Reading Drills
Use your new reading comprehension and test-taking skills on these two Reading drills, which contain passages on science and literature topics. Then check your responses against the answers and explanations provided at the end of the chapter.
Questions 1–10 are based on the following passage.
This passage is adapted from Charles Anderson, “Conflict Minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo—Tin Processing Plants, a Critical Part of the Tin Supply Chain.” ©2015 by U.S. Geological Survey.
1. Based on the passage, the author would most likely consider tin to be
A) expensive.
B) practical.
C) complicated.
D) synthetic.
2. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
A) Lines 14–18 (“Crushed…tin”)
B) Lines 38–40 (“Electrolytic…tin”)
C) Lines 58–61 (“Because…storage”)
D) Lines 65–66 (“The tin…opaque”)
3. The overall structure of the passage could best be described as
A) a complete analysis of a naturally occurring element.
B) an overview of the steps and results of a process.
C) an introduction written for a geology course.
D) an explanation of the solution to a problem.
4. The most likely application of tin produced by means of electrolytic processing would be
A) plating for commonly produced canned goods, to be widely distributed.
B) miniature figurines designed to be painted and displayed.
C) small amounts of material intended for scientific analysis.
D) solder sold worldwide as part of a campaign to market lead-free products.
5. Between the first and second paragraphs, the focus shifts from
A) meticulous attention to detail to broad, assumptive generalizations.
B) scientific analysis of the properties and uses of a material to industrial processes.
C) detailed description of a series of steps to implementation of a result.
D) overview of a specific cycle to its role in the mining industry.
6. What can most reasonably be inferred about the Safe Drinking Water Act from the passage?
A) It specified the nature and percentage of the components of solder.
B) It may have impacted what elements a company chose to use in making solder.
C) It promoted tin over lead for all applications.
D) It prompted shifts in the manufacture and distribution of canned goods.
7. The author indicates that the demand for tin exists in part because
A) tin can be found in nature.
B) tin of nearly 100% purity can be produced.
C) tin is the best conductor of electricity.
D) of tin’s impact on an individual’s health.
8. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
A) Lines 1–2 (“Tin is…cassiterite”)
B) Lines 38–40 (“Electrolytic…tin”)
C) Lines 42–44 (“Solder…connection”)
D) Lines 58–61 (“Because…storage”)
9. As used in line 66, “opaque” most nearly means
A) dark.
B) wide.
C) impenetrable.
D) dense.
10. The sentence in lines 79–81 (“Companies…business”) primarily serves to
A) indicate a continuation of an existing chain.
B) describe the many uses for a product.
C) show the sole difficulty in answering a question.
D) support an earlier statement through an example.
Questions 1–11 are based on the following passage.
This passage is an excerpt from the 1854 book Walden by Henry David Thoreau, which details Thoreau’s experiences living in a cabin alone for two years.
1. The main narrative point of view of the passage is of
A) a man adjusting to life in a big city after growing up on a farm.
B) a discussion of visitors to a small house away from city life.
C) a sailor discussing the pond on which he grew up and how it affected his friendships.
D) a man discussing the potential of big thoughts and their need to be expressed.
2. The passage suggests which of the following about the author?
A) He enjoyed living in the country near a pond.
B) He had more visitors to his home in the country than at any other time in his life.
C) He felt that having more than three people in his house was too many.
D) He needed to throw dinner parties to entice guests to come from town to his home.
3. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
A) Lines 7–11 (“I had…all”)
B) Lines 33–35 (“I have…side”)
C) Lines 72–73 (“You need…give”)
D) Lines 75–76 (“I had…life”)
4. As used in line 11, “economized” most nearly means
A) wasted.
B) used efficiently.
C) squandered.
D) purchased.
5. It can be inferred from the passage that “big thoughts” (line 21) must
A) become violent before settling down.
B) bounce around and break out of one’s head.
C) be mulled over and formulated before being heard.
D) have time to move around before being heard.
6. In the context of the passage, the phrase “as when you throw two stones into calm water so near that they break each other’s undulations” (lines 37–39) is best described as
A) a reference to the author’s childhood days when he threw stones into a lake.
B) an analogy used to elaborate on a previous statement.
C) a way to expand on the reasons national boundaries are always changing.
D) a reason that the author and his companion had to continually move their chairs to be heard.
7. As used in line 27, “plow” most nearly means
A) push.
B) furrow.
C) cultivate.
D) walk.
8. What happens when the author does not have enough food for his guests?
A) He shares.
B) He turns them away.
C) He buys more food.
D) They refrain from eating.
9. The passage suggests that housekeepers most likely
A) are stuck in their ways and unable to change.
B) may be hesitant to change some traditions.
C) believe there is a certain protocol that must always be followed when hosting guests.
D) feel that pudding and bread are not a suitable meal.
10. What does the author mean when he says that “only the finest sediment was deposited around me” (lines 84–85)?
A) He was living far from town and his visitors were of a higher caliber.
B) He was covered in a fine dust while living in the woods.
C) The pond near his home frequently flooded, leaving sediment in his “best” room.
D) Many people came to see him about the dirty business of trivial matters.
11. What choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
A) Lines 48–50 (“a priceless…order”)
B) Lines 70–72 (“though…old”)
C) Lines 75–77 (“I had…some”)
D) Line 79 (“But fewer…business”)
1. B
The question asks how the author would describe tin. Notice that this is the first question in a paired set, so it can be done in tandem with Q2. Look at the answer choices for Q2 first. The lines for (2A) describe a process that produces a cassiterite concentrate containing 70–77 percent tin. This could potentially answer Q1, so look to see if these lines support any of the answers for Q1. They do not, so eliminate (2A). The lines for (2B) state, Electrolytic processing is more expensive, but provides up to 99.9999 percent tin. These lines initially look like they could support (1A), but the author identifies electrolytic processing as expensive, not the tin itself. Eliminate (2B). The lines for (2C) describe the use of tin in preserving food for long-term storage. Preserving food is a practical application, so draw a line connecting (2C) and (1B). The lines for (2D) do not describe tin itself, but instead describe tin’s supply chain. These lines do not answer Q1, so eliminate (2D). Without any support in the answers from Q2, (1A), (1C), and (1D) can be eliminated. The correct answers are (1B) and (2C).
2. C
(See explanation above.)
3. B
The question asks about the overall structure of the passage. Because this is a general question, it should be done after the specific questions. The passage discusses the nature of tin, the process of mining for tin, the uses of tin, and the supply chain of tin. Look for an answer choice that matches this information. Choice (A) is a Mostly Right/Slightly Wrong trap answer: tin is a naturally occurring element, and the passage does provide some analysis of tin, but there is no evidence that the passage’s analysis is complete. Choice (B) matches the prediction: the passage gives an overview of the process of producing tin, and discusses some of the uses of tin, which are results of the process. Keep (B). While minerals like tin might be included in a geology course, the passage does not provide any information that could be used as a course introduction. Eliminate (C). Eliminate (D) because the passage does not discuss a solution, and only the final paragraph mentions a problem. The correct answer is (B).
4. C
The question asks about the most likely application of tin produced by means of electrolytic processing. Use the sequence of the questions and lead words to find the window for this question. Q5 asks about the first and second paragraphs, so the window for Q4 is most likely in the first paragraph. Look for the lead words electrolytic processing in the first paragraph. Lines 29–40 contrast heat treatment with electrolytic processing. According to these lines, electrolytic processing provides up to 99.9999 percent tin, while heat treatment produces only 99.85 percent tin. Therefore, electrolytic processing would be used in applications that require a purer form of tin. Eliminate (A) because there is no indication that plating on canned goods requires very pure tin; the passage also states that electrolytic processing is more expensive, so it is not likely to be used for items that are commonly produced and widely distributed. Choice (B) can be eliminated because there is no indication that the figurines would benefit from a purer form of tin. Choice (C) matches the prediction: material intended for scientific analysis might need to be pure, and an expensive process would be more acceptable for making a small quantity, so keep (C). Eliminate (D): very pure tin is not necessarily required to make something lead-free, and an expensive process is not likely to be used for something sold worldwide. The correct answer is (C).
5. C
The question asks how the focus shifts between the first and second paragraphs. Read the first and second paragraphs as the window. The first paragraph discusses how tin is found in nature, mined, and processed into an industrial form. The second paragraph discusses the uses of tin. Eliminate (A) because the second paragraph gives specific facts; it does not make broad, assumptive generalizations. Eliminate (B) because industrial processes would be a better fit for the first paragraph than the second, and uses is a better match for the second paragraph. Keep (C): the detailed description of a series of steps matches the first paragraph’s description of tin production, and implementation matches the second paragraph’s discussion of the uses of tin. Eliminate (D) because the second paragraph does not specify tin’s role in the mining industry. The correct answer is (C).
6. B
The question asks what can most reasonably be inferred about the Safe Drinking Water Act. Use the sequence of the questions and lead words to find the window for this question. Q5 asks about the first and second paragraphs, so look for the lead words Safe Drinking Water Act in the second paragraph. Lines 48–51 state, Solder has been made from lead and tin, but since the Safe Drinking Water Act, tin has become the primary metal in solder. This suggests that the Safe Drinking Water Act may have caused the change in how solder is made. The passage states that tin is now the primary metal in solder, but it does not mention a specific percentage for the components of solder; eliminate (A). Choice (B) matches the prediction; keep it. Eliminate (C) because the passage only discusses tin and lead in solder; it does not discuss all applications. This is a Mostly Right/Slightly Wrong trap answer. The passage mentions canning food, but it doesn’t indicate that solder is used in that process, and the passage never discusses the distribution of canned goods, so eliminate (D). The correct answer is (B).
7. D
The question asks what the author indicates about why there is a demand for tin. It is the first question in a paired set, but it is a specific question, so it can be done on its own. Use the sequence of the questions to find the window. The lead word from Q6 was in lines 49–50, and Q9 asks about line 66. Read the window from lines 51–64, looking for a prediction about why there is a demand for tin. These lines discuss the use of tin in canning food, and lines 58–61 state that because tin is not harmful to humans, it is a preferred method of canning and preserving food. The prediction is not related to whether tin occurs in nature, so eliminate (A). Similarly, the prediction has nothing to do with either the purity or conductivity of tin, so eliminate (B) and (C). Notice that the topics in (A), (B), and (C) are all mentioned somewhere in the passage, but none of them answers the question about why there is a demand for tin. These are Right Answer, Wrong Question trap answers. Choice (D) matches the prediction: tin is preferred because it is not harmful to humans, which matches the explanation that tin is in demand because of its positive impact on people’s health. The correct answer is (D).
8. D
The question is the best evidence question in a paired set. Because Q7 was a specific question, simply look at the lines used to answer the previous question. Lines 58–61 state that tin is not harmful to humans and thus is a preferred method of canning and preserving food. The correct answer is (D).
9. C
The question asks what the word opaque most nearly means in line 66. Go back to the text, find the word opaque, and cross it out. Then read the window carefully, using context clues to determine another word or phrase that would fit in the text. Lines 66–81 describe a trail that is extremely difficult—if not impossible—to follow. For example, companies…may not describe which of their plants use which starting materials, plants…may or may not consume or produce all of the tin materials reported, and companies that were reported to have been tin suppliers could not be confirmed as such. The correct answer should mean something like “very difficult to understand.” Neither dark, wide, nor dense means “difficult to understand,” so eliminate (A), (B), and (D). Choice (C) matches the predicted answer, as impenetrable can mean “impossible to understand.” Note that dark and dense are Could Be True trap answers based on a different meaning of opaque. The correct answer is (C).
10. D
The question asks what the final sentence primarily serves to do. Use the given line reference to find the window. The final paragraph discusses the complex nature of the tin supply chain and lists a number of reasons why the tin supply chain is difficult—if not impossible—to follow: companies changed names, were referred to imprecisely, changed ownership, or went out of business. The final sentence emphasizes change, which is the opposite of a continuation; eliminate (A). Eliminate (B) because the sentence describes changes to companies rather than a product and its uses. Choice (C) may be tempting, but it is a Mostly Right/Slightly Wrong trap answer: the paragraph lists several factors that make it difficult to determine tin’s supply chain, so the sentence does not show the sole, or only, difficulty. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) matches the prediction: the final sentence does support the earlier statement that the tin supply chain is complex. The correct answer is (D).
1. B
The question asks about the main point of view of the passage. Since this is a general question, it should be answered after the specific questions. The narrator discusses what it was like for him to receive guests. He states in lines 33–35, I have found it a singular luxury to talk across the pond to a companion, and, in lines 44–47, My “best” room…was the pine wood behind my house. The blurb states that the narrator lived in a cabin. Therefore, the narrator lives in a cabin next to a pond and near the woods. Look for an answer choice that matches this information. Choice (A) is incorrect because the narrator is not in the city; eliminate it. Keep (B) because it matches the prediction. There is no evidence that the author was a sailor, so eliminate (C). Although the author does discuss big thoughts in the third paragraph, it is not the main subject of the passage. This is the Right Answer to the Wrong Question; eliminate (D). The correct answer is (B).
2. B
The question asks what the passage suggests about the author. Notice that this is the first question in a paired set, so it can be done in tandem with Q3. Look at the answer choices for Q3 first. The lines for (3A) say that the author had three chairs in [his] house and when visitors came in larger and unexpected numbers there was but the third chair. Look to see whether these lines support any of the answers for Q2. Although these lines mention that there were not enough chairs for more than three people, they do not indicate that the author felt that having more than three people in his house was too many. These lines do not support any of the answers for Q2; eliminate (3A). The lines for (3B) state only that the author found it a singular luxury to talk across the pond to a companion; they do not indicate that he enjoyed living in the country as stated in (2A). These lines do not support any of the answers for Q2; eliminate (3B). The lines for (3C) say that you need not rest your reputation on the dinners you give. These lines don’t support any of the answer choices in Q2. Eliminate (3C). The lines for (3D) state that the author had more visitors while [he] lived in the woods than at any other period in [his] life. This information matches (2B), which states that he had more visitors to his home in the country than at any other time in his life. Draw a line connecting (3D) and (2B). Without any support in the answers from Q3, (2A), (2C), and (2D) can be eliminated. The correct answers are (2B) and (3D).
3. D
(See explanation above.)
4. B
The question asks what the word economized most nearly means in line 11. Go back to the text, find the word economized, and cross it out. Then read the window carefully, using context clues to determine another word that would fit in the text. The text says that if there were more than three people in the room, they economized the space by standing. Therefore, economized must mean something like “used wisely” or “saved.” Wasted and squandered are both opposites of “saved” or “used wisely,” so eliminate (A) and (C). Used efficiently matches “used wisely” or “saved,” so keep (B). Purchased means “bought,” and does not match “used wisely,” so eliminate (D). The correct answer is (B).
5. C
The question asks what can be inferred from the passage about big thoughts. Use the given line reference to find the window. Lines 21–28 state that you want room for your thoughts to get into sailing trim and run a course or two before they make their port and your thought must have overcome its lateral and ricochet motion and fallen into its last and steady course before it reaches the ear of the hearer. These statements figuratively express the idea that a person needs space to think big thoughts. There is no evidence in the passage that the big thoughts need to be violent; this is a Right Words, Wrong Meaning trap answer based on the figurative reference to a bullet. Eliminate (A). Eliminate (B) because the author does not state that big thoughts need to break out of one’s head; this is a literal interpretation of figurative language. Furthermore, the author says that the thoughts could break out of the listener’s head if they are not given enough time to develop, so this is not something big thoughts must do. Choice (C) matches the prediction, so keep it. Choice (D) is a literal interpretation of the figurative description of a thought overcoming its lateral and ricochet motion; eliminate (D). The correct answer is (C).
6. B
The question asks how to describe the phrase as when you throw two stones into calm water so near that they break each other’s undulations. Read a window around the line reference. Lines 18–43 express the need for space when discussing big ideas. Lines 35–36 say, In my house we were so near that we could not begin to hear; therefore, the phrase illustrates what happens when things are too close. The author has made no reference to his childhood in this passage, and this phrase is used figuratively, not literally, so eliminate (A). Choice (B) matches the prediction; keep it. While national boundaries are mentioned in this paragraph, they are just another analogy by which the author describes his experience; eliminate (C). Eliminate (D) because the analogy about the stones is not the reason the author and his companion move their chairs; furthermore, they moved their chairs to give themselves more space, not because they had to in order to be heard. The correct answer is (B).
7. A
The question asks what the word plow most nearly means in line 27. Go back to the text, find the word plow, and cross it out. Then read the window carefully, using context clues to determine another word that would fit in the text. The text says the bullet of your thought must have overcome its lateral and ricochet motion and fallen into its last and steady course before it reaches the ear of the hearer, else it may plow out again through the side of his head. Therefore, plow must mean something like “move forcefully.” Push matches “move forcefully,” so keep (A). Furrow and cultivate are both Could Be True trap answers based on another meaning of plow (“to turn over the soil”); they don’t match “move forcefully,” so eliminate (B) and (C). To walk is to move forward, but it doesn’t match “move forcefully,” so eliminate (D). The correct answer is (A).
8. D
The question asks what happens when the author does not have enough food for his guests. Use the sequence of the questions and the lead words guests and food to find the window. Q7 asked about line 27, so the window for Q8 most likely comes after line 27. Scan the passage beginning with line 28, looking for references to guests and food. Lines 51–52 state that if one guest came he sometimes partook of my frugal meal, and lines 56–60 say, if twenty came and sat in my house there was nothing said about dinner…we naturally practiced abstinence. Therefore, if there are many guests and not much food, the guests do not eat. Choice (A) is the Right Answer to the Wrong Question, as the author shares his food when there is only one guest. Eliminate (A). There is no mention of the author turning guests away or buying more food for those who come, so eliminate (B) and (C). Choice (D) matches the prediction; keep it. The correct answer is (D).
9. B
The question asks what is most likely true of housekeepers. Use the sequence of the questions and the lead word housekeepers to find the window. The prediction for Q8 came from lines 51–60, so the window for Q9 most likely comes after line 60. Scan the passage beginning with line 61, looking for the lead word housekeepers. Lines 69–72 say, so easy is it, though many housekeepers doubt it, to establish new and better customs in the place of the old. Choice (A) is a Mostly Right/Slightly Wrong trap answer; the passage indicates that housekeepers are doubtful about change, but not that they are unable to change. Eliminate (A). The housekeepers doubt that it is easy to establish new and better customs in place of the old, which indicates that they may be hesitant to change some traditions; keep (B). The passage does not state that housekeepers have a certain protocol that they must always follow for guests: the passage indicates that they have certain customs they follow, but the extreme words must and always and the focus on one certain protocol make this answer Mostly Right but Slightly Wrong; eliminate (C). While the author mentions pudding and bread, there is no indication that housekeepers disapprove of such a meal; eliminate (D). The correct answer is (B).
10. A
The question asks what the phrase only the finest sediment was deposited around me means in context. This is the first question in a paired set, but because Q10 is a specific question, it can be answered on its own. Use the given line reference to find the window. Lines 79–85 discuss the narrator’s visitors. Lines 79–81 state that fewer came…on trivial business, and his company was winnowed by mere distance from town. The last sentence is a metaphor about the ocean and rivers, and it says that only the finest sediment was deposited around me. In other words, the narrator believes that because he lived far from town, fewer people came to see him about unimportant things, so the quality of the visits was better. Choice (A) matches the prediction; keep it. Both (B) and (C) refer to the literal meaning of sediment, but that word is used figuratively in context, so eliminate (B) and (C). Choice (D) contradicts the passage; the author says fewer came to see me on trivial business; eliminate it. The correct answer is (A).
11. D
The question is the best evidence question in a paired set. Because Q10 was a specific question, simply look at the lines used to answer the previous question. Lines 79–81 state that fewer came to see me on trivial business, and the author’s company was winnowed by [his] mere distance from town. Of these lines, only line 79 is an answer choice. The correct answer is (D).
