TSIA2 College Readiness Reading 3 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student encounters this sentence: 'Her philanthropic endeavors included funding scholarships, building libraries, and sponsoring medical clinics.' Based on context, philanthropic most likely means:
- Politically motivated and strategic
- Financially reckless and impulsive
- Charitable and focused on public welfare (Correct answer)
- Personally ambitious and career-driven
Correct answer: Charitable and focused on public welfare
All three examplesâscholarships, libraries, clinicsâare charitable acts benefiting the public, defining philanthropic as charitable.
Question 2: An author describes rising sea levels, then explains how coastal cities are building seawalls. What organizational pattern is this?
- Chronological narration of historical events
- Comparison of two different environmental approaches
- Cause and effect with a proposed response (Correct answer)
- Classification of different types of natural disasters
Correct answer: Cause and effect with a proposed response
Rising sea levels (cause) prompt the building of seawalls (effect/response), making this a cause-and-effect structure.
Question 3: Which statement represents a fact rather than an opinion?
- The new library design is more beautiful than the old one
- The city should have invested in parks instead of a library
- The library opened in March 2023 and serves 5,000 members (Correct answer)
- Libraries are the most important institutions in any community
Correct answer: The library opened in March 2023 and serves 5,000 members
Opening date and membership count are verifiable, objective data; the other statements express judgments or preferences.
Question 4: A passage states: 'Not all scientists agree with the consensus on dietary fat. However, the majority of large-scale studies support the link between saturated fat and heart disease.' The author's tone is best described as:
- Dismissive of minority scientific views
- Balanced but leaning toward the majority evidence (Correct answer)
- Strongly opposed to dietary fat research
- Uncertain and unable to draw conclusions
Correct answer: Balanced but leaning toward the majority evidence
The author acknowledges dissent ('not all scientists agree') but clearly favors the weight of evidence, indicating a balanced but evidence-leaning tone.
Question 5: When reading an argumentative essay, a student should primarily evaluate:
- How long each paragraph is and whether sentences vary in length
- Whether the author's claims are supported by relevant evidence (Correct answer)
- The author's personal background and area of expertise
- Whether the conclusion restates the introduction word-for-word
Correct answer: Whether the author's claims are supported by relevant evidence
The core of evaluating an argument is determining whether each claim is backed by credible, relevant evidence.
Question 6: Read: 'The documentary exposed how supply chains exploit low-wage workers abroad.' A reader who questions this claim should next:
- Assume the documentary is accurate because it was professionally produced
- Look for additional sources that examine supply chain labor practices (Correct answer)
- Reject the claim because documentaries are not credible sources
- Accept the claim since it supports workers' rights
Correct answer: Look for additional sources that examine supply chain labor practices
Critical readers verify claims by seeking corroborating sources rather than accepting or rejecting based on format or personal alignment.
Question 7: A passage uses the phrase 'a double-edged sword' to describe social media. This is an example of:
- A simile comparing social media to a weapon
- A metaphor suggesting social media has both benefits and dangers (Correct answer)
- Personification giving social media human qualities
- Hyperbole exaggerating the danger of social media
Correct answer: A metaphor suggesting social media has both benefits and dangers
'Double-edged sword' is a metaphor implying something cuts both waysâoffering benefits while also causing harm.
TSIA2 College Readiness Reading 3
A student encounters this sentence: 'Her philanthropic endeavors included funding scholarships, building libraries, and sponsoring medical clinics.' Based on context, philanthropic most likely means: