Core Academic Skills Assessment Reading: Key Ideas and Details 4

Question 1

Read: 'The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was caused by a combination of severe drought and years of intensive farming that had stripped the plains of natural grasses. When the drought hit, there was nothing to hold the topsoil in place, and massive dust storms blackened skies from Texas to Canada.' Which two factors does the passage identify as causes of the Dust Bowl?

Accepted Answer

Severe drought and farming practices that removed natural ground cover

Answer

The passage explicitly states that drought and intensive farming that stripped natural grasses together caused the Dust Bowl.

Question 2

A passage on antibiotic resistance states: 'Bacteria evolve rapidly, and overuse of antibiotics accelerates the selection of resistant strains. Each year, antibiotic-resistant infections kill approximately 700,000 people globally.' What is the most logical conclusion a reader can draw?

Accepted Answer

Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health crisis linked to overuse of these drugs.

Answer

The passage links overuse to accelerated resistance and then cites mortality figures, logically supporting the conclusion that antibiotic resistance is a serious, growing health crisis.

Question 3

Read the following: 'First, the researcher collected water samples from three sites. Next, each sample was tested for pH, nitrate levels, and bacterial content. Finally, the results were compared against EPA safety standards.' What is the main purpose of this passage?

Accepted Answer

To explain the step-by-step procedure used to test water quality

Answer

The sequential structure (first, next, finally) and procedural language indicate the passage is describing a process, not presenting results or arguments.

Question 4

Passage: 'Marie Curie became the first person to win Nobel Prizes in two different sciences — physics in 1903 and chemistry in 1911. She faced significant discrimination as a woman in a male-dominated field yet continued her research until her death.' What inference is most strongly supported?

Accepted Answer

Curie's scientific contributions were exceptional despite significant institutional barriers.

Answer

The passage highlights both her unprecedented dual Nobel achievement and the discrimination she overcame, supporting the inference that her work was remarkable despite obstacles.

Question 5

A student reads: 'Honey never spoils. Archaeologists have found 3,000-year-old honey in Egyptian tombs that was still edible. Honey's low moisture content and natural hydrogen peroxide prevent bacterial growth.' Which sentence provides the best explanation for why honey doesn't spoil?

Accepted Answer

Honey's low moisture content and natural hydrogen peroxide prevent bacterial growth.

Answer

The third sentence provides the scientific mechanism — low moisture and hydrogen peroxide preventing bacterial growth — which explains why honey is resistant to spoilage.

Core Academic Skills Assessment Practice Test

Core Academic Skills Assessment Practice Test

Core Academic Skills Assessment Reading: Key Ideas and Details 4