Incorrect Reading Questions

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

A promising approach to harvesting ambient energy is the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), which takes advantage of the triboelectric effect, commonly encountered in the form of static electricity. A concern regarding nanogenerators is their durability. Also, the performance of TENGs is largely dependent upon the contact materials used. Despite these shortcomings, nanogenerators show great promise. Nanogenerators are lightweight, made of low-cost materials, easily fabricated, small in size, and above all, give high output intensity. Their invention is a significant milestone in the challenge of providing energy while also addressing climate change.

A) To compare the benefits and drawbacks of a potential energy source

B) To describe the advantages of a technology that offset other limitations

B

To answer this question, analyze what th etext is talking about and then determine the authors reason for including the sentence. The text discusses TENGS, which are a technology to harvest energy from the environment. The text describes both problems and advantages of TENGS and concludes by praising their potential to generate energy while also addressing climate change.

The underlined sentence lists positive aspects and these benefits are mentions immediately after a general statement that, although TENGs have limitations, they also have benefits. In other words, the examples given by the underlined portion are used to explain positive features of the technology that offset the problems.

Which quotations from a scholar describing Ishiguro work would best support the student’s claim?
Nobel Prize winning author Ishiguro uses his writing to explore questions of identity, ranging from exploring his Japanese-British background to rewriting Arthurian fables to probing the consciousness of Artificial Intelligence. In a paper for a literature class, a student claims that Ishiguro has a noted talent for going beyond the expected forms of his books’ genres to create unique art.

A) “In Ishiguro’s The Unconsoled, the novel has the logic of dreams, in which time, place and identity constantly mutate.”

B)”Ostensibly, Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go is science fiction, yet the question at its core is how we all behave in the knowledge that we only have limited time.”

B

Answer should show that Ishiguro writes within a genre but uses that genre to make his own unique points.

Choice B describes a novel that is written within a genre ( science fiction), but the scholar writes that the novel is ostensibly(apparently but not actually) → the way Ishiguro handles this theme transcends the ordinary expectations of what a science novel should contain

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

When German officials heard that Russian political radical Vladmir Lenin was causing havoc in his homeland, they were pleased and unsurprised. ___ they had secretly arranged a journey by train for Lenin from Zurich, Switzerland, all the way back to the Russian capital, hoping that he would incite rebellion once let loose in the country that had exiled him.

A) For instance,
B)Earlier,

D

In transition word questions, try to describe the relationship between the two sentences in you rown words before trying to choose the most logical transition word or phrase.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word of phrase?

Silver Horn, acclaimed artist and son of a Kiowa chief, documented a period of upheaval in his people’s history. These dramatic changes were __ not only in the subject matter of his artwork, but in his primary artistic medium: Silver Horn preserved the ancient native custom of narrative paintings, but whereas these were traditionally made on buffalo hide, Silver Horn had turned to accounting ledger paper as buffalo became scarce.

A)incited

B)embraced

C)lamented

D)evinced

D

evinced means to reveal the presence

Consider the basic meaning of sentence and predict a word that could fit in the blank without thinking about answer choices. The text related the dramatic changes of his day to two aspects of his work, his subject matter and his medium. THe text concludes by providing more details about his artistic medium___ledger paper ___ and its significance

dramatic historical changes were shown in silver horns art.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Igneous rock is formed when magma or lava cools and solidifies. When igneous rock is formed below a planet’s crust, it is classified as intrusive; when it forms on the surface ,it is extrusive. Formed by the cooling of lava that is high in magnesium and iron, the extrusive igenous___ is the most common of its type on Earth, making up more than ninety percent of all volcanic rock on Earth.

A) rock,basalt,

B) rock basalt

B

This question tests extra punctuation. notice the phrase “the extrusive igneous rock basalt” is acting as the subject of the main clause and that the verb is “is”. Remember that a single comma should not separate a subject from its verb.

Choice A is incorrect. : makes an interruption out of the word “basalt”, but without this word the sentence would not make sense.

Within a phrase there will normally be no punctuation unless it is to mark an interruption. Est if something is an interruption by reading the sentence withou t it.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

For decades, the company Pantone has named its “color of the year,” which is usually unveiled in December and is based on current trends in film, design, fashion, and other industries. __ the highly specialized color appears in products such as makeup, rugs, and wallpaper, but the yearly honoree is by far most influential in the world of fashion.

A) Afterward,

B)Furthermore

A

Logical connection between the two sentence sis sequence of events.

Furthermore should be used when connection 2 separate but connected points in an argument.

Which choice best describes the function o f the underlined sentence in the text as a while?

Up until the 1960s, altruism divided psychologists and evolutionary biologists alike. Group selectionists believed that behavior is targeted toward survival of the group rather than the individual. The group selection argument was widely rejected by numerous scientists whose studies produced evidence to the contrary, however. Consider the case of female Belding’s ground squirrels, who screech loudly to warn group members o fthe threat of predators Clearly, this is risky behavior, as the ground squirrel calls attention to herself by screeching in order to save the lives of other ground squirrels. Scientists argue that if the gene that explained this risky behavior existed randomly in the population, it would eventually be eliminated from the gene pool because only the selfish, silent individuals would survive. But that’s not the case.

A)To offer evidence that undermines popular belief

B) To provide an example of altruistic behavior in animals

B

The reference to the ground squirrels is used as an example of altruism in animals. The beginning of the sentence, “ consider the case” is a classic way of setting up an example.

Reference the surrounding context when evaluating the purpose of a particular section of the text. Here, the text presents Belding’s ground squirrels as an example of a behavior that benefits the group but not the individual.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

In Santa Cruz island off the coast of California, the bald eagle was the top predator until it disappeared. After drastic changes occurred in its absence, scientists reintroduced the bald eagle to the island in an effort to restore the ecosystem- to replace invasive species with native ones, and in particular, to save the island fox. The scientists succeeded; foxes now thrive on the island, and the ecosystem is returning to its former state in sometimes unexpected ways. THe native plants gradually returned. Furthermore, the bald eagles returned to an abundant supply of the fish and seabirds they preyed on before they left. Had these populations been compromised, however, the eagles would have preyed on other species, and the food chain would have been significantly altered as a consequence.

A) It emphasizes the impact of bald eagle populations to the island ecosystem.

B) It supports the claim that the consequences of changes to an ecosystem can be unpredictable.

B

Note the use of the word”Furthermore” at the beginning of the sentence. THis connects the idea of abundant fish to what was already being discussed in the previou ssentences, which provide examples of the unpredictable changes that occurred with a change to the ecosystem, introduced with the phrase “the ecosystem is returning…:

Thus the author mentions abundant fish supplies as the second of two pieces of evidence to support eh claim that the consequences of changes to an ecosystem can be inconsistent or unpredictable.

The passage only mentions bald eagles in the context of their disappearance and reintroduction on the island. It doesn’t show that the lack of eagles caused the fish and seabirds to thrive. It does not show the effect eagles had on the ecosystem as a whole.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Although paper was invented by the Chinese two millennia ago, it was the Japanese who first used paper for art. Initially, paper was expensive, and origami(from oru meaning “to fold”) was only practiced by the elite, who began traditions like adorning bottles at weddings with origami butterflies. Eventually, paper became cheaper, and commoners began folding origami figures for gifts and____ the eighteenth century, origami had become a well-established craft in Japan.

A) correspondence, thus by

B) correspondence. By

B

• Tests run on sentences

• A main clause has a subject and a verb that expresses a tense and is not a modifier

• Two main clauses must be separated properly, with a period, semicolon, or a comma+ FANBOYS word.

• This sentence begins with main clauses(paper became” and “ commoners began”) joined by a comma + “and”

• After the blank there is a third main clause (“origami had”)

• You could easily mistake “by the eighteenth century” as a modifier of the second main clause ( describing when comoners began folding origami figures for gifts )

• However, “by…century” must describe WHEN origami became well-established in Japan because outside of the blank there is no punctuation to separate the second main clause from the third one

• you must separate them in one of these ways within the blank or there will be a run on

• A is incorrect because “Thus” is a transitional adverb and cannot separate main clauses like a comma and FANBOYS word, so it would be arun on sentence

A country’s GDP, or gross domestic product, is a measure of the dollar value of all finished goods and services produced within that country during a year. __ the figure includes consumer spending, government spending, and exports sold to other countries.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A) Therefore,

B)In addition,

A

• The second sentence is a logical result of the first

• “In addition” should introduce a related but still separate point. HOwever, the second sentence must be explaining things that need to be examined to calculate GDP: “ consumer spending, government spending, and exports sold to other countries” would shed light on how much money the stuff a country produces is worth.

When researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• For a study, linguists Ute Fischer and Judith White created a hypothetical situation where a pilot was directing a plane toward a dangerous thunderstorm.

• The linguists asked plan captains and their first officers how they would communicate to the pilot to change course.

• There was six ways of communicating, ranging from a direct command to a mere hint.

• Most captains gave commands to the pilot, but first officers were subordinates and most only hinted at the danger ahead.

• First officers used mitigated speech, softening communication to be polite and respectful.

• Historically, planes have been safest when first officers are in the “flying seat” - when their primary job is to navigate the plane, not communication.

The student wants to make and support a generalization about communication in aviation. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

A) Planes are safest when first officers are in the “flying seat” and their primary job is to navigate the plane, not communication with their superiors

B) Subordinates may be more likely than their superiors to communicate with mitigated speech in the aviation industry, as found in a study by linguists Ute Fischer and Judith White.

C) According to a study by Ute Fischer and Judith White, mitigated speech, softening communication to be polite and respectful, can be the chosen way of communicating for subordinates.

B

• A is incorrect because it makes a generalization about communication in aviation, but does not support it with the research

• C is incorrect , it does make and support a generalization, the generalization is not about aviation.

Based on the text what can most reasonably be concluded about Threordatoth?

Parareptilia is an extinct calde of animals that resemble reptiles yet represent a distinct lineage that diverged from the common ancestor of contemporary reptiles and birds. Among this clade are the procolophonids , a group of lizard-like animals that thrived during the Triassic. As the Triassic progressed, most procolophonids developed teeth with two points instead of one and reduced their tooth count to eat tougher diets, perhaps as they became more herbivorous. In 2024, researchers announced the discovery of fossils from previously unknown procolophonid species, Threordatoth. Among its unusual features are its three-pointed teeth, not seen in any other procolophonids. Threordatoth also had just four teeth on either side of its jaw.

A) It subsisted on a primarily herbivorous diet.

B) It was likely one of the last surviving procolophonids.

B

Earlier part of text explains that “As the Triassic progressed, most procolophonids developed teeth with two points instead of one and reduced their tooth count.”

The text describes Threordatoth mostly in terms of its teeth; three pointed teeth and few teeth. Threordatoth lived long enough to develop teeth with 3 points, implying that it was one of the later procolophonid species, as earlier species had fewer points.

A is incorrect : Even though it does state that they developed 2 pointed teeth and fewer of them, “perhaps” to eat a herbivorous diet. While Threordatoth’s 3 pointed teeth implies that is was one of the later species to develop , there is not enough certainty in the text that its teeth indicated that it ate a certain diet. NOTICE “PERHAPS” IN THE TEXT AND “MORE HERBIVOROUS” AND “PRIMARILY’” IN THE ANSWER CHOICE. There is a low certainty because they are not sure if teeth developed as they became more herbivorous.

Which choice most logically completes the text?

Titanoboa, a massive snake of the Paleocene epoch, memasured 42 feet long and weighed up to 1600 pounds. Since the sizes of cold-blooded reptiles are strongly correlated with ambient temperature, Jason Head and colleagues used data about a modern large snake - the anaconda - and the temperatures it required, to calculate that the Paleocene temperatures in the tropical forests where Titanoboa lived must have been at least 30-34 degrees Celsius for them to survive, 1-5 degrees higher than the hottest modern tropical forests. However, J.M. Kale Sniderman applied the same methods to compare extinct and modern giant lizards, which are also cold-blooded reptiles , and found that modern tropical forests should be able to support reptiles much larger than any observed today, suggesting that ___

A) the estimate of Paleocene temperatures calculated using Titanoboa’s size is likely too low.

B) Paleocene tropical forests may have been no warmer than modern tropical forests.

B

When an inference questions asks you to relate to competing claims, boil the claim down to its essential parts and focus on the specific things that relate to each other

Head believes that the Paleocene forests of titanoboa was higher temperature, and that correlates to the size.

Sniderman found that modern tropical forests should be able to support reptiles much larger than now. → temperature is mostly unrelated and do not need to assume it was warmer for a larger snake to survive

→ suggests that Paleocene tropical forests may have been no warmer than modern ones ( remember that Head has a prediction, these are not facts )

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms tot he conventions of Standard English?

In an attempt to make a name for __ in the new, exciting field of paleontology, each man used underhanded tactics - including bribery, theft, sabotage, and defamation- to hamstring his rival while on the hunt for fossils around the world.

A) him

B)himself

C) themselves

B

remove modifiers and preposition to get a simple sentence. Then determine the pronoun to go with the subject.

“Each man used underhanded tactics in an attempt to make a name for __”

Even though each man is used, it should be referred to with a singular pronoun as “each” indicates that things or people are being considered one at a time. The blank is not the subject(it is the object of the preposition”or”) it still refers to the subject.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

The sunk cost fallacy is a psychological phenomenon is which people are increasingly likely to continue on a course of action they have judged to be unwise the more time an deffort they have put into it already. __ if you have rewritten a history essay, for example, you are likely to keep the second version even if you judge it to be worse than the original.

A) For instance,

B) Hence,

B

would be repetitive if “for instance’ and “for example” was in the same sentence

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

In the ancient world, the Trojan War - a decade-long conflict famously recounted in the Iliad and the Odyssey between the Greeks and the city of Troy- was regarded as generally historical. However, by the eighteenth century, many scholars believed that Troy was nothing more than a pretty story. The quest of Heinrich Schliemann and Frank Calvert in the nineteenth century to find and excavate the historical city of Troy, __ occurred against a backdrop of considerable skepticism.

A) in particular,

B) on the contrary,

C) still,

D) then,

D

still = “however”, used to express a contrasting situation.

Although they do go against the prevailing idea that Troy was a mth, the sentence with the blank is about the background not their auctions. The link between two sentences, therefore, is not a contrast

then = “therefore”, action and consequence / cause and effect situation

scholars had come to doubt that troy was real → therefore people were skeptical when they tried to find the actual Troy