NJGPA Reading Comprehension and Textual Evidence 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read: 'The new policy, while well-intentioned, created more problems than it solved.' What is the author's tone in this sentence?
- enthusiastic
- neutral and objective
- critical but fair (Correct answer)
- angry and dismissive
Correct answer: critical but fair
The author acknowledges good intentions but ultimately criticizes the outcome, showing a balanced yet negative judgment.
Question 2: When citing textual evidence in a literary analysis, a student should:
- copy long paragraphs without explanation
- use a quote that connects directly to the argument being made (Correct answer)
- rely only on the author's biography
- avoid using quotation marks
Correct answer: use a quote that connects directly to the argument being made
Effective textual evidence is specific and directly supports the analytical claim being made.
Question 3: A passage about climate policy includes this line: 'Opponents argue the regulations will cost jobs.' This sentence most likely represents:
- the author's personal opinion
- a counterargument the author is acknowledging (Correct answer)
- the central idea of the passage
- a factual statistic
Correct answer: a counterargument the author is acknowledging
'Opponents argue' signals that the author is presenting an opposing viewpoint, which is a counterargument.
Question 4: Which context clue strategy involves breaking a word into its parts to determine meaning?
- using surrounding sentences
- using synonyms in the text
- analyzing roots, prefixes, and suffixes (Correct answer)
- rereading the paragraph
Correct answer: analyzing roots, prefixes, and suffixes
Morphological analysis — examining roots, prefixes, and suffixes — helps readers decode unfamiliar words by their structural components.
Question 5: A story ends with the main character choosing to stay in her hometown instead of moving to the city. Earlier, the text described the city as representing her dreams. What literary element does this ending most likely illustrate?
- flashback
- theme about sacrifice or belonging (Correct answer)
- comic relief
- rising action
Correct answer: theme about sacrifice or belonging
Choosing home over a symbol of her dreams develops the theme of sacrifice, belonging, or the complexity of ambition.
Question 6: Read: 'The scientist published her findings despite fierce opposition from colleagues.' What does 'despite' signal about the relationship between the two parts of the sentence?
- The opposition caused her to publish.
- The opposition had no connection to her decision.
- She published even though there was opposition — a contrast. (Correct answer)
- The publication happened before the opposition.
Correct answer: She published even though there was opposition — a contrast.
'Despite' is a contrast signal showing that the opposition did not stop her from publishing.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a concluding paragraph in an informational text?
- to introduce new evidence the reader hasn't seen
- to restate the central idea and reinforce key points (Correct answer)
- to present the opposing viewpoint in full
- to define technical vocabulary used earlier
Correct answer: to restate the central idea and reinforce key points
A conclusion synthesizes the main argument and key supporting points rather than introducing new information.
NJGPA Reading Comprehension and Textual Evidence 3
Read: 'The new policy, while well-intentioned, created more problems than it solved.' What is the author's tone in this sentence?