NTS Verbal Reasoning: Reading Comprehension 3

Question 1

A passage reads: 'The city council's decision to demolish the historic theater is nothing short of a disgrace.
Future generations will never forgive this shortsighted act of cultural destruction.' The author's tone is BEST described as:

Accepted Answer

outraged and strongly critical

Answer

objective and completely neutral in judgment

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curious and openly questioning

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optimistic and ultimately hopeful

Question 2

Which of the following is a FACT rather than an opinion?

Accepted Answer

The Earth completes one orbit around the Sun every 365.25 days

Answer

Shakespeare was the greatest writer in the English language

Answer

Democracy is the best and most just form of government

Answer

Modern technology has made human life more stressful than fulfilling

Question 3

When a passage states 'Despite receiving little formal education, she became one of the most renowned scientists of her time,' it IMPLIES that:

Accepted Answer

She achieved remarkable success despite having limited educational opportunities

Answer

Formal education is generally unnecessary for achieving professional success

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The field of science does not truly require any formal academic training

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Her extraordinary success was due entirely to natural talent alone

Question 4

The word 'corroborate' in the sentence 'The new experimental findings corroborate the earlier research conducted in 2020' most nearly means:

Accepted Answer

confirm and provide additional support for

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directly contradict and disprove

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completely replace and supersede

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seriously question and challenge

Question 5

A passage first identifies a major social problem, then presents three possible solutions, and finally recommends the best solution with supporting reasons. This type of organizational structure is called:

Accepted Answer

Problem-solution structure

Answer

Compare and contrast structure

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Chronological or time-order structure

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Cause and effect structure

Question 6

A company's annual report states: 'Our profits increased by 15% this year.' To evaluate this claim CRITICALLY, a reader should ask:

Accepted Answer

Compared to which base year, and how does this compare to industry averages?

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Exactly how many employees does this company currently employ?

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What specific products and services does this company sell?

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Who authored and signed the annual report?

Question 7

Passage: 'Water scarcity affects over 2 billion people worldwide. Causes include rapid population growth, climate change, and industrial pollution. Solutions range from water conservation campaigns to advanced desalination technology.' The BEST summary of this passage is:

Accepted Answer

Water scarcity is a widespread global problem with multiple causes and potential solutions

Answer

Desalination technology is the most promising solution to global water scarcity

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Water scarcity is caused exclusively by industrial pollution in developing countries

Answer

Population growth is overwhelmingly the single greatest cause of water scarcity worldwide