Core Academic Skills Assessment Reading 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage states: 'The committee voted unanimously to table the motion.' In US English, what does 'table' mean in this context?
- To postpone or set aside for later discussion (Correct answer)
- To bring forward for immediate debate
- To permanently reject the motion
- To pass the motion without further debate
Correct answer: To postpone or set aside for later discussion
In US parliamentary usage, 'table' means to postpone or set aside a motion indefinitely.
Question 2: Which text structure is used when an author presents a problem and then offers one or more solutions?
- Cause and effect
- Compare and contrast
- Problem and solution (Correct answer)
- Chronological order
Correct answer: Problem and solution
Problem-solution structure identifies an issue and proposes ways to address it.
Question 3: A reader encounters the word 'ephemeral' in a passage about social media trends. Based on the context clue 'here today and forgotten tomorrow,' what does 'ephemeral' mean?
- Widespread and influential
- Lasting only a short time (Correct answer)
- Difficult to understand
- Highly controversial
Correct answer: Lasting only a short time
The context clue 'here today and forgotten tomorrow' signals that ephemeral means short-lived.
Question 4: An author writes: 'While renewable energy has made strides, critics argue the infrastructure costs remain prohibitive for developing nations.' What is the author's primary purpose?
- To argue that renewable energy is ineffective
- To present a balanced view acknowledging both progress and limitations (Correct answer)
- To persuade readers to oppose renewable energy
- To explain how infrastructure is built
Correct answer: To present a balanced view acknowledging both progress and limitations
The author presents both a positive development ('made strides') and a counterpoint ('critics argue'), indicating a balanced perspective.
Question 5: Read: 'The senator, despite her party's platform, voted against the bill.' What does 'despite' signal about the relationship between ideas?
- The senator supported her party's platform
- The senator's vote was consistent with her party's position
- The senator's vote contradicted expectations based on her party's platform (Correct answer)
- The senator was unaware of her party's platform
Correct answer: The senator's vote contradicted expectations based on her party's platform
'Despite' is a contrast signal word indicating the senator's action was contrary to what her party's platform would suggest.
Question 6: A graph shows literacy rates rising steadily from 1990 to 2010, then plateauing. Which conclusion is best supported by this data?
- Literacy rates will continue rising after 2010
- Literacy programs were abandoned after 2010
- Progress in literacy slowed after 2010 (Correct answer)
- Literacy rates declined after 2010
Correct answer: Progress in literacy slowed after 2010
A plateau indicates that growth slowed, not that rates declined or that programs ended.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of a primary source?
- A textbook chapter summarizing the Civil War
- A historian's biography of Abraham Lincoln
- A diary entry written by a Civil War soldier (Correct answer)
- A documentary film about the Civil War
Correct answer: A diary entry written by a Civil War soldier
A diary written by someone who directly experienced the event is a primary source.
Core Academic Skills Assessment Reading 2
A passage states: 'The committee voted unanimously to table the motion.' In US English, what does 'table' mean in this context?