Question 1

Reading comprehension—best supported inference: A publisher estimates 50,000–60,000 U.S. readers want a complete Shakespeare anthology; scholars attribute renewed interest to Shakespeare's remarkable psychological insights into male and female chara…

Accepted Answer

Given data Estimated demand for a complete Shakespeare anthology: 50,000–60,000 people in the U.S. Reason for renewed interest (per scholars): Shakespeare's psychological insights into both male and female characters remain amazing even today. Concept / Approach Identify the claim directly supported by the stated reason for renewed interest. Step-by-step reasoning Step 1: The paragraph explicitly connects current interest to the quality of Shakespeare's character insights.Step 2: Option B restates that connection: people today are interested in Shakespeare because of his characters.Step 3: Options A, C, D, and E introduce new claims not stated (comparisons to modern fiction, who is compiling an anthology, a New York–specific trend, or Shakespeare's profession). Verification / Alternative view If the interest stems from psychological insight, then a statement attributing interest to characters is best supported. Common pitfalls Choosing answers that are plausible but not textually supported. Confusing an estimate of demand with evidence about who is publishing the anthology. Final Answer People today are interested in Shakespeare's work because of the depth of his characters.

Question 2

Reading comprehension—best supported inference: An unusually warm winter has encouraged consumers to spend; spending is likely to be the strongest in thirteen years; February sales of existing single-family homes reached a record annual rate of 4.75…

Accepted Answer

Given data Warm winter → consumers in the mood to spend. Spending likely strongest in 13 years. February: existing single-family home sales at a record annual rate (4.75M). Concept / Approach Look for the option that ties warm winter conditions to home-sale activity without adding unsupported specifics. Step-by-step reasoning Step 1: The text links warm weather to higher spending.Step 2: It then cites record home sales—a category of consumer spending.Step 3: Therefore, it supports the idea that warm winter weather can affect (increase) the rate of home sales. Verification / Alternative view Options A–D introduce time predictions, month comparisons, price claims, or inventory counts that are not stated. Common pitfalls Reading quantities (4.75M) as inventory rather than sales pace. Assuming seasonality or prices not mentioned in the passage. Final Answer Warm winter weather is likely to affect the rate of home sales.

Question 3

Reading comprehension—best supported inference: Generation X (born ~1965–1981) are most challenged when allowed to work independently, which purportedly makes them the most entrepreneurial generation; which option is best supported by this paragraph?

Accepted Answer

Given data Generation Xers (born roughly 1965–1981). They feel more challenged when they can carry out tasks independently. This is used to argue they are highly entrepreneurial. Concept / Approach Select the statement that directly reflects independence in work style. Step-by-step reasoning Step 1: "More challenged when independent" implies they prefer autonomy.Step 2: Option B (self-directed workers) restates that preference for autonomy.Step 3: Options A, C, D, E add claims (effort level, history-making, risk-taking, boss-challenging) not asserted. Verification / Alternative view Being entrepreneurial is consistent with self-direction, but the paragraph does not compare effort levels or specify risk behavior. Common pitfalls Equating "entrepreneurial" with "risk-seeking" or "confrontational," which the passage does not say. Final Answer Generation Xers have a tendency to be self-directed workers.

Question 4

Reading comprehension—best supported inference: For fitness walkers, a commute to a health club is unnecessary; your neighborhood can serve as your health club; little equipment is needed beyond a well-designed pair of athletic shoes. Which statemen…

Accepted Answer

Given data No commute is needed for fitness walking; the neighborhood suffices. Fancy equipment is unnecessary; a good pair of athletic shoes is sufficient. Concept / Approach Identify the option that captures convenience and value without inserting extra claims. Step-by-step reasoning Step 1: No commute + minimal equipment ⇒ high convenience.Step 2: The framing of "all you need is shoes" suggests accessibility and value.Step 3: Option D summarizes these points. Options A–C, E add comparisons or injury claims not stated. Verification / Alternative view The paragraph never ranks exercises or critiques club memberships; it highlights convenience and sufficiency. Common pitfalls Reading evaluative judgments (e.g., "better than weight lifting") into a purely descriptive passage. Final Answer Fitness walking is a convenient and valuable form of exercise.

Question 5

Reading comprehension—best supported inference: Historically, consumers rarely ordered low-fat ice cream; today, greater health consciousness and a wider selection of tasty low-fat foods have made low-fat ice cream a very profitable item for shop ow…

Accepted Answer

Given data Past: customers rarely ordered low-fat ice cream. Present: increased health consciousness + more tasty low-fat options ⇒ low-fat ice cream is very profitable for store owners. Concept / Approach Link the profit observation to the updated perception of item popularity by owners. Step-by-step reasoning Step 1: If an item is "very profitable," owners will not consider it unpopular.Step 2: Option C restates that updated perception. Options A, B, D, E assert relative revenues, exclusivity, relative popularity, or consumer psychology that the passage does not claim. Verification / Alternative view Profitability is a strong indicator that demand has risen sufficiently to change owners' views. Common pitfalls Inferring cross-category comparisons (e.g., low-fat vs. other foods) that are not supported. Final Answer Ice cream store owners no longer think that low-fat ice cream is an unpopular item.

Question 6

In today's high schools, students spend excessive time focusing on trivial and distracting matters such as fashion and often dress inappropriately on school grounds; rather than writing yet another detailed dress policy, making school uniforms manda…

Accepted Answer

Given data Students spend too much time on trivial distractions like fashion and often dress inappropriately on campus. Instead of drafting another dress policy, the author proposes mandatory school uniforms. Claimed benefits: stronger sense of community and harmony, greater discipline, and reduced need for teachers and administrators to police clothing. Concept/Approach (critical reasoning: main-support match) Identify the author's central recommendation and the reasons that support it, then choose the statement that the paragraph most directly endorses. Step 1: Extract the core recommendation Core recommendation = Make school uniforms mandatory. Step 2: Link reasons to the recommendation Reasons cite community/harmony, discipline, and freeing staff from clothing-police duties. All are benefits of uniforms. Step 3: Eliminate scope-creep claims No evidence that uniforms improve college admissions or that inappropriate clothing causes failing grades, nor that students reject community in general, nor any quantified 25% policing time. Verification/Alternative If the passage were summarized in one line, it would say: "Therefore, uniforms should be compulsory." This exactly matches the correct option. Common pitfalls Do not choose options that add new statistics, predict admissions outcomes, or generalize about student motives; the paragraph does not support those. Final Answer School uniforms should be compulsory for high school students.

Question 7

The criminal justice system should change to become more just by allowing victims to confront offenders and by enabling mediation that lets offenders apologize; based on this rationale, this paragraph best supports which specific right for victims?

Accepted Answer

Given data The system could be more just if victims could confront offenders. Mediation would allow offenders to apologize to victims. Concept/Approach (identify supported entitlement) We look for the entitlement clearly advocated by the text, without importing punishment powers or moral duties not mentioned. Step 1: Identify the explicit recommendation "Allow victims the opportunity to confront the person who harmed them." Step 2: Separate process from punishment The paragraph discusses confrontation and mediation (restorative-justice processes), not sentencing or mandatory forgiveness. Step 3: Match to the closest option The right to confront offenders is directly and explicitly supported. Verification/Alternative If the recommendation were implemented, victims would indeed have a confrontation opportunity; this is the exact wording of the correct answer. Common pitfalls Avoid options that add punishment authority, compulsory forgiveness, or training requirements; these extend beyond the passage. Final Answer Victims should have the right to confront their offenders.

Question 8

Some states are considering laws that prohibit calculator use before sixth grade, while other states insist every middle schooler have a graphing calculator; taken together, this paragraph best supports which conclusion about policy views on calcula…

Accepted Answer

Given data One group of states seeks to prohibit calculators before grade six. Another group insists on graphing calculators for all middle school students. Concept/Approach (extract the minimal warranted inference) Infer only what both lines of evidence jointly guarantee: policy positions diverge. Step 1: Recognize opposing policies Prohibition vs. requirement shows clear disagreement. Step 2: Avoid overreach Nothing is said about learning harm, cost in bulk, or historical involvement of legislators. Step 3: Select the precise supported statement "There are at least two opinions" exactly captures the supported conclusion. Verification/Alternative Imagining a map: some states restrict, others mandate; hence multiple viewpoints exist. Common pitfalls Do not infer outcomes (learning results, pricing) not mentioned in the passage. Final Answer There are at least two distinct opinions about using calculators in schools.

Question 9

Compared with a decade ago, today's workforce reflects different social values: a manager offered a faraway promotion may now prioritize family happiness over career advancement; this paragraph therefore best supports which statement about workplace…

Accepted Answer

Given data Ten years ago, relocation for promotion was typically unquestioned. Today, a manager might choose family happiness instead of advancement. Concept/Approach (trend identification without exaggeration) We seek the modest, directly warranted trend: values have shifted, not that ambition is dead or companies must force moves. Step 1: Extract the comparison Past norm vs. present alternative choice indicates a change in priorities. Step 2: Match to a neutral, supported generalization "Employees social values have changed" captures the observation without overclaiming. Step 3: Eliminate overstatements Nothing supports lack of loyalty, lack of importance of career, or managerial misunderstanding. Verification/Alternative If more workers now weigh family highly, that is precisely a shift in social values. Common pitfalls Avoid absolute claims such as "career is not important" or prescriptive mandates about company policy. Final Answer Employees social values have changed over the past ten years.

Question 10

Because the world urgently needs adequate distribution of both food and medicine, with medical expertise and supplies redistributed so that emerging nations receive proper care, this paragraph best supports which conclusion about global healthcare a…

Accepted Answer

Given data There is an urgent need to redistribute medical expertise and supplies globally. The goal is to ensure people in emerging nations receive proper care. Concept/Approach (necessary implication) If redistribution is urgently needed to achieve proper care, then at present many do not have proper care. Step 1: Translate the recommendation "Redistribute" implies a current shortfall where it is needed. Step 2: Identify the target population The text emphasizes emerging nations as the beneficiaries. Step 3: Choose the minimally sufficient inference Therefore, many people in emerging nations lack proper medical care. Verification/Alternative If proper care already existed widely, a call for urgent redistribution would be unnecessary. Common pitfalls Do not assume motives of doctors, changes in food production, or industry output; these are not discussed. Final Answer Many people living in emerging nations are not receiving proper medical care.

Question 11

Yoga has become a very popular type of exercise, but it may not be for everyone. Before you sign yourself up for a yoga class, you need to examine what it is you want from your fitness routine. If you're looking for a high-energy, fast-paced aerobic…

Accepted Answer

The second sentence points out that people should examine what they want from a fitness routine before signing up for a new exercise class. There is no evidence to support choice a. Choice c might sound reasonable due to the fact that the paragraph tells us that yoga has become very popular, but this statement is not supported by the information provided in the paragraph. Choices d and e are also not supported since the paragraph doesn't tell us whether yoga is good for both body and mind or what people think about it.

Question 12

Human technology developed from the first stone tools about two and a half million years ago. At the beginning, the rate of development was slow. Hundreds of thousands of years passed without much change. Today, new technologies are reported daily o…

Accepted Answer

The last sentence states that new technologies are reported daily, and this implies that new technologies are being constantly developed. There is no support for choice a.With regard to choice b, stone tools were first used two and a half million years ago, but they were not neessarily in use all that time. Choice c is clearly wrong since the paragraph states when stone tools first came into use. Although some may agree that choice e is true, the author of the paragraph does not give support for this opinion.

Question 13

Mathematics allows us to expand our consciousness. Mathematics tells us about economic trends, patterns of disease, and the growth of populations. Math is good at exposing the truth, but it can also perpetuate misunderstandings and untruths. Figures…

Accepted Answer

This answer is clearly stated in the last sentence of the paragraph. Choice a can be ruled out because there is no support to show that studying math is dangerous. Words are not mentioned in the passage, which rules out choice b. Choice d is a contradiction to the information in the passage. There is no support for choice c.

Question 14

In the 1966 Supreme Court decision Miranda v. Arizona, the court held that before the police can obtain statements from a person subjected to an interrogation, the person must be given a Miranda warning. This warning means that a person must be told…

Accepted Answer

This answer is clearly supported in the second sentence. Nothing in the paragraph suggests that it is a crime not to give a Miranda warning, so choice a is incorrect. Choice c is also wrong because police may interrogate as long as a warning is given. There is no support given for either choice d or e.

Question 15

During colonial times in America, juries were encouraged to ask questions of the parties in the courtroom. The jurors were, in fact, expected to investigate the facts of the case themselves. If jurors conducted an investigation today, we would throw…

Accepted Answer

The paragraph focuses on the idea that the jury system is different from what it was in colonial times. There is no support given for choices a, b, and c. Choice d is incorrect because, even though jurors in colonial times were expected to investigate and ask questions, this does not necessarily mean that they were more informed than today's jurors.

Question 16

There are no effective boundaries when it comes to pollutants. Studies have shown that toxic insecticides that have been banned in many countries are riding the wind from countries where they remain legal. Compounds such as DDT and toxaphene have be…

Accepted Answer

The support for this choice is in the second sentence, which states that in some countries, toxic insecticides are still legal. Choice b is incorrect because even though polar regions are mentioned in the paragraph, there is no support for the idea that warmer regions are not just as affected. There is no support for choice c. Choice d can be ruled out because there is nothing to indicate that DDT and toxaphene are the most toxic. Choice e is illogical.

Question 17

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. No search of a person's home or personal effects may be conducted without a written search warrant issued on probable cause. This means that a neu…

Accepted Answer

The second and third sentence combine to give support to choice a. The statement stresses that there must be a judge's approval (i.e., legal authorization) before a search can be conducted. Choices b and d are wrong because it is not enough for the police to have direct evidence or a reasonable belief—a judge must authorize the search for it to be legal. Choices c and e are not mentioned in the passage.

Question 18

Obesity is a serious problem in this country. Research suggests that obesity can lead to a number of health problems including diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. Recent research has even indicated that there may be a relationship between obesity a…

Accepted Answer

The support for this choice is in the last sentence, which states that major public health campaigns that increase awareness and propose lifestyle changes are important in our fight against obesity. Choice b can be ruled out because although the paragraph states that obesity can lead to diabetes, it doesn't tell us that it is the leading cause of this disease. Choices c and e might sound reasonable and true, but they are not supported in the paragraph. And although we are told that obesity has been connected to asthma, this fact is not quantified in any way, so choice d is also not supported by the information given.

Question 19

Critical reading is a demanding process. To read critically, you must slow down your reading and, with pencil in hand, perform specific operations on the text. Mark up the text with your reactions, conclusions, and questions. When you read, become a…

Accepted Answer

This answer is implied by the whole paragraph. The author stresses the need to read critically by performing thoughtful and careful operations on the text. Choice a is incorrect because the author never says that reading is dull. Choices b, c, and e are not supported by the paragraph.

Question 20

Walk into any supermarket or pharmacy and you will find several shelves of products designed to protect adults and children from the sun. Additionally, a host of public health campaigns have been created, including National Skin Cancer Awareness Mon…

Accepted Answer

The last sentence gives direct support for this response. Although children might be better protected from the sun than adults, the paragraph does not specifically cite statistics about children, so we can't know for sure, ruling out choice a. There is no evidence provided in the paragraph to support choices b and d. Choice e is incorrect since the last sentence tells us that warnings about the sun's dangers are frequent.

Analyzing Arguments Questions