Let me now take you on to the day of the assault. My cousin and I were separated at the outset. I never saw him when we forded the river; when we planted the English flag in the first breach; when we crossed the ditch beyond, and, fighting every inch of our way, entered the town.
It was only at dusk, when the place was ours, and after General Baird himself had found the dead body of Tippoo under a heap of the slain, that Herncastle and I met.
13. What would be a good title for the passage?
(A) “Attacking Japan”
(B) “War without Violence”
(C) “Moving to the Mountains”
(D) “My Account of the War”
14. How long was the main character fighting in the area?
(A) two hours
(B) from day to dusk
(C) a few days
(D) none of the above
15. In this passage, what is the meaning of the word heap?
(A) pile
(B) rubbish
(C) marker
(D) note
16. According to the passage, you can assume the main character is
(A) at a community function.
(B) in a war.
(C) dreaming.
(D) moving to a new town.
Passage nine
The third leading cause of unintentional injury death the world over is drowning. Sad to say, most of these deaths could have been prevented if the simple rules of water safety had been applied. Most drownings are preventable if the victim does not become panicked; therefore, the first and most important safety rule is to remain calm. The ability to swim may save your life, but even an experienced swimmer can panic with fear and stop making rational decisions and begin to flounder. When this happens, the swimmer has taken the first step to drowning. The key to preventing panic is relaxation. When confronted with an emergency, the swimmer must make himself remain calm and in charge, making conscious efforts to escape the situation.
17. According to this passage, what is the first step in drowning?
(A) going underwater
(B) giving in to fear
(C) not wearing a life preserver
(D) not knowing how to swim
18. The word flounder, as used in this passage, most nearly means
(A) a fish.
(B) a building foundation.
(C) to splash about helplessly.
(D) to float.
19. According to the passage, what is the best prevention for drowning?
(A) staying out of the water
(B) learning how to swim
(C) having a buddy nearby
(D) remaining calm
Passage ten
Braille was based on a military code called night writing, developed in response to Napoleon’s demand for a means for soldiers to communicate silently at night and without light. A soldier invented a tactile system of raised dots. Napoleon rejected it as too complicated, but Louis Braille simplified it for use by the blind. Braille is still used today, consisting of one to six raised dots, representing the alphabet, that a person can feel with his or her fingertips.
20. Why was Napoleon interested in Braille?
(A) He was blind.
(B) He wanted to help the blind.
(C) He couldn’t read.
(D) He wanted a code that could be read at night.
21. How many raised dots are used to form each letter of the alphabet in Braille?
(A) three
(B) six
(C) one to six
(D) none of the above
22. What was Louis Braille’s contribution to the invention of this reading system?
(A) He taught blind people how to read.
(B) He urged Napoleon to have it developed.
(C) He named it.
(D) He simplified someone else’s complicated idea.
23. The word tactile, as used in this passage, most nearly means
(A) a sharp object.
(B) words on a printed page.
(C) something that is sticky.
(D) something that can be felt with the fingers.
Passage eleven
There seem to be abundant job opportunities for nurses these days. Plus, nurses receive decent salaries and benefits. Nursing jobs are very flexible with work schedules. There is an array of specialties when it comes to nursing positions in a variety of settings. It is true that nursing offers room for advancement and raises. Overall, the biggest advantage to being a nurse must be the satisfaction you get from knowing you are helping others.
24. According to the paragraph, what is the best part about being a nurse?
(A) getting good benefits
(B) helping people
(C) having three days off in a row
(D) having room for advancement
25. According to the passage, which of the following is not a benefit of being a nurse?
(A) room for advancement
(B) array of specialties
(C) convenient uniforms
(D) flexible scheduling
26. What is the main thought of the paragraph?
(A) There are a lot of nurses.
(B) There are a lot of nursing jobs.
(C) Nursing pays well.
(D) Nursing has many benefits.
27. In this paragraph, what is the meaning of the word abundant?
(A) excellent
(B) plenty
(C) few
(D) competitive
Answers and Explanations
Use this answer key to score the Paragraph Comprehension practice questions.
1 A. The correct answer is Choice (A) — Mercedes is anxious about taking the test, which you can tell with context clues such as “The whole day would be a mess” and “test-taker anxiety started to creep in.”
2 B. The correct answer is Choice (B). The passage says, “just thinking about what kind of topics were in the pool (and the fact that she had to finish the essay by noon) conjured a familiar ache.”
3 B. Although measuring is something you do when baking, it doesn’t most nearly mean the same thing as assembling. Putting together does. Therefore, Choice (B) is the correct answer.
4 C. The passage states that if you follow a recipe carefully, “your cookies will always turn out right.” The correct answer is Choice (C).
5 A.