Language Proficiency Reading Comprehension 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage presents two scientists' opposing views on climate change without stating which is correct. This type of writing is best described as:
- Persuasive
- Expository and balanced (Correct answer)
- Satirical
- Narrative
Correct answer: Expository and balanced
Presenting multiple perspectives without advocating for one is characteristic of balanced, expository writing.
Question 2: In a passage, a paragraph begins with: 'Not everyone agrees with this view. Critics point out that...' This paragraph most likely serves to:
- Introduce the author's main thesis
- Present a counterargument or opposing perspective (Correct answer)
- Summarize the passage's key evidence
- Provide a definition of a key term
Correct answer: Present a counterargument or opposing perspective
Phrases like 'critics point out' signal the introduction of a counterargument or opposing viewpoint.
Question 3: A reader can best identify the implied main idea of a passage by:
- Finding the sentence with the most adjectives
- Synthesizing what most paragraphs have in common (Correct answer)
- Focusing exclusively on the last paragraph
- Counting which noun appears most frequently
Correct answer: Synthesizing what most paragraphs have in common
An implied main idea must be inferred by identifying the common thread or point running through most of the passage's paragraphs.
Question 4: A passage uses the phrase 'for example' followed by a specific case. This example most likely functions to:
- Introduce a new counterargument
- Contradict the preceding claim
- Illustrate and support the preceding general statement (Correct answer)
- Signal the passage's conclusion
Correct answer: Illustrate and support the preceding general statement
'For example' signals that what follows is a concrete illustration supporting the general claim made just before it.
Question 5: A student reads a passage twice but still cannot understand a paragraph. The BEST next step is to:
- Ignore the confusing paragraph and move on
- Read the sentences before and after the paragraph for context (Correct answer)
- Assume the paragraph is irrelevant to the main idea
- Rewrite the paragraph in simpler words from memory
Correct answer: Read the sentences before and after the paragraph for context
Reading surrounding context helps clarify a confusing section by revealing how it fits into the passage's larger structure.
Question 6: An author describes a policy as 'well-intentioned but ultimately misguided.' This phrasing indicates the author:
- Fully supports the policy
- Finds the policy both praiseworthy and flawed (Correct answer)
- Is indifferent to the policy's outcomes
- Believes the policy was created dishonestly
Correct answer: Finds the policy both praiseworthy and flawed
'Well-intentioned' acknowledges good motives while 'ultimately misguided' signals a critical conclusion, reflecting a nuanced, mixed evaluation.
Question 7: Which of the following questions would BEST help a reader distinguish between a fact and an opinion in a passage?
- Is this sentence longer than the others?
- Can this statement be objectively verified or disproven? (Correct answer)
- Does this sentence appear in the first paragraph?
- Does this sentence contain any adjectives?
Correct answer: Can this statement be objectively verified or disproven?
Facts are verifiable claims; asking whether a statement can be objectively tested is the defining criterion separating fact from opinion.
