Reading Comprehension Flashcards
7 cards from real SAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Reading Comprehension flashcards as text
A 19th-century passage uses the phrase 'the better angels of our nature.' In context, this refers to:
Answer: People's nobler instincts
The phrase metaphorically describes humanity's best, most virtuous impulses.
When a question asks for the 'central claim' of a science passage, the best answer is one that:
Answer: Summarizes the main argument the whole passage supports
A central claim is the overarching point that all details in the passage work to support.
An author describes a rival's theory as 'elegant but ultimately untenable.' The phrase signals that the author finds the theory:
Answer: Appealing yet impossible to defend
'Elegant but untenable' praises the theory's appeal while rejecting its validity.
A passage notes that data were 'gathered over three decades from diverse populations.' This detail mainly strengthens the study's:
Answer: Reliability and breadth
A long time span and varied subjects make findings more robust and generalizable.
In a fiction passage, a character 'forced a smile' when greeting a guest. This detail most strongly implies the character feels:
Answer: Inward reluctance
A 'forced' smile suggests the friendliness is performed rather than felt.
The word 'check' in 'new laws to check the spread of disease' most nearly means:
Answer: Restrain
Here 'check' means to halt or restrain the spread, not to inspect.
A passage concludes by posing an unanswered question to the reader. This rhetorical choice most likely aims to:
Answer: Provoke continued reflection
Ending on a question invites readers to keep thinking about the issue.