PERT Reading Comprehension & Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a topic sentence in a paragraph?
- To state the main idea of the paragraph (Correct answer)
- To provide a concluding summary
- To cite an outside source
- To introduce an unrelated example
Correct answer: To state the main idea of the paragraph
A topic sentence presents the central idea that the rest of the paragraph supports.
Question 2: An author writes, 'The policy was a disaster from start to finish.' This statement is an example of what?
- A verifiable fact
- The author's opinion (Correct answer)
- A direct quotation
- A statistical claim
Correct answer: The author's opinion
Words like 'disaster' express a judgment rather than something that can be objectively proven.
Question 3: When a passage compares two ideas to show how they are alike, it is using which structure?
- Cause and effect
- Compare and contrast (Correct answer)
- Chronological order
- Problem and solution
Correct answer: Compare and contrast
Compare-and-contrast organization examines similarities and differences between subjects.
Question 4: A reader infers that a character is nervous because the text says her hands were trembling. This is an example of what?
- Drawing a conclusion from evidence (Correct answer)
- Stating a fact directly
- Summarizing the plot
- Identifying the theme
Correct answer: Drawing a conclusion from evidence
An inference uses textual clues to reach a conclusion not stated outright.
Question 5: Which word signals that an author is about to give a contrasting idea?
- However (Correct answer)
- Therefore
- Similarly
- Furthermore
Correct answer: However
'However' introduces a point that opposes or differs from what came before.
Question 6: What does the tone of a passage refer to?
- The author's attitude toward the subject (Correct answer)
- The number of paragraphs
- The reading grade level
- The font used in printing
Correct answer: The author's attitude toward the subject
Tone is the emotional quality or attitude an author conveys about a topic.
Question 7: If a passage's main idea is not stated directly, it is considered what?
- Implied (Correct answer)
- Irrelevant
- Cited
- Quoted
Correct answer: Implied
An implied main idea must be understood from the details rather than a single stated sentence.
PERT Reading Comprehension & Analysis 2
What is the primary purpose of a topic sentence in a paragraph?