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Extremadura PAU Foreign Language II - English study materials
Extremadura PAU Foreign Language II - English study resources

Extremadura PAU Foreign Language II - English practice questions

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Question 1Reading comprehension

Read this sentence from a PAU-style article: 'The council has approved a scheme that will allow residents to rent electric bicycles at a reduced rate.' What is the main function of the relative clause 'that will allow residents to rent electric bicycles at a reduced rate'?

  1. It contrasts the scheme with an earlier one.
  2. It states a consequence the writer doubts.
  3. It adds a comment on the council's motives.
  4. It defines which scheme the writer means. Correct answer.

Explanation

Defining relative clauses identify or restrict the noun they follow, so here the clause specifies exactly which scheme was approved. Without it, 'a scheme' would be too vague for the reader to interpret. Non-defining clauses, which add extra comment, are normally set off by commas and do not restrict reference.

Question 2Reading comprehension

In a reading passage, the writer says: 'Far from reducing traffic, the new ring road has attracted more cars into the city centre.' What does the writer imply about the ring road?

  1. It has been only partly successful.
  2. It has not yet been evaluated.
  3. It has reduced traffic in the suburbs.
  4. It has had the opposite effect to the one intended. Correct answer.

Explanation

The structure 'far from + -ing' signals that the real outcome contradicts what was expected or intended. Since the intention behind a ring road is normally to reduce traffic, the writer is saying the result is the reverse. The phrase is a strong contradiction, not a partial or neutral assessment.

Question 3Reading comprehension

A PAU text contains: 'Not until the 1990s did local authorities begin to fund recycling schemes properly.' Which paraphrase keeps the meaning?

  1. Local authorities never funded recycling schemes properly at any time.
  2. Local authorities had funded recycling schemes properly long before the 1990s.
  3. Local authorities stopped funding recycling schemes properly in the 1990s.
  4. Local authorities funded recycling schemes properly only from the 1990s onwards. Correct answer.

Explanation

The negative adverbial 'not until' at the start of the clause triggers inversion and means the action began only at that point. The paraphrase must therefore say that proper funding started in the 1990s. Any version claiming earlier funding, cessation, or no funding at all changes the meaning.

Question 4Reading comprehension

In a reading passage about tourism, the writer describes a coastal town as 'a victim of its own success'. Which reading of the phrase is most accurate?

  1. The town's success was shorter than expected.
  2. The town's popularity has created the problems it now faces. Correct answer.
  3. The town has unfairly blamed visitors for its decline.
  4. The town succeeded despite serious local opposition.

Explanation

The idiom 'a victim of its own success' means that the very achievement praised, here popularity with tourists, produces negative consequences such as overcrowding. The phrase points to self-inflicted consequences of success, not to unfair blame or brevity.

Question 5Reading comprehension

Read: 'Researchers acknowledge that the sample was small; nevertheless, they insist the findings merit attention.' What is the function of 'nevertheless' in the sentence?

  1. It concedes a limitation while maintaining the main claim. Correct answer.
  2. It corrects an error made by the researchers.
  3. It introduces a cause for the limitation mentioned.
  4. It summarises the researchers' conclusion.

Explanation

'Nevertheless' is a concessive connector: it signals that the second clause stands despite the admission in the first. Here the researchers admit a weakness and still defend their conclusion. It does not express cause, correction, or summary.

Question 6Reading comprehension

Which sentence uses a participle clause correctly to show that two actions happened at the same time?

  1. Walking along the promenade, she noticed a group of birdwatchers. Correct answer.
  2. Having walked along the promenade, she would notice a group of birdwatchers.
  3. Walked along the promenade, she noticed a group of birdwatchers.
  4. To walk along the promenade, she noticed a group of birdwatchers.

Explanation

A present participle clause ('walking') can describe an action simultaneous with the main verb, provided the subject of both clauses is the same. Here 'she' performs both actions. The other forms either misrepresent the time relationship or create an illogical link.

Question 7Reading comprehension

A passage states: 'The museum's decision to waive entrance fees was not universally welcomed.' Which inference is best supported?

  1. Some people criticised the decision. Correct answer.
  2. Nobody supported the decision.
  3. The decision was reversed after protests.
  4. The museum lost money as a result.

Explanation

'Not universally welcomed' is a litotes meaning that the decision met with some opposition, so at least some people criticised it. It does not mean total rejection, nor does it state anything about reversal or finances. Candidates must distinguish partial negation from absolute negation.

Question 8Reading comprehension

In the sentence 'The report, which was published last week, criticises the plan', what does the punctuation tell the reader about the relative clause?

  1. It is non-defining and adds extra information about the report. Correct answer.
  2. It is a reduced clause replacing a noun phrase.
  3. It is defining and identifies which report is meant.
  4. It introduces a direct quotation from the report.

Explanation

Commas around a relative clause mark it as non-defining, meaning it supplies additional, non-essential information. The report is already identified by 'the' and the wider context. A defining clause would appear without commas and would restrict the reference.

Question 9Reading comprehension

Read: 'Had the government acted sooner, thousands of jobs could have been saved.' What does the writer suggest?

  1. It is uncertain whether the government acted at all.
  2. The government will act soon to protect jobs.
  3. The government did not act soon enough and jobs were lost. Correct answer.
  4. The government acted quickly and jobs were saved.

Explanation

This is a third conditional with inversion ('Had the government acted' instead of 'If the government had acted'). It describes an unreal past situation, implying the government did not act soon enough and the jobs were lost. The past unreal form excludes present or future readings.

Question 10Reading comprehension

Which option best restates the meaning of 'The scheme was scrapped amid mounting criticism from residents'?

  1. The scheme was launched despite increasing criticism from residents.
  2. The scheme was postponed until residents stopped criticising it.
  3. The scheme was praised by residents who had previously objected.
  4. The scheme was abandoned as criticism from residents increased. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Scrapped' means abandoned or cancelled, and 'amid mounting criticism' means while criticism was growing. The correct paraphrase must keep both elements. The distractors change the verb to launching or postponing, or reverse the attitude of the residents.

Question 11Reading comprehension

A text says: 'While the benefits of remote work are well documented, its costs for younger employees are only now becoming clear.' How does the writer organise the argument?

  1. By rejecting the benefits of remote work as exaggerated.
  2. By comparing remote work with older forms of employment.
  3. By conceding a known advantage before stressing a newly recognised drawback. Correct answer.
  4. By arguing that younger employees prefer working remotely.

Explanation

The concessive 'while' clause admits a documented benefit, and the main clause shifts attention to a cost that is now emerging. This is a concession-plus-contrast structure. The writer neither rejects the benefits nor discusses employees' preferences.

Question 12Reading comprehension

Choose the option that correctly reports this line from a passage: 'I will send the results tomorrow,' said the researcher.

  1. The researcher said she would send the results tomorrow.
  2. The researcher said she will send the results tomorrow.
  3. The researcher says she would send the results the next day.
  4. The researcher said she would send the results the following day. Correct answer.

Explanation

In reported speech after a past reporting verb, 'will' shifts to 'would' and 'tomorrow' shifts to 'the following day' or 'the next day'. Both changes are needed for consistency. Keeping 'will' or 'tomorrow' leaves the report anchored in the original moment of speaking.

Question 13Reading comprehension

In a passage, the phrase 'a growing body of evidence' is used repeatedly. What is its rhetorical effect?

  1. It suggests the evidence is limited and inconclusive.
  2. It indicates that the evidence has been officially rejected.
  3. It implies the evidence comes from a single research team.
  4. It presents the evidence as accumulating and therefore increasingly reliable. Correct answer.

Explanation

'A growing body of evidence' is a conventional academic phrase presenting research as steadily increasing in volume and authority. It strengthens a claim rather than weakening it, and it says nothing about who produced the research.

Question 14Reading comprehension

Which sentence from a reading passage contains a modal expressing strong obligation?

  1. Applicants might submit the form earlier.
  2. Applicants may submit the form online.
  3. Applicants must submit the form before the deadline. Correct answer.
  4. Applicants could submit the form by post.

Explanation

'Must' expresses strong obligation or necessity, which fits a deadline requirement. The other modals express permission or possibility, which are weaker and do not impose a requirement. Recognising modal force is essential when interpreting rules in a text.

Question 15Reading comprehension

Read: 'The proposal, far from being radical, simply restates policies that have existed for decades.' What is the writer's attitude to the proposal?

  1. Alarmed, because it is dangerously extreme.
  2. Dismissive, because it offers nothing new. Correct answer.
  3. Supportive, because it builds on proven policies.
  4. Uncertain, because its contents are unclear.

Explanation

The 'far from being radical' construction denies the proposal's novelty, and 'simply restates' reduces it to repetition of old policies. Together these convey a dismissive attitude. The writer's position is clear, so uncertainty and alarm are not supported.

Question 16Reading comprehension

Which option best explains the meaning of 'The two reports are at odds with each other'?

  1. The reports have both been withdrawn.
  2. The reports were written by the same team.
  3. The reports were published at different times.
  4. The reports reach conclusions that conflict. Correct answer.

Explanation

The idiom 'at odds with' means in conflict or disagreement, so the reports contradict each other. It does not refer to timing, authorship, or withdrawal. Idiomatic phrases of this kind are frequently tested in PAU paraphrase items.

Question 17Reading comprehension

A passage reads: 'Only when the data had been triple-checked were the results released.' Which statement is true of this sentence's grammar?

  1. The sentence contains a defining relative clause.
  2. Fronting a negative-restrictive adverbial causes subject-auxiliary inversion. Correct answer.
  3. The passive voice has been avoided throughout.
  4. The past perfect is used to describe a future event.

Explanation

When a restrictive adverbial beginning with 'only' is placed first, English requires inversion of auxiliary and subject, giving 'were the results released'. This is a formal structure common in academic writing. The past perfect marks an earlier completed action, not a future one.

Question 18Reading comprehension

Read: 'The author stops short of claiming that the policy caused the decline.' What does this tell us about the author's position?

  1. The author suggests a link but avoids asserting causation. Correct answer.
  2. The author proves that the policy caused the decline.
  3. The author refuses to discuss the policy at all.
  4. The author firmly denies any link between policy and decline.

Explanation

'Stops short of claiming' means the author goes up to a point but does not go as far as a full assertion. The implication is a suggested but unconfirmed link. It is weaker than proof and weaker than outright denial.

Question 19Reading comprehension

Which option correctly identifies the referent of 'this' in: 'Sales fell sharply in 2020. This prompted the company to rethink its strategy.'?

  1. The sharp fall in sales Correct answer.
  2. The company's strategy
  3. The year 2020
  4. The company's sales team

Explanation

Demonstrative 'this' usually refers back to the whole preceding proposition rather than a single noun. Here the event that prompted the rethink is the sharp fall in sales. Choosing a noun from inside the previous sentence would misread the cohesive link.

Question 20Reading comprehension

A passage says: 'It is not that the funding was insufficient; it is that it arrived too late.' What is the writer doing with this construction?

  1. Rejecting one explanation in order to assert a different one. Correct answer.
  2. Listing two equally valid explanations.
  3. Conceding that no explanation is available.
  4. Expressing doubt about both explanations.

Explanation

The 'it is not that ... it is that ...' frame explicitly dismisses the first explanation and replaces it with the second. This is a corrective contrast, not a list of equals and not an expression of doubt. Recognising such frames is key to identifying a writer's main point.

Question 21Reading comprehension

Which sentence uses 'however' correctly as a connector in formal written English?

  1. The results were promising; however, the sample was too small. Correct answer.
  2. The results were promising, however the sample was too small.
  3. The results were promising however the sample was too small.
  4. However the results were promising, the sample was too small.

Explanation

In formal writing, 'however' as a conjunctive adverb is separated from the preceding clause by a semicolon and followed by a comma. It cannot simply join two clauses with a comma, which would be a comma splice. This punctuation rule is often tested in PAU rewriting tasks.

Question 22Reading comprehension

Read: 'Rarely has a local election attracted so much national attention.' What is the effect of the inversion?

  1. It emphasises how unusual the level of attention is. Correct answer.
  2. It turns the statement into a question.
  3. It softens the claim into a possibility.
  4. It indicates that the event happened in the past.

Explanation

Fronting the negative adverb 'rarely' triggers inversion and gives the statement emphatic force, stressing the exceptional nature of the attention. The sentence remains a declarative statement, not a question, and the inversion itself does not add tense or uncertainty.

Question 23Reading comprehension

In a passage about diet, the writer says: 'Cutting sugar altogether is easier said than done.' What does the writer mean?

  1. Cutting sugar is easier than most people believe.
  2. People should not try to cut sugar at all.
  3. Doctors say cutting sugar is unnecessary.
  4. Eliminating sugar completely is difficult in practice. Correct answer.

Explanation

The idiom 'easier said than done' means something is simple to recommend but hard to carry out. Here it refers to giving up sugar completely. It is a comment on difficulty, not advice against trying, and it does not involve doctors' opinions.

Question 24Reading comprehension

A text states: 'The study's authors caution that their conclusions apply to urban populations alone.' Which inference is safest?

  1. The findings have been shown to be false.
  2. The authors refuse to draw any conclusions.
  3. The findings may not hold for people living in rural areas. Correct answer.
  4. The study included only rural participants.

Explanation

Saying the conclusions apply to urban populations alone restricts the scope of the findings, implying they may not generalise to rural groups. This is a limitation, not a refutation. The study clearly included urban participants and did reach conclusions.

Question 25Reading comprehension

Which option best describes the register and purpose of this sentence from a passage: 'One might argue, albeit tentatively, that the policy has merit.'?

  1. Informal and emphatic, presenting a firm belief.
  2. Neutral and factual, reporting a measured result.
  3. Formal and hedged, presenting a cautious opinion. Correct answer.
  4. Persuasive and urgent, calling for immediate action.

Explanation

'One might argue' is an impersonal, formal hedge, and 'albeit tentatively' further weakens the claim. The result is a cautious, academic opinion rather than a firm assertion or a factual report. Register and hedging devices are frequently examined in PAU reading tasks.

Question 26Reading comprehension

A passage on urban gardens opens with: 'The idea is simple: give people a patch of soil and watch a community grow.' Which reading-comprehension skill is most directly rewarded by this opening line?

  1. Locating a specific statistic about urban gardening
  2. Identifying the main topic of the whole passage from the first sentence alone
  3. Recognising the writer's technique of presenting an idealised claim before qualifying it later Correct answer.
  4. Distinguishing fact from opinion in a scientific report

Explanation

The line uses a simplified, almost slogan-like formulation ('the idea is simple') that invites the reader to expect a later complication. PAU tasks often ask you to notice how an opening frames what follows, so the technique of setting up an idealised claim is the target. The sentence contains no statistics, and a single line cannot establish the whole topic with certainty.

Question 27Reading comprehension

In a passage, the writer says: 'Volunteers cleaned the beach. The council then installed bins.' Which connector best signals the sequence of these two events when you summarise them in one sentence?

  1. Nevertheless
  2. Whereas
  3. Provided that
  4. Subsequently Correct answer.

Explanation

The second event follows the first in time, so a time-sequence connector such as 'subsequently' is required. 'Nevertheless' marks contrast, 'whereas' compares two clauses, and 'provided that' introduces a condition, none of which expresses simple chronological order.

Question 28Reading comprehension

A passage contains: 'The council, having consulted residents for months, finally approved the plan.' What does the participle clause tell the reader?

  1. The consultation happened after the approval
  2. The consultation and the approval were simultaneous
  3. The consultation happened before the approval Correct answer.
  4. The consultation was cancelled before the vote

Explanation

A perfect participle clause ('having consulted') places its action before the main verb, so the consultation precedes the approval. A simple present participle would suggest simultaneity, and nothing in the clause indicates cancellation.

Question 29Reading comprehension

A passage reads: 'Far from solving the housing problem, the new tax appears to have made it worse.' How does the writer position the new tax?

  1. As a solution that worked better than expected
  2. As a policy that was never intended to help
  3. As a proposal still under discussion
  4. As a measure that failed to achieve its stated aim Correct answer.

Explanation

'Far from solving' is a concessive-adversative frame meaning the opposite of the expected outcome occurred. The writer says the tax aggravated the problem, so it failed to deliver its purpose. There is no claim about original intentions or about the proposal being undecided.

Question 30Reading comprehension

In a passage about sleep, the writer states: 'Teenagers need more sleep than adults. Schools, however, rarely adjust their start times.' What is the function of 'however' in this pair of sentences?

  1. It marks the second sentence as a personal opinion
  2. It introduces a consequence of the first sentence
  3. It adds a second example supporting the first sentence
  4. It signals that the second sentence contrasts with the first Correct answer.

Explanation

'However' is a contrastive connector: it sets the second statement against the expectation raised by the first. The fact that schools do not adapt runs counter to the need described, so the relationship is contrast, not consequence or addition.

Question 31Reading comprehension

A passage says: 'The festival attracts thousands of visitors. This has transformed the town's economy.' What does 'This' refer to?

  1. The fact that the festival attracts thousands of visitors Correct answer.
  2. The transformation of the town
  3. The town's economy
  4. The festival's organisers

Explanation

In English, 'this' as a subject pronoun commonly refers back to the whole preceding proposition, not to a single noun. Here that proposition is the festival's large visitor numbers, which caused the economic change. The other candidates are either the result or entities not mentioned.

Question 32Reading comprehension

A text about a new app states: 'The developers claim it will reduce food waste by 40%.' Which wording shows that the writer is reporting, not endorsing, this figure?

  1. Food waste is reduced by 40% with the app.
  2. Food waste will fall by 40% thanks to the app.
  3. The developers claim it will reduce food waste by 40%. Correct answer.
  4. The app reduces food waste by 40%.

Explanation

The reporting verb 'claim' attributes the figure to the developers and signals that the writer is not vouching for it. The other options present the 40% reduction as an established fact, which removes the distancing effect.

Question 33Reading comprehension

In a reading passage, a sentence begins: 'Although the trial was small, the results were striking.' Which relationship between the two clauses does 'although' establish?

  1. Concession Correct answer.
  2. Addition
  3. Cause and effect
  4. Condition

Explanation

'Although' introduces a concessive clause: the writer acknowledges a limiting factor (small size) but maintains that the main claim (striking results) still holds. Cause would need 'because', addition 'moreover', and condition 'if'.

Question 34Reading comprehension

A passage reads: 'The company's profits rose by 12% last year.' Which statement is a valid inference rather than a restatement?

  1. The company earned more profit than in the previous year. Correct answer.
  2. The company's profits will rise again next year.
  3. The company's profits rose by 12% last year.
  4. The company is the most profitable in its sector.

Explanation

A valid inference must follow logically from the text without adding unsupported claims. If profits rose by 12%, they were higher than the previous year, which is a direct logical consequence. Claims about sector leadership or future trends go beyond what the sentence supports.

Question 35Reading comprehension

In a passage about language learning, the writer notes: 'Learners who read for pleasure tend to develop a larger vocabulary.' Which option best captures the writer's claim without overstating it?

  1. Reading for pleasure is the only way to build vocabulary.
  2. Vocabulary size determines how much learners read.
  3. Reading for pleasure guarantees a larger vocabulary.
  4. Reading for pleasure is associated with larger vocabularies. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Tend to' expresses a statistical tendency, not a certainty or an exclusive cause. The accurate paraphrase therefore keeps the association ('is associated with') rather than turning it into a guarantee or a unique method.

Question 36Reading comprehension

A text says: 'The mayor's remarks were, to put it mildly, unhelpful.' What does the phrase 'to put it mildly' signal?

  1. The writer is softening a criticism that is actually stronger Correct answer.
  2. The writer is praising the mayor's diplomacy
  3. The writer is quoting the mayor directly
  4. The writer is uncertain about what the mayor said

Explanation

'To put it mildly' is a hedging phrase that downplays a judgement the writer could express more forcefully. Combined with the negative adjective 'unhelpful', it implies the remarks were considerably worse than that word suggests.

Question 37Reading comprehension

A passage contains: 'Not until the final chapter does the author address the question of cost.' Which statement is true of this sentence?

  1. It uses a conditional structure
  2. It contains a grammatical error in the verb form
  3. It is a question about the final chapter
  4. It uses fronting with inversion for emphasis Correct answer.

Explanation

Negative adverbials placed at the start of a sentence trigger subject-auxiliary inversion in formal English: 'Not until... does the author address'. This fronting adds emphasis to the timing and is grammatically correct, not interrogative or conditional.

Question 38Reading comprehension

A passage describes a study: 'Participants were asked to rate their mood before and after the intervention.' What kind of information does this sentence provide in the passage?

  1. A description of the study's procedure Correct answer.
  2. A criticism of the methodology
  3. The researcher's opinion of the results
  4. A statistical conclusion

Explanation

The passive construction ('were asked to rate') describes what happened to participants, which is procedural information. It reports no results, opinions or evaluation of the method.

Question 39Reading comprehension

Read: 'The new library is impressive. It is, admittedly, rarely full.' What is the writer's attitude towards the library?

  1. Entirely positive
  2. Neutral and indifferent
  3. Entirely negative
  4. Positive but qualified Correct answer.

Explanation

The adjective 'impressive' is positive, while 'admittedly, rarely full' concedes a drawback. The combination of praise plus a concession signals a qualified positive attitude, not a wholly negative, wholly positive or indifferent one.

Question 40Reading comprehension

In a passage, the writer says: 'It would be naive to assume that technology alone can solve the problem.' Which paraphrase keeps the writer's meaning?

  1. Technology will probably solve the problem eventually.
  2. Technology cannot solve the problem on its own. Correct answer.
  3. Technology has no role in solving the problem.
  4. Technology makes the problem harder to solve.

Explanation

The conditional 'it would be naive to assume' rejects the idea that technology alone is sufficient, implying that other factors are also needed. It does not claim technology is useless or harmful, only that it is not enough by itself.

Question 41Reading comprehension

A passage reads: 'Critics argue that the policy is too costly. Supporters counter that inaction would cost more.' What is the structure of this passage segment?

  1. A problem followed by its solution
  2. A single viewpoint presented without opposition
  3. Two opposing viewpoints presented in turn Correct answer.
  4. A cause followed by its effect

Explanation

The segment first reports one group's argument ('Critics argue') and then the opposing group's reply ('Supporters counter'). This is a balanced presentation of two contrasting positions, not a cause-effect or problem-solution pattern.

Question 42Reading comprehension

A passage states: 'The museum's decision to waive entrance fees was not universally welcomed.' Which group's reaction is implied?

  1. Only the museum staff welcomed it
  2. Nobody had an opinion on the decision
  3. Everyone supported the decision
  4. Some people disapproved of the decision Correct answer.

Explanation

The negated universal 'not universally welcomed' means that the welcome was not shared by everyone, so at least some people reacted negatively. It does not specify who, nor does it imply total rejection or indifference.

Question 43Reading comprehension

In a passage, the phrase 'the elephant in the room' appears: 'Funding was the elephant in the room at the meeting.' How should a reader interpret it?

  1. A topic that had already been resolved
  2. A surprising piece of good news
  3. An obvious problem that everyone avoided discussing Correct answer.
  4. A minor detail mentioned in passing

Explanation

The idiom refers to a large, evident issue that people deliberately avoid mentioning. In the sentence, funding was that unspoken but unavoidable concern at the meeting, not a resolved matter or a minor detail.

Question 44Reading comprehension

A text says: 'The scheme was welcomed by local businesses, if not by residents.' What does 'if not by residents' indicate?

  1. Residents were not consulted about the scheme
  2. Residents did not welcome the scheme Correct answer.
  3. Residents also welcomed the scheme
  4. Residents' reaction is unknown

Explanation

The construction 'X, if not Y' concedes that the positive reaction extended to X but not to Y. Here it means businesses were positive while residents were not, so the residents' reaction is a negative one, not unknown or positive.

Question 45Reading comprehension

A passage notes: 'The author devotes three pages to the benefits of cycling and a single paragraph to its risks.' What is the likely effect of this imbalance?

  1. It proves the author is ignorant of cycling risks
  2. It suggests the author sees the risks as less significant Correct answer.
  3. It indicates the passage is badly organised
  4. It shows the author wants to ban cycling

Explanation

The proportion of space given to an idea often reflects the writer's emphasis. Dedicating far more space to benefits implies the author regards the risks as secondary, though it does not prove ignorance or hostility to cycling.

Question 46Reading comprehension

Read: 'The results, published in a leading journal, have yet to be replicated.' What does the writer imply about the findings?

  1. They are provisional until confirmed by further work Correct answer.
  2. They have been confirmed by other studies
  3. They were rejected by the journal
  4. They were published without peer review

Explanation

'Have yet to be replicated' means no independent repetition has occurred so far, which makes the findings provisional rather than confirmed. The clause about the leading journal indicates publication occurred, so rejection or lack of review is not implied.

Question 47Reading comprehension

A passage contains: 'Seldom do we consider how much water a single cup of coffee requires.' What is the effect of placing 'seldom' at the beginning of the sentence?

  1. It weakens the claim by adding uncertainty
  2. It makes the statement sound like a direct question
  3. It turns the sentence into a conditional
  4. It emphasises how rarely the consideration occurs Correct answer.

Explanation

Fronting a negative frequency adverb such as 'seldom' and inverting the auxiliary ('do we consider') gives rhetorical emphasis to the rarity. The sentence remains declarative and does not become a question, a hedge or a conditional.

Question 48Reading comprehension

A passage argues: 'If we accept that cities are for people, then we must reconsider the space given to cars.' Which logical move does the writer make?

  1. They present statistical evidence for a factual claim
  2. They draw a conclusion from a premise they invite the reader to accept Correct answer.
  3. They quote an expert to support their view
  4. They concede that their opponents are right

Explanation

The structure 'If we accept that... then we must...' is a conditional argument: a premise is offered for acceptance and a conclusion follows from it. No statistics, quotations or concessions to opponents appear.

Question 49Reading comprehension

In a passage, the writer states: 'The report's conclusions are, at best, premature.' What does the writer mean?

  1. The conclusions were published earlier than expected
  2. The conclusions are drawn too early to be reliable Correct answer.
  3. The conclusions are well supported by the evidence
  4. The conclusions are the best part of the report

Explanation

'At best' combined with 'premature' is a critical evaluation meaning the conclusions come before the evidence justifies them. It is not praise, and 'premature' refers to timing relative to evidence, not to publication scheduling.

Question 50Reading comprehension

A passage reads: 'The novelist's later work, while technically accomplished, lacks the emotional force of her debut.' Which pair of terms best describes the writer's evaluation?

  1. Praise of both technique and emotional impact
  2. Criticism of technique, praise of emotional impact
  3. Praise of technique, criticism of emotional impact Correct answer.
  4. Criticism of both technique and emotional impact

Explanation

The concessive clause 'while technically accomplished' grants merit to the craft, but the main clause 'lacks the emotional force' is the negative judgement. The contrast is therefore positive on technique and negative on emotional power.