TSI Reading Test #3
Technology is rapidly expanding the scope of capabilities for both professional and personal use; such is the case with smart phones. Professionals now have devices available to them capable of digital media, internet access, phone communication, multi-person scheduling and office tools for documents and presentations. Businesspeople that are often mobile may maximize the use of these critical features on smart phones. Individuals who simply enjoy the luxury of multi-function devices often use these devices for frivolous pursuits such as downloading catchy ring tones, instant messaging about the latest gossip and looking up the world record for most cans crushed on one’s head during the Superbowl. This fusion of capabilities and increased availability of such devices could be a sign of a growing blend in society between work and personal life, or individuals could simply be taking a luxurious approach to their connectivity in personal lives.
What is the point of the closing sentence?
Correct!
Wrong!
Explanation:
The final phrase outlines two plausible scenarios that could explain the rise in intelligent phone popularity. These two hypotheses are educated assumptions as to what is causing the pattern. The author is just offering explanations as a choice (Present two possible reasons for the growing popularity of smart phones) implies since the author injects minimal bias and leaves the solution to the reader's perception. The other options are irrelevant or have inadequate text evidence to support them.
But man is not destined to vanish. He can be killed, but he cannot be destroyed because his soul is deathless, and his spirit is irrepressible. Therefore, though the situation seems dark in the context of the confrontation between the superpowers, the silver lining is provided by the amazing phenomenon that the very nations which have spent incalculable resources and energy on the production of deadly weapons are desperately trying to find out how they might never be used. They threaten each other, intimidate each other and go to the brink, but before the total hour arrives, they withdraw from the brink.
According to the author, the most important component is :
Correct!
Wrong!
Explanation:
Because he wanted the battle to begin, but she didn't want to give the impression that he was supporting it.
Technology is rapidly expanding the scope of capabilities for both professional and personal use; such is the case with smart phones. Professionals now have devices available to them capable of digital media, internet access, phone communication, multi-person scheduling and office tools for documents and presentations. Businesspeople that are often mobile may maximize the use of these critical features on smart phones. Individuals who simply enjoy the luxury of multi-function devices often use these devices for frivolous pursuits such as downloading catchy ring tones, instant messaging about the latest gossip and looking up the world record for most cans crushed on one’s head during the Superbowl. This fusion of capabilities and increased availability of such devices could be a sign of a growing blend in society between work and personal life, or individuals could simply be taking a luxurious approach to their connectivity in personal lives.
The word "frivolous" denotes the author.
Correct!
Wrong!
Explanation:
"Frivolous" indicates useless or needless based on the context of petty applications and information. So, if the author believes that people who are not in business use smartphones unnecessarily, the author would think that these people do not require smartphones because the author makes no indication of their clear expectations for how the technology will develop in the future. Because of the author's matter-of-fact tone, you can rule out "fascination," There is no evidence that the author owns a smartphone.
For the questions that follow, two underlined sentences are followed by a question or statement. Read the sentences, then choose the best answer to the question or the best completion of the statement. Although it may seem impossible, solving a Rubik's Cube is quite doable if one knows about the various solving methods. Manipulating the cube so that all of the corner pieces are in their correct positions and then essentially filling in the blanks is a time-consuming but effective solving method.
What does the second sentence do?
Correct!
Wrong!
Explanation:
The first sentence mentions that various solutions for solving a Rubik's cube exist. The second sentence explains one in greater detail. Therefore, the second sentence expands on the information in the first.
For the questions that follow, two underlined sentences are followed by a question or statement. Read the sentences, then choose the best answer to the question or the best completion of the statement. Despite advancements in contraceptive technologies, teen pregnancy is still a huge problem in the United States. Many schools are choosing not to teach students about contraception, and that means many may not be aware of how to obtain effective contraceptives.
What does the second sentence do?
Correct!
Wrong!
Explanation:
The first sentence identifies a problem: persisting high rates of teen pregnancy in spite of advancements in contraceptive technology. The second sentence offers a possible explanation: young people aren't being informed about how they can access contraceptives.
For the questions that follow, two underlined sentences are followed by a question or statement. Read the sentences, then choose the best answer to the question or the best completion of the statement. Aerobic exercises, which include biking and running, offer several benefits, including better cardiovascular health. Those who regularly walk or do other forms of aerobic exercise typically have a lower resting heart rate and suffer fewer heart problems.
Correct!
Wrong!
Explanation:
The first sentence mentions that cardiovascular health is a benefit of aerobic exercise. The second sentence mentions low resting heart rates and fewer cardiovascular problems, which are signs of good cardiovascular health. Therefore, the second sentence expands on the information in the first.
For the questions that follow, two underlined sentences are followed by a question or statement. Read the sentences, then choose the best answer to the question or the best completion of the statement.. Elephants are highly intelligent animals that are known to display several human-like behaviors. When a member of their herd dies, elephants create graves for their fallen comrades, and have been known to visit burial sites years after the elephant's death.
What does the second sentence do?
Correct!
Wrong!
Explanation:
The first sentence states that elephants are capable of human-like behaviors. The second sentence states that elephants bury their dead and visit graves, which provides examples of human-like behaviors.
For the questions that follow, two underlined sentences are followed by a question or statement. Read the sentences, then choose the best answer to the question or the best completion of the statement. Zoos are places that serve no other purpose than to allow greedy owners to make money. Some of the world's most endangered animals can be found in zoos, where they are protected from poachers and predators.
What does the second sentence do?
Correct!
Wrong!
Explanation:
The first sentence states that the only purpose of zoos is to allow greedy people to profit. The second sentence challenges the first, however, pointing out that a key purpose of zoos is to protect endangered animals.
Read the statement or passage and then choose the best answer to the question. Answer the question based on what is stated or implied in the statement or passage. When online file-sharing programs emerged, the music industry changed forever. Perhaps the first widely-used music file sharing program was Napster. It allowed users to sign up to use the service at no charge. Then, they could download music files from other users all over the world by simply typing in what song or album they wanted. Obviously, this was bad news for music artists and record labels because they weren't making any profits from downloaded music. Eventually, Napster was shut down. While it later reinvented itself as a paying service, other free music-sharing sites cropped up almost immediately. Even though several sites and individual users have been charged, there are still countless individuals who log onto these sites to obtain free music. The main problem associated with peer file-sharing sites is
Correct!
Wrong!
Explanation:
The passage states that "Obviously, this was bad news for music artists and record labels because they weren't making any profits from downloaded music." Therefore, this answer is the correct choice. None of the other choices are identified as problems associated with file-sharing sites.
In 1853, Vincent Van Gogh was born. He is now a very well-known artist. But during his lifetime, very few people were aware of him or his contributions. His paintings currently rank among the most costly works of art in existence. But while he was still alive, Vincent only had one artwork sold. In Holland, where it frequently rains and is generally dark outside, Vincent was born. He later relocated to the south of France, where the weather is warmer and the hues are more vibrant. Vincent boldly employed vivid colors in all of his paintings because he adored them. His paintings genuinely have texture because he put the paint in very broad strokes and used a lot of it. Vincent painted a lot of landscapes as well as images of flowers in vases. Along with people and architecture, he also painted still lifes. His two most well-known works are Starry Night and Sunflowers. When they are finished, the majority of artists sign their names on their paintings. However, Vincent created four sunflower paintings in 1888. Only two of the paintings bear his signature. Art experts think that this is the result of his dissatisfaction with the other two. His works are currently on display in museums all around the world.
Why do art experts think Vincent didn’t sign some of his paintings?
Correct!
Wrong!
Find the key point in the following brief biography by reading it. You may thank Thomas Edison if you turn on a light as soon as you wake up in the morning. This inventor, who lived much of his life in New Jersey but was born in Ohio, is renowned for a number of creations, including the light bulb. But he did more than just that. Thomas Edison is credited with creating the phonograph, a device that can record and replay sound. Back then, it was the first of its sort! Along with the light bulb, he also created the switches that are used to turn the lights on and off. His most well-known creations also include the motion picture camera, which was used to create movies. When he made them, they were revolutionary inventions! What is the main idea of this biography?
Correct!
Wrong!
The ultimate success or failure of our route will rely more in your hands than in mine, fellow countrymen. Since the founding of this nation, every generation of Americans has been asked to vouch for their allegiance to the country. All throughout the world, young Americans who volunteered for service are buried. Now the trumpet calls us once more, but not as a call to arms, though we need them; not as a call to battle, though we are in trouble; rather, it calls us to shoulder the weight of a protracted twilight struggle, year after year, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation," a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. Can we create a vast international coalition to fight these foes that will guarantee a better quality of life for all people? Will you participate in that storied endeavor? Only a few generations have been given the responsibility of protecting freedom in its hour of greatest peril throughout the lengthy history of the planet. I accept this duty and do not shrink from it. None of us, in my opinion, would swap places with any other individuals or generations. Our country and those who serve it will be illuminated by the enthusiasm, faith, and dedication we bring to this project, and the light emanating from that fire can genuinely illuminate the entire world. So, my fellow Americans, ask what you can do for your nation rather than what your country can do for you. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own. Which phrase represents a metaphor to show the contagiousness of joining together to take action?
Correct!
Wrong!
DIRECTIONS: Read each passage and identify how the information is being organized.Nutrients are the things in healthy food that are good for your body. Foods that contain a lot of nutrients are called nutrient‐dense foods. Some nutrient‐dense foods include protein, fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy.
Correct!
Wrong!
Paper or plastic? It's a question frequently asked at grocery stores around the world. However, many cities have started to ban plastic shopping bags. While cheaper than paper bags, plastic bags pose a risk to animals in the ocean._____, these bags have been directly tied to an increase in the number of oceanic animals found on the endangered species list. Which transition best connects the two pieces of supporting evidence?
Correct!
Wrong!
The Shadowy Woods On either side of the frozen stream, a dense spruce forest scowled. A recent wind had robbed the trees of their frosty white covering, and in the dwindling light, they appeared to lean toward one another, black and foreboding. Overwhelming quiet pervaded the landscape. The area itself was a wasteland, dead, motionless, and so cold and lonely that it lacked even a mood of melancholy. There was a trace of laughing there, but it was a laughter worse than any melancholy, a laughter as gloomy as the sphinx's smile, as cold as the winter, and sharing in the bleakness of infallibility. It was the supreme, incomparable wisdom of eternity mocking the pointlessness and labor of life. It was the Wild, the Northland Wild, the ruthless, cold-hearted Wild. However, there was stubborn life present in the soil. A line of wolf-like dogs toiled their way down the icy stream. Their brittle fur was frost-rimmed. Their breath condensed as it left their mouths and froze in the air, spewing forth in spumes of vapor that fell to the hair on their bodies and crystallized into frost. The dogs wore leather harnesses, and leather traces connected them to a sled that trailed behind. There were no runners on the sled. Its entire surface rested on the snow and was composed of sturdy birch bark. To force down and under the blast of soft snow that surged like a wave in front of it, the front end of the sled was turned up like a scroll. A lengthy and narrow oblong box was on the sled and was tightly lashed. There were other items on the sled, including blankets, an axe, a coffee maker, and a cooking pan, but the long, narrow oblong box stood out and took up the majority of the area. A man toiled ahead of the dogs while wearing large snowshoes. A second man worked behind the sled. A third man, whose struggle was done, was lying on the sled and in the box. The Wild had subdued him and rendered him incapable of further movement or resistance. Movement is not something that the Wild do. It considers life to be an offense since it involves movement, and the Wild constantly seeks to stifle movement. The Wild harries and crushes into submission man, who is the most restless of life, ever in revolt against the maxim that all movement must, in the end, come to the cessation of movement. It freezes the water to stop it from flowing to the sea, drives the sap out of the trees until they are frozen to their mighty hearts. But the two men who weren't yet dead worked at the front and back, unmoved and unflappable. Fur and soft-tanned leather adorned their bodies. Their faces were obscured by the coating of crystals left behind by their frozen breath on their eyelashes, cheeks, and lips. This gave them the appearance of ghoulish masques and undertakers at a spooky funeral. But behind it all, there were men entering the country of emptiness, ridicule, and stillness. These petty explorers were on a quest for a great adventure, taking on the might of a planet that was as far away, strange, and lifeless as the depths of space. Which component of suspense does the passage demonstrate most?
Correct!
Wrong!
The ultimate success or failure of our route will rely more in your hands than in mine, fellow countrymen. Since the founding of this nation, every generation of Americans has been asked to vouch for their allegiance to the country. All throughout the world, young Americans who volunteered for service are buried. Now the trumpet calls us once more, but not as a call to arms, though we need them; not as a call to battle, though we are in trouble; rather, it calls us to shoulder the weight of a protracted twilight struggle, year after year, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation," a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. Can we create a vast international coalition to fight these foes that will guarantee a better quality of life for all people? Will you participate in that storied endeavor? Only a few generations have been given the responsibility of protecting freedom in its hour of greatest peril throughout the lengthy history of the planet. I accept this duty and do not shrink from it. None of us, in my opinion, would swap places with any other individuals or generations. Our country and those who serve it will be illuminated by the enthusiasm, faith, and dedication we bring to this project, and the light emanating from that fire can genuinely illuminate the entire world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own. Since this his inauguration speech, JFK uses it as an opportunity to puff up himself and share all of his qualifications.
Correct!
Wrong!