NBT - National Benchmark Academic Literacy Comprehension Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the sentence: "The study was both comprehensive and methodical, leaving no variable unexamined." Which word is closest in meaning to "methodical"?
- Hasty
- Systematic (Correct answer)
- Creative
- Superficial
Correct answer: Systematic
"Methodical" means done according to a systematic, orderly procedure. "Systematic" is the closest synonym among the options.
Question 2: A passage argues: "Without access to clean water, sustainable development is impossible." Which type of argument structure does this use?
- Inductive reasoning
- Deductive reasoning
- Causal claim (Correct answer)
- Circular reasoning
Correct answer: Causal claim
A causal claim asserts that one condition (lack of clean water) directly causes or prevents an outcome (sustainable development). This is a cause-and-effect argument structure.
Question 3: In the sentence "Notwithstanding the financial challenges, the university expanded its research programme," what does "notwithstanding" mean?
- Because of
- In spite of (Correct answer)
- As a result of
- With the help of
Correct answer: In spite of
"Notwithstanding" means in spite of or despite. The sentence conveys that the expansion occurred despite financial challenges.
Question 4: A text states: "The data strongly suggest — though do not prove — a link between diet and cognitive performance." What does this qualification indicate about the author's approach?
- The author lacks confidence in their research
- The author is being academically careful by distinguishing correlation from causation (Correct answer)
- The author believes the data is unreliable
- The author is dismissing the findings
Correct answer: The author is being academically careful by distinguishing correlation from causation
Qualifying language like "suggest but do not prove" reflects academic rigour — the author acknowledges the limits of the data and avoids overstating conclusions.
Question 5: Which of the following paragraph structures is most common in academic writing?
- Evidence → Claim → Explanation
- Claim → Evidence → Explanation (Correct answer)
- Explanation → Evidence → Claim
- Evidence → Explanation → Conclusion
Correct answer: Claim → Evidence → Explanation
Standard academic paragraph structure: begin with a clear topic sentence (claim), support it with evidence, then explain how the evidence supports the claim. This is known as the PEEL or TEEL structure.
Question 6: A student is asked to "evaluate" a source. What does "evaluate" require them to do?
- Summarise the source in their own words
- Copy key quotes from the source
- Judge the quality, strengths, and limitations of the source (Correct answer)
- List all facts from the source
Correct answer: Judge the quality, strengths, and limitations of the source
To evaluate means to assess — considering quality, relevance, reliability, bias, and limitations. It goes beyond summarising or quoting.
NBT - National Benchmark Academic Literacy Comprehension Questions and Answers 2
Read the sentence: "The study was both comprehensive and methodical, leaving no variable unexamined." Which word is closest in meaning to "methodical"?