Nelson-Denny Reading Test Reading Comprehension: Analyzing Textual Evidence 4

Question 1

A reader encounters the phrase 'as evidenced by the data in Table 2' in a passage. If no table is provided, the reader should recognize that:

Accepted Answer

A key piece of supporting evidence is missing and the claim cannot be fully evaluated

Answer

When referenced evidence is absent, the reader lacks the information needed to assess whether the claim is actually supported.

Question 2

In a reading passage about education reform, the author quotes a teacher saying, 'My students perform better with project-based learning.' This quote serves primarily as:

Accepted Answer

A firsthand perspective that adds qualitative support to the argument

Answer

A practitioner's direct experience functions as qualitative, firsthand evidence that complements other forms of support in an argument.

Question 3

Which question is most useful for evaluating whether evidence in a passage is relevant to the author's main claim?

Accepted Answer

Does the evidence directly address the specific claim the author is making?

Answer

Relevance is determined by whether the evidence logically connects to and supports the specific claim, regardless of its emotional impact or placement.

Question 4

A passage about deforestation states: 'Between 2000 and 2020, the Amazon lost an area roughly the size of France.' This statistic is most effective as evidence because it:

Accepted Answer

Makes an abstract quantity concrete and relatable through comparison

Answer

Comparing the lost area to France gives readers a tangible frame of reference, making the scale of deforestation immediately understandable.

Question 5

A passage presents the claim: 'Regular exercise prevents all chronic diseases.' Which piece of evidence would most directly challenge this claim?

Accepted Answer

Research showing that some chronic diseases occur in elite athletes who exercise daily

Answer

Evidence that some chronic diseases affect regular exercisers directly contradicts the absolute claim that exercise prevents 'all' chronic diseases.

Nelson-Denny Reading Test Practice Test

Nelson-Denny Reading Test Practice Test

Nelson-Denny Reading Test Reading Comprehension: Analyzing Textual Evidence 4