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Mina kept a journal not to record events but to test ideas. When a thought seemed persuasive, she’d write it down and then argue against it on the next page, searching for weak links in her own reasoning. This habit made her conclusions more tentative, but also more reliable.
As used in the text, “tentative” most nearly means
A. careless
B. secretive
C. uncertain
D. traditional
The city’s plan sounded bold: replace three major roads with green corridors. But the proposal was mostly aspirational, lacking timelines, budgets, or engineering studies.
As used in the text, “aspirational” most nearly means
A. decorative
B. practical
C. controversial
D. idealistic
D. idealistic
The desert plant creosote bush can clone itself by sprouting new stems from its roots. Over time, this can create a ring-shaped colony that is genetically identical. Some colonies cover large areas and may persist for thousands of years, making them among the oldest living organisms.
Which choice best summarizes the text?
A. Creosote bushes thrive in deserts because they grow tall and spread seeds widely.
B. Creosote bushes can form long-lived, genetically identical colonies through cloning.
C. Ring-shaped plants are rare because deserts cannot support long-term growth.
D. The oldest organisms are animals rather than plants.
B. Creosote bushes can form long-lived, genetically identical colonies through cloning.
The committee’s report was praised for its clarity, but one member noted that it was also selective, highlighting successes while briefly mentioning setbacks.
As used in the text, “selective” most nearly means
A. incomplete in a biased way
B. random and disorganized
C. lengthy and detailed
D. harsh and insulting
A. incomplete in a biased way
The author lists three brief examples of community projects—an art mural, a cleanup day, and a neighborhood book exchange—before arguing that “small actions make public spaces feel shared.”
The examples primarily function to
A. distract from the main argument
B. provide concrete illustrations of the author’s point
C. prove that large projects are unnecessary
D. suggest that public spaces should be privatized
B. provide concrete illustrations of the author’s point
Some people assume that speed-reading is about moving your eyes faster across the page. But research on comprehension suggests that the real limitation is not eye movement; it’s how quickly the brain can build meaning from sentences and connect those meanings into a coherent model. Skimming may increase pace, but it often reduces the depth of understanding.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
A. Eye movement is the primary factor that limits reading speed.
B. Speed-reading can improve comprehension if readers skim carefully.
C. Faster reading is mainly limited by meaning-making, not eye movement.
D. Skimming is the best method for building a coherent model of a text.
C. Faster reading is mainly limited by meaning-making, not eye movement.
Aria practiced the piano daily, but she rarely performed. She enjoyed the private puzzle of mastering a difficult passage. ______, she agreed to play at her friend’s wedding because she wanted to contribute to the celebration.
Which choice best completes the text?
A. Consequently,
B. Nevertheless,
C. For instance,
D. In contrast,
B. Nevertheless,
The reviewer called the documentary “a careful, unsensational portrait of a complicated issue,” praising its refusal to rely on shock value.
The word “unsensational” suggests the documentary is
A. dull and inaccurate
B. dramatic and emotional
C. restrained and measured
D. humorous and exaggerated
C. restrained and measured
Text: Bees communicate the location of food through a “waggle dance.” The angle of the dance relates to the direction of the food relative to the sun, while the duration relates to distance.
Which choice best completes the explanation?
A. Therefore, bees rely on written maps to navigate.
B. As a result, bees can share both direction and distance information.
C. However, bees cannot use the sun when it is cloudy.
D. In contrast, bees only forage at night.
B. As a result, bees can share both direction and distance information
The passage describes how researchers use tree rings to estimate past rainfall: wider rings usually indicate wetter years, while narrower rings suggest drought.
Which title best fits the passage?
A. “How Trees Predict Tomorrow’s Weather”
B. “Reading History in Tree Rings”
C. “Why Forests Grow Faster in Cities”
D. “The Only Cause of Drought”
B. “Reading History in Tree Rings”
When the town installed new LED streetlights, residents expected darker skies because the fixtures looked brighter from the ground. Yet astronomers later reported improved visibility at the observatory outside town, where the lights were shielded to direct illumination downward.
Which inference is best supported by the text?
A. Residents preferred the old streetlights because they were dimmer.
B. The new lights reduced upward light spill despite appearing brighter.
C. The observatory moved farther away after the lights were installed.
D. Shielded lights always look dimmer from the ground.
B. The new lights reduced upward light spill despite appearing brighter.
In many workplaces, meetings expand to fill the time allotted. If a team schedules an hour, discussion often stretches to an hour, even when decisions could be made sooner. Some managers therefore set meetings for 25 or 50 minutes, creating a natural stopping point and leaving buffer time between commitments.
What is the central claim of the text?
A. Meetings should be eliminated in favor of email updates.
B. Shorter meeting blocks can reduce unnecessary meeting expansion.
C. Buffer time is unnecessary when teams manage agendas well.
D. Managers schedule long meetings because decisions are complex.
B. Shorter meeting blocks can reduce unnecessary meeting expansion.
After the debate, Rohan congratulated his opponent and then asked for a copy of her notes. “Your evidence was strong,” he said. “I want to see how you organized it.”
Rohan’s actions most strongly suggest he is
A. resentful
B. competitive but respectful
C. uninterested in improvement
D. embarrassed by public speaking
B. competitive but respectful
Student 1: “A city should invest in bike lanes because they reduce traffic congestion.”
Student 2: “Bike lanes are valuable because they make commuting safer for cyclists.”
How would Student 2 most likely respond to Student 1?
A. Agree, but add that safety is another important benefit
B. Disagree because bike lanes increase congestion
C. Agree only if bike lanes are never used for recreation
D. Disagree because cyclists do not need dedicated lanes
A. Agree, but add that safety is another important benefit
Text: The scientist said the results were promising, but she didn’t want to ______ their significance until more trials were completed.
Which choice best completes the text?
A. exaggerate
B. locate
C. translate
D. postpone
A. exaggerate
Elena argued that the museum’s new exhibit was more engaging than the previous one because it invited visitors to participate rather than simply observe.
Which choice best supports Elena’s claim?
A. The exhibit opened in early spring and drew crowds on weekends.
B. The museum reduced ticket prices during the exhibit’s first month.
C. Visitors can contribute short audio reflections that become part of the display.
D. The exhibit features paintings and sculptures from multiple centuries.
C. Visitors can contribute short audio reflections that become part of the display
A historian wrote, “The invention of the printing press did not merely accelerate the spread of information; it altered what societies considered ‘common knowledge.’”
The historian’s statement mainly emphasizes that the printing press
A. made people read faster
B. created new printing jobs
C. changed social concepts of shared knowledge
D. reduced the cost of paper
C. changed social concepts of shared knowledge
(1) Maya had always admired the night sky. (2) She joined the astronomy club to learn how telescopes work. (3) ______. (4) After a few weeks, she could identify several constellations without any equipment.
Which sentence best fits in blank (3)?
A. Telescopes are expensive and difficult to maintain.
B. At first, she struggled to align the telescope with the target star.
C. The club met only once a year to discuss space travel.
D. Many constellations are visible only from the Southern Hemisphere.
B. At first, she struggled to align the telescope with the target star.
Notes:
Which sentence best uses the notes to support a claim about community impact?
A. The garden looked attractive during the fall season.
B. Students preferred gardening to other science activities.
C. By donating most of its 120-pound harvest to a pantry, the garden directly supported local families.
D. The food pantry used vegetables in several different recipes.
C. By donating most of its 120-pound harvest to a pantry, the garden directly supported local families.
The writer notes that many “overnight successes” in music are actually the result of years of practice, failed auditions, and networking. The writer adds that audiences often notice the breakthrough moment but not the long preparation.
The writer would most likely agree that
A. talent matters more than effort
B. preparation is often invisible but essential
C. networking is unnecessary for musicians
D. breakthroughs happen without warning or cause
B. preparation is often invisible but essential
The chef refused to write down her recipes. “If you measure everything,” she told her apprentice, “you stop tasting. And if you stop tasting, you stop learning.” She insisted the apprentice sample the sauce every few minutes, naming the flavors that changed.
The quoted statement primarily serves to
A. criticize the apprentice for being impatient
B. explain why the chef emphasizes sensory feedback
C. suggest that measurements are never useful in cooking
D. argue that recipes should be shared publicly
B. explain why the chef emphasizes sensory feedback
A school tracked how students’ average reading time changed after a “phone-free first period” policy.
Average minutes of sustained reading per day:
Which conclusion is best supported by the data?
A. The policy caused reading time to triple immediately.
B. Reading time increased over time following the policy.
C. Students disliked the policy, so reading time decreased.
D. The policy had no relationship to reading time.
B. Reading time increased over time following the policy.
Claim: The author believes small habits can produce significant change.
Which sentence best supports the claim?
A. “The calendar was crowded, and she felt busy every day.”
B. “She began by reading two pages each morning, and months later she’d finished twelve books.”
C. “The library closed early on Fridays during the summer.”
D. “Some books are longer than others, depending on the genre.”
B. “She began by reading two pages each morning, and months later she’d finished twelve books.”
Notes:
Which choice best supports the claim that context-based practice improves vocabulary retention?
A. Group A finished studying earlier each day.
B. Group B used new words in stories and later remembered more words.
C. Both groups studied vocabulary for four weeks.
D. Flashcards are a popular study strategy.
ed studying earlier each day.
B. Group B used new words in stories and later remembered more words
Two classes tried different warm-up routines before reading.
Comprehension quiz average (out of 10):
Which conclusion is best supported by the data?
A. Copying definitions guarantees higher comprehension.
B. Previewing headings was associated with higher quiz scores.
C. Both routines produced identical comprehension results.
D. Neither class actually completed the quiz.
B. Previewing headings was associated with higher quiz scores.