FREE Rise Placement Test Analysis and Use of Sources Questions and Answers

Question 1

A student is writing a research paper on the effectiveness of a new medication. Which of the following sources would be the MOST credible and appropriate to use as evidence?

Accepted Answer

A peer-reviewed article in a medical journal that details a large-scale clinical trial of the medication.

Answer

A promotional brochure from the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the medication.

Answer

A blog post from an individual who has been taking the medication for two weeks.

Answer

A news report that interviews one doctor who prescribes the medication.

Question 2

Read the following sentences from an article about a new city park:

1. The new park, located on Elm Street, officially opened to the public on June 1st.
2. In my opinion, it is the most beautiful and enjoyable public space in the entire state.
3. The park features a playground, a splash pad, and three miles of walking trails.
4. Every resident should visit the park to experience this wonderful new community asset.

Which sentence is a statement of fact?

Accepted Answer

Sentence 1

Answer

Sentence 2

Answer

Sentence 4

Answer

Sentence 3

Question 3

An author writes an article about the dangers of climate change. The article uses emotionally charged language, selectively presents data that only supports the most alarming predictions, and repeatedly calls for immediate, drastic government intervention. What is the most likely primary purpose of this author?

Accepted Answer

To persuade the reader to adopt a specific viewpoint and support a course of action.

Answer

To inform the reader with a balanced overview of climate science.

Answer

To entertain the reader with a dramatic story.

Answer

To explain the history of climate change research.

Question 4

Which of the following is the BEST definition of 'synthesis' in the context of using research sources?

Accepted Answer

Combining information from multiple sources to create a new, original argument or insight.

Answer

Listing a series of summaries from different articles one after another.

Answer

Choosing the one source that best supports your opinion and ignoring all others.

Answer

Quoting a long passage from the most authoritative source you can find.

Question 5

You are researching the history of the United States electoral college. You find two sources. Source A is a chapter from a university textbook published in 2023, written by a history professor, which explains the origins and functions of the electoral college. Source B is a letter to the editor in a local newspaper from 1985, written by a concerned citizen arguing for the abolition of the electoral college. Which statement provides the best analysis of these two sources for your research?

Accepted Answer

Source A is a secondary source that provides an objective, scholarly overview, while Source B is a primary source that reveals a specific viewpoint from a particular time.

Answer

Source B is more useful because it is a primary source reflecting a historical opinion.

Answer

Source A is less reliable because it was written so long after the events it describes.

Answer

Both sources are equally reliable and useful for understanding the facts of the electoral college.

Question 6

Which of the following would most likely indicate bias in a news article about a political candidate?

Accepted Answer

The article uses words with strong negative connotations, such as 'reckless' and 'failed', to describe the candidate's policies.

Answer

The article includes direct quotes from the candidate's recent speeches.

Answer

The article provides statistics about the candidate's voting record from a non-partisan government website.

Answer

The article was published by a well-established national news organization.