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ACCUPLACER practice questions

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Question 1Reading

Many people assume that bats are rodents, but they are actually more closely related to primates. Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight, and they use echolocation to navigate in darkness. Which sentence best states the main idea?

  1. Echolocation is the only way animals navigate in darkness.
  2. Bats are a type of rodent that flies at night.
  3. Primates and rodents share a common ancestor.
  4. Bats are widely misunderstood animals. Correct answer.

Explanation

A main idea must cover the whole passage, not just one detail. The paragraph corrects a common misconception and then lists distinctive bat traits, which the first option captures. The other choices either repeat a detail or state something the passage contradicts.

Question 2Reading

The committee's report was terse, offering only a few sentences where a full analysis had been expected. As used in the sentence, "terse" most nearly means

  1. inaccurate
  2. confusing
  3. rude
  4. brief Correct answer.

Explanation

Context clues matter here: the sentence explains the word with the phrase "only a few sentences." That restatement signals shortness rather than rudeness or error. Substituting each option into the sentence shows only "brief" fits the contrast with a "full analysis."

Question 3Reading

The city council approved the budget on Tuesday. The plan raises parking fees by 50 cents an hour. The increase will take effect in July. Drivers will barely notice the change. Which sentence expresses an opinion rather than a fact?

  1. The city council approved the budget on Tuesday.
  2. The plan raises parking fees by 50 cents an hour.
  3. The increase will take effect in July.
  4. Drivers will barely notice the change. Correct answer.

Explanation

Facts can be verified through records, dates, and measurements, while opinions rest on judgment about how people will feel or react. The first three sentences give a date, an amount, and a start time that could be checked. The last sentence predicts a reaction and cannot be confirmed the same way.

Question 4Reading

Sea otters wrap themselves in kelp before sleeping so they do not drift away. They also hold hands with one another while resting. According to the passage, why do sea otters wrap themselves in kelp?

  1. To stay warm in cold water
  2. To hide from predators
  3. To keep from drifting away Correct answer.
  4. To store food for later

Explanation

A detail question is answered by the text itself, not by outside knowledge. The passage states the purpose directly in the same sentence as the kelp behavior. The remaining choices are plausible otter facts but are not given in the passage.

Question 5Reading

The engineers tested the prototype repeatedly because they wanted to be certain of its reliability before the launch. In this sentence, the word "they" refers to

  1. reliability
  2. the engineers Correct answer.
  3. the launch
  4. the prototype

Explanation

A pronoun refers to the nearest logical noun that matches it in number and sense. "They" is plural and names the people who would want certainty, which points to the engineers. The other nouns are either singular or not capable of wanting something.

Question 6Reading

Bring water to a boil. Pour it over the leaves. Steep for three minutes. Remove the leaves before serving. The primary purpose of this passage is

  1. to explain how to prepare tea Correct answer.
  2. to describe the history of tea
  3. to persuade readers to drink tea
  4. to compare tea with coffee

Explanation

Purpose is identified from the passage's mode of organization. These sentences are imperative steps arranged in sequence, which is the structure of instructions. Persuasion, history, and comparison would require opinions, dates, or contrasts that are absent here.

Question 7Reading

The first trial showed promising results; ___, the second trial failed to reproduce them. Which word best fills the blank?

  1. therefore
  2. moreover
  3. similarly
  4. however Correct answer.

Explanation

The blank joins two clauses whose meanings pull in opposite directions: promising results versus failure to reproduce them. A contrast signal such as "however" is needed. The other choices signal cause, similarity, or addition, none of which fits the opposition.

Question 8Reading

The proposal, once again, arrived three weeks late and missing half its appendices. One can only marvel at the office's commitment to punctuality. The tone of the passage is best described as

  1. sarcastic Correct answer.
  2. neutral
  3. enthusiastic
  4. sorrowful

Explanation

Tone comes from the gap between what is said and what is meant. The office is described as chronically late, then praised for "commitment to punctuality," which reverses the literal meaning. That deliberate mismatch is the mark of sarcasm.

Question 9Reading

When the museum announced free admission on Sundays, attendance on weekdays dropped by nearly a third. Which inference is best supported by the passage?

  1. The museum's weekday exhibits are less interesting.
  2. The museum lost money on Sundays.
  3. Some weekday visitors shifted to Sundays. Correct answer.
  4. Sunday visitors are more interested in art.

Explanation

A supported inference follows from stated evidence without adding new assumptions. If weekday visits fell exactly when free Sunday entry began, the most economical explanation is that some visitors changed days. The other choices speculate about taste, finances, or motivation that the passage never addresses.

Question 10Reading

Recycling paper saves landfill space, but the process of de-inking and re-pulping consumes energy and water. In regions where electricity comes from coal, recycled paper can carry a heavier carbon footprint than paper made from freshly cut timber. The passage mainly suggests that

  1. Timber production is environmentally harmless.
  2. Recycling paper involves environmental trade-offs. Correct answer.
  3. Recycling paper is a waste of time.
  4. Landfills are the most serious environmental problem.

Explanation

The passage balances a benefit of recycling against costs, which is the definition of a trade-off. A main-idea choice must account for both the "saves landfill space" clause and the energy and carbon drawbacks. Options that take only one side distort the passage.

Question 11Reading

Some critics argue that standardized tests measure only test-taking skill. Others contend that scores predict college performance reasonably well. Neither side, however, has examined how students perform after their first year. What is the function of the last sentence?

  1. It identifies a gap in both arguments. Correct answer.
  2. It restates the first sentence.
  3. It offers statistical evidence.
  4. It introduces the main claim of the passage.

Explanation

Structural function is determined by how a sentence relates to what precedes it. The word "Neither" points back to both camps, and "has examined" names something missing from their research. That makes the sentence a statement of a shared limitation.

Question 12Reading

Although the theory was once derided by most physicists, it is now accepted by nearly all of them. As used in the sentence, "derided" most nearly means

  1. ignored
  2. supported
  3. revised
  4. ridiculed Correct answer.

Explanation

The contrast signal "Although" sets up an opposition between the theory's past and present reception. Since it is now accepted, it must once have been mocked or scorned. "Ridiculed" supplies that negative past treatment.

Question 13Reading

The coral in the bay has lost nearly all of its color over the past two years. Water temperatures in the bay have risen steadily over the same period. Nearby reefs with cooler water remain brightly colored. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. The bay's water temperature will continue to rise forever.
  2. All reefs will eventually lose their color.
  3. Warm water is likely harming the bay's coral. Correct answer.
  4. Coral color is determined by the amount of sunlight.

Explanation

The passage presents a correlation between rising temperature and coral bleaching, plus a comparison group in cooler water that stayed healthy. The cautious word "likely" matches the strength of that evidence. The other choices either predict beyond the data or introduce a cause never mentioned.

Question 14Reading

In a study of 400 commuters, those who cycled to work reported fewer sick days than those who drove. The researchers cautioned that cyclists may already be healthier than drivers, so the exercise itself might not be responsible for the difference. Which sentence best summarizes the passage?

  1. Cycling prevents illness in commuters.
  2. Cyclists had fewer sick days, but the cause is unclear. Correct answer.
  3. Researchers studied how commuters choose their transportation.
  4. Commuters who drive take more sick days than cyclists.

Explanation

A summary must preserve the main finding and the main qualification. The passage reports the cyclist-driver gap and then warns that self-selection may explain it. Option two captures both halves; the others drop the caveat or misstate the study's focus.

Question 15Reading

The novelist thanked her editor, whose suggestions had reshaped the book, and dedicated the novel to him. In this sentence, the word "him" refers to

  1. the novelist
  2. the novel's main character
  3. the editor Correct answer.
  4. the publisher

Explanation

An antecedent must agree with the pronoun in number and gender and must fit the logic of the sentence. The only singular male referent mentioned is the editor, whose help is being acknowledged. The novelist is referred to as "her," and no publisher or character is named.

Question 16Reading

Both the violin and the viola are bowed string instruments held under the chin. The viola, however, is larger and produces a lower, deeper sound. What is the relationship between the two sentences?

  1. It compares two instruments and notes a difference. Correct answer.
  2. The passage traces the history of string instruments.
  3. The passage argues that the viola is superior.
  4. The passage explains how a viola is manufactured.

Explanation

The first sentence establishes a similarity between two items, and "however" marks the shift to a distinguishing feature. That pattern is comparison and contrast. No manufacturing process, value judgment, or historical timeline appears.

Question 17Reading

Before you buy another plastic water bottle, consider this: Americans throw away 35 billion bottles each year, and fewer than one in three is recycled. A reusable bottle costs less in a month than a daily bottled-water habit. The author's main purpose is

  1. to describe how plastic bottles are manufactured
  2. to entertain readers with an anecdote
  3. to persuade readers to use reusable bottles Correct answer.
  4. to report the results of a scientific experiment

Explanation

The direct address "Before you buy" and the cost comparison are appeals aimed at changing behavior. Statistics about waste reinforce that persuasive goal. Description, experiment reporting, and entertainment would use different structures and would not urge action.

Question 18Reading

"Her apology was a bandage on a broken leg." What does this sentence most nearly mean?

  1. The apology was too late to matter.
  2. The apology fully healed the relationship.
  3. The apology was far too small for the harm done. Correct answer.
  4. The apology was insincere.

Explanation

A simile works by transferring the relationship between two things in the comparison. A bandage cannot mend a broken leg, so the image suggests a remedy that is wildly out of proportion to the injury. The point is scale, not sincerity or timing.

Question 19Reading

The Great Wall of China was built over many centuries by several dynasties. It was not a single continuous wall but a network of walls and fortifications. Its purpose was primarily to protect against invasions from the north. According to the passage, the Great Wall

  1. was built by a single dynasty over a few decades
  2. was one continuous wall from end to end
  3. was built primarily for trade and commerce
  4. served mainly as a defense against northern invasions Correct answer.

Explanation

This is a literal comprehension item, so the answer must be stated in the text. The final sentence names defense against northern invasions as the primary purpose. The other options either reverse a stated fact or add a purpose the passage never gives.

Question 20Reading

It is hard to imagine a more thorough account of the region's birds than this volume. The photographs alone would justify its price, and the text is both precise and readable. The author's attitude toward the book is

  1. neutral and detached
  2. puzzled
  3. cautiously critical
  4. strongly admiring Correct answer.

Explanation

Attitude is revealed through evaluative language. Phrases like "hard to imagine a more thorough account" and "would justify its price" are superlative praise. Nothing in the review hedges or criticizes.

Question 21Reading

Historians once described the factory strike of 1912 as a spontaneous outburst. Newly examined payroll records, however, show that the walkout began the day after pay was cut by nine percent and that the workers had met in secret three times beforehand. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. The strike had no clear cause.
  2. The strike failed to achieve its goals.
  3. The strike was better organized than historians once believed. Correct answer.
  4. Payroll records are more reliable than other historical sources.

Explanation

The new evidence shows planning, including three secret meetings, which undermines the word "spontaneous." The conclusion must rest on what the records actually demonstrate rather than on broad claims about historical method. The passage says nothing about the strike's outcome.

Question 22Reading

Advocates of the new zoning plan point to the affordable housing it would create. They say nothing about the 40 small businesses that would be displaced. Then again, those businesses have never contributed to any candidate's campaign. The tone of the last sentence is best described as

  1. bitterly ironic Correct answer.
  2. cautiously optimistic
  3. formally apologetic
  4. straightforwardly informative

Explanation

The final sentence implies that campaign money, not merit, explains why the businesses were overlooked. That insinuation is delivered through dry understatement rather than direct accusation, which produces irony. A purely informative sentence would not carry that implied criticism.

Question 23Reading

The author spends the first half of the essay cataloging the failures of the city's transit system. In the final paragraph, she proposes a modest pilot program for two bus lines. The contrast is deliberate: readers who reach the end have already been persuaded that something must change. What is the main purpose of this description?

  1. to criticize the essay's lack of evidence
  2. to summarize the essay's overall argument
  3. to compare bus and rail systems
  4. to explain the essay's structure Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage describes how one part of the essay is arranged relative to another and why that arrangement works. Naming the halves and the effect of their contrast is a description of structure. The writer neither endorses nor attacks the essay's position.

Question 24Reading

The senator's remarks were carefully parsed by reporters, who noted that he had stopped short of endorsing the bill. As used in the sentence, "parsed" suggests that the reporters

  1. misunderstood the remarks
  2. recorded the remarks word for word
  3. ignored the remarks
  4. analyzed the remarks closely Correct answer.

Explanation

The adverb "carefully" and the reporters' attention to a subtle omission indicate close scrutiny of meaning. "Parsed" implies breaking down language to extract precise significance. Mere transcription or disregard would not produce the observation about what the senator stopped short of saying.

Question 25Reading

Two studies reach opposite conclusions about homework in elementary school. The first, involving 200 students in a suburban district, found a small positive effect. The second, with 1,500 students across five districts, found no effect. Both used the same standardized test. Which conclusion is most reasonable?

  1. The larger study's results are more likely to reflect a general pattern. Correct answer.
  2. Homework has a strong positive effect on elementary students.
  3. The first study's findings should be preferred because it was conducted first.
  4. Neither study is trustworthy because they disagree.

Explanation

When studies conflict, sample size and diversity of settings affect how well results generalize. The second study draws on more students across more districts while using the same measure, which strengthens its reach. Disagreement alone does not invalidate research, and the first study's effect was small.

Question 26Reading

The lighthouse keeper's log recorded the same entries for decades: weather, passing ships, and the hours the lamp was lit. Read today, those plain lines trace the slow decline of a harbor that once employed hundreds. Which sentence best states the main idea?

  1. A routine record can reveal a larger historical change. Correct answer.
  2. The harbor's decline was caused by the lighthouse.
  3. Weather records are the most useful historical source.
  4. Lighthouse keepers were required to write daily entries.

Explanation

The passage contrasts the log's plain, repetitive entries with the larger story they preserve: the decline of a harbor. The main idea must capture that contrast between ordinary record-keeping and historical significance.

Question 27Reading

The committee's report was candid: it listed every failed experiment and every cost overrun without excuse. As used in the sentence, "candid" most nearly means

  1. cautious
  2. official
  3. brief
  4. frank Correct answer.

Explanation

Context clues are "listed every failed experiment" and "without excuse," which show openness about bad news. A word meaning direct and honest fits that description.

Question 28Reading

Unlike most bats, the Mexican free-tailed bat can cruise at speeds near 60 miles per hour and fly at altitudes of two miles. According to the sentence, what distinguishes this bat from most bats?

  1. It flies high and fast. Correct answer.
  2. It sleeps upside down.
  3. It migrates long distances.
  4. It hunts insects at night.

Explanation

The sentence explicitly gives speed and altitude as the features that set this bat apart from most bats. The answer must match those stated details.

Question 29Reading

Dr. Alvarez handed the samples to Ines, who logged each one before sending them to the lab. In this sentence, "them" refers to

  1. Ines
  2. the samples Correct answer.
  3. Dr. Alvarez
  4. the lab

Explanation

A pronoun must refer to a preceding noun that fits the meaning. Ines logged each sample, so the things she sent to the lab are the samples.

Question 30Reading

The first prototype was bulky and slow. ___, it proved that the basic design could work. Which word best fills the blank?

  1. For instance
  2. Nevertheless Correct answer.
  3. Therefore
  4. Similarly

Explanation

The second sentence contrasts a flaw with a positive result, so a concession word is needed. "Nevertheless" signals that the positive point holds despite the drawback.

Question 31Reading

Wash the jar and lid in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Fill the jar with boiling water and let it stand for ten minutes before draining. What is the primary purpose of this passage?

  1. to explain why jars crack
  2. to describe a science experiment
  3. to give steps for sterilizing a jar Correct answer.
  4. to compare glass and plastic

Explanation

The sentences are ordered commands for cleaning and treating a jar. That sequence of steps defines a set of instructions for sterilizing it.

Question 32Reading

The clerk answered every question with a sigh, slid the forms across the counter without looking up, and pointed at the sign when I asked again. The tone of the passage is

  1. fearful
  2. playful
  3. impatient Correct answer.
  4. admiring

Explanation

Tone is conveyed through details such as sighing, avoiding eye contact, and pointing instead of answering. These details suggest irritation and impatience.

Question 33Reading

Which sentence states an opinion rather than a fact?

  1. The bridge carries four lanes of traffic.
  2. The bridge is the most beautiful structure in the city. Correct answer.
  3. The bridge opened in 1937.
  4. The bridge is 1.2 miles long.

Explanation

A fact can be verified by measurement or records, while an opinion expresses a judgment. "Most beautiful" is a personal evaluation that cannot be objectively confirmed.

Question 34Reading

Every spring the town's bakery posts a sign: "Strawberry season ends when the fields do." By June the shelves are bare by noon. What can most reasonably be inferred?

  1. The bakery closes during the summer.
  2. The sign is required by local law.
  3. Demand is high and supply is limited. Correct answer.
  4. Strawberries are the bakery's only ingredient.

Explanation

An inference must follow from clues without being directly stated. Shelves emptying by noon during a short strawberry season suggest strong demand and limited supply.

Question 35Reading

The scientist's claim was greeted with skepticism, not because the data were thin but because they contradicted a model that had gone unchallenged for fifty years. As used in the sentence, "skepticism" most nearly means

  1. doubt Correct answer.
  2. confusion
  3. enthusiasm
  4. anger

Explanation

The sentence explains that the claim contradicted a long-standing model, which would lead listeners to question it. Skepticism is therefore a attitude of doubt.

Question 36Reading

For three generations the Rivera family ran the print shop on Ninth Street. Then the leases doubled, the presses wore out, and the last typesetter retired. The shop now sells phone cases. What is the author's purpose?

  1. to chronicle a local change Correct answer.
  2. to explain how printing works
  3. to criticize the Rivera family
  4. to advertise a business

Explanation

The passage traces a business's history and its transformation into a different kind of shop. That makes it a brief record of change in a local place.

Question 37Reading

Both the kayak and the canoe are paddled from a seated position. The kayak, however, sits lower in the water and is steered with a double-bladed paddle. What does the passage emphasize?

  1. A key difference between similar craft. Correct answer.
  2. The canoe is faster and easier to steer.
  3. Kayaks are much harder to build.
  4. Both craft use exactly the same paddle.

Explanation

The passage first notes a similarity and then uses "however" to introduce distinguishing features. The emphasis is on how two comparable craft differ.

Question 38Reading

Before you decide that the new stadium is too expensive, consider what the team pays in city taxes each year, what the crowds spend downtown, and what the vacant lot costs the city in upkeep. The author mainly appeals to

  1. fear of change
  2. nostalgia
  3. respect for authority
  4. economic self-interest Correct answer.

Explanation

The appeal is built from tax revenue, downtown spending, and upkeep costs. These are financial considerations, so the argument targets economic self-interest.

Question 39Reading

Marisol read the letter twice, folded it carefully, and put it in the drawer with the others. She did not mention it at dinner. What is suggested about Marisol?

  1. She forgot what the letter said.
  2. She plans to throw the letter away.
  3. She wants to keep the letter private. Correct answer.
  4. She had never received a letter before.

Explanation

Reading carefully, folding, storing, and not mentioning the letter all suggest secrecy. The details point toward a wish to keep its contents to herself.

Question 40Reading

City trees do more than shade sidewalks. They absorb storm water, filter dust, and can lower street temperatures by several degrees. A single mature oak, researchers estimate, does the work of several air conditioners. Which sentence best states the main idea?

  1. Oaks are the best trees for cities.
  2. Sidewalks are too hot in summer.
  3. Air conditioners are inefficient.
  4. City trees provide more than shade. Correct answer.

Explanation

The first sentence announces the main point, and the rest lists specific benefits that support it. The idea is that trees do more than provide shade.

Question 41Reading

Many people assume that goldfish have three-second memories. In fact, goldfish can learn to recognize colors and remember them for months. How does the second sentence relate to the first?

  1. It gives an example of the first.
  2. It corrects the first sentence's claim. Correct answer.
  3. It restates the first.
  4. It concedes a point in the first.

Explanation

"In fact" introduces evidence that contradicts the common assumption in the first sentence. The second sentence therefore corrects that assumption.

Question 42Reading

The museum's new wing was funded entirely by private donations, and admission to it remains free. The main galleries, however, now charge a fee. What can most reasonably be inferred?

  1. The museum wanted the new wing to stay free. Correct answer.
  2. Private donors opposed free admission.
  3. The main galleries are larger than the new wing.
  4. The museum is losing money.

Explanation

The passage links private funding with free admission in the new wing, while other galleries charge. The contrast suggests a deliberate choice to keep the donated wing free.

Question 43Reading

Her argument was subtle: it did not deny the cost of the program but showed that the cost was outweighed by savings elsewhere. As used in the sentence, "subtle" most nearly means

  1. nuanced Correct answer.
  2. brief
  3. obvious
  4. dishonest

Explanation

The colon explains that the argument acknowledges a cost while balancing it against savings. That kind of careful distinction is best described as nuanced.

Question 44Reading

The report's recommendations are sensible enough, but they arrive after three years of studies and two consultants, and the problem has only grown. The author's attitude toward the report is best described as

  1. complete indifference
  2. open hostility
  3. qualified frustration Correct answer.
  4. wholehearted approval

Explanation

The author grants that the recommendations are sensible but criticizes the delay and the worsening problem. That combination signals partial approval mixed with frustration.

Question 45Reading

Volunteers who tutored children weekly reported that the children's reading scores rose, but the program also gave the children something harder to measure: an adult who showed up every week. Which detail supports the claim that the program offered more than academic gains?

  1. The program was volunteer-run.
  2. The volunteers tutored weekly.
  3. Reading scores rose.
  4. Children gained a reliable adult. Correct answer.

Explanation

The question asks for support for a nonacademic benefit. The reliable adult presence is presented as something beyond measurable reading improvement.

Question 46Reading

When the town council approved the new bike lanes, shop owners on Main Street objected that parking spaces would disappear. Six months later, the same owners asked the council to extend the lanes through the next block. What is most reasonably inferred?

  1. The owners never truly cared about parking.
  2. The lanes benefited the owners' businesses. Correct answer.
  3. The council ignored the owners' original objection.
  4. The lanes reduced parking in the next block.

Explanation

The owners' shift from objection to requesting an extension implies that their experience changed their minds. The most likely reason is that the lanes helped rather than hurt their businesses.

Question 47Reading

A critic of the study notes that its participants were all volunteers, who may be more motivated than the general population. Even so, the effect the study found was large enough that motivation alone is unlikely to explain it. The speaker responds to the critic by

  1. conceding a weakness but defending the result Correct answer.
  2. denying the critic's premise
  3. shifting the topic to motivation
  4. introducing a new study

Explanation

"Even so" signals that the speaker accepts the critic's point but argues it is not decisive. This is a concession followed by a defense of the study's conclusion.

Question 48Reading

The company's memo assures employees that the new scheduling system "will offer greater flexibility," which is true if one considers it flexible to be called in on a day off. The author's remark is best described as

  1. neutral
  2. sarcastic Correct answer.
  3. enthusiastic
  4. apologetic

Explanation

The author quotes the company's wording and then undercuts it with an absurd example. That gap between official language and reality creates sarcasm.

Question 49Reading

Two rival theories explain the collapse of the Bronze Age palaces. One blames invasions; the other blames drought and crop failure. Neither has produced a smoking gun, and recent evidence-burned layers at some sites, intact granaries at others-suggests that no single cause will fit every site. Which sentence best states the main idea?

  1. Invasion is the better explanation.
  2. The palaces collapsed suddenly.
  3. The evidence points to multiple causes. Correct answer.
  4. Drought is the better explanation.

Explanation

The passage presents two theories, notes that neither is proven, and concludes that no single cause fits all sites. The main idea is therefore that multiple causes are likely.

Question 50Reading

The biographer is hardly uncritical, but her portrait is sympathetic: she grants her subject's failures without dwelling on them. As used in the sentence, "sympathetic" most nearly means

  1. understanding Correct answer.
  2. approving
  3. identical
  4. pitying

Explanation

The colon explains the word: the biographer acknowledges failures without emphasizing them. That shows a fair, understanding attitude rather than full approval.