Passage-Based Reading
Read through the tips and sample question below. When you are ready, Start the test.
Tips
In this section, you will read passages and then answer questions about them. Some of the reading selections will be from a single source. Other selections will consist of a pair of related passages. All the passages will have numbered lines. You can use these numbers to look back at certain parts of the passage.
Things To Remember
- The information you need to answer a question is always in the passage. Before you mark a specific answer, make sure that is it supported by information in the passage.
- Some words have multiple meanings. Study the context of the passage in order to determine how a word is being used.
- Remember that the questions ask about ideas that are stated or implied in the passages. The questions are not about your personal opinion; they are about the information that the writer has presented.
- Ask yourself this question: "What is the author's point of view on the subject?" Pay close attention to the comparisons and contrasts that authors make. These can be keys to understanding an author's point of view.
- Don't spend too much time on a difficult question. If you feel that you are dwelling on a hard question, then skip it and come back to it later if time allows.
Directions and Sample Question
Each passage below is followed by questions based on its content; questions following a pair of related passages may also be based on the relationship between the paired passages. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passages and in any introductory material that may be provided. Select the best answer from among the choices given.
The question is based on the following passage.
Q: George Washington Carver's birth date is a matter of debate. During the Civil War era, some owners of enslaved African Americans did not keep a carefully detailed record of births. Historians agree that Carver was born near Diamond Grove (now called Diamond), Missouri. As an adult, the agricultural chemist commented that he was born "about 1865" or "just as freedom was declared." Slavery continued in Missouri until a new state constitution was implemented on July 4, 1865. In his later life, Carver gave 1864 as his birth date, but many scholars believe it is likely that he was born in the spring of 1865.
Based on this passage, the reader can infer that Carver
(A) resided in Diamond, Missouri, as an adult
(B) did not know the exact date of his birth
(C) fought against the Confederacy during the Civil War
(D) was probably born in a state other than Missouri
(E) helped to outlaw slavery in certain states
Note: The correct answer to this question is (B).