Reading Practice Test 2

1. Occasional drug use during the teenage years causes problems in the adult years. Many adults who responded that they used drugs occasionally as teenagers also noted a lapse in short-term memory.                    , the same adults noted that the lapse in short-term memory did not start during their teen years.

Which transition best connects the two pieces of supporting evidence?

2. DIRECTIONS: Identify the structure of each passage. Penguins often catch fish that are caught underneath the ice. They swim under the ice, catching the fish with their beaks and swallowing them whole. Though penguins don’t have teeth, they have stiff spines on their tongue that point backward, down towards the throat, so that when they are swallowing their prey, it can’t wriggle back out of their mouths.

3. Despite their claims, many vegans find it difficult to add enough protein to their diet.                , compare the amount of protein in a serving of meat to the amount of protein found in a serving of nuts. While the nuts offer a substantial amount of protein, it would take multiple servings to match the amount of proteins in the meat.

Which transition best connects the evidence to the claim that supports it?

4. Read the text and answer the question.In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again - not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are - but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation" - a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.
Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility - I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it -- and the glow from that fire can truly light the 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.

How does JFK use pathos in his speech?

5. 1

Read the following short biography below and identify the main idea.The 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln was not born into a rich family. As a child, he lived in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky with his parents. When he was still a young boy, his father lost a lot of money, which created some financial troubles with his family. Consequently, the Lincolns had to move to Perry County, Indiana. They did not have an easy time due to their problems with money, but they survived. Abraham Lincoln's mother sadly passed away when he was only nine, and his father eventually remarried. Although young Abraham did not attend school for many years, he was able to educate himself by reading many books. Before becoming President, he worked a few different jobs, such as shopkeeper and head of the post office.

What is the main idea of this biography?

6. Which word/phrase in the sentence below is redundant and can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence?Historically, in the past, politicians often inserted their religious beliefs into their positions.

7. DIRECTIONS: Read each passage and identify how the information is being organized.It is possible to change how you feel about certain foods. If you want to learn to like a food that is good for you, take the following steps. First, imagine all the good things that it is doing in your body. It is making your organs healthy. It is giving you energy. It is making your muscles grow. Next, think about something that you want to be able to do. If you are an athlete, imagine scoring the winning point. If you are an artist or a poet, imagine having the concentration to do the work you want to do. Finally, keep these positive thoughts in mind the next time you try the unfamiliar food. You may not love it at first, but as you continue to tell yourself that eating this food is going to help you be what you want to be, the food will start to taste better to you.

8. 0

Read about the artist. Then answer the question below.

Vincent Van Gogh was born in 1853. He is a very famous artist now. But during his lifetime, hardly anyone knew about him or his work. Today his paintings are among the most expensive artworks in the world. But Vincent only sold one painting while he was alive. Vincent was born in Holland, where the weather is usually dark and rainy. When he grew up, he moved to the south of France, where the sun shines more brightly and the colors are more vivid. Vincent loved bright colors, and he used them boldly in all of his paintings. He used a lot of paint and applied it in very thick strokes so that his paintings actually have texture. Vincent painted a lot of pictures of flowers in vases, and a lot of landscapes. He also painted still lifes, buildings, and people. Two of his most famous paintings are called Starry Night, and Sunflowers. Most artists sign their names on their paintings when they have finished it. But in 1888, Vincent painted four pictures of sunflowers. He only signed two of the paintings. Art experts believe that this is because he wasn’t happy with the other two. Today you can see his paintings in museums all around the world.

Name one of Vincent’s most famous paintings.

9. Read the text and answer the question.In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again - not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are - but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation" - a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.
Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility - I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it -- and the glow from that fire can truly light the 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.

How does JFK craft his approach to make it appeal to all citizens?

10. DIRECTIONS: Read each passage and identify how the information is being organized.Whole foods are foods the way that they are found in nature. Processed foods are foods that man has changed to make them more convenient. When foods are processed, nutrients and fiber are lost. So are healthy fats. In their place, bad fats, bad carbohydrates, and lots of sugars are added, making the foods unhealthy.