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DAT Reading Comprehension study materials
DAT Reading Comprehension study resources

DAT Reading Comprehension practice questions

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Question 1Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that a researcher collected soil samples from three sites and measured pH within two hours of collection. According to the passage, how many sites were sampled?

  1. Three Correct answer.
  2. Four
  3. Five
  4. Two

Explanation

The passage directly states that samples came from three sites, so the number is explicitly given rather than inferred. Explicitly stated information questions require locating the exact detail in the text and matching it to the option that restates it without alteration.

Question 2Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the experiment ran for 18 months and that funding was renewed annually. What does the passage say about the length of the experiment?

  1. It lasted 36 months
  2. It lasted 24 months
  3. It lasted 18 months Correct answer.
  4. It lasted 12 months

Explanation

The passage explicitly reports an 18-month duration, which is a directly stated fact. When a stem asks what the passage says about a duration, the correct option must repeat the figure exactly as written.

Question 3Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the survey was mailed to 400 households and that 312 responses were returned. According to the passage, how many responses were returned?

  1. 250
  2. 312 Correct answer.
  3. 88
  4. 400

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that 312 responses were returned, making that figure the directly stated answer. The 400 figure refers to households mailed, which is a different detail and cannot answer the question.

Question 4Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the team's instrument failed during the second trial because condensation formed on the lens. What reason does the passage give for the instrument failure?

  1. The cable was disconnected
  2. The battery lost its charge
  3. Condensation formed on the lens Correct answer.
  4. The software crashed

Explanation

The passage attributes the failure directly to condensation on the lens, a cause stated in the text. Explicitly stated information questions often ask for a stated cause, so the answer must reproduce the text's own explanation rather than a plausible alternative.

Question 5Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the specimens were stored in ethanol at 4 degrees Celsius. According to the passage, at what temperature were the specimens stored?

  1. 37 degrees Celsius
  2. 20 degrees Celsius
  3. 0 degrees Celsius
  4. 4 degrees Celsius Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage explicitly gives the storage temperature as 4 degrees Celsius, so the correct option repeats that figure. Temperature details are common targets for explicit-information questions and must be matched exactly.

Question 6Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the author of a cited study was born in Vienna and later taught in Berlin. Where does the passage say the author later taught?

  1. Vienna
  2. Zurich
  3. Munich
  4. Berlin Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that the author later taught in Berlin, separating birthplace from later teaching location. The correct option must reflect the teaching location, not the birthplace mentioned earlier in the same sentence.

Question 7Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the new policy takes effect on March 1 and applies only to contracts signed after that date. According to the passage, to which contracts does the policy apply?

  1. Only contracts signed before March 1
  2. Only contracts signed in March of any year
  3. All contracts regardless of date
  4. Only contracts signed after March 1 Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage explicitly limits the policy to contracts signed after March 1, so the correct option restates that scope. Explicitly stated scope conditions must be preserved exactly, including the qualifying phrase after that date.

Question 8Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the migration peaked in the 1890s and declined steadily afterward. According to the passage, when did the migration peak?

  1. In the 1890s Correct answer.
  2. In the 1870s
  3. In the 1910s
  4. In the 1920s

Explanation

The passage explicitly identifies the 1890s as the peak period of the migration. The stem asks for a stated time period, so the answer must match the decade named in the text exactly.

Question 9Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the compound dissolves readily in water but remains insoluble in ethanol. According to the passage, in which liquid does the compound remain insoluble?

  1. Acetone
  2. Glycerol
  3. Water
  4. Ethanol Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage explicitly contrasts water, where the compound dissolves, with ethanol, where it remains insoluble. The correct option must identify the liquid tied to the stated insolubility, not the one tied to solubility.

Question 10Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the clinic opened in 1998 with two physicians and expanded to nine physicians by 2010. According to the passage, how many physicians did the clinic have when it opened?

  1. Eleven
  2. Two Correct answer.
  3. Seven
  4. Nine

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that the clinic opened with two physicians, while nine is the later figure for 2010. The stem asks about the opening date, so the correct option must use the earlier number tied to 1998.

Question 11Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the samples were heated to 300 degrees for 45 minutes and then cooled slowly. According to the passage, how long were the samples heated?

  1. 60 minutes
  2. 300 minutes
  3. 45 minutes Correct answer.
  4. 30 minutes

Explanation

The passage explicitly gives 45 minutes as the heating duration, while 300 is the temperature in degrees. Explicit-information items often pair a number with the wrong unit or category, so the correct option must match the stated duration.

Question 12Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the author rejects the hypothesis because the predicted isotope ratio was never observed in any sample. According to the passage, why does the author reject the hypothesis?

  1. The measurements were taken too late
  2. The samples were contaminated during collection
  3. The hypothesis was already disproven elsewhere
  4. The predicted isotope ratio was never observed Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage explicitly grounds the rejection in the absence of the predicted isotope ratio across all samples. The correct option restates that stated reason, while the others introduce explanations the passage never provides.

Question 13Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the library extended its hours in 2015 and that borrowing increased by 22 percent the following year. According to the passage, when were the hours extended?

  1. In 2015 Correct answer.
  2. In 2014
  3. In 2016
  4. In 2017

Explanation

The passage explicitly dates the extension of hours to 2015, with the borrowing increase occurring the next year. The stem asks for the year of the extension, so the correct option must use the earlier date rather than the year of the measured effect.

Question 14Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the treaty was signed by four of the seven participating nations and that three declined to sign. According to the passage, how many nations declined to sign?

  1. Seven
  2. Four
  3. One
  4. Three Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that three nations declined to sign, while four is the number that signed. The correct option must match the stated count of non-signatories rather than the count of signatories.

Question 15Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the seeds germinated only when exposed to light and that darkness prevented germination entirely. According to the passage, what condition prevented germination?

  1. Darkness Correct answer.
  2. Poor soil
  3. High temperature
  4. Excess water

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that darkness prevented germination entirely, contrasting it with the light condition required for germination. The correct option restates that stated condition, while the others name factors the passage never mentions.

Question 16Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the factory was built downstream of the town and that the waste discharge flowed away from the town. According to the passage, where was the factory built?

  1. North of the reservoir
  2. Downstream of the town Correct answer.
  3. Upstream of the town
  4. Inside the town center

Explanation

The passage explicitly locates the factory downstream of the town, a detail consistent with the discharge flowing away from residents. The correct option must repeat the stated position rather than a plausible but unstated alternative.

Question 17Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the manuscript was dated to the 12th century based on its ink composition rather than its handwriting. According to the passage, on what basis was the manuscript dated?

  1. Its handwriting style
  2. Its binding material
  3. Its marginal notes
  4. Its ink composition Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage explicitly says the dating rested on ink composition rather than handwriting, making ink composition the stated basis. The correct option must preserve the contrast the passage draws between the accepted and rejected evidence.

Question 18Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the vaccine trial enrolled 1,200 participants, of whom 600 received the vaccine and 600 received a placebo. According to the passage, how many participants received the placebo?

  1. 600 Correct answer.
  2. 1,200
  3. 900
  4. 300

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that 600 participants received the placebo, matching the 600 who received the vaccine. The correct option must use the stated placebo count rather than the total enrollment figure.

Question 19Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the author's conclusion depends on two assumptions: that the sample was random and that no data were lost. According to the passage, which assumption is named as necessary to the conclusion?

  1. That the reviewers agreed
  2. That the measures were repeated
  3. That the sample was random Correct answer.
  4. That the sample was large

Explanation

The passage explicitly lists a random sample as one of the two assumptions supporting the conclusion. The correct option restates a named assumption, while the others describe conditions the passage does not require.

Question 20Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the bridge was closed for repairs from June through August and reopened on September 2. According to the passage, when did the bridge reopen?

  1. June 1
  2. September 2 Correct answer.
  3. August 31
  4. September 15

Explanation

The passage explicitly gives September 2 as the reopening date, after a closure running from June through August. The correct option must match the stated date exactly rather than a nearby date implied by the closure period.

Question 21Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the researcher's earlier paper was widely cited, but that the later paper, which revised the earlier findings, received little attention. According to the passage, which paper received little attention?

  1. Both papers equally
  2. Neither paper
  3. The later paper that revised the findings Correct answer.
  4. The earlier, widely cited paper

Explanation

The passage explicitly contrasts the widely cited earlier paper with the later revision, which received little attention. The correct option must attach the low attention to the later paper, preserving the contrast stated in the text.

Question 22Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the team abandoned its first method after six months and adopted a second method that required half the sample volume. According to the passage, what was true of the second method?

  1. It was never tested
  2. It required twice the sample volume
  3. It required half the sample volume Correct answer.
  4. It was abandoned after six months

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that the second method required half the sample volume, while the first method was the one abandoned after six months. The correct option must attach the volume detail to the second method as stated.

Question 23Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the survey found no difference between the two groups in reported stress, although the treatment group slept longer on average. According to the passage, what did the survey find about reported stress?

  1. The treatment group reported more stress
  2. There was no difference between the groups Correct answer.
  3. Stress was not measured
  4. The control group reported more stress

Explanation

The passage explicitly reports no difference between the groups in reported stress, even though sleep duration differed. The correct option must preserve the stated null result rather than inferring a stress difference from the sleep finding.

Question 24Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the archive holds letters written between 1880 and 1910, and that the earliest letter in the collection is dated 1883. According to the passage, what is the date of the earliest letter in the collection?

  1. 1880
  2. 1900
  3. 1883 Correct answer.
  4. 1910

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that the earliest letter is dated 1883, distinguishing that date from the broader 1880 to 1910 span. The correct option must use the specific earliest-letter date rather than the start of the stated range.

Question 25Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the author's claim rests on a single study of one population and that the author acknowledges this limitation but still generalizes. According to the passage, what does the author acknowledge about the evidence?

  1. That it was never peer reviewed
  2. That it comes from a single study of one population Correct answer.
  3. That it was gathered over many decades
  4. That it contradicts earlier research

Explanation

The passage explicitly says the author acknowledges that the claim rests on a single study of one population. The correct option restates that acknowledged limitation, while the others describe limitations the passage does not attribute to the author.

Question 26Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the survey was mailed to 4,000 households in March and that reminders were sent only to nonrespondents in May. According to the passage, who received the May reminders?

  1. All 4,000 households originally mailed
  2. A random sample of 400 households
  3. Only households that requested a reminder
  4. Only the households that had not yet responded Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage explicitly limits the May reminders to nonrespondents, meaning households that had not replied by that point. The original mailing went to all 4,000, but the reminder distribution was narrower and conditional.

Question 27Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the ferry runs every 90 minutes on weekdays and every two hours on weekends. According to the passage, how often does the ferry run on Saturday?

  1. Every 90 minutes
  2. Every 45 minutes
  3. Every three hours
  4. Every two hours Correct answer.

Explanation

Saturday falls on the weekend, and the passage gives the weekend interval as every two hours. The 90-minute interval applies only to weekdays.

Question 28Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the museum's east wing closed for renovation in April and reopened in October, while the west wing stayed open throughout. According to the passage, which part of the museum was accessible in July?

  1. The west wing only Correct answer.
  2. Both wings
  3. The east wing only
  4. Neither wing

Explanation

July falls between the April closure and the October reopening of the east wing, so only the west wing was open. The passage explicitly says the west wing stayed open throughout.

Question 29Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the grant funded three positions: two field technicians and one data analyst. According to the passage, how many of the funded positions were field technicians?

  1. None
  2. One
  3. Three
  4. Two Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage lists the breakdown directly: two field technicians and one data analyst. The number of field technician positions is therefore two.

Question 30Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the trailhead sits at 1,800 meters and that the summit is 1,200 meters higher. According to the passage, what is the elevation of the summit?

  1. 1,800 meters
  2. 600 meters
  3. 1,200 meters
  4. 3,000 meters Correct answer.

Explanation

The summit is 1,200 meters above the 1,800-meter trailhead, so adding the two gives 3,000 meters. The passage supplies both figures needed for the sum.

Question 31Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the workshop is open to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers but not to undergraduates. According to the passage, which group may attend?

  1. Postdoctoral researchers Correct answer.
  2. The general public
  3. Undergraduates
  4. High school students

Explanation

Postdoctoral researchers are named explicitly as an eligible group. Undergraduates are explicitly excluded, and the other groups are not mentioned as eligible.

Question 32Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the orchard produced 12 tons of apples in its first year and that output doubled in each of the next two years. According to the passage, what was production in the third year?

  1. 48 tons Correct answer.
  2. 24 tons
  3. 12 tons
  4. 36 tons

Explanation

Doubling 12 tons once gives 24 tons in year two, and doubling again gives 48 tons in year three. The passage states that output doubled in each of the next two years.

Question 33Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the author of the cited study was born in Vienna and later taught in Berlin. Where did the passage say the author taught?

  1. Berlin Correct answer.
  2. Munich
  3. Vienna
  4. Zurich

Explanation

The passage states that the author later taught in Berlin, distinguishing the birthplace from the teaching location. Vienna is given only as the birthplace.

Question 34Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the archive holds letters written between 1880 and 1910 and that the earliest letter in the collection is dated 1887. According to the passage, what is the date of the earliest letter?

  1. 1880
  2. 1890
  3. 1887 Correct answer.
  4. 1910

Explanation

The passage explicitly identifies 1887 as the date of the earliest letter, which is later than the 1880 start of the collection's range. The range endpoints describe the collection's span, not the earliest item.

Question 35Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the clinic opened in 1998 with two physicians and expanded to nine physicians by 2010. According to the passage, how many physicians did the clinic add between opening and 2010?

  1. Seven Correct answer.
  2. Eleven
  3. Nine
  4. Two

Explanation

Going from two physicians to nine means seven were added. The passage supplies both the starting and ending counts, so the difference is directly computable.

Question 36Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the samples were heated to 300 degrees for 45 minutes and then cooled slowly. According to the passage, how long were the samples held at 300 degrees?

  1. 60 minutes
  2. 90 minutes
  3. 30 minutes
  4. 45 minutes Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage specifies a 45-minute hold at 300 degrees before slow cooling. The other durations do not appear in the description of the procedure.

Question 37Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the library extended its hours in 2015 and that borrowing rose 22 percent the following year. According to the passage, in which year did borrowing rise?

  1. 2014
  2. 2017
  3. 2015
  4. 2016 Correct answer.

Explanation

The following year after 2015 is 2016, so the 22 percent increase is dated to 2016. The passage anchors the change to the year after the hour extension.

Question 38Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the bridge was closed for repairs from June through August and reopened on September 2. According to the passage, when did the bridge reopen?

  1. August 31
  2. June 1
  3. September 2 Correct answer.
  4. October 2

Explanation

The passage gives September 2 as the reopening date, immediately after the June-through-August closure. The other dates are not supported by the text.

Question 39Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the team abandoned its first method after six months and adopted a second method that required half as much time. According to the passage, how long would the second method have taken?

  1. Twelve months
  2. Three months Correct answer.
  3. Six months
  4. Two months

Explanation

Half of the six months spent on the first method is three months. The passage states the second method required half as much time as the first.

Question 40Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the treaty was signed by four of the seven participating nations and that three declined to sign. According to the passage, how many participating nations did not sign the treaty?

  1. Four
  2. Seven
  3. Eleven
  4. Three Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage states directly that three nations declined to sign. Four is the number that signed, and seven is the total participating.

Question 41Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the seeds germinated only when exposed to light and that darkness prevented germination entirely. According to the passage, what happened to seeds kept in darkness?

  1. They germinated after two weeks
  2. They germinated but produced weak seedlings
  3. They germinated faster than lit seeds
  4. They did not germinate Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage says darkness prevented germination entirely, meaning no seeds in darkness germinated. Any claim of partial or delayed germination contradicts the explicit statement.

Question 42Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the factory was built downstream of the town and that waste discharge flowed away from the town. According to the passage, in which direction did the waste flow relative to the town?

  1. Upstream past the town
  2. Directly through the town center
  3. Away from the town Correct answer.
  4. Toward the town

Explanation

The passage states the discharge flowed away from the town, consistent with the factory's downstream location. The other directions contradict the stated flow.

Question 43Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the manuscript was dated to the 12th century based on its ink composition rather than its handwriting. According to the passage, what evidence supported the dating?

  1. A colophon naming a scribe
  2. The handwriting style
  3. The ink composition Correct answer.
  4. Carbon dating of the parchment

Explanation

The passage explicitly says the dating rested on ink composition, not handwriting. The contrast between the two kinds of evidence is the point of the sentence.

Question 44Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the author's conclusion depends on two assumptions: that the sample was random and that no data were excluded. According to the passage, which condition is required for the conclusion to hold?

  1. That the study was replicated
  2. That the sample was random Correct answer.
  3. That the data were excluded selectively
  4. That the sample was small

Explanation

The passage names a random sample as one of the two stated assumptions underlying the conclusion. The other conditions are either unstated or contrary to the passage.

Question 45Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the researcher's earlier paper was widely cited but that the later paper, which revised the earlier findings, received little attention. According to the passage, what did the later paper do?

  1. Retract the earlier paper
  2. Revise the earlier findings Correct answer.
  3. Summarize unrelated research
  4. Replicate the earlier findings

Explanation

The passage states that the later paper revised the earlier findings, which explains why the two papers are contrasted. The other actions are not attributed to the later paper.

Question 46Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the survey found no difference between the two groups in reported stress, although the treatment group showed lower cortisol levels. According to the passage, what did the survey find about reported stress?

  1. No difference between the groups Correct answer.
  2. Stress was not measured
  3. The treatment group reported less stress
  4. The control group reported less stress

Explanation

The passage says the survey found no difference in reported stress between the groups, while noting a separate physiological difference. Reported stress and cortisol are distinct measures in the passage.

Question 47Explicitly Stated Information

A passage notes that the author rejects the hypothesis because the predicted isotope ratio was never observed in any sample. According to the passage, what is the basis for rejecting the hypothesis?

  1. The predicted isotope ratio was absent Correct answer.
  2. A rival hypothesis was confirmed
  3. The samples were contaminated
  4. The hypothesis was never tested

Explanation

The rejection rests explicitly on the absence of the predicted isotope ratio across all samples. The passage ties the conclusion to that specific missing observation.

Question 48Explicitly Stated Information

A passage reports that the migration peaked in the 1890s and declined steadily afterward. According to the passage, when did migration reach its highest level?

  1. In the 1890s Correct answer.
  2. It never peaked
  3. In the 1870s
  4. After 1900

Explanation

The passage identifies the 1890s as the peak, with a steady decline following. Any later period would therefore show lower migration, not the highest level.

Question 49Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states that the compound dissolves readily in water but remains insoluble in ethanol. According to the passage, in which liquid does the compound dissolve?

  1. Water Correct answer.
  2. Neither liquid
  3. Ethanol
  4. Both water and ethanol

Explanation

The passage states the compound dissolves readily in water and is insoluble in ethanol. Solubility in water and insolubility in ethanol are both explicit.

Question 50Explicitly Stated Information

A passage states: "The Meridian Reading Room holds 4,000 volumes in its main hall, and the basement annex holds 1,500 more, though only the main hall's collection is catalogued." According to the passage, what is the total number of volumes held by the reading room?

  1. 1,500
  2. 5,500 Correct answer.
  3. 4,000
  4. 2,500

Explanation

The passage gives two holdings figures that must be combined: 4,000 volumes in the main hall plus 1,500 in the basement annex. The cataloguing detail describes how the collection is organized, not how much of it exists, so it does not reduce the total. Adding the two stated quantities yields 5,500 volumes.