Reading Comprehension Supporting Details and Evidence 2

Question 1

Which of the following is an OPINION rather than a fact that could serve as evidence?

Accepted Answer

Protecting the Amazon is the most important environmental task of our time

Answer

'Most important' is a value judgment that cannot be objectively measured, making it an opinion rather than factual evidence.

Question 2

A passage has the main idea: 'Smartphones have changed social interactions.' Which detail does NOT support this main idea?

Accepted Answer

Smartphones were first introduced to the mass market in 2007

Answer

The year smartphones were introduced is historical background, not evidence that they changed social interactions.

Question 3

What is the difference between a major and a minor supporting detail?

Accepted Answer

Major details directly support the main idea; minor details support the major details

Answer

Major supporting details directly prove the main idea, while minor details provide additional support for the major details.

Question 4

A reader encounters the sentence: 'Furthermore, NASA data shows a 13% per decade decline in Arctic sea ice.' What function does this sentence serve?

Accepted Answer

It provides supporting evidence for a claim about climate change

Answer

A specific, cited statistic functions as supporting evidence to reinforce a broader claim in the passage.

Question 5

To evaluate whether a supporting detail is RELEVANT, a reader should ask:

Accepted Answer

Does this detail directly prove or explain the main idea?

Answer

Relevance is determined by whether a detail directly supports the main claim, regardless of its position or length.

Reading Comprehension Practice Test