RLA Reading Comprehension 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Passage: 'The bill passed the Senate 60–40. Advocates say it will create jobs; opponents argue it will raise costs for small businesses.' A reader who wants to evaluate both sides should:
- Accept the advocates' view because they are mentioned first
- Seek additional sources presenting evidence for and against the bill (Correct answer)
- Dismiss the passage because it doesn't take a clear side
- Assume the 60-vote majority means the advocates are correct
Correct answer: Seek additional sources presenting evidence for and against the bill
Critical readers seek multiple sources to weigh evidence rather than accepting one side based on order of presentation or vote count alone.
Question 2: A student reads a passage and is asked to identify the author's implicit bias. Which clue would BEST help identify implicit bias?
- The use of numbered lists in the passage
- Consistent word choices that favor one group or viewpoint over another (Correct answer)
- The length of each paragraph
- The presence of headings and subheadings
Correct answer: Consistent word choices that favor one group or viewpoint over another
Implicit bias often reveals itself through language patterns—consistently positive or negative word choices toward certain groups signal an underlying slant.
Question 3: Read this paragraph topic sentence: 'Three factors contributed to the rapid spread of the 1918 influenza pandemic.' How many supporting details should the reader expect to follow?
- One
- Two
- Three (Correct answer)
- The paragraph will only restate the topic sentence
Correct answer: Three
The topic sentence explicitly states 'three factors,' signaling that three supporting details will be provided in the paragraph.
Question 4: A passage about nutrition states: 'Studies suggest that a Mediterranean diet may reduce heart disease risk.' The word 'may' does which of the following?
- Confirms the diet definitely prevents heart disease
- Introduces a possibility without making an absolute claim (Correct answer)
- Contradicts the studies mentioned
- Indicates the author disagrees with the studies
Correct answer: Introduces a possibility without making an absolute claim
Hedging language like 'may,' 'might,' and 'could' signals that the claim is tentative or probabilistic, not a guaranteed fact.
Question 5: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a concluding paragraph in an informational text?
- To introduce new evidence the author forgot to include earlier
- To restate the thesis and synthesize the key points made in the text (Correct answer)
- To ask the reader a series of unanswered questions
- To provide a detailed list of all sources used
Correct answer: To restate the thesis and synthesize the key points made in the text
A concluding paragraph ties the text together by restating the central argument and summarizing how the body paragraphs supported it.
Question 6: A reader notices that two passages address the same topic but reach opposite conclusions. The BEST next step is to:
- Discard both passages and search for a third that agrees with the reader's prior belief
- Examine each author's evidence, credentials, and potential bias before deciding which is more credible (Correct answer)
- Always trust the longer passage over the shorter one
- Accept both conclusions as equally valid without further analysis
Correct answer: Examine each author's evidence, credentials, and potential bias before deciding which is more credible
When sources conflict, critical readers evaluate the quality of each author's evidence and check for potential biases before drawing conclusions.
Question 7: Passage excerpt: 'Elena had spent years training for this moment. As she stepped onto the stage, her hands trembled, but her voice rang out clear and strong.' What does this excerpt BEST convey about Elena?
- Elena is performing for the first time and is completely unprepared
- Elena is nervous but demonstrates composure and strength when it matters (Correct answer)
- Elena's hands are injured, which affects her performance
- Elena regrets the years she spent preparing
Correct answer: Elena is nervous but demonstrates composure and strength when it matters
Trembling hands signal nerves, but her clear, strong voice shows she overcomes them—revealing inner strength despite outward anxiety.
RLA Reading Comprehension 5
Passage: 'The bill passed the Senate 60–40.
Advocates say it will create jobs; opponents argue it will raise costs for small businesses.' A reader who wants to evaluate both sides should: