NCDAP Critical Reading 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage states: 'Despite the city's investment in public transit, traffic congestion has worsened over the past decade.' What conclusion is best supported by this statement?
- Public transit investment has been completely ineffective.
- Factors beyond public transit are contributing to congestion. (Correct answer)
- The city should stop investing in public transit.
- Traffic congestion is inevitable in all cities.
Correct answer: Factors beyond public transit are contributing to congestion.
The word 'despite' signals a contrast, implying other factors are at play beyond transit investment.
Question 2: Which sentence contains a logical fallacy known as a hasty generalization?
- Most studies suggest that exercise improves mental health.
- I met two rude tourists from Canada, so Canadians must be rude. (Correct answer)
- The data shows a correlation between sleep and academic performance.
- Some students perform better with visual learning aids.
Correct answer: I met two rude tourists from Canada, so Canadians must be rude.
Concluding all Canadians are rude based on two encounters is a hasty generalization.
Question 3: In the sentence 'The author concedes that her earlier research was flawed but maintains that her conclusions remain valid,' what does 'concedes' most nearly mean?
- Argues
- Denies
- Acknowledges reluctantly (Correct answer)
- Celebrates
Correct answer: Acknowledges reluctantly
'Concedes' means to admit something is true, often unwillingly.
Question 4: A student reads an editorial arguing that standardized tests should be abolished. The author only cites studies funded by anti-testing organizations. What concern does this raise?
- The argument is automatically wrong.
- The sources may have a bias that affects the evidence presented. (Correct answer)
- Standardized tests are definitely harmful.
- The editorial cannot be published without neutral sources.
Correct answer: The sources may have a bias that affects the evidence presented.
Sources with a financial or ideological stake in the outcome may present biased evidence.
Question 5: Read this excerpt: 'The new policy will undoubtedly save thousands of lives, protect the environment, and eliminate poverty.' What rhetorical weakness does this sentence exhibit?
- It uses too many statistics.
- It makes overly broad and unsupported claims. (Correct answer)
- It relies on emotional language only.
- It is too technical for a general audience.
Correct answer: It makes overly broad and unsupported claims.
The sentence asserts dramatic outcomes without any evidence or qualification, making it an unsupported claim.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the difference between a fact and an opinion?
- A fact is always true, while an opinion is always false.
- A fact can be verified with evidence, while an opinion expresses a personal belief. (Correct answer)
- A fact is stated clearly, while an opinion uses complex language.
- A fact is from a textbook, while an opinion is from the internet.
Correct answer: A fact can be verified with evidence, while an opinion expresses a personal belief.
Facts are verifiable through evidence; opinions reflect personal perspectives and cannot be proven true or false.
Question 7: A passage argues that 'students who read for pleasure score higher on standardized tests.' A critic responds that 'students who score higher simply have more time to read.' What type of argument is the critic making?
- An appeal to authority
- An alternative explanation for the correlation (Correct answer)
- A personal attack on the author
- A logical deduction
Correct answer: An alternative explanation for the correlation
The critic is offering an alternative causal explanation, suggesting the relationship may be reversed.
NCDAP Critical Reading 2
A passage states: 'Despite the city's investment in public transit, traffic congestion has worsened over the past decade.' What conclusion is best supported by this statement?