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Foreign Language English - Advanced study materials
Foreign Language English - Advanced study resources

Foreign Language English - Advanced practice questions

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Question 1Reading Comprehension

A passage states: "The committee's recommendation was hardly novel; it had been floated, and rejected, a decade earlier." What does the writer imply about the recommendation?

  1. It was received with enthusiasm by the committee.
  2. It was too recent to be evaluated fairly.
  3. It was rejected again by the same committee.
  4. It was largely a restatement of an earlier proposal. Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase "hardly novel" signals that the idea is not new, and the clause about its being floated and rejected a decade earlier identifies the earlier version. Together they imply the current recommendation recycles an old proposal rather than introducing anything fresh.

Question 2Reading Comprehension

In a formal academic review, which transition best fills the blank? "The data are suggestive; ____, they do not permit a causal claim."

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

Explanation

The two clauses contrast a positive point (suggestive data) with a limitation (no causal claim), so a concessive contrast marker is required. "However" signals exactly that turn.

Question 3Reading Comprehension

A writer wants to signal that a cited study is methodologically weak without openly disputing its findings. Which sentence best achieves this?

  1. The study was published in a reputable journal.
  2. The study is worthless and should be ignored entirely.
  3. The study's conclusions are certainly false.
  4. The study's conclusions rest on a small, self-selected sample. Correct answer.

Explanation

Hedged critique works by describing a specific limitation and letting readers draw the inference, which is what pointing to a small, self-selected sample does. The finding itself is left standing while its evidential weight is quietly reduced.

Question 4Reading Comprehension

Read: "Sales rose sharply in the first quarter. By the third, the trend had reversed." What is the relationship between the two sentences?

  1. Chronological contrast Correct answer.
  2. Concession
  3. Cause and effect
  4. Exemplification

Explanation

The second sentence reports a later period whose movement opposes the first, so the link is temporal sequence combined with contrast. No causal claim or example relationship is stated.

Question 5Reading Comprehension

Which sentence uses the word "sanction" in its meaning of "penalize"?

  1. The practice enjoys broad social sanction in the region.
  2. The board gave its sanction to the merger after lengthy debate.
  3. Without official sanction, the march could not proceed.
  4. Regulators moved to sanction the firm for repeated disclosure failures. Correct answer.

Explanation

"Sanction" is a contranym: it can mean either to approve or to penalize. The verb followed by "for" and a violation clearly marks the punitive sense.

Question 6Reading Comprehension

A paragraph opens: "Critics of the reform have raised three objections." Which sentence most appropriately continues the paragraph?

  1. Cost overruns are common in large infrastructure projects.
  2. In conclusion, the reform should be abandoned.
  3. The first concerns cost; the second, feasibility; the third, timing. Correct answer.
  4. The minister, however, remained optimistic about the vote.

Explanation

A topic sentence announcing three objections creates an expectation that the paragraph will enumerate them. The sentence listing them in order satisfies that discourse promise directly.

Question 7Reading Comprehension

In an argumentative passage, a writer concedes a point and then immediately rebuts it. What is the rhetorical function of the concession?

  1. It signals that the passage is fictional.
  2. It shows the writer has abandoned the main thesis.
  3. It strengthens credibility before the rebuttal. Correct answer.
  4. It replaces evidence with personal opinion.

Explanation

Conceding a valid point demonstrates fairness and awareness of opposing views, which makes the subsequent rebuttal more persuasive. The thesis is reinforced, not surrendered.

Question 8Reading Comprehension

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

  1. Having reviewed the manuscript, several errors were found by the editor. Correct answer.
  2. The editor, having reviewed the manuscript, found several errors.
  3. Having reviewed the manuscript, the editor found several errors.
  4. After reviewing the manuscript, the editor noted several errors.

Explanation

A participial modifier must attach to the subject of the main clause. In the faulty version the subject is "several errors," which cannot logically have reviewed a manuscript.

Question 9Reading Comprehension

A text says: "Far from resolving the dispute, the ruling deepened it." What does "far from" accomplish here?

  1. It introduces a supporting example.
  2. It states the precise distance involved.
  3. It reverses an expectation the reader might hold. Correct answer.
  4. It softens a claim already made.

Explanation

"Far from X" denies an anticipated outcome and substitutes its opposite, creating a corrective contrast. It is a rhetorical device for overturning expectation, not a literal or softening phrase.

Question 10Reading Comprehension

Which option best paraphrases: "The policy was implemented with unseemly haste"?

  1. The policy was delayed by administrative obstacles.
  2. The policy was implemented without any legal basis.
  3. The policy was introduced after careful deliberation.
  4. The policy was introduced so quickly that it seemed improper. Correct answer.

Explanation

"Unseemly haste" carries a negative judgment about speed, so the paraphrase must preserve both the rapidity and the impropriety. Only the first option retains both elements.

Question 11Reading Comprehension

A passage notes that a drug "showed a statistically significant effect in a trial of 40 patients." Which inference is best supported?

  1. Statistical significance proves the effect is large.
  2. The drug is proven effective for the whole population.
  3. The result is promising but the sample limits its generalizability. Correct answer.
  4. The trial was methodologically fraudulent.

Explanation

Significance addresses the probability that an observed effect arose by chance, not the size or generality of that effect. A 40-patient trial can yield a significant result while remaining too small to generalize confidently.

Question 12Reading Comprehension

Which sentence most clearly expresses a hedged claim?

  1. Everyone knows the practice reduces costs.
  2. The practice definitely reduces costs everywhere.
  3. The evidence suggests that the practice may reduce costs. Correct answer.
  4. The practice reduces costs.

Explanation

Hedging uses modals and tentative verbs such as "suggests" and "may" to limit the strength of a claim. The other options assert the conclusion without qualification.

Question 13Reading Comprehension

Read: "The report is thorough. It is also unreadable." What is the effect of the second sentence's brevity?

  1. It introduces a new topic unrelated to the first.
  2. It delivers a blunt verdict that undercuts the praise. Correct answer.
  3. It provides detailed evidence for the first claim.
  4. It softens the criticism in the first sentence.

Explanation

The short, clipped second sentence lands like a verdict, and "also" signals an added drawback that neutralizes the compliment. The abruptness intensifies rather than softens the criticism.

Question 14Reading Comprehension

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?

  1. The results; were inconclusive and the team recommended trials.
  2. The results were inconclusive; and the team recommended further trials.
  3. The results were inconclusive; the team recommended further trials. Correct answer.
  4. The results were inconclusive; because the team recommended trials.

Explanation

A semicolon joins two independent clauses that are closely related and not already linked by a coordinating conjunction. The first option meets both conditions.

Question 15Reading Comprehension

An author writes: "One might object that the costs are prohibitive. This objection, while understandable, mistakes a short-term expense for a long-term investment." What move does the author make?

  1. Conceding the objection is decisive
  2. Introducing a new thesis
  3. Anticipating and reframing an objection Correct answer.
  4. Providing statistical evidence

Explanation

The author raises a likely counterargument and then reinterprets its key term, turning expense into investment. This is the classic anticipate-and-reframe strategy, not genuine concession.

Question 16Reading Comprehension

Which word best completes the sentence with the correct register for a formal report? "The findings ____ the need for further investigation."

  1. kind of suggest
  2. totally prove
  3. underscore Correct answer.
  4. really show

Explanation

Formal written registers favor precise, single-word verbs over intensifiers and vague hedges. "Underscore" conveys emphasis with appropriate formality.

Question 17Reading Comprehension

A passage describes a policy as "a solution in search of a problem." What does the phrase suggest?

  1. The policy has not yet been funded.
  2. The policy solves a problem that others ignored.
  3. The policy addresses a need that has not been demonstrated. Correct answer.
  4. The policy was designed by outside consultants.

Explanation

The idiom inverts the usual order of problem and solution to imply that the alleged problem is fabricated or unproven. It is a criticism of the policy's rationale, not of its origin or funding.

Question 18Reading Comprehension

Which sentence best maintains parallel structure?

  1. The report recommends auditing expenses, revising procedures, and training staff. Correct answer.
  2. The report recommends auditing expenses, revising procedures, and that staff be trained.
  3. The report recommends auditing expenses, procedures should be revised, and training staff.
  4. The report recommends an audit of expenses, to revise procedures, and staff training.

Explanation

Parallelism requires items in a list to share grammatical form. The first option uses three parallel gerund phrases, each governed by "recommends."

Question 19Reading Comprehension

Read: "The novelist's later work is admired more than it is read." What does this imply?

  1. Its reputation exceeds its actual readership. Correct answer.
  2. It is read widely but poorly understood.
  3. It was published posthumously.
  4. It is more popular than the earlier work.

Explanation

The comparison sets admiration above reading, implying that esteem for the work is not matched by people actually engaging with it. The claim concerns reputation versus readership, not popularity or publication history.

Question 20Reading Comprehension

A writer cites only studies funded by the industry whose product is under review. Which critical comment is most apt?

  1. The writer has cited too many sources.
  2. The studies must be fabricated.
  3. The evidence base may reflect a conflict of interest. Correct answer.
  4. The studies are irrelevant to the topic.

Explanation

Selective reliance on industry-funded research raises a legitimate concern about bias without asserting misconduct. The proportionate critique names the conflict of interest rather than alleging fraud.

Question 21Reading Comprehension

Which sentence correctly uses "comprise"?

  1. The panel comprises of seven members.
  2. Seven members comprise of the panel.
  3. The panel is comprised of seven members.
  4. The panel comprises seven members. Correct answer.

Explanation

"Comprise" means to consist of and takes a direct object with no preposition. The whole comprises the parts, so "the panel comprises seven members" is standard.

Question 22Reading Comprehension

A text shifts from past tense narration to present tense in its final paragraph to state a general truth. What is this shift called?

  1. The gnomic or timeless present Correct answer.
  2. Stream of consciousness
  3. An unreliable narrator
  4. Free indirect discourse

Explanation

The gnomic present expresses statements held to be generally or timelessly true, which is why it appears when narration moves from event to generalization. The other terms name narrative techniques, not tense functions.

Question 23Reading Comprehension

Which option best restates the claim "Correlation does not imply causation" in a reading passage about two rising trends?

  1. The two trends may move together without one causing the other. Correct answer.
  2. The two trends cannot both be rising at once.
  3. The trends are unrelated and cannot be compared.
  4. One trend must be the cause of the other.

Explanation

The maxim warns that observed co-movement alone cannot establish a causal direction. The paraphrase must preserve the possibility of coincidence or a third factor.

Question 24Reading Comprehension

In a passage, a narrator says: "I was, of course, entirely objective." Given surrounding evidence of clear bias, how should a reader interpret the statement?

  1. As an appeal to authority
  2. As ironic self-characterization Correct answer.
  3. As a shift in genre
  4. As a factual aside

Explanation

When a claim of objectivity clashes with the surrounding evidence, readers are expected to detect irony, where the surface meaning is inverted. The phrase "of course" often signals such knowing self-mockery.

Question 25Reading Comprehension

Which sentence uses "disinterested" in its traditional sense?

  1. She was disinterested in the film and left early.
  2. The audience grew disinterested during the lecture.
  3. He gave a disinterested shrug and walked away.
  4. An impartial judge should be disinterested in the outcome. Correct answer.

Explanation

Traditionally "disinterested" means impartial or free of personal stake, whereas "uninterested" means lacking interest. Only the first option uses the impartial sense correctly.

Question 26Reading Comprehension

A reading passage states: 'The committee's recommendation was not merely premature but positively reckless.' Which inference about the committee's action is best supported by this sentence?

  1. The committee's recommendation was cautious and widely supported.
  2. The committee acted too soon and with insufficient regard for consequences. Correct answer.
  3. The committee deliberately misled the public about its findings.
  4. The committee delayed its decision until all evidence was available.

Explanation

The phrase 'not merely premature but positively reckless' intensifies criticism: 'premature' means too early, and 'reckless' adds a lack of care about risks. The sentence supports an inference of hasty action with dangerous disregard, not delay, caution, or intentional deception.

Question 27Reading Comprehension

In an academic passage, the author writes: 'The data, such as they are, hardly warrant the sweeping conclusion drawn from them.' What is the author's attitude toward the conclusion?

  1. Confused, because the author cannot interpret the data.
  2. Skeptical, because the evidence is weak relative to the claim. Correct answer.
  3. Neutral, because the author avoids evaluating the data.
  4. Strongly supportive, because the data are extensive.

Explanation

The parenthetical 'such as they are' signals doubt about the quality of the data, and 'hardly warrant' denies that the evidence supports the conclusion. Together these expressions convey skepticism rather than support, neutrality, or confusion.

Question 28Reading Comprehension

A passage contains the sentence: 'The proposal, which had been debated for months, was finally shelved.' Which statement best captures the meaning of 'shelved' in this context?

  1. It was postponed indefinitely or set aside. Correct answer.
  2. It was revised and resubmitted for debate.
  3. It was rejected by a formal vote.
  4. It was formally approved and implemented.

Explanation

In legislative and planning contexts, to 'shelve' a proposal means to set it aside, often indefinitely, without necessarily rejecting it outright. The surrounding phrase 'finally shelved' after months of debate indicates it was put aside rather than approved, revised, or formally voted down.

Question 29Reading Comprehension

Which sentence uses 'comprise' in a way that is standard in formal written English?

  1. The committee comprises ten members. Correct answer.
  2. Ten members are comprised of the committee.
  3. The committee is comprised of ten members.
  4. The committee is comprised by ten members.

Explanation

In careful usage, 'comprise' means 'consist of' or 'include,' so the whole comprises its parts: 'The committee comprises ten members.' The passive 'is comprised of' is widely criticized, and 'comprised by' and the reversed construction are nonstandard.

Question 30Reading Comprehension

Read the sentence: 'The senator's remarks were greeted with polite applause, if applause it could be called.' What does the qualification 'if applause it could be called' suggest?

  1. The response was so lukewarm that it barely counted as applause. Correct answer.
  2. The applause was unusually enthusiastic.
  3. The senator spoke for an unusually long time.
  4. The audience was unsure whether to applaud at all.

Explanation

The conditional qualification 'if applause it could be called' casts doubt on whether the response deserved the label, implying it was minimal or unenthusiastic. It does not indicate enthusiasm, genuine uncertainty about applauding, or the length of the speech.

Question 31Reading Comprehension

A passage reads: 'Proponents argue that the tax will curb speculation. Opponents counter that it will dry up liquidity. Both sides, however, agree that the market will change.' Which statement best summarizes the passage's main point?

  1. The tax is likely to have no effect on the market.
  2. Proponents and opponents disagree about whether the market will change.
  3. Opponents have the stronger economic argument.
  4. The debate concerns the tax's effects, but its occurrence of change is uncontested. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage presents two competing predictions about the tax's effects and then notes agreement that the market will change. The main point is that the debate is about the nature of the effects, not about whether change will occur.

Question 32Reading Comprehension

Which sentence uses 'disinterested' in its traditional sense?

  1. The judge was disinterested in the outcome and ruled impartially. Correct answer.
  2. He seemed disinterested in the conversation and kept checking his phone.
  3. She was disinterested in fashion and wore the same outfit weekly.
  4. The students were disinterested in the lecture and stopped taking notes.

Explanation

Traditionally, 'disinterested' means impartial or free from personal stake, not lacking interest. Only the judge ruling impartially reflects that sense; the other sentences use it to mean 'uninterested,' which is common but not the traditional usage.

Question 33Reading Comprehension

In a passage, the author writes: 'It is tempting to conclude that the policy caused the decline. Tempting, but premature.' What is the function of the fragment 'Tempting, but premature'?

  1. It introduces a new argument unrelated to the previous sentence.
  2. It corrects a factual error in the previous sentence.
  3. It concedes the appeal of the conclusion while cautioning against it. Correct answer.
  4. It restates the conclusion with stronger support.

Explanation

The fragment echoes 'tempting' to acknowledge the conclusion's appeal and adds 'but premature' to warn against accepting it yet. It does not strengthen the conclusion, introduce an unrelated argument, or correct a factual error.

Question 34Reading Comprehension

A passage states: 'The study's sample was small, and its findings have not been replicated. Nevertheless, the authors present their conclusions as settled fact.' Which criticism is most directly supported by the passage?

  1. The authors overstate the certainty of their conclusions. Correct answer.
  2. The authors failed to describe their methodology.
  3. The authors refused to publish their data.
  4. The authors ignored all previous research on the topic.

Explanation

The passage contrasts limited evidence (small sample, no replication) with the authors' presentation of conclusions as settled. The supported criticism is that they overstate certainty, not that they omitted methodology, ignored prior research, or withheld data.

Question 35Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The new evidence does not prove the defendant's guilt. It does, however, make his account of the evening considerably harder to credit.' Which statement best captures the author's position?

  1. The defendant is certainly guilty.
  2. The defendant's account has been fully disproven.
  3. The evidence weakens the defendant's story without establishing guilt. Correct answer.
  4. The evidence is irrelevant to the case.

Explanation

The passage explicitly denies that the evidence proves guilt while asserting that it makes the defendant's account harder to believe. That is a moderate position: the evidence undermines credibility but does not establish guilt or fully disprove the account.

Question 36Reading Comprehension

Which sentence most clearly expresses a hedged claim appropriate for a research report?

  1. The results prove that the intervention works for all students.
  2. The results suggest that the intervention may benefit some students. Correct answer.
  3. The results will undoubtedly transform educational practice.
  4. The results are what they are, and everyone knows it.

Explanation

A hedged claim limits its certainty with qualifiers such as 'suggest' and 'may,' which is appropriate when evidence is not definitive. The other options use absolute or vague language that overstates or obscures the findings.

Question 37Reading Comprehension

In a passage about urban planning, the author writes: 'The city's new park is a triumph of design. It is also, regrettably, inaccessible to anyone without a car.' What is the effect of the second sentence?

  1. It shifts the topic to transportation policy in general.
  2. It reinforces the praise in the first sentence.
  3. It qualifies the praise by identifying a significant practical flaw. Correct answer.
  4. It contradicts the first sentence entirely.

Explanation

The second sentence acknowledges the design triumph but adds a serious drawback: inaccessibility for those without cars. This qualifies rather than reinforces or fully contradicts the praise, and it remains focused on the park rather than transportation policy broadly.

Question 38Reading Comprehension

A text says: 'The historian's account is richly detailed, though it rarely pauses to question its sources.' Which inference is best supported?

  1. The account is detailed and fully reliable.
  2. The account questions its sources excessively.
  3. The account is detailed but insufficiently critical of its evidence. Correct answer.
  4. The account is brief and poorly researched.

Explanation

The concessive 'though' sets up a contrast: the account has rich detail but seldom interrogates its sources. That supports an inference of thorough description paired with weak source criticism, not brevity, excessive questioning, or full reliability.

Question 39Reading Comprehension

Which option best restates the claim 'The correlation between the two trends is striking, but it does not establish that one caused the other'?

  1. One trend definitely caused the other.
  2. The two trends are unrelated because correlation is meaningless.
  3. The correlation proves that both trends share a common cause.
  4. The trends are strongly associated, but causation has not been demonstrated. Correct answer.

Explanation

The original claim acknowledges a strong association while denying that causation has been established. The correct restatement preserves both parts: striking correlation, no demonstrated causation. It does not dismiss correlation, assert causation, or claim proof of a common cause.

Question 40Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The novelist's later work is admired more than it is read.' What does this imply about the later work?

  1. It is both widely read and widely praised.
  2. It enjoys a strong reputation despite limited actual readership. Correct answer.
  3. It is widely read but rarely praised.
  4. It is neither read nor admired.

Explanation

The comparative construction 'admired more than it is read' indicates that admiration exceeds actual reading. The implication is a strong reputation combined with limited readership, not the reverse, nor equal popularity, nor total neglect.

Question 41Reading Comprehension

A passage notes that a drug 'showed a statistically significant effect in a trial of 40 patients.' Which inference is best supported?

  1. The drug is proven effective for the general population.
  2. Statistical significance guarantees clinical importance.
  3. The trial was too small to produce any meaningful result.
  4. The result is statistically notable but the small sample limits generalization. Correct answer.

Explanation

Statistical significance in a 40-patient trial indicates a detectable effect in that sample, but the small size limits how confidently the result can be generalized. The passage supports a cautious inference, not proof for the general population, dismissal of the result, or a guarantee of clinical importance.

Question 42Reading Comprehension

In a passage, a critic writes: 'The film's defenders mistake length for depth.' What does this criticism mean?

  1. The defenders argue that the film is too short to develop its themes.
  2. The defenders have not seen the entire film.
  3. The defenders value the film's running time as evidence of its substance. Correct answer.
  4. The defenders prefer films with complex plots.

Explanation

The idiom 'mistake X for Y' means to confuse one thing with another. Here the defenders are said to confuse length (running time) with depth (substance), treating a long film as if it were profound. The criticism does not concern short films, plot complexity, or incomplete viewing.

Question 43Reading Comprehension

A paragraph begins: 'The report's conclusions are bold. Its methodology, however, is conventional.' Which relationship between the two sentences does 'however' establish?

  1. The second sentence restates the first in different words.
  2. The second sentence gives an example of the first.
  3. The second sentence contrasts with the first. Correct answer.
  4. The second sentence adds a supporting detail to the first.

Explanation

'However' is a contrastive conjunct, signaling that the second sentence opposes or qualifies the first. Bold conclusions are set against a conventional methodology, creating a contrast rather than support, restatement, or example.

Question 44Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The committee's report is notable less for what it recommends than for what it omits.' Which statement best captures the author's point?

  1. The report's recommendations are its most important feature.
  2. The report's significance lies mainly in the issues it leaves out. Correct answer.
  3. The report is too short to be useful.
  4. The report makes no recommendations at all.

Explanation

The 'less for X than for Y' construction shifts emphasis from the recommendations to the omissions. The author's point is that what the report leaves out is more notable than what it recommends, not that the recommendations are central, the report is short, or no recommendations exist.

Question 45Reading Comprehension

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly in a passage of literary analysis?

  1. The novel is dense; and its prose is often opaque.
  2. The novel is dense; however its prose is often opaque.
  3. The novel is dense; its prose is often opaque. Correct answer.
  4. The novel is dense; because its prose is often opaque.

Explanation

A semicolon can join two independent clauses without a conjunction. 'The novel is dense' and 'its prose is often opaque' are both independent, so the semicolon is correct. The other options place a conjunction or a conjunctive adverb after the semicolon without the required punctuation.

Question 46Reading Comprehension

A passage describes a policy as 'a solution in search of a problem.' What does the phrase suggest about the policy?

  1. It was devised without a genuine problem to solve. Correct answer.
  2. It has solved a problem that others had overlooked.
  3. It addresses a well-documented and urgent problem.
  4. It is a temporary measure awaiting a permanent solution.

Explanation

The idiom 'a solution in search of a problem' describes a proposed remedy that lacks a real problem to justify it. It implies the policy was devised first and a rationale sought afterward, not that it addresses an urgent issue, solves an overlooked problem, or is temporary.

Question 47Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The witness's testimony was precise in its details but vague about the one fact that mattered most.' Which inference is best supported?

  1. The testimony was vague in every respect.
  2. The testimony was detailed yet evasive on the central issue. Correct answer.
  3. The testimony was entirely unreliable.
  4. The witness refused to testify at all.

Explanation

The sentence contrasts precise details with vagueness about the most important fact. That supports an inference of detailed but evasive testimony, not total unreliability, refusal to testify, or uniform vagueness.

Question 48Reading Comprehension

A passage states: 'The editor's marginalia are not merely corrections; they are a running argument with the author.' Which statement best captures the function of the marginalia as described?

  1. They summarize the author's argument without comment.
  2. They engage critically and continuously with the author's ideas. Correct answer.
  3. They silently fix typographical errors.
  4. They praise the author's work without reservation.

Explanation

The 'not merely X; they are Y' construction elevates the marginalia from simple corrections to 'a running argument,' implying sustained critical engagement with the author's ideas. It does not suggest silent fixing, neutral summary, or unreserved praise.

Question 49Reading Comprehension

In an argumentative passage, the author writes: 'Even if we grant the premise that costs will rise, the conclusion that the program must be abandoned does not follow.' Which logical criticism is the author making?

  1. The program has already been abandoned.
  2. The premise is factually false.
  3. The conclusion is a non sequitur from the premise. Correct answer.
  4. The author rejects all cost-benefit reasoning.

Explanation

The author concedes the premise for argument's sake and then denies that the conclusion follows from it. This is a charge that the conclusion is a non sequitur, not a claim that the premise is false, that the program is already abandoned, or that cost-benefit reasoning is always invalid.

Question 50Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The biography is exhaustive without being definitive.' Which interpretation is most consistent with this judgment?

  1. It is definitive precisely because it is exhaustive.
  2. It is brief but conclusive.
  3. It covers every detail but fails to settle the subject's significance. Correct answer.
  4. It omits important details and reaches no conclusions.

Explanation

The contrast between 'exhaustive' and 'without being definitive' suggests comprehensive coverage that nonetheless does not settle the subject's meaning or significance. It does not imply brevity, omission, or that exhaustiveness produces definitiveness.