Sample Questions

1. Television has been introduced to almost every country in the world, reaching a large number of
viewers on every continent. About 600 million people saw the first person walk on the moon, and a
billion people watched the twentieth Olympic Games. Television has in many ways promoted
understanding and cooperation among people. It does this by showing educational and cultural
programs.

According to the passage, which of the following is true?
a. Television is watched in nearly every country.
b. Not everybody who had a television set could watch the 1998 World Cup finals.
c. Watching television makes people dissatisfied with their own lives.
d. Television was invented in 1980.


2. Janet’s parents bought her a new sports car as a birthday present. It was blue. Janet sold her 7-
year-old blue pickup truck to a high school student. The truck could not go very fast, but the student
was happy with it.

According to the passage, which of these statements is true?
a. Janet bought a pickup truck and a sports car.
b. The pickup truck was faster than the sports car.
c. The high school student traded cars with Janet.
d. The pickup truck was older than the sports car.


3. Some of Edward Weston’s black-and-white photographs of American nature scenes are considered
superb examples of visual art. Indeed, some of his photographs have commanded top prices at art
galleries.

Which of the following best characterizes Weston’s photographs?
a. They belong to famous collectors.
b. They have been sold in art galleries for large sums of money.
c. They introduced many Americans to visual art.
d. They contrast American cities with natural settings.


4. Speaking to a group of people can be a frightening experience. Some speakers cope by looking
above the heads of the audience. Others try to imagine that they are talking to a friend. A few try
picturing the audience in some non-threatening way, such as in their pajamas.

The author of the passage assumes that speakers should
a feel comfortable when addressing an audience.
b. scare the audience.
c. encourage people to talk during the speech.
d. speak only to familiar people.


5. People have different ways of learning. Some are better at making mental pictures of new ideas.
Others are more comfortable with writing lists of things to memorize. Certain people can learn best
when listening to music, while others need silence to concentrate.

Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
a. Mental pictures help many to learn.
b. Some people prefer lists to making mental pictures.
c. To learn well you need to be comfortable.
d. Different individuals have different ways of acquiring information.


6. Before giving first aid to an accident victim, you should obtain his or her consent. Asking for
consent takes a simple question. Say to the victim, “I know first aid, and I can help you until an
ambulance arrives. Is that okay?”

“Asking for consent” means asking for
a. permission to help the victim.
b. thanks from the victim.
c. help from onlookers.
d. information about the victim’s injuries.


7. Jane and Paul are busy for 15 hours a day, 5 days a week going to college and working in a
restaurant. They go to sleep at 11 p.m. every day, but on Sunday they take part in dance lessons.

According to the passage, Jane and Paul spend most of their time
a. at home.
b. going to college and working.
c. taking part in dance lessons.
d. sleeping.


8. If you hold a piece of copper wire over the flame of a match, heat will be conducted by the copper
wire to your fingers, and you will be forced to drop the wire. You will, however, still be able to hold the
match because the match is a poor conductor of heat. Anyone, child or adult, can try this simple
experiment.

Which of the following is implied in the passage above?
a. Copper is a good conductor of heat.
b. A match and copper conduct heat equally.
c. A match is an excellent conductor of heat.
d. Matches should be kept out of the reach of small children.


9. Many people own different pets. Dogs, cats, birds, and fish are common household pets. Others
pets are considered to be exotic animals. These include snakes, lizards, and hedgehogs.

Snakes are
a. uncommon pets.
b. likely to be found in a household with dogs.
c. found only in zoos.
d. not allowed in people’s homes.


10. Cesar Chavez was an influential leader for farmworkers. He fought for their rights and better
working conditions. Chavez led many strikes that angered farm owners. Eventually he succeeded in
getting increased wages and improved living situations for farmworkers.

Chavez changed lives because he
a. helped the farmers get more workers.
b. worked for the farmers.
c. helped work on the farms every day.
d. changed the conditions for the farmworkers.

Answer Key
1. A, 2. D, 3. B, 4. A, 5. D, 6. A, 7. B, 8. A, 9. A, 10. D