TSI Reading Test #2 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Passage: "The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was not simply a natural disaster; it was the result of poor farming practices that left topsoil vulnerable to wind erosion." What argument does the author make?
- Human farming decisions contributed significantly to the Dust Bowl (Correct answer)
- The Dust Bowl was caused solely by drought and weather
- Wind erosion has always been a problem on the Great Plains
- The 1930s were a period of good agricultural innovation
Correct answer: Human farming decisions contributed significantly to the Dust Bowl
The author uses "not simply" and "it was the result of" to argue that human actions — not just natural forces — caused the Dust Bowl, placing responsibility on farming practices.
Question 2: What does "vulnerable" most nearly mean in: "practices that left topsoil vulnerable to wind erosion"?
- Exposed and susceptible to damage (Correct answer)
- Protected from natural forces
- Enriched with nutrients
- Compressed and hardened
Correct answer: Exposed and susceptible to damage
"Vulnerable" means open to harm or attack. Topsoil left "vulnerable" to erosion was exposed and unprotected, making it susceptible to being blown away.
Question 3: A reader draws this conclusion from a passage: "Since the article mentions coffee has antioxidants, coffee must cure all diseases." Is this a valid inference?
- No — it overgeneralizes far beyond what the text states (Correct answer)
- Yes — antioxidants are known to cure diseases
- Yes — the text supports this conclusion directly
- No — the text says coffee has no health benefits
Correct answer: No — it overgeneralizes far beyond what the text states
Valid inferences stay close to the evidence. "Cures all diseases" is an extreme overgeneralization; the text only mentions antioxidants, not cures.
Question 4: An author writes a passage about the benefits of exercise and only cites studies that show positive outcomes. What is this an example of?
- Confirmation bias — presenting only evidence that supports one view (Correct answer)
- Balanced journalism that avoids misleading readers
- Scientific consensus
- Effective use of counterarguments
Correct answer: Confirmation bias — presenting only evidence that supports one view
Selecting only supporting evidence while ignoring contradictory research is confirmation bias. It distorts the reader's understanding of the full picture.
Question 5: Which sentence most effectively uses context clues to reveal the meaning of "benevolent"?
- "The benevolent donor gave millions to build free clinics for low-income families." (Correct answer)
- "The benevolent man was at the store."
- "She was known to be very benevolent."
- "His benevolent nature surprised no one."
Correct answer: "The benevolent donor gave millions to build free clinics for low-income families."
The first sentence provides rich context — donating millions to build free clinics — that clearly signals "benevolent" means generous and kind toward others.
Question 6: An informational text uses a graph showing rising global temperatures over 100 years. What is the primary purpose of including this visual?
- To provide visual evidence that supports a claim about climate change (Correct answer)
- To make the text longer and more impressive
- To replace written explanations entirely
- To entertain readers with colorful data
Correct answer: To provide visual evidence that supports a claim about climate change
Visuals like graphs are used to present data in a clear, compelling format that supports written claims. Here, the rising-temperature graph visually reinforces arguments about climate change.
TSI Reading Test #2 2
Passage: "The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was not simply a natural disaster; it was the result of poor farming practices that left topsoil vulnerable to wind erosion." What argument does the author make?