Answers and Explanations

Paragraph Comprehension Practice Questions

1. D
   From the first sentence to the very last, the author is clearly in favor of the idea that “each vote counts.” Choice (D) most clearly reflects this sentiment. You can also eliminate wrong answer choices (B) and (C) because they are never mentioned in the passage. And “voting machines,” (A), are mentioned in the passage, but only to support the conclusion that every vote counts.
2. B
   From the information given, you should have seen that the governor was very determined to get things done his way. So his approach could hardly be described as business as usual, choice (A). Nowhere in the passage is his approach described as careless and sloppy, choice (C). And since the mayor insisted on doing things his way, his approach was not influenced by his critics, choice (D). Only (B) is addressed in the paragraph. Seeking to change the way politics are run indicates an idealistic approach to politics.
3. C
   This Detail question asks you for the first person to conquer Mount Everest. Researching the passage, you must be careful not to assume that the mountain is named for its conqueror. While Sir George Everest, (A), first documented and recorded the height of Everest in 1865, it was Sir Edmund Hillary who completed the first ascent to the peak in 1953. The question does not ask for the first woman, or the first American woman, to reach the summit, so (B), Junko Tabei, and (D), Stacy Allison, are out. The correct answer is (C).
4. D
   The author feels strongly that meals in school cafeterias have become more and more similar to junk food. Choice (A) is not applicable, regardless of its validity, because it is not the central point of the passage. Choice (B) is nowhere indicated in the passage, and choice (C) is the opposite of the correct answer. Of the answer choices given, only choice (D), less nutritious, correctly answers the question.
5. C
   This Detail question asks you to identify a specific step in a process, so your first task is to locate the step that discusses removing the corner block. Removing the corner block is finally mentioned in the fifth sentence. After using a ripping chisel to remove the block from the chair, the worker is free to glue the joints back together to tighten them, choice (C).
6. B
   To correctly gauge the tone of a passage, you should pay attention not only to the details, but also to the language and description. In this passage, James is clearly waiting to go onstage. Words like pulse, murmur, and maybe invite the reader to feel excitement and nervousness as James does. Of the answer choices given, (D), ambivalence, is clearly wrong, as James definitely cares about what is going to happen. He seems wistful, but never sad, (A), or angry, (C). The only answer that successfully captures James’s mood is choice (B), anticipation.
7. B
   Judging from the critical tone of the author and the subject matter at hand, one can safely assume that the author is interested in public safety. Clearly small print is not going to be favored by this author, so choice (C) is out. Choice (D) doesn’t make sense and choice (A) is not something thought of as good for public safety. Choice (B), allergy information prominently listed on food labels, fits the author’s passion for consumer labels.
8. C
   According to the details of the passage, one possible side effect from prescription drug usage is internal bleeding, answer choice (C). Drinking alcohol, (A), can exacerbate side effects, but it is not a side effect itself. Dysfunction, (B), and aggression, (D), are discussed as conditions treated by drugs, not as side effects of drug use.
9. A
   From the details of the passage, it is clear that the author sees the character of the Hulk as a symbol. The passage states that the Hulk is a reflection of the two sides of each of us, which matches choice (A) a reflection of humanity. The passage states that the Hulk varies between an animal mentality (B) and a mild-mannered person (C) but it does not claim that he is one over the other. While the passage mentions atomic postwar paranoia, it does not suggest that the Hulk is used as a protest of any type as in choice (D).
10. C
    According to the passage, the onetime star athlete is now a local bricklayer. There is nothing in the passage to indicate that the person in question was ever a depressed loner (A), shy scientist (B), or bitter malcontent (D), but it only makes sense that he was once a gifted youngster (C). The term prodigy refers to a person with natural ability, often at a young age.
11. A
    Remember to look to contrast keywords to help determine an author’s main point. Here, the passage makes a distinction between the work of typical directors and that of Hitchcock: Hitchcock, unlike the others, dared to make films that were unconventional, which is answer choice (C). While answer choices (A) and (B) are supported by the passage, they are too narrow to encompass the main point. Answer choice (D) is out of scope and is not stated or inferred in the passage.
12. D
    While it may be true that the bassoon is larger than the oboe, that claim is not supported by information in the passage, so (A) is out. The passage does state that the bassoon produces a deep sound, but claiming that it is the deepest-sounding wood instrument is too extreme, so (B) is out. Nothing in the passage supports the claim that the bassoon is the only instrument that utilizes a bocal, which means (C) is incorrect. The passage does state that a bassoon’s pitch can be altered by adjusting the bocal, so (D) is correct.
13. B
    In this Detail question that asks about a process, refer back to the passage to find the correct answer. You will find the information in the second, third, and fourth sentences. The second sentence states that an investor sells shares he does not currently own, while the third and fourth sentences indicate that he then purchases those shares at a later date. That sequence is described in answer choice (B). Both (A) and (C) are incorrect because a short seller does not first buy shares of stock. (D) is out because although a short seller does first sell shares of stock, nothing in the passage indicates that that money is then used to purchase stock in another company.
14. A
    Always make a prediction in Vocabulary-in-Context questions. The tone of this passage is one of peacefulness and calm. Therefore, you could infer that Mark’s quiet, relaxing walk in the woods is a break, or a period of relief, from the clamor and chaos of the city. While (B) opposite might sound appealing, since the passage contrasts the forest with the city, opposite doesn’t make sense if inserted into the sentence. Mark might be in a (C) valley, but that also doesn’t make sense if inserted into the sentence. Finally, (D) hope doesn’t match the idea that Mark has simply found a quiet place away from the city.
15. C
    This statement is a specific detail taken from the second sentence of the passage, “the Main Street bus line was reduced from one bus every 15 minutes to one bus an hour.” There is no evidence that the Main Street bus line has ever been completely shut down (D). The author does mention not being given any notification, but he does not state choice (A), that the city needs to notify customers. Choice (B) might be an idea the author would agree with, but it is not mentioned in the passage.