Reading Comprehension Practice Test 2024

Read the paragraph from a narrative about a hike.

Kim had hiked this mountain so many times. She loved the challenges of the trail, the gnarly roots that threatened to trip her, and the embedded stones worn smooth by years of foot traffic. Her brother, Ned, had leapt ahead of her on the trail like a mountain goat. He had probably already arrived at Alpine Lake, the glistening, unspoiled expanse of brilliant blue that was their destination. As she emerged from the shaded trail for her first glimpse of the lake, she paused to take in its splendor.

Choose the sentence which, if added to the paragraph, would BEST create suspense.

A student is conducting research for a report about the county where she lives. Read her online source and the directions that follow.

Source: statehandbook/burlesoncounty/geography/online

Burleson County consists of 423 square miles of gently sloping and level terrain with elevations ranging from 4260 feet in the southeast to 4890 feet in the northwest. The La Salle River is the one major watercourse and flows from the northwest to the southeast with tributaries draining both the western and eastern half of the county. Two natural geographic regions dominate the county: the smaller, Redland Prairie region in the southeast is redominately rolling grassland with soil of mostly shallow clay. The Timber Breaks region contains an abundance of deep loamy soil that supports hardwoods such as American elm and box elder. 84% of Burleson County is considered prime farmland.

The student wrote the following paragraph for her report. Select the sentence that requires revision to avoid plagiarizing the online source.

A student is writing an informative report about a hiking trip. Read the draft and complete the task that follows. 

Three trails are clearly marked through Arrowhead Canyon. The Lower Trail is an easy, two-hour loop along the creek bed. Most of the trail is hard-packed earth, level and wide enough for three hikers—or any trio out for a stroll—to walk side by side. There are even a few park benches along the way. The Middle Trail is more challenging. In several places, hikers need to scramble over fallen timber or rugged rock outcroppings. The path up to and around the waterfall can be a little treacherous, but with a little determination and a sturdy pair of shoes, kids as young as eight or nine can hike to Mason Falls and back within four or five hours. I’m completely amazed by the Upper Trail. That hike requires a little more preparation and no less than 18 hours.

Which revision of the underlined sentence BEST maintains the tone and focus of the paragraph?

Read each passage. Then answer each question carefully by choosing the best answer.

Which literary device does the poet use in lines 1 and 2 of the poem?

Read each passage. Then answer each question carefully by choosing the best answer.

In line 13, what is the purpose for the ellipsis?

Read each passage. Then answer each question carefully by choosing the best answer.

Which phrase contains a meaning of carpe diem?

Read each passage. Then answer each question carefully by choosing the best answer.

At which line does the poem shift to address the reader directly?

Read each passage. Then answer each question carefully by choosing the best answer.

What is the prevailing mood of Morning Dawns?

Read each passage. Then answer each question carefully by choosing the best answer.

What is the poet’s purpose for writing Morning Dawns?

Read each passage. Then answer each question carefully by choosing the best answer.

What is an alternate title for the poem?