FREE Reading Comprehension Short Passage Question and Answers
Sushi, the thousand-year-old Japanese delicacy, started small in the United States, in a handful of restaurants in big cities. Today, sushi consumption in America is 50% greater than it was ten years ago and not just in restaurants. Sushi is also sold at concession stands in sports stadiums, university dining halls, and in supermarkets throughout the country.
The thesis of this sentence is best supported by this paragraph.
The first statement implies that there were just a few restaurants where sushi was originally served.
Today’s shopping mall has as its antecedents historical marketplaces, such as Greek agoras, European piazzas, and Asian bazaars. The purpose of these sites, as with the shopping mall, is both economic and social. People not only go to buy and sell wares, but also to be seen, catch up on news, and be part of the human drama.
The statement that is supported by this paragraph is the best one.
Choice shopping centers play a significant role in our culture. may initially appear alluring, but the passage doesn't advocate that the shopping mall's goals are crucial; rather, it merely lists them.
The competitive civil-service system is designed to give candidates fair and equal treatment and to ensure that federal applicants are hired based on objective criteria. Hiring has to be based solely on a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (which you’ll sometimes see abbreviated as ksa), and not on external factors such as race, religion, sex, and so on. Whereas employers in the private sector can hire employees for subjective reasons, federal employers must be able to justify their decision with objective evidence that the candidate is qualified.
The statement that is supported by this paragraph is the best one.
See the passage's last sentence.
Many animals hibernate during parts of the year, entering a state that is similar to a very deep sleep. But hibernation is more than simply a deep sleep. The animal’s body temperature drops well below its normal range, the animal does not wake up for a long period of time, and its metabolism slows to the point that the animal does not need to eat or relieve itself during that period. In order to prepare for hibernation, the animal must build up its body weight and increase its body fat. This is important, since the animal will be living off its own body fat during the months of hibernation. Of course, once the period of hibernation is over, the animal “wakes up” to find itself slim and trim once again!
The section in question most convincingly demonstrates
The passage goes on to explain various ways why hibernation is different from sleep, stating that it is "more than just a deep sleep." The passage doesn't mention the alternatives.
In cities throughout the country, there is a new direction in local campaign coverage. Frequently in local elections, journalists are not giving voters enough information to understand the issues and evaluate the candidates. The local news media devotes too much time to scandal and not enough time to policy.
The statement that ""local news media"" is the strongest is supported by this paragraph.
When it comes to covering local campaigns, is not doing an adequate job when it comes to covering local campaigns is the appropriate response. At first glance, the passage Choice has no interest in covering tales about local political events may appear alluring, but it only notes that the local media does not effectively cover local politics without addressing the cause of this neglect.
Every year, Americans use over one billion sharp objects to administer healthcare in their homes. These sharp objects include lancets, needles, and syringes. If not disposed of in puncture-resistant containers, they can injure sanitation workers. Sharp objects should be disposed of in hard plastic or metal containers with secure lids. The containers should be clearly marked and be puncture resistant.
The passage best demonstrates the possibility of harm to sanitation personnel.
The other options are incorrect because the paragraph addresses how everyone should dispose of sharp materials to prevent harming sanitation employees, not how sanitation professionals should handle sharp objects.
Patrick Henry is considered one of the great patriots of America’s early history. He was a leader in every protest against British tyranny and in every movement for colonial rights, openly speaking against the unfair taxation and overly burdensome regulations imposed upon the American colonists by the British Parliament.In March 1775, Patrick Henry urged his fellow Virginians to arm themselves in self-defense. He spoke boldly in Richmond, Virginia, during the meeting of the state legislature. He closed that famous speech with the immortal words, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
The passage best demonstrates what is claimed.
Patrick Henry famously declared, "Give me liberty or give me death," demonstrating his willingness to die defending his country's independence. The passage doesn't mention the alternatives.
The entire low-carbohydrate versus low-fat diet argument is so prevalent that one would think that these are the only two options available for losing weight and staying healthy. Some experts even feel that the low-carb/low-fat debate distracts us from an even more important issue—our culture’s reliance on processed and manufactured foods.
The statement that is supported by this paragraph is the best one.
The emphasis on the low-carb/low-fat argument is erroneous and may cause us to lose sight of other crucial concepts, according to both sentences in this text. The other options are not mentioned or expanded in this passage.
Patrick Henry is considered one of the great patriots of America’s early history. He was a leader in every protest against British tyranny and in every movement for colonial rights, openly speaking against the unfair taxation and overly burdensome regulations imposed upon the American colonists by the British Parliament.In March 1775, Patrick Henry urged his fellow Virginians to arm themselves in self-defense. He spoke boldly in Richmond, Virginia, during the meeting of the state legislature. He closed that famous speech with the immortal words, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
What one of the following would make the best heading for this passage?
Patrick Henry is the subject of the passage, which focuses on his patriotic endeavors. No other patriots are recognized, and nothing about his prior speeches or the Virginia legislature is mentioned either.
One of the missions of the Peace Corps is to help the people of interested countries meet their need for trained men and women. People who work for the Peace Corps do so because they want to, but to keep the agency dynamic with fresh ideas, no staff member can work for the agency for more than five years.
The passage most convincingly demonstrates that Peace Corps employees
See the passage's last sentence. Although not mentioned in the paragraph, the other options may be accurate.
Ratatouille is a dish that has grown in popularity over the last few years. It features eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic chopped, mixed, sautéed, and finally, cooked slowly over low heat. As the vegetables cook slowly, they make their own broth, which may be extended with a little tomato paste. The name ratatouille comes from the French word touiller, meaning to stir or mix together.
The best way to characterize Ratatouille is as a
Only choice a specifies that vegetables are included in the menu; the majority of the section deals with how to prepare veggies. The passage does not mention the alternative options.
Many animals hibernate during parts of the year, entering a state that is similar to a very deep sleep. But hibernation is more than simply a deep sleep. The animal’s body temperature drops well below its normal range, the animal does not wake up for a long period of time, and its metabolism slows to the point that the animal does not need to eat or relieve itself during that period. In order to prepare for hibernation, the animal must build up its body weight and increase its body fat. This is important, since the animal will be living off its own body fat during the months of hibernation. Of course, once the period of hibernation is over, the animal “wakes up” to find itself slim and trim once again!
How does a creature get ready to hibernate?
According to the second paragraph, an animal increases its body weight and fat as it gets ready to hibernate. This suggests to the reader that the animal consumes more food than usual.
The use of desktop computer equipment and software to create highquality documents such as newsletters, business cards, letterhead, and brochures is called Desktop Publishing, or DTP. The most important part of any DTP project is planning. Before you begin, you should know your intended audience, the message you want to communicate, and what form your message will take.
The statement that is supported by this paragraph is the best one.
The significance of structure and design is highlighted in sentence 3. Even if accurate, the alternative options are not mentioned in the passage.
Ratatouille is a dish that has grown in popularity over the last few years. It features eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic chopped, mixed, sautéed, and finally, cooked slowly over low heat. As the vegetables cook slowly, they make their own broth, which may be extended with a little tomato paste. The name ratatouille comes from the French word touiller, meaning to stir or mix together.
Which of the following describes how to prepare ratatouille in the proper order?
The steps for creating ratatouille are in the second and third sentences. Only option b displays the proper order.
Litigation is not always the only or best way to resolve conflicts. Mediation offers an alternative approach and it is one that can be quite efficient and successful. Mediation can be faster, less expensive, and can lead to creative solutions not always possible in a court of law. Additionally, mediation focuses on mutually acceptable solutions, rather than on winning or losing.
This passage demonstrates this claim the strongest.
See the passage's second sentence. The passage does not mention options an or b. Choice C may sound appealing, but the passage only suggests it as an alternative that may work well, not that mediation is the optimal course of action.
More and more office workers telecommute from offices in their own homes. The upside of telecommuting is both greater productivity and greater flexibility. Telecommuters produce, on average, 20% more than if they were to work in an office, and their flexible schedule allows them to balance both their family and work responsibilities.
The sentence that says ""telecommuters"" is better supported by the paragraph.
The second statement discusses how telecommuters are more productive. The other options can appear appealing at first glance since they include words and phrases from the passage, but a deeper examination will reveal that they are either inaccurate or don't appear in the passage.