Stanford Achievement Test Stanford Achievement Reading Comprehension 2

Question 1

A student reads: 'The ancient library housed thousands of scrolls, each containing wisdom passed down through generations. Scholars traveled great distances to study there.' What is the main idea of this passage?

Accepted Answer

The library was an important center of knowledge and learning

Answer

The passage emphasizes both the vast collection of wisdom and the scholars who sought it, making the library a center of learning the central idea.

Question 2

Read this sentence: 'Although Maria had studied for weeks, the exam still felt overwhelming.' What does the word 'overwhelming' most likely mean?

Accepted Answer

Too difficult to manage comfortably

Answer

The context of studying hard yet still struggling implies 'overwhelming' means too difficult or intense to handle comfortably.

Question 3

A passage states: 'The factory closed its doors in 1987, leaving hundreds of workers without jobs. The town never fully recovered.' What inference can be made?

Accepted Answer

The factory was the town's main source of employment

Answer

The fact that the town 'never fully recovered' after the closure implies the factory was central to the town's economic well-being.

Question 4

Which text structure is used in a passage that lists the causes of soil erosion followed by its effects on farming?

Accepted Answer

Cause and effect

Answer

A passage explaining causes and then effects uses the cause-and-effect text structure.

Question 5

A paragraph begins: 'Unlike dolphins, which live only in water, sea lions can move on land as well.' What text structure does this sentence signal?

Accepted Answer

Compare and contrast

Answer

The word 'unlike' signals a comparison between dolphins and sea lions, indicating a compare-and-contrast structure.

Stanford Achievement Test Practice Test

Stanford Achievement Test Practice Test

Stanford Achievement Test Stanford Achievement Reading Comprehension 2