24 Reading Comprehension Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. Read the passage and answer the question. Washing with soap and water removes germs in a way that rinsing alone cannot. Many germs are held on the skin by oils and dirt, which water by itself slides over. Soap molecules have one end that attaches to water and another end that attaches to oils. When hands are rubbed together, soap acts as an agent that lifts the oily film away and lets running water carry it, along with the germs trapped inside, down the drain. The rubbing matters as much as the soap. Areas that are easy to miss, such as the backs of the hands, the thumbs, and the skin under the nails, need deliberate attention. Drying hands with a clean towel finishes the job, since germs spread more easily from wet skin than from dry skin. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

   • A.The backs of the hands and the thumbs are the areas most often missed.
   • B.Soap and rubbing work together to lift away the oils that hold germs.✓ Answer
   • C.Hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent all disease.
   • D.Running water alone removes most germs if hands are rinsed long enough.

   The passage opens by saying soap and water remove germs 'in a way that rinsing alone cannot,' explains how soap lifts the oily film, and states that 'the rubbing matters as much as the soap.' Every other sentence supports that idea. The easily missed areas are a narrow detail, the claim about water alone contradicts the first sentence, and preventing 'all disease' goes far beyond what the passage says.

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2. 2. Read the passage and answer the question. Washing with soap and water removes germs in a way that rinsing alone cannot. Many germs are held on the skin by oils and dirt, which water by itself slides over. Soap molecules have one end that attaches to water and another end that attaches to oils. When hands are rubbed together, soap acts as an agent that lifts the oily film away and lets running water carry it, along with the germs trapped inside, down the drain. The rubbing matters as much as the soap. Areas that are easy to miss, such as the backs of the hands, the thumbs, and the skin under the nails, need deliberate attention. Drying hands with a clean towel finishes the job, since germs spread more easily from wet skin than from dry skin. As used in the passage, the word "agent" most nearly means:

   • A.an organism that causes an illness
   • B.an official who enforces the rules
   • C.a person who acts on behalf of another
   • D.a substance that produces an effect✓ Answer

   The sentence says soap 'acts as an agent that lifts the oily film away,' so the word names a substance that brings about an effect. A person acting for someone else is the everyday meaning, and a disease-causing organism is a medical meaning, but soap is neither a person nor a germ. In a vocabulary-in-context question, the surrounding sentence decides the meaning, and the replacement must make sense when put back into it.

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3. 3. Read the passage and answer the question. Washing with soap and water removes germs in a way that rinsing alone cannot. Many germs are held on the skin by oils and dirt, which water by itself slides over. Soap molecules have one end that attaches to water and another end that attaches to oils. When hands are rubbed together, soap acts as an agent that lifts the oily film away and lets running water carry it, along with the germs trapped inside, down the drain. The rubbing matters as much as the soap. Areas that are easy to miss, such as the backs of the hands, the thumbs, and the skin under the nails, need deliberate attention. Drying hands with a clean towel finishes the job, since germs spread more easily from wet skin than from dry skin. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

   • A.Hand sanitizer is more effective than soap for removing germs.
   • B.A person who rinses quickly without rubbing may leave germs behind.✓ Answer
   • C.Washing in hot water is required for soap to work properly.
   • D.Germs cannot survive on hands that have been dried with a towel.

   The passage says soap lifts the oily film 'when hands are rubbed together' and that 'the rubbing matters as much as the soap,' so a quick rinse without rubbing would likely leave germs on the skin. Sanitizer and hot water are never mentioned, and an inference cannot rest on outside knowledge. The passage also says only that germs spread more easily from wet skin, not that dried hands are free of germs; the absolute wording makes that conclusion unsupported.

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4. 4. Read the passage and answer the question. Sleep is not simply a pause in the day's activity. During sleep, the body carries out work that it cannot easily do while awake. Tissues are repaired, and the brain sorts and stores the day's information. People who regularly sleep too little often report trouble concentrating, and research has linked ongoing short sleep with a higher risk of several health problems, including high blood pressure. Sleep needs change with age; infants and teenagers need more sleep than adults. Keeping a regular bedtime, limiting bright screens before bed, and keeping the bedroom dark and cool can help. Treating sleep as optional is one of the worst habits a busy person can have. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

   • A.Infants and teenagers need more sleep each night than adults do.
   • B.Bright screens before bed are the main cause of poor sleep.
   • C.Sleep performs important work for the body and deserves priority.✓ Answer
   • D.Most health problems can be cured by sleeping longer each night.

   The opening sentences establish that sleep 'is not simply a pause' and that the body does important work during it; the rest describes the effects of short sleep and ways to protect sleep, ending with a warning against treating it as optional. The age difference is a single supporting detail, screens appear only as one tip, and the passage never says sleep cures health problems.

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5. 5. Read the passage and answer the question. Sleep is not simply a pause in the day's activity. During sleep, the body carries out work that it cannot easily do while awake. Tissues are repaired, and the brain sorts and stores the day's information. People who regularly sleep too little often report trouble concentrating, and research has linked ongoing short sleep with a higher risk of several health problems, including high blood pressure. Sleep needs change with age; infants and teenagers need more sleep than adults. Keeping a regular bedtime, limiting bright screens before bed, and keeping the bedroom dark and cool can help. Treating sleep as optional is one of the worst habits a busy person can have. According to the passage, what does the brain do during sleep?

   • A.It lowers blood pressure to prevent later health problems.
   • B.It stops processing information until the person wakes.
   • C.It repairs damaged tissue throughout the rest of the body.
   • D.It sorts and stores information from the day's events.✓ Answer

   The passage states directly that 'the brain sorts and stores the day's information.' Tissue repair appears in the same sentence but is not attributed to the brain, and blood pressure is mentioned only as a health risk linked to short sleep. Those distractors mix up separate details, a common trap in stated-detail questions.

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6. 6. Read the passage and answer the question. Sleep is not simply a pause in the day's activity. During sleep, the body carries out work that it cannot easily do while awake. Tissues are repaired, and the brain sorts and stores the day's information. People who regularly sleep too little often report trouble concentrating, and research has linked ongoing short sleep with a higher risk of several health problems, including high blood pressure. Sleep needs change with age; infants and teenagers need more sleep than adults. Keeping a regular bedtime, limiting bright screens before bed, and keeping the bedroom dark and cool can help. Treating sleep as optional is one of the worst habits a busy person can have. Which sentence from the passage expresses an opinion rather than a fact?

   • A."Treating sleep as optional is one of the worst habits a busy person can have."✓ Answer
   • B."During sleep, the body carries out work that it cannot easily do while awake."
   • C."Tissues are repaired, and the brain sorts and stores the day's information."
   • D."Sleep needs change with age; infants and teenagers need more sleep than adults."

   Calling a habit 'one of the worst' is a value judgment that cannot be measured or checked, so that sentence is an opinion. The other three sentences report things that can be verified, such as what happens in the body during sleep and how sleep needs differ with age. Evaluative words like 'worst,' 'best,' or 'should' are the usual signal of an opinion.

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7. 7. Read the passage and answer the question. In the 1840s, a physician named Ignaz Semmelweis worked in a Vienna hospital that had two maternity clinics. Women in the clinic staffed by doctors and medical students died of childbed fever far more often than women in the clinic staffed by midwives. Semmelweis noticed that the doctors often came directly from performing autopsies. He suspected that some material from the bodies was being carried on their hands. When he required staff to wash their hands in a chlorine solution before examining patients, deaths in the doctors' clinic dropped sharply. Yet many of his colleagues rejected his idea, which clashed with the conventional view that disease spread through bad air. His approach gained wide acceptance only years after his death, once germ theory had taken hold. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

   • A.Midwives in the 1840s were better trained than the doctors who worked beside them.
   • B.A doctor tied hand washing to fewer deaths, but the idea caught on slowly.✓ Answer
   • C.Germ theory was first developed in Vienna by doctors who studied childbed fever.
   • D.Chlorine was the first chemical ever used to clean the hands of hospital staff.

   The passage follows one sequence: Semmelweis noticed the gap in deaths, required hand washing, saw deaths drop, was rejected by colleagues, and was accepted only after his death. Only the statement that joins the discovery with its slow acceptance covers the whole passage. The passage never compares anyone's training, never says germ theory began in Vienna, and never claims chlorine was the first hand-cleaning chemical.

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8. 8. Read the passage and answer the question. In the 1840s, a physician named Ignaz Semmelweis worked in a Vienna hospital that had two maternity clinics. Women in the clinic staffed by doctors and medical students died of childbed fever far more often than women in the clinic staffed by midwives. Semmelweis noticed that the doctors often came directly from performing autopsies. He suspected that some material from the bodies was being carried on their hands. When he required staff to wash their hands in a chlorine solution before examining patients, deaths in the doctors' clinic dropped sharply. Yet many of his colleagues rejected his idea, which clashed with the conventional view that disease spread through bad air. His approach gained wide acceptance only years after his death, once germ theory had taken hold. As used in the passage, the word "conventional" most nearly means:

   • A.dull and lacking originality
   • B.officially proven by research
   • C.related to a formal meeting
   • D.widely accepted at the time✓ Answer

   The sentence says Semmelweis's idea 'clashed with the conventional view that disease spread through bad air,' a view his colleagues held, so 'conventional' means the belief most people accepted then. Nothing suggests the view had been proven; in fact germ theory later replaced it. 'Dull' and 'related to a meeting' are other senses of the word that do not fit this sentence.

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9. 9. Read the passage and answer the question. In the 1840s, a physician named Ignaz Semmelweis worked in a Vienna hospital that had two maternity clinics. Women in the clinic staffed by doctors and medical students died of childbed fever far more often than women in the clinic staffed by midwives. Semmelweis noticed that the doctors often came directly from performing autopsies. He suspected that some material from the bodies was being carried on their hands. When he required staff to wash their hands in a chlorine solution before examining patients, deaths in the doctors' clinic dropped sharply. Yet many of his colleagues rejected his idea, which clashed with the conventional view that disease spread through bad air. His approach gained wide acceptance only years after his death, once germ theory had taken hold. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

   • A.Semmelweis's colleagues were unaware of the drop in deaths.
   • B.Chlorine solution kills every type of germ found in hospitals.
   • C.The midwives' clinic had cleaner air than the doctors' clinic.
   • D.The midwives, unlike the doctors, were not coming from autopsies.✓ Answer

   Semmelweis blamed material carried on the hands of doctors who 'came directly from performing autopsies,' and the midwives' clinic had far fewer deaths; his reasoning only makes sense if the midwives were not coming from autopsies. The passage never measures air quality, says the colleagues rejected the idea rather than that they were unaware, and never claims chlorine kills every germ. An inference must be supported by the text, not by outside knowledge or absolute claims.

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10. 10. Read the passage and answer the question. Dietary fiber is the part of plant foods that the body cannot fully digest. It is found in whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, but not in meat, eggs, or dairy products. There are two main kinds. Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel, which slows digestion and can help keep blood sugar steadier after a meal. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve; it adds bulk to stool and helps material move through the intestines. Because many high-fiber foods are filling but not high in calories, they can also help people feel satisfied with less food. Adding fiber gradually and drinking enough water can reduce the gas and bloating that sometimes come with a sudden change in diet. According to the passage, what does soluble fiber do?

    • A.It forms a gel that slows digestion.✓ Answer
    • B.It is found mainly in meat and dairy foods.
    • C.It adds bulk that speeds material along.
    • D.It is fully digested and used for energy.

    The passage states that soluble fiber 'dissolves in water to form a gel, which slows digestion.' Adding bulk is what the passage says insoluble fiber does, so that option mixes up the two kinds. The passage also says fiber cannot be fully digested and is not found in meat or dairy, so the remaining options contradict the text.

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11. 11. Read the passage and answer the question. Dietary fiber is the part of plant foods that the body cannot fully digest. It is found in whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, but not in meat, eggs, or dairy products. There are two main kinds. Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel, which slows digestion and can help keep blood sugar steadier after a meal. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve; it adds bulk to stool and helps material move through the intestines. Because many high-fiber foods are filling but not high in calories, they can also help people feel satisfied with less food. Adding fiber gradually and drinking enough water can reduce the gas and bloating that sometimes come with a sudden change in diet. Which of the following is the best summary of the passage?

    • A.Soluble fiber forms a gel in water, and this gel slows digestion and helps keep blood sugar steadier after a meal is eaten.
    • B.Fiber, found only in plant foods, comes in two kinds that aid digestion differently; adding it slowly limits discomfort.✓ Answer
    • C.Fiber is the most important nutrient in any diet, and everyone should eat high-fiber foods at every meal to lose weight.
    • D.Fiber is found in beans and whole grains, but it often causes gas and bloating, so most people should limit how much they eat.

    A good summary covers the passage's main points in order without adding claims: fiber comes only from plant foods, it has two kinds that work differently, and increasing it gradually reduces discomfort. The gel option repeats one detail, the 'limit fiber' option reverses the passage's advice to add fiber gradually, and calling fiber 'the most important nutrient' adds an opinion the passage never states.

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12. 12. Read the passage and answer the question. Dietary fiber is the part of plant foods that the body cannot fully digest. It is found in whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, but not in meat, eggs, or dairy products. There are two main kinds. Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel, which slows digestion and can help keep blood sugar steadier after a meal. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve; it adds bulk to stool and helps material move through the intestines. Because many high-fiber foods are filling but not high in calories, they can also help people feel satisfied with less food. Adding fiber gradually and drinking enough water can reduce the gas and bloating that sometimes come with a sudden change in diet. The author's main purpose in writing this passage is to:

    • A.explain what dietary fiber is and how it affects the body✓ Answer
    • B.compare the calorie content of different plant foods
    • C.persuade readers to stop eating meat and dairy products
    • D.describe a personal experience with changing one's diet

    The passage defines fiber, names where it is found, describes its two kinds and their effects, and gives practical tips, all in a neutral voice; that is the pattern of a text written to inform. Noting that meat lacks fiber is not an argument to stop eating meat, the passage never compares calorie counts, and it contains no personal story. 'Persuade' fits only when a passage clearly argues for a position.

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13. 13. Read the passage and answer the question. A fever is not itself an illness but one of the body's responses to one. When the immune system detects an infection, it releases chemical signals that travel to the part of the brain that regulates temperature. That control center then raises its set point, much as a person might turn up a thermostat. The body responds by conserving heat: blood vessels near the skin narrow, and muscles may shiver, which is why a person with a rising fever often feels cold. A higher temperature can make conditions less favorable for some germs and may help certain immune cells work faster. In an acute infection, the fever usually lasts only a few days and fades as the body brings the infection under control. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

    • A.A fever should always be lowered with medicine as quickly as possible.
    • B.Shivering is the body's main way of fighting off an infection.
    • C.Fevers are caused when germs directly heat up the body's tissues.
    • D.Fever is a controlled rise in temperature that helps fight infection.✓ Answer

    The passage explains that the brain deliberately 'raises its set point' in response to infection signals and that the higher temperature can make conditions 'less favorable for some germs.' Fever is presented as a controlled response, not the illness itself. Shivering is only one heat-saving step, the passage never advises lowering a fever, and it says the brain, not the germs, raises the temperature.

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14. 14. Read the passage and answer the question. A fever is not itself an illness but one of the body's responses to one. When the immune system detects an infection, it releases chemical signals that travel to the part of the brain that regulates temperature. That control center then raises its set point, much as a person might turn up a thermostat. The body responds by conserving heat: blood vessels near the skin narrow, and muscles may shiver, which is why a person with a rising fever often feels cold. A higher temperature can make conditions less favorable for some germs and may help certain immune cells work faster. In an acute infection, the fever usually lasts only a few days and fades as the body brings the infection under control. As used in the passage, the word "acute" most nearly means:

    • A.sharp and intensely painful
    • B.keen and highly perceptive
    • C.sudden and short in duration✓ Answer
    • D.severe and life-threatening

    The same sentence says the fever in this kind of infection 'usually lasts only a few days and fades,' which signals that 'acute' here means sudden and brief. 'Sharp and painful' and 'keen' are other common senses of the word, and nothing in the passage describes the infection as life-threatening, so those meanings do not fit the context.

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15. 15. Read the passage and answer the question. A fever is not itself an illness but one of the body's responses to one. When the immune system detects an infection, it releases chemical signals that travel to the part of the brain that regulates temperature. That control center then raises its set point, much as a person might turn up a thermostat. The body responds by conserving heat: blood vessels near the skin narrow, and muscles may shiver, which is why a person with a rising fever often feels cold. A higher temperature can make conditions less favorable for some germs and may help certain immune cells work faster. In an acute infection, the fever usually lasts only a few days and fades as the body brings the infection under control. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

    • A.The brain's temperature control stops working during a fever.
    • B.A person who shivers is certain to have a serious infection.
    • C.After the set point rises, the body acts as though it is too cold.✓ Answer
    • D.Raising body temperature kills every germ that causes infection.

    The passage compares the brain to a thermostat that has been turned up and says the body then conserves heat by narrowing skin vessels and shivering, 'which is why a person with a rising fever often feels cold.' That supports the conclusion that the body now behaves as if its normal temperature were too low. The passage says heat affects only 'some germs,' never says shivering always means serious infection, and shows the control center resetting rather than failing.

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16. 16. Read the passage and answer the question. High blood pressure often causes no symptoms, so many people who have it do not know. To reach residents who rarely visit a doctor, one county health department trained volunteers to take blood pressure readings at libraries, grocery stores, and places of worship. Anyone with a high reading received a card explaining the result and a list of nearby clinics, including some that charge on a sliding scale based on income. Volunteers called each person a few weeks later to ask whether they had seen a health care provider. Over the program's first year, hundreds of residents learned of a high reading for the first time. This is surely the smartest way any county could spend its health budget. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

    • A.A county took blood pressure checks to everyday places to find unknown cases.✓ Answer
    • B.Volunteers can diagnose and treat high blood pressure as well as doctors can.
    • C.Some local clinics charge patients on a sliding scale based on income.
    • D.High blood pressure is the most common health problem in the county.

    The passage opens with a problem (high blood pressure often has no symptoms, so many people don't know they have it) and then describes the solution: screenings at libraries, stores and places of worship, with follow-up calls. Sliding-scale clinics are one small detail, the volunteers only took readings and referred people to providers, and the passage never ranks the county's health problems.

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17. 17. Read the passage and answer the question. High blood pressure often causes no symptoms, so many people who have it do not know. To reach residents who rarely visit a doctor, one county health department trained volunteers to take blood pressure readings at libraries, grocery stores, and places of worship. Anyone with a high reading received a card explaining the result and a list of nearby clinics, including some that charge on a sliding scale based on income. Volunteers called each person a few weeks later to ask whether they had seen a health care provider. Over the program's first year, hundreds of residents learned of a high reading for the first time. This is surely the smartest way any county could spend its health budget. The last sentence of the passage differs from the other sentences because it:

    • A.reports a result that was measured during the program
    • B.describes a step that the volunteers took with residents
    • C.offers a judgment that cannot be proven or disproven✓ Answer
    • D.defines a medical term that appears earlier in the text

    Calling the program 'surely the smartest way any county could spend its health budget' is a value judgment: 'smartest' cannot be measured or checked, so the sentence is an opinion. The other sentences report checkable facts, such as where readings were taken and that hundreds of residents learned of a high reading. The word 'surely' adds confidence but does not turn an opinion into a fact.

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18. 18. Read the passage and answer the question. High blood pressure often causes no symptoms, so many people who have it do not know. To reach residents who rarely visit a doctor, one county health department trained volunteers to take blood pressure readings at libraries, grocery stores, and places of worship. Anyone with a high reading received a card explaining the result and a list of nearby clinics, including some that charge on a sliding scale based on income. Volunteers called each person a few weeks later to ask whether they had seen a health care provider. Over the program's first year, hundreds of residents learned of a high reading for the first time. This is surely the smartest way any county could spend its health budget. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

    • A.Most residents who received a card were later treated at a clinic.
    • B.Volunteers were required to have medical degrees to take readings.
    • C.Without the program, some residents might never have learned of their high readings.✓ Answer
    • D.Libraries and grocery stores are where most adults are diagnosed.

    The passage says high blood pressure 'often causes no symptoms,' that the program targeted people who 'rarely visit a doctor,' and that hundreds 'learned of a high reading for the first time.' Together these strongly suggest that some would not have found out otherwise. The passage never reports how many people were treated, never says where most adults are diagnosed, and describes the screeners as trained volunteers, not doctors.

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19. 19. Read the passage and answer the question. Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria or stop them from multiplying. They do not work against viruses, such as those that cause the common cold. Each time antibiotics are used, a few bacteria may survive because of small genetic differences. These survivors multiply and pass their traits on, so over time a population of bacteria can become resistant, meaning the drug no longer controls it. Using antibiotics when they are not needed speeds up this process. To choose the right drug, a laboratory may grow a culture from a patient's sample and test which medicines stop the bacteria. Taking antibiotics only as prescribed helps keep these medicines effective for the future. As used in the passage, the word "culture" most nearly means:

    • A.the customs and beliefs of a group
    • B.the cultivation of soil for crops
    • C.a growth of microorganisms in a lab✓ Answer
    • D.appreciation of the arts and learning

    The passage says a laboratory 'may grow a culture from a patient's sample and test which medicines stop the bacteria,' so the word means microorganisms grown in a lab. The everyday senses (a group's customs, appreciation of the arts, or working the soil) do not fit a laboratory test on a patient's sample. The cue words 'grow' and 'laboratory' point to the scientific meaning.

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20. 20. Read the passage and answer the question. Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria or stop them from multiplying. They do not work against viruses, such as those that cause the common cold. Each time antibiotics are used, a few bacteria may survive because of small genetic differences. These survivors multiply and pass their traits on, so over time a population of bacteria can become resistant, meaning the drug no longer controls it. Using antibiotics when they are not needed speeds up this process. To choose the right drug, a laboratory may grow a culture from a patient's sample and test which medicines stop the bacteria. Taking antibiotics only as prescribed helps keep these medicines effective for the future. According to the passage, what speeds up the development of resistance?

    • A.Growing a culture from a patient's sample in a lab
    • B.Finishing the full course of a prescribed antibiotic
    • C.Catching a viral infection such as the common cold
    • D.Using antibiotics in cases where they are not needed✓ Answer

    The passage states plainly: 'Using antibiotics when they are not needed speeds up this process.' Taking antibiotics as prescribed is described as helping keep them effective, lab cultures are used to choose the right drug, and colds are mentioned only as viral infections that antibiotics do not treat.

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21. 21. Read the passage and answer the question. Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria or stop them from multiplying. They do not work against viruses, such as those that cause the common cold. Each time antibiotics are used, a few bacteria may survive because of small genetic differences. These survivors multiply and pass their traits on, so over time a population of bacteria can become resistant, meaning the drug no longer controls it. Using antibiotics when they are not needed speeds up this process. To choose the right drug, a laboratory may grow a culture from a patient's sample and test which medicines stop the bacteria. Taking antibiotics only as prescribed helps keep these medicines effective for the future. Which of the following is the best summary of the passage?

    • A.Bacteria are dangerous germs that can survive any medicine, so new antibiotics must be invented every year to replace old ones.
    • B.Antibiotics fight bacteria, but surviving bacteria can become resistant, so careful use keeps the drugs working.✓ Answer
    • C.Labs grow cultures from patient samples to test which drugs work, and this is the most important step in treating infections.
    • D.Antibiotics do not work against viruses, so doctors should never give them to a patient who has a cold or any similar illness.

    The passage moves from what antibiotics do, to how surviving bacteria multiply until a population becomes resistant, to how careful use keeps the drugs effective; the best summary covers that whole chain. The virus option stretches one detail with 'never,' the 'survive any medicine' option contradicts the passage, and calling lab cultures 'the most important step' adds an opinion the passage does not express.

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22. 22. Read the passage and answer the question. Wetlands were once widely viewed as wasteland, and many were drained to make room for farms and towns. Scientists now recognize that these soggy areas do valuable work. Wetland plants and soils slow moving water, so after heavy rain they hold floodwater and release it gradually. As water passes slowly through, sediment settles out and some pollutants are taken up by plants, leaving cleaner water downstream. Wetlands also provide food and shelter for many birds, fish, and insects, some of which depend on them during part of their life cycle. In some regions, communities have begun restoring wetlands that were drained decades ago, partly to reduce flood damage to nearby homes. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

    • A.Wetlands, once seen as useless, are now valued for their services.✓ Answer
    • B.Wetland plants absorb some pollutants as water flows slowly through them.
    • C.All drained wetlands should be restored to protect homes from flooding.
    • D.Wetlands are the most important habitat for birds, fish, and insects.

    The first two sentences set up the contrast: wetlands were 'once widely viewed as wasteland,' but scientists 'now recognize' their value. The rest of the passage lists that value: flood control, cleaner water, and habitat. Pollutant uptake is a single supporting detail; the passage says only that some communities restore wetlands, not that all should be restored; and it never ranks wetlands as the most important habitat.

    Ref QB-5SGVPUSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Reading Comprehension: identifying the main ideaReport a problem with this question

23. 23. Read the passage and answer the question. Wetlands were once widely viewed as wasteland, and many were drained to make room for farms and towns. Scientists now recognize that these soggy areas do valuable work. Wetland plants and soils slow moving water, so after heavy rain they hold floodwater and release it gradually. As water passes slowly through, sediment settles out and some pollutants are taken up by plants, leaving cleaner water downstream. Wetlands also provide food and shelter for many birds, fish, and insects, some of which depend on them during part of their life cycle. In some regions, communities have begun restoring wetlands that were drained decades ago, partly to reduce flood damage to nearby homes. The author's tone in this passage is best described as:

    • A.objective and informative✓ Answer
    • B.angry and harshly accusing
    • C.humorous and lighthearted
    • D.fearful and deeply alarmed

    The author explains what wetlands do (slowing floodwater, settling sediment, sheltering wildlife) in plain, factual language, without blaming anyone, joking, or warning of disaster. Even the fact that many wetlands were drained is stated neutrally. Tone comes from word choice, and these word choices mark the passage as objective and informative.

    Ref QB-N9P2AVSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Reading Comprehension: author's toneReport a problem with this question

24. 24. Read the passage and answer the question. Wetlands were once widely viewed as wasteland, and many were drained to make room for farms and towns. Scientists now recognize that these soggy areas do valuable work. Wetland plants and soils slow moving water, so after heavy rain they hold floodwater and release it gradually. As water passes slowly through, sediment settles out and some pollutants are taken up by plants, leaving cleaner water downstream. Wetlands also provide food and shelter for many birds, fish, and insects, some of which depend on them during part of their life cycle. In some regions, communities have begun restoring wetlands that were drained decades ago, partly to reduce flood damage to nearby homes. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

    • A.Wetlands remove every pollutant from the water passing through them.
    • B.Draining a wetland may increase flooding in areas downstream of it.✓ Answer
    • C.Farms built on drained wetlands produce more food than other farms.
    • D.Draining wetlands always leads to the extinction of local birds.

    The passage says wetlands 'hold floodwater and release it gradually' and that communities restore drained wetlands 'partly to reduce flood damage to nearby homes.' It follows that removing a wetland could leave nearby and downstream areas more exposed to flooding. The passage never mentions extinction or farm yields, and it says plants take up only 'some' pollutants, so the absolute words 'always' and 'every' are not supported.

    Ref QB-6SU7VVSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Reading Comprehension: making logical inferencesReport a problem with this question

Practice questions built from the seven scored academic exams Elsevier lists for the HESI Admission Assessment (A2). This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Elsevier or HESI, and these are not real exam questions. Each school decides which sections you take, the time allowed, whether a calculator is available and the score it requires, so check those with the program you are applying to. The real exam is given in English; the Vocabulary and Grammar answer choices are kept in English here for that reason. About the HESI A2 (Elsevier) →