STEP Reading Comprehension 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the passage: 'Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 aims to reduce the Kingdom's dependence on oil by diversifying its economy. Key sectors include tourism, entertainment, technology, and renewable energy.' What is the main idea?
- Saudi Arabia will stop producing oil
- Saudi Arabia plans to broaden its economic base beyond oil revenue (Correct answer)
- Tourism will replace oil completely
- Vision 2030 focuses only on technology
Correct answer: Saudi Arabia plans to broaden its economic base beyond oil revenue
The main idea is economic diversification — expanding into multiple sectors (tourism, entertainment, technology, renewable energy) to reduce reliance on oil. The passage doesn't say oil will be abandoned, only that dependence on it will decrease.
Question 2: In the sentence 'The unprecedented growth of NEOM has attracted international attention,' what does 'unprecedented' mean?
- Expected and planned
- Never done or known before; without previous example (Correct answer)
- Slow and gradual
- Controversial and debated
Correct answer: Never done or known before; without previous example
'Unprecedented' means never having happened or existed before — without precedent. It emphasizes that NEOM's growth is remarkable and has no comparable example in history.
Question 3: A passage states: 'Although solar energy requires significant initial investment, its long-term benefits for Saudi Arabia are substantial.' What relationship does the author establish?
- Solar energy is too expensive
- A contrast between short-term costs and long-term advantages (Correct answer)
- Solar energy has no benefits
- The investment will never be recovered
Correct answer: A contrast between short-term costs and long-term advantages
The word 'although' signals a concession/contrast: the author acknowledges the high upfront cost but argues the long-term benefits outweigh it. This structure presents both sides while favoring the positive outcome.
Question 4: Which of the following is an inference, not a directly stated fact? 'Riyadh's population has grown rapidly. New schools, hospitals, and roads are being built.'
- Riyadh's population has grown
- New infrastructure is being built
- The government is investing in Riyadh's infrastructure to accommodate population growth (Correct answer)
- Schools are being built
Correct answer: The government is investing in Riyadh's infrastructure to accommodate population growth
The text states facts about population growth and construction. The inference — that the government is investing to accommodate growth — requires connecting these facts logically. An inference is a logical conclusion drawn from evidence, not explicitly stated.
Question 5: What is the author's purpose in writing: 'Every citizen should support recycling programs. Our environment depends on responsible waste management.'?
- To entertain the reader
- To persuade the reader to support recycling by emphasizing environmental responsibility (Correct answer)
- To provide a neutral news report
- To describe recycling processes
Correct answer: To persuade the reader to support recycling by emphasizing environmental responsibility
The use of 'should' and the appeal to environmental responsibility indicate persuasive writing. The author wants to convince readers to take action (support recycling) by connecting it to an important value (environmental protection).
Question 6: In academic reading, what does 'synthesizing information' mean?
- Copying text word for word
- Combining information from multiple sources to form a comprehensive understanding (Correct answer)
- Translating text into another language
- Memorizing every detail
Correct answer: Combining information from multiple sources to form a comprehensive understanding
Synthesizing means integrating information from different sources or parts of a text to create a unified understanding. This higher-order reading skill goes beyond comprehension of individual passages to connect and evaluate multiple perspectives.
STEP Reading Comprehension 1
Read the passage: 'Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 aims to reduce the Kingdom's dependence on oil by diversifying its economy.
Key sectors include tourism, entertainment, technology, and renewable energy.' What is the main idea?