TACHS Reading Practice Test 2025 Part 1 and Part 2 Timed Test

1) Much rejoicing

2) Pleasing demeanor

3) Move hastily

4) Placid waters

5) A large segment

6) Lofty goals

7) Mangled wreckage

8) Fascinating new developments

9) Many diverse cultures

10) To achieve recognition

1) Passage 1

My people are the people of Elu, the capital village of Ohafia in southeast Nigeria. Ours is a warrior tradition. We keep the tradition today primarily in name, but the warrior image is an important part of our identity, passed down through the generations.

We learn the tradition of the warrior through the process of many rituals, each taught to us by our elders, who ensure that our identity is maintained. I remember the first step of my manhood, when I reached the age of eight and was finally ready for the nnu nnu mbu, a ritual that proves that you are ready to enter the world of men. It is a sweltering morning, and my family has been preparing for the ceremony since dawn. My father is absorbed in the task of dressing me in a fine costume befitting the occasion, and he looks down upon me with pride as he completes his final touches and prepares me for show.

My father is beaming, and I feel his pride lift me as I move into the street to start the process of visiting others in the village who will honor me for my efforts. My chest swells and I hear my heart pounding in my ears, the blood rushing, as one by one I visit the huts of my kinfolk, receiving gifts of money and yams from each as they greet me. Some of the family member’s from my mother’s line are introduced to me during this ceremony for the first time. I feel the strength that comes with knowing that I am emerging into manhood.

How does the author’s father feel about his son?

2) What happens when the author meets his mother’s family?

3) Passage 2

Barrett had always dreamed of opening a photography studio. As soon as he finished photography school, he rented a small space in a strip mall just off the highway. For the first few years, he barely made ends meet. He took just enough photos to pay for rent and materials.

Barrett knew his business was not going to be successful if he continued to do business the way he had since he opened his studio. He researched a number of business strategies before he made his decision. Barrett advertised a month-long special in the newspaper. He decided to reduce his standard pricing by one third for the entire month. He knew this was a calculated risk, but it was one he felt he had to take.

The phrase “made ends meet” is another way of saying which of the following?

4) If Barrett was struggling financially, why did he reduce his prices?

5) Passage 3

In ancient Egypt, there once was a pharaoh who turned the entire kingdom upside down. The ancient Egyptians believed that many deities existed and these deities controlled all of nature and human activity. For example, there were deities who controlled the flood stages of the Nile, the stars in the sky, and the weather. Others had responsibilities in the afterlife. Egyptians never questioned this system until Amenhotep IV took the throne.

Amenhotep IV, who changed his name to Akhenaton, did away with the system of worshipping many deities and replaced it with the worship of a single deity, Aton, who was the sun god. Historians debate Akhenaton’s motives. Some argue that he was mentally disturbed and obsessed with the sun. Others argue that he made a brilliant political move by taking power away from the kingdom’s many priests who were loyal to various deities. Regardless of his motives, Akhenaton’s bold decision temporarily altered life for everyone in Egypt.

Which of the following, based on the information in the paragraphs, is most likely true?

6) Using context clues, the word “pharaoh” is most closely defined as which of the following?

7) Passage 4

In recent years, experts have not been able to make any substantial conclusions regarding the effect of e-mail and instant messaging on the social skills of computer users. Some experts in fields such as communications argue that e-mail and instant messaging have increased the social skills of computer users because people now communicate with each other more frequently than ever before. Others, however, maintain that computer users are able to hide behind their anonymity, thus allowing them to take on false personality traits and characteristics. Such experts further contend that the more communication takes place via e-mail and instant messaging, the less effective communication becomes in face-to-face settings. Experts on both sides of the debate do, however, agree that the frequency of communications has increased since the advent of electronic correspondence and that this alone should have some positive effect on the communication skills of computer users. After all, the adage says that practice makes perfect.

Which of the following would be the best title for the Passage above?

8) The phrase “practice makes perfect” in the last sentence refers to which of the following?

9) Passage 5

The reality TV craze that began in the United States two decades ago apparently is here to stay, at least for several more years. Strangely, though, people who watch reality TV still have not caught on to the fact that there is little or no reality at all in reality television shows. Producers and directors often coerce reality show stars to say particular things or act in a particular manner. Filming stops frequently to re-shoot certain scenes or pieces of dialogue between cast members. Those who are chosen to be part of the reality show casts must sign contracts that require them to follow scores of rules. Furthermore, cast members are forbidden from revealing any secrets of the show. The public, though, is still being bombarded by staged, contrived shows that are being advertised as reality.

Which of the following is the main idea of the Passage above?

10) The author of the Passage above is most likely which of the following?