College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: The scores on a test are 60, 72, 85, 85, 90, 95. What is the median?

85 (Correct answer)
80
87.5
82.5

Correct answer: 85

With 6 values, the median is the average of the 3rd and 4th values: (85 + 85) / 2 = 85.

Question 2: The statement "Bob is an engineer or Tom is a musician" is negated by:

Bob is not an engineer and Tom is not a musician (Correct answer)
Bob is an engineer and Tom is not a musician
Bob is not an engineer or Tom is not a musician
Bob is not an engineer and Tom is a musician

Correct answer: Bob is not an engineer and Tom is not a musician

According to De Morgan's Laws, the negation of a disjunction ('P or Q') is the conjunction of the negations ('not P and not Q'). Therefore, the negation of 'Bob is an engineer or Tom is a musician' is 'Bob is not an engineer and Tom is not a musician'.

Question 3: The 'slippery slope' fallacy assumes that:

A sample is representative of the whole population
Two things that share one property share all properties
One event will inevitably lead to extreme negative consequences without adequate justification (Correct answer)
The most popular option is the correct one

Correct answer: One event will inevitably lead to extreme negative consequences without adequate justification

Slippery slope claims a chain of increasingly bad events will inevitably follow from an initial action, without sufficient evidence for that chain.

Question 4: For ten days, the number of patients Dr. Smith's dental practice saw each day was noted. Find the sample's mean, median, and mode using the provided data. <br> 3, 26, 8, 22, 30, 30, 6, 15, 21, 28

18.9, 21.5, 30 (Correct answer)
30, 21.5, 18.9
16.5, 30, 21.5
18.9, 30, 21.5

Correct answer: 18.9, 21.5, 30

First, order the data: 3, 6, 8, 15, 21, 22, 26, 28, 30, 30. The mean is the sum (189) divided by the count (10), which is 18.9. The median, for an even number of data points, is the average of the two middle values (21 and 22), so (21+22)/2 = 21.5. The mode is the value that appears most frequently, which is 30.

Question 5: When a CLAST passage uses the phrase 'critics argue,' what is the author signaling?

Scientific consensus
A historical fact
A counterargument or opposing viewpoint (Correct answer)
The author's own opinion

Correct answer: A counterargument or opposing viewpoint

Attributing an argument to 'critics' signals the author is presenting an opposing or alternative viewpoint.

Question 6: Which context clue type is used in: 'The arid, or extremely dry, climate made farming nearly impossible'?

Synonym from a prior paragraph
Example clue
Contrast clue
Definition clue embedded in the sentence (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Definition clue embedded in the sentence

The phrase 'or extremely dry' directly defines 'arid' within the same sentence, making it an embedded definition clue.

Question 7: A topic sentence in a body paragraph should:

Introduce a new topic unrelated to the thesis
Always begin with a quotation
Summarize the entire essay
State the main point of that paragraph and relate to the thesis (Correct answer)

Correct answer: State the main point of that paragraph and relate to the thesis

Each topic sentence announces the specific focus of its paragraph and connects that focus to the overall thesis.

Question 8: "If Joe moves back east, then he will feel homesick" has the following logical equivalent:

Joe will get homesick, or he does not move back east (Correct answer)
Joe moves back east, or he does not get homesick
Joe does not move back east or he does not get homesick
If Joe does not get homesick, then he moved back east

Correct answer: Joe will get homesick, or he does not move back east

A conditional statement 'If P, then Q' is logically equivalent to 'Not P or Q'. In this case, P is 'Joe moves back east' and Q is 'he will feel homesick'. Therefore, the equivalent statement is 'Joe does not move back east or he will feel homesick', which matches option A when the clauses are reordered.

Question 9: "Pam is going to work and Kay is going shopping," in the negative, means:

Pam is not going to work or Kay is going shopping
Pam is not going to work and Kay is not going shopping
Pam is going to work and Kay is not going shopping
Pam is not going to work or Kay is not going shopping (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Pam is not going to work or Kay is not going shopping

According to De Morgan's Laws, the negation of a conjunction ('P and Q') is the disjunction of the negations ('not P or not Q'). Therefore, the negation of 'Pam is going to work and Kay is going shopping' is 'Pam is not going to work or Kay is not going shopping'.

Question 10: A passage describes events in this order: earthquake → infrastructure damage → government response → community recovery. What organizational structure is used?

Classification
Compare and contrast
Definition and example
Chronological / sequential order (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Chronological / sequential order

Presenting events in the order they occurred (earthquake first, recovery last) is chronological organization.

Question 11: A CLAST passage contains this sentence: 'The administration claimed success, but the data told a different story.' The phrase 'a different story' is an example of:

A figurative expression implying contradiction (Correct answer)
A simile
A literal description
An alliteration

Correct answer: A figurative expression implying contradiction

Using 'a different story' figuratively implies a contradiction between the administration's claim and the data.

Question 12: What does the following sample mean look like? <br> 6, 4, 28, 21, 28, 28, 26, 28, 14, 9, 28

20 (Correct answer)
26
16
28

Correct answer: 20

The mean (average) is calculated by summing all the values in the data set and then dividing by the total number of values. For the given data (6, 4, 28, 21, 28, 28, 26, 28, 14, 9, 28), the sum is 220. Since there are 11 values, the mean is 220 divided by 11, which equals 20.

Question 13: A CLAST reading passage states: 'Despite widespread belief to the contrary, studies show that multitasking reduces overall productivity.' What is the main idea of this sentence?

Studies on multitasking are unreliable
Productivity is unaffected by multitasking
Multitasking is universally beneficial
Multitasking actually lowers productivity despite popular belief (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Multitasking actually lowers productivity despite popular belief

The sentence directly states that multitasking reduces productivity, contradicting a widespread belief.

Question 14: In context, 'The judge's ruling was unprecedented' means the ruling was:

Never done before (Correct answer)
Highly controversial
Extremely popular
Without any legal basis

Correct answer: Never done before

'Unprecedented' means never having happened or existed before in the past.

Question 15: Which of the following statements is logically equivalent to 'If P, then Q'?

If not Q, then not P (Correct answer)
If Q, then P
If not P, then not Q
P only if not Q

Correct answer: If not Q, then not P

The contrapositive 'If not Q, then not P' is always logically equivalent to the original conditional 'If P, then Q.'

Question 16: Identify the sentence that contains a dangling modifier:

Running through the park, a deer was spotted. (Correct answer)
She was running through the park when she spotted a deer.
Running through the park, she spotted a deer.
While she ran through the park, she saw a deer.

Correct answer: Running through the park, a deer was spotted.

In option B, the participial phrase 'Running through the park' incorrectly modifies 'a deer' instead of a person.

Question 17: A boy and a girl will be chosen to go to a conference from a group of five lads and two girls. How many different pairs are there to pick from?

15
10 (Correct answer)
20
5

Correct answer: 10

This is a combination problem where we need to choose one boy from five and one girl from two. The number of ways to choose 1 boy from 5 is 5 (C(5,1)). The number of ways to choose 1 girl from 2 is 2 (C(2,1)). To find the total number of different pairs, multiply these possibilities: 5 * 2 = 10.

Question 18: Which sentence correctly uses the word 'affect' versus 'effect'?

The medication had no affect on the patient.
The rain will effect our plans for the day.
Stress can affect a person's physical health. (Correct answer)
She effected the sadness in her painting well.

Correct answer: Stress can affect a person's physical health.

'Affect' is a verb meaning to influence; 'effect' is typically a noun meaning result, so 'affect a person's health' is correct.

Question 19: Which sentence uses context clues to help define the underlined word? 'The scientist worked to nullify, or cancel out, the effects of the chemical reaction.'

The word 'nullify' means to intensify based on context.
The word 'scientist' defines 'nullify' through association.
No context clues are present in this sentence.
The phrase 'cancel out' directly defines 'nullify' in the sentence. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The phrase 'cancel out' directly defines 'nullify' in the sentence.

The phrase 'or cancel out' is an appositive that directly defines 'nullify,' serving as a context clue.

Question 20: Given: 'If the alarm rings, the building is being evacuated. The building is not being evacuated.' What follows?

The alarm may or may not be ringing
The building may still be evacuated
The alarm is not ringing (Correct answer)
The alarm is ringing

Correct answer: The alarm is not ringing

By modus tollens, denying the consequent ('not being evacuated') allows us to deny the antecedent ('alarm is not ringing').

Question 21: In the phrase 'a Herculean task,' the word 'Herculean' means:

Relating to ancient mythology
Tedious and repetitive
Impossible to complete
Requiring great strength or effort (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Requiring great strength or effort

'Herculean' derives from Hercules and means requiring tremendous strength, effort, or ability.

Question 22: Select the most precise word to complete: 'The archaeologist carefully _______ the artifact from the surrounding soil.'

Extracted (Correct answer)
Removed
Took
Pulled

Correct answer: Extracted

'Extracted' is the most precise word, implying careful removal of an object from a surrounding material.

Question 23: What is the area of a triangle with base 10 cm and height 6 cm?

30 cm
30 cm² (Correct answer)
16 cm²
60 cm²

Correct answer: 30 cm²

Area of a triangle = ½ × base × height = ½ × 10 × 6 = 30 cm².

Question 24: Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Each of the students has their own desk. (Correct answer)
Each of the students are having their own desk.
Each of the student has their own desk.
Each of the students have their own desk.

Correct answer: Each of the students has their own desk.

'Each' is a singular indefinite pronoun, so it requires the singular verb 'has.'

Question 25: Which of the following is equivalent to 2(3x − 4) + 5x?

11x + 8
11x − 8 (Correct answer)
6x − 8 + 5x
11x − 4

Correct answer: 11x − 8

Distributing: 6x − 8 + 5x = 11x − 8.

Question 26: A student scores 18 out of 24 on a quiz. What percentage did the student earn?

80%
72%
70%
75% (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 75%

18 ÷ 24 = 0.75, which equals 75%.

Question 27: Which of the following is an irrational number?

√16
√7 (Correct answer)
√9
√25

Correct answer: √7

√7 cannot be expressed as a fraction of two integers; it is irrational because 7 is not a perfect square.

Question 28: If events A and B are independent, P(A) = 0.5, and P(B) = 0.4, what is P(A and B)?

0.45
0.9
0.1
0.2 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 0.2

For independent events, P(A and B) = P(A) × P(B) = 0.5 × 0.4 = 0.2.

Question 29: In a CLAST passage, the author uses the phrase 'a double-edged sword' to describe social media. This phrase most likely means social media:

Should be banned immediately
Has both benefits and drawbacks (Correct answer)
Is entirely harmful
Is a weapon used online

Correct answer: Has both benefits and drawbacks

A 'double-edged sword' is a figurative expression meaning something has both positive and negative consequences.

Question 30: A CLAST passage about climate change uses mostly emotional language and personal stories rather than data. This approach is BEST described as:

Ethos (ethical appeal)
Pathos (emotional appeal) (Correct answer)
Logos (logical appeal)
Kairos (timely appeal)

Correct answer: Pathos (emotional appeal)

Using emotional language and personal stories to influence the reader is characteristic of pathos.

College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST)

The CLAST is a Florida standardized exam assessing college-level skills in mathematics, English language skills, reading comprehension, and essay writing required for associate's degree completion and teacher certification.

Questions

35 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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