PRAXIS Core Academic Skills: Reading Informational Texts 3

Question 1

A passage about urban gardens lists benefits, then says 'Critics argue, though, that maintenance costs are high.' This sentence functions to:

Accepted Answer

Introduce a counterargument

Answer

Signaling what critics argue introduces an opposing view, a counterargument.

Question 2

Which is the most reliable way to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word in an informational text?

Accepted Answer

Use surrounding context clues and sentence logic

Answer

Context clues within and around the sentence are the most dependable strategy for inferring word meaning.

Question 3

An author repeats the phrase 'we must act now' three times in a passage about pollution. This repetition primarily serves to:

Accepted Answer

Create a sense of urgency

Answer

Repeating a call to action emphasizes urgency and pushes the reader toward immediate response.

Question 4

A reader wants to verify a statistic cited in an article. The best source to check is:

Accepted Answer

The original study referenced by the author

Answer

The original cited study is the primary source and the most authoritative place to confirm a statistic.

Question 5

In the sentence 'The policy was ostensibly designed to help, but it harmed many,' the word 'ostensibly' most nearly means:

Accepted Answer

Apparently or supposedly

Answer

'Ostensibly' means apparently or as stated outwardly, often implying the appearance differs from reality.

PRAXIS Practice Test