OOPT OOPT - Oxford Online Placement Reading Comprehension 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the sentence: 'Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert continued as planned.' What does 'despite' indicate?
- The rain caused the concert to be cancelled
- The concert continued because of the rain
- The concert continued even though it was raining (Correct answer)
- The rain stopped before the concert began
Correct answer: The concert continued even though it was raining
'Despite' is a preposition meaning 'in spite of,' showing contrast between two situations.
Question 2: A passage states: 'The scientist's findings were met with skepticism by her colleagues.' What can you infer about the colleagues?
- They enthusiastically supported her research
- They doubted or questioned the results (Correct answer)
- They replicated her experiment immediately
- They published the findings in a journal
Correct answer: They doubted or questioned the results
'Skepticism' means doubt or disbelief, so the colleagues questioned the scientist's findings.
Question 3: Which reading strategy helps you understand the overall topic of a passage before reading every word?
- Close reading every paragraph in order
- Skimming headings, subheadings, and first sentences (Correct answer)
- Memorizing the last paragraph only
- Reading footnotes before the main text
Correct answer: Skimming headings, subheadings, and first sentences
Skimming headings and first sentences gives a quick overview of the passage's main topic.
Question 4: A text says: 'The council voted unanimously to approve the new budget.' What does 'unanimously' mean here?
- With a narrow majority
- With every member in agreement (Correct answer)
- After a lengthy debate with disagreements
- With most members absent
Correct answer: With every member in agreement
'Unanimously' means all members voted the same way, with complete agreement.
Question 5: Read this excerpt: 'Maria had barely touched her meal. Her eyes kept drifting to the clock on the wall.' What is most likely true about Maria?
- She is very hungry
- She is bored with the food's taste
- She is anxious or waiting for something (Correct answer)
- She is tired and wants to sleep
Correct answer: She is anxious or waiting for something
Repeatedly checking the clock while not eating suggests Maria is anxious or waiting for something.
Question 6: A notice reads: 'Access to the laboratory is restricted to authorized personnel only.' What does this mean?
- Anyone can enter the laboratory freely
- Only certain approved people may enter the laboratory (Correct answer)
- The laboratory is permanently closed to all visitors
- Students must book an appointment to view the laboratory
Correct answer: Only certain approved people may enter the laboratory
'Restricted to authorized personnel' means entry is limited to people with official permission.
Question 7: In a passage about climate, the author writes: 'Coastal cities face an existential threat from rising sea levels.' The word 'existential' most nearly means:
- Minor and manageable
- Related to their very existence or survival (Correct answer)
- Economic and financial
- Environmental but temporary
Correct answer: Related to their very existence or survival
An 'existential' threat is one that endangers the very existence or survival of something.
OOPT OOPT - Oxford Online Placement Reading Comprehension 4
Read the sentence: 'Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert continued as planned.' What does 'despite' indicate?