RLA Reading Comprehension 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Passage: 'After the factory closed, unemployment in the town rose sharply. Local businesses reported a 30% drop in sales within six months.' What text structure is this passage using?
- Compare and contrast
- Cause and effect (Correct answer)
- Problem and solution
- Description
Correct answer: Cause and effect
The factory closure is the cause; rising unemployment and falling sales are its effects.
Question 2: An author includes the following footnote: 'See opposing views in Johnson (2019) and Rivera (2021).' What does this addition suggest about the author?
- The author does not understand the topic
- The author wants to acknowledge that other perspectives exist (Correct answer)
- The author copied these sources without reading them
- The author is trying to make the essay longer
Correct answer: The author wants to acknowledge that other perspectives exist
Citing opposing views demonstrates academic integrity and shows the author is aware of the broader debate surrounding the topic.
Question 3: Which reading strategy is MOST useful when a passage contains many technical terms the reader does not recognize?
- Read the passage as fast as possible to get the overall idea
- Use context clues, look for definitions within the text, and check a glossary if available (Correct answer)
- Skip sentences that contain unfamiliar words
- Reread the first sentence of the passage repeatedly
Correct answer: Use context clues, look for definitions within the text, and check a glossary if available
Combining context clues with in-text definitions and glossary references is the most effective strategy for handling technical vocabulary.
Question 4: A student reads: 'Despite a slow start, the team won the championship.' What is the relationship between the two parts of this sentence?
- The slow start caused the championship win
- The championship win happened before the slow start
- The championship win occurred in spite of the slow start (Correct answer)
- The slow start and championship are unrelated events
Correct answer: The championship win occurred in spite of the slow start
'Despite' signals a concession—the championship was won even though the team began poorly, making it an unexpected outcome.
Question 5: A passage argues that school start times should be later. The author provides sleep research, quotes from pediatricians, and test-score data. Which element would STRENGTHEN this argument the most?
- A personal anecdote from the author about being tired in high school
- National statistics showing improved graduation rates in districts that shifted to later start times (Correct answer)
- A list of schools that still use early start times
- A quote from a student who prefers early mornings
Correct answer: National statistics showing improved graduation rates in districts that shifted to later start times
Concrete outcome data (graduation rates) from real districts directly supports the argument's claim that later start times produce measurable benefits.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST describes the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing a passage?
- A summary copies the text word for word; a paraphrase shortens it
- A summary condenses the main points; a paraphrase restates details in your own words at similar length (Correct answer)
- A summary is always longer than the original; a paraphrase is shorter
- There is no meaningful difference between summarizing and paraphrasing
Correct answer: A summary condenses the main points; a paraphrase restates details in your own words at similar length
Summarizing reduces a text to its essential points, while paraphrasing rewrites a specific section in your own words without necessarily shortening it.
Question 7: A passage about ocean pollution is written entirely in passive voice: 'Plastics are discarded by consumers. Marine habitats are destroyed. Species are threatened.' What effect does this stylistic choice create?
- It makes the responsible parties very clear and easy to identify
- It places emphasis on the environmental damage rather than on who caused it (Correct answer)
- It makes the passage more exciting and action-oriented
- It removes all emotion from the writing
Correct answer: It places emphasis on the environmental damage rather than on who caused it
Passive voice shifts focus from the actor (consumers, companies) to the action or object affected, emphasizing the harm done rather than assigning direct blame.
RLA Reading Comprehension 4
Passage: 'After the factory closed, unemployment in the town rose sharply.
Local businesses reported a 30% drop in sales within six months.' What text structure is this passage using?