TAP Reading Comprehension 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A TAP question asks: 'What can be inferred about the author's perspective?' To answer, you should:
- Look up the author's biography online
- Analyze the author's word choices and the ideas they emphasize (Correct answer)
- Focus only on the title
- Identify the passage's font and layout
Correct answer: Analyze the author's word choices and the ideas they emphasize
An author's perspective is revealed through the words chosen, the ideas emphasized, and the information included or omitted.
Question 2: In a TAP passage, 'chronological order' means events are presented:
- From most to least important
- In the order they occurred in time (Correct answer)
- Alphabetically by topic
- From most complex to simplest
Correct answer: In the order they occurred in time
Chronological order sequences events according to when they happened, from earliest to latest.
Question 3: When the TAP asks for the meaning of a word 'as used in the passage,' you should:
- Choose the most common dictionary definition
- Select the definition that best fits the context of the passage (Correct answer)
- Pick the shortest definition
- Always choose the most technical meaning
Correct answer: Select the definition that best fits the context of the passage
Words can have multiple meanings, so the correct definition must fit how the word is specifically used in the passage.
Question 4: A TAP passage's 'thesis' is best described as:
- The final sentence of the last paragraph
- A list of supporting facts
- The central claim or argument the author intends to prove (Correct answer)
- The passage title
Correct answer: The central claim or argument the author intends to prove
A thesis is the main claim or argument that the author develops and supports throughout the passage.
Question 5: What is the purpose of identifying 'text structure' on the TAP Reading section?
- To count the number of sentences
- To understand how the author organized information to convey meaning (Correct answer)
- To analyze the punctuation used
- To determine the reading level of the passage
Correct answer: To understand how the author organized information to convey meaning
Understanding text structure helps readers follow the author's logic and locate key information more efficiently.
Question 6: On the TAP, a passage that presents 'two sides of an argument' is best described as:
- Narrative
- Expository
- Argumentative or persuasive (Correct answer)
- Descriptive
Correct answer: Argumentative or persuasive
Argumentative or persuasive passages present competing viewpoints and typically advocate for one position.
TAP Reading Comprehension 3
A TAP question asks: 'What can be inferred about the author's perspective?' To answer, you should: