TSI Reading and Textual Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage states: 'The new policy, though well-intentioned, ignored the realities faced by rural families.' What is the author's attitude toward the policy?
- Sympathetically critical (Correct answer)
- Wholly enthusiastic
- Completely indifferent
- Openly hostile and mocking
Correct answer: Sympathetically critical
Acknowledging good intentions while noting a flaw signals measured, sympathetic criticism.
Question 2: Which sentence best states the main idea of a paragraph describing how bees communicate flower locations through movement?
- Bees use a 'waggle dance' to share the direction and distance of food sources (Correct answer)
- Bees have wings that beat very quickly
- Flowers produce nectar in spring
- Many insects live in colonies
Correct answer: Bees use a 'waggle dance' to share the direction and distance of food sources
The main idea captures the paragraph's central claim about bee communication, not minor details.
Question 3: In context, the word 'novel' in 'her novel approach surprised the committee' most nearly means:
- Innovative (Correct answer)
- Fictional
- Lengthy
- Boring
Correct answer: Innovative
Here 'novel' functions as an adjective meaning new or original, not a book.
Question 4: An author writes, 'Studies show, undeniably, that exercise improves mood.' The word 'undeniably' primarily serves to:
- Strengthen the claim's certainty (Correct answer)
- Introduce a counterargument
- Express doubt about the studies
- Define a technical term
Correct answer: Strengthen the claim's certainty
'Undeniably' emphasizes confidence and reinforces the assertion.
Question 5: Two passages discuss city parks. Passage A emphasizes recreation; Passage B emphasizes environmental benefits. The passages are best described as:
- Complementary perspectives on the same topic (Correct answer)
- Directly contradictory arguments
- Identical in focus and detail
- Unrelated to each other
Correct answer: Complementary perspectives on the same topic
Different but compatible angles on one subject are complementary.
Question 6: What can be inferred from: 'By the time the rescuers arrived, the campers had already built a shelter and started a fire'?
- The campers were resourceful and self-reliant (Correct answer)
- The campers panicked and waited helplessly
- The rescuers arrived immediately
- There was no danger at all
Correct answer: The campers were resourceful and self-reliant
Building shelter and fire before help came shows resourcefulness.
Question 7: A text's purpose is to persuade readers to recycle. Which sentence is most likely the author's thesis?
- Every household should recycle to protect future resources (Correct answer)
- Recycling bins are often blue
- Glass can be melted and reshaped
- Some cities collect trash weekly
Correct answer: Every household should recycle to protect future resources
A persuasive thesis states a clear position the rest of the text supports.
TSI Reading and Textual Analysis 2
A passage states: 'The new policy, though well-intentioned, ignored the realities faced by rural families.' What is the author's attitude toward the policy?