommend this toothpaste,' but does not identify who the dentists are. This is an example of:
- A well-supported fact
- A logical appeal
- A vague or unverifiable statistic (Correct answer)
- An ethical appeal
Correct answer: A vague or unverifiable statistic
Without identifying the survey source or dentists, the statistic cannot be verified and is therefore a weak, vague claim.
Question 5: Read the sentence: 'The council approved the new park; however, funding remained uncertain.' What is the relationship between the two clauses?
- The second clause explains the first
- The second clause contradicts or qualifies the first (Correct answer)
- The second clause repeats the first in different words
- The second clause is unrelated to the first
Correct answer: The second clause contradicts or qualifies the first
'However' signals a contrast—approval was granted, but an obstacle (funding) still exists.
Question 6: A student reads a passage that presents only arguments in favor of stricter gun laws without acknowledging counterarguments. This passage can best be described as:
- Objective and balanced
- Biased or one-sided (Correct answer)
- Based entirely on facts
- A logical analysis
Correct answer: Biased or one-sided
A passage that presents only one side of a debate without acknowledging opposing views is considered biased or one-sided.
Question 7: The word 'benevolent' most nearly means:
- Hostile
- Generous and kind (Correct answer)
- Cautious
- Intelligent
Correct answer: Generous and kind
'Benevolent' comes from Latin roots meaning 'well-wishing' and describes someone who is kind and generous.
CHSPE Critical Reading 2
An author uses the phrase 'the clock devoured the hours' in a passage about a stressful exam.
What literary device is this?