2021 / 2022 ASVAB For Dummies. Angie Papple Johnston

the 18th century, it was common for sailors to be pressed into service in Britain. Young men found near seaports could be kidnapped, drugged, or otherwise hauled aboard a ship and made to work doing menial chores. They weren’t paid for their service, and they were given just enough food to keep them alive.

       In this passage, pressed means

      (A) hired.

      (B) ironed.

      (C) enticed.

      (D) forced.

      The descriptions of the conditions these sailors found themselves in should help you decide that they weren’t hired or enticed; ironed is one meaning of the word pressed, but it isn’t correct in this context. The correct answer is Choice (D). Here’s another example:

      Since the 1980s, computers have become an indispensable part of American business. Computers can be used for thousands of applications, from word processing and running spreadsheets to keeping one’s checkbook updated.

       In this passage, applications means

      (A) functions.

      (B) sizes.

      (C) requests.

      (D) types.

      Try putting the answer choices in this sentence: “Computers can be used for thousands of applications.” You can see that functions is closest in meaning to applications, although in a different context, some of the other answer choices may be correct. The correct answer is Choice (A).

      Reading between the lines: Understanding implications

      Some Paragraph Comprehension questions ask you to draw an inference from a stated idea. This simply means that you may need to draw a conclusion from what you’ve read. This conclusion should always be based on the reading, not your own particular opinions about a subject.

The conclusion — which may be called an inference or implication — must be reasonably based on what the passage says. You have to use good judgment when deciding which conclusions can be logically drawn from what you’ve read. Give it a shot:

      Twenty-five percent of all automobile thefts occur when the doors of a car are left unlocked. People often forget to lock their doors, find it inconvenient, or tell themselves, “I’ll only be a minute.” But it only takes a minute for an accomplished car thief to steal a car. And thieves are always alert to the opportunities that distracted or rushed people present them with.

       To prevent auto theft, it’s a person’s responsibility to

      (A) leave the doors unlocked.

      (B) never be in a rush.

      (C) prevent the opportunity.

      (D) be willing to perform a citizen’s arrest.

      Although the paragraph doesn’t state, “It’s your own responsibility to prevent car thieves from having an opportunity to break into your car,” this idea is certainly implied. The correct answer is Choice (C). There’s no implication that people should be willing to (or can) perform a citizen’s arrest. Leaving the doors unlocked is the opposite of what one should do, and never being in a rush is probably unlikely.

      An example of an unreasonable conclusion drawn from the passage would be something like “if everyone locked his or her doors, there would be no crime” or “all car thieves should be sentenced to 30 years in prison.” Nothing in this particular passage supports such a conclusion.

       One way to help determine whether you’ve drawn a reasonable conclusion is to ask yourself, “Based on what I’ve just read, would the author agree with the conclusion I’ve reached?” If the answer is yes, your conclusion is probably reasonable. If the answer is no, it’s time to think up a new conclusion.

      Check out another example:

      Boiler technicians operate main and auxiliary boilers. They maintain and repair all parts, including pressure fittings, valves, pumps, and forced-air blowers. Technicians may have to lift or move heavy equipment. They may have to stoop and kneel and work in awkward positions.

       According to this job description, a good candidate for this job would be

      (A) a person with joint problems.

      (B) an individual unaccustomed to heavy lifting.

      (C) a person who isn’t mechanically minded.

      (D) a person who’s physically fit.

Although the passage doesn’t state, “This job requires a physically fit person,” the duties listed imply that this is so. The correct answer is Choice (D). A person with joint problems may not be able to stoop or kneel or work in awkward positions. A person who’s unaccustomed to heavy lifting may not be able to lift or move the heavy equipment as needed. A person who isn’t mechanically minded may not have the knowledge necessary to maintain and repair boilers and all their parts. This leaves Choice (D) as the answer, and it’s true that a person who’s physically fit would be a good choice for the job.

Do You Get My Point? Breaking down Paragraphs

      All good writing has a point. Some writing has more than one point. Points are ideas that the writer is trying to convey to the reader. The primary purpose of the writing is known as the main point or main idea. Points used to support or clarify the main point are called subpoints or supporting points. You should know how to identify main points and subpoints when you practice reading.

      What’s the big idea? Determining the main idea in a paragraph

      Questions on the Paragraph Comprehension subtest frequently ask you to identify the main point of a reading passage. How do you get better at identifying main ideas? Practice. The main idea, which is the most important point the author is making, is sometimes stated and sometimes implied in a piece of writing.

      Finding a topic sentence

      Often, the author begins or ends a paragraph or passage with the main idea, which is located in what’s called a topic sentence. A topic sentence, reasonably enough, describes the topic that the author is writing about.

       If you’re looking for the main idea, start off by checking the first and last sentences of the passage. (No, this doesn’t mean that you should skip the rest of the passage.) For example, suppose you read the following paragraph:

      The local school district is facing a serious budgetary crisis. The state, suffering a revenue shortfall of more than $600 million, has cut funding to the district by $18.7 million. Already, 65 teachers have been laid off, and more layoffs are expected.

      No, the primary theme of this passage isn’t “schools in our area suck.” The main point of this paragraph can be found in the opening sentence, “The local school district is facing a serious budgetary crisis.” What follows are details regarding the budget crisis.

      Sometimes a passage builds up to its main idea, and sometimes the main idea is implied instead of stated. Consider the following paragraph:

      The farmers’ market reopened on the