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HESI A2 study materials
HESI A2 study resources

HESI A2 practice questions

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Question 1Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Many people believe that bats are blind. In fact, bats can see, though their vision is often poor. To navigate in the dark, most bats rely on echolocation: they emit high-pitched sounds that bounce off objects and return to them as echoes." Which sentence states the main idea of the passage?

  1. Bats are entirely blind and navigate using only reflected sound.
  2. Bats use echolocation to find their way in the dark. Correct answer.
  3. Bat eyesight is sharper than that of humans.
  4. Echolocation is a skill shared by every animal that flies at night.

Explanation

The passage's central point is that bats can see but depend mainly on echolocation to navigate in darkness, and every other sentence supports that point. A main idea must account for the whole passage rather than a single detail.

Question 2Reading Comprehension

Read the sentence: "The nurse noted that the patient's condition had deteriorated overnight, requiring immediate intervention." In this sentence, "deteriorated" most nearly means:

  1. Improved noticeably
  2. Stayed the same
  3. Changed quickly
  4. Became worse Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase 'requiring immediate intervention' signals a negative change, so 'deteriorated' means grew worse. Context clues that follow an unfamiliar word often confirm its meaning.

Question 3Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The community clinic opens at 7:00 a.m. Patients are seen in the order they arrive, and the waiting room holds thirty people. Because demand is high, staff suggest arriving before 8:00 a.m." According to the passage, why does the staff recommend arriving early?

  1. Because patients are seen in the order they arrive. Correct answer.
  2. Because the waiting room does not open until 8:00 a.m.
  3. Because the clinic closes early on most days.
  4. Because appointments are required after 8:00 a.m.

Explanation

The passage links high demand with a first-come, first-served policy, so arriving early protects a patient's place in line. Correct answers to detail questions must be traceable to a specific statement in the text.

Question 4Reading Comprehension

Which sentence states an opinion rather than a fact?

  1. The library closes at 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
  2. The library opens at 9 a.m. on weekdays.
  3. The library building was renovated in 1998 at a cost of two million dollars.
  4. The library's reading room is the city's most beautiful. Correct answer.

Explanation

An opinion expresses a judgment that cannot be verified, while a fact can be checked against evidence. Beauty is a personal evaluation, whereas hours and renovation costs can be confirmed.

Question 5Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs and stir until smooth. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake for thirty minutes." What is the author's purpose?

  1. To give step-by-step directions Correct answer.
  2. To compare two methods of baking
  3. To describe a memorable meal
  4. To persuade readers to bake at home

Explanation

The passage consists of commands in a fixed order, which is the structure of procedural writing. Author's purpose is identified from the way information is organized, not from the topic alone.

Question 6Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "To register for the class, first complete the online form. After the form is reviewed, you will receive an email with your student ID. Use that ID to pay the fee at the business office. Only then is your seat reserved." Which step happens immediately after the online form is reviewed?

  1. The fee is paid at the business office.
  2. The student's seat in the class is reserved.
  3. An email with a student ID is sent. Correct answer.
  4. The class schedule is posted online.

Explanation

Signal words such as 'first,' 'after,' and 'only then' mark the order of events in a process passage. The email follows the review of the form, before payment and reservation.

Question 7Reading Comprehension

Read the sentence: "The physician's handwritten note was ambiguous, so the pharmacist called to confirm the dosage." In this sentence, "ambiguous" most nearly means:

  1. Urgent
  2. Detailed
  3. Unclear Correct answer.
  4. Incorrect

Explanation

The pharmacist had to phone and confirm because the note could be read in more than one way, which is what 'ambiguous' describes. The effect that follows the word supplies the clue to its meaning.

Question 8Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Walking for thirty minutes a day strengthens the heart, lowers blood pressure, and improves mood. It requires no special equipment to begin and can be done almost anywhere. For these reasons, walking is an easy way to improve health." What is the main idea?

  1. Walking is an easy way to improve health. Correct answer.
  2. Walking requires no special equipment to begin.
  3. Walking can be done almost anywhere.
  4. Exercise lowers blood pressure.

Explanation

The last sentence draws the paragraph's details together into a general statement, which is the main idea. The other sentences are supporting details that explain why walking qualifies as easy.

Question 9Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "When the storm knocked out power to the clinic, the staff moved the vaccine freezer to the backup generator within twenty minutes. Later, the director noted that no doses were lost." Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. The vaccine freezer was empty during the storm.
  2. The backup generator protected the vaccines. Correct answer.
  3. The storm was predicted several days in advance.
  4. The clinic had no emergency plan before the storm.

Explanation

Since the doses were preserved after the freezer was connected to the generator, the logical conclusion is that the generator kept them at a safe temperature. Valid inferences follow necessarily from details in the passage.

Question 10Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The new scheduling system was promised to reduce wait times. Three months later, the average wait has grown from fifteen minutes to forty, and the software crashes weekly. Administrators call the rollout a success." Which word best describes the tone of the passage?

  1. Neutral
  2. Enthusiastic
  3. Cheerful
  4. Skeptical Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage sets the administrators' claim of success against evidence of longer waits and weekly crashes, which creates a doubting tone. Tone is revealed by the gap between what is claimed and what is shown.

Question 11Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Because the clinic's only elevator was out of service for repairs, staff moved appointments for patients who use wheelchairs to the ground-floor annex." What caused the change in where appointments are held?

  1. Fewer patients came in that week.
  2. The ground floor was newly renovated.
  3. The elevator was unavailable. Correct answer.
  4. The annex has more exam rooms.

Explanation

The word 'because' introduces the reason: the elevator could not be used, so appointments moved to a location that requires no elevator. Cause-and-effect questions are answered by locating the stated reason.

Question 12Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Adults who sleep fewer than six hours a night are more likely to report fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and slower recovery from illness. Sleep experts recommend seven to nine hours for most adults." Which sentence best summarizes the passage?

  1. Recovery from illness depends almost entirely on how much a person sleeps.
  2. Fatigue is one of the most common complaints among working adults.
  3. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep for best function. Correct answer.
  4. Sleep experts disagree sharply about how much sleep adults really need.

Explanation

A summary captures the central point of the whole passage in a single sentence. The recommendation of seven to nine hours encompasses both the reported problems with short sleep and the experts' guidance.

Question 13Reading Comprehension

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence: "The clinic added two evening shifts; ______, patients can now be seen after work."

  1. however
  2. as a result Correct answer.
  3. in contrast
  4. nevertheless

Explanation

The second half of the sentence describes a consequence of adding evening shifts, so a cause-and-effect transition is required. Contrast transitions such as 'however' would signal an unexpected reversal, which does not fit the logic here.

Question 14Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Some hospitals use a team-based model in which nurses, pharmacists, and physicians review each case together. Others rely on a primary nurse who coordinates care alone. The first approach costs more but catches more errors; the second is faster but depends heavily on one person." How is the passage organized?

  1. By comparing two approaches Correct answer.
  2. By presenting a problem and its solution
  3. By listing the causes of a single problem
  4. By describing a sequence of steps

Explanation

The passage presents two models side by side and weighs their costs and benefits, which is a comparison structure. Recognizing structure helps a reader predict where key information will be found.

Question 15Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The pamphlet claims that the supplement 'boosts immunity in days.' It lists no dosage, no ingredients, and no evidence beyond a handful of testimonials." What does the author imply about the pamphlet?

  1. It is written mainly for health professionals.
  2. It was approved by a medical board.
  3. It makes claims it does not support. Correct answer.
  4. It is too detailed for most readers.

Explanation

By pointing out missing dosage, ingredients, and evidence, the author suggests the promises are unsupported. An implication is a point the writer hints at without stating directly.

Question 16Reading Comprehension

Which statement from a patient survey is a fact rather than an opinion?

  1. The waiting room is far too cold in the mornings.
  2. My appointment began forty minutes late. Correct answer.
  3. The front desk staff are the friendliest in the city.
  4. The new check-in system is a complete waste of time.

Explanation

A fact is a statement that can be verified by observation or records, such as the measured delay in a start time. Words like 'too,' 'friendliest,' and 'waste' signal personal judgment.

Question 17Reading Comprehension

Read the paragraph: "Handwashing is the simplest way to prevent infection. The hospital cafeteria began serving soup in October. Scrubbing for at least twenty seconds removes most germs. Staff should wash before and after patient contact." Which sentence should be removed to keep the paragraph focused?

  1. Handwashing is the simplest way to prevent infection.
  2. Scrubbing for at least twenty seconds removes most germs.
  3. The hospital cafeteria began serving soup in October. Correct answer.
  4. Staff should wash before and after patient contact.

Explanation

Every other sentence concerns hand hygiene, while the cafeteria sentence introduces an unrelated topic. A focused paragraph keeps all sentences tied to one controlling idea.

Question 18Reading Comprehension

Read the sentence: "The nurse documented the patient's intake and output hourly." In this sentence, "intake" refers to:

  1. The fluids the patient consumes Correct answer.
  2. The patient's heart rate
  3. The patient's temperature and blood pressure
  4. The amount of urine produced

Explanation

Intake and output are paired measures: intake is what goes into the body, and output is what leaves it. The pairing of the two terms in the sentence helps define each one.

Question 19Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "In a study of 200 patients, 140 reported less pain after the new therapy, while 60 reported no change." Which conclusion is best supported by these results?

  1. The study included only patients with back pain.
  2. All patients in the study improved within one week.
  3. Most patients in the study reported improvement. Correct answer.
  4. The therapy was ineffective for most patients.

Explanation

Since 140 of 200 participants, or 70 percent, reported less pain, a majority showed improvement. Conclusions must stay within what the numbers actually show.

Question 20Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Take one tablet with food every eight hours. Do not exceed three tablets in twenty-four hours. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next dose." Who is the intended audience?

  1. Patients taking the medication at home Correct answer.
  2. Nurses who give injections in a hospital
  3. Researchers studying drug interactions
  4. Pharmacists who write new prescriptions for patients

Explanation

The passage gives instructions in the imperative mood about taking tablets and missing doses, which addresses the person self-administering the drug. Audience is inferred from the level of instruction and the assumed setting.

Question 21Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The hospital's readmission rate fell by a third after it began calling every discharged patient within forty-eight hours. The calls, staffed by two nurses, cost roughly $60,000 a year. Preventing a single readmission saves the hospital about $9,000, and the program prevented 140 readmissions last year." Which inference is best supported?

  1. The program saved more than it cost. Correct answer.
  2. The program eliminated all readmissions within a year.
  3. The hospital plans to end the program next year.
  4. Two nurses can reach every patient in a single day.

Explanation

The program cost about $60,000, while 140 prevented readmissions at roughly $9,000 each represent far greater savings. The inference follows from comparing the two figures rather than from any stated opinion.

Question 22Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The memo announces that the staff kitchen will be 'upgraded.' The upgrade turns out to consist of removing the refrigerator, the microwave, and all the seating, leaving a bare room with a sign that reads 'Enjoy your break.'" The tone of the passage is best described as:

  1. Strictly formal
  2. Sarcastic Correct answer.
  3. Cautiously hopeful
  4. Grateful

Explanation

Calling the removal of basic equipment an 'upgrade' and closing with a cheery sign in an empty room creates deliberate irony. Sarcasm is signaled by word choice that contradicts the situation described.

Question 23Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The clinic should extend its evening hours. Last month, 62 patients who called after 5 p.m. were told to call back the next day. Extending hours would require hiring two additional nurses, but the clinic recently received a grant for staffing." Which statement in the passage is a recommendation rather than a piece of evidence?

  1. Extending hours would require hiring two additional nurses.
  2. The clinic should extend its evening hours. Correct answer.
  3. The clinic recently received a grant for staffing.
  4. 62 patients who called after 5 p.m. were told to call back.

Explanation

The word 'should' marks a recommendation, which is the claim the rest of the passage is meant to support. The remaining sentences supply data or facts used as evidence.

Question 24Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Unlike the walk-in clinic across town, which posts its average wait time on a screen in the lobby, this clinic keeps its wait times in a logbook at the front desk." What does the comparison suggest?

  1. Both clinics see the same number of patients.
  2. The walk-in clinic has shorter waits.
  3. This clinic shares wait times less openly. Correct answer.
  4. The logbook is more accurate than the screen.

Explanation

The contrast is entirely about how wait information is displayed: publicly on a screen versus in a logbook kept at a desk. Valid inferences stay within the point the comparison actually makes.

Question 25Reading Comprehension

Which option is the best paraphrase of this sentence? "Although the new triage system reduced overall wait times, patients with minor complaints reported waiting longer than before."

  1. The system shortened waits for every group of patients.
  2. Overall wait times increased after the new system began.
  3. Waits fell on average, but minor cases waited longer. Correct answer.
  4. Patients with minor complaints were seen before serious cases.

Explanation

A paraphrase restates the original meaning in different words while preserving both parts of the contrast. The original concedes a drop in overall waits while noting one group waited longer, and only this option keeps both ideas.

Question 26Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Choose the word that most nearly means the same as abundant.

  1. Scarce
  2. Meager
  3. Plentiful Correct answer.
  4. Rare

Explanation

Abundant describes something present in large quantity or more than enough. A word meaning the same must also convey a large supply. Of the choices, only plentiful carries that sense of fullness or ample supply.

Question 27Vocabulary and General Knowledge

The prefix brady-, as in bradycardia, means:

  1. Painful
  2. Irregular
  3. Rapid
  4. Slow Correct answer.

Explanation

In medical terminology, brady- is a prefix meaning slow. Joined to a root such as cardia (heart), it describes a slowed rate rather than an increased one.

Question 28Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Which word is the best antonym for acute when describing a condition?

  1. Sudden
  2. Severe
  3. Sharp
  4. Chronic Correct answer.

Explanation

In clinical usage, acute describes a condition that begins abruptly and is short in duration. Its direct opposite in this sense is a term describing a long-lasting condition. Chronic carries that meaning of prolonged duration.

Question 29Vocabulary and General Knowledge

A patient chart notes that the client has dyspnea. This term describes:

  1. Coughing up blood
  2. Labored breathing Correct answer.
  3. Rapid heartbeat
  4. Cessation of breathing

Explanation

The prefix dys- means difficult or impaired, and the root -pnea refers to breathing. Together they denote difficult or labored breathing.

Question 30Vocabulary and General Knowledge

The prefix hyper-, as in hypertension, indicates:

  1. Excessive Correct answer.
  2. Deficient
  3. Normal
  4. Delayed

Explanation

Hyper- is a Greek prefix meaning over, above, or excessive. It is used in terms such as hyperthermia and hyperglycemia to signal an elevated level.

Question 31Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Choose the word that most nearly means obtain.

  1. Ignore
  2. Donate
  3. Lose
  4. Acquire Correct answer.

Explanation

To obtain something is to come into possession of it. Acquire carries the same meaning of gaining possession.

Question 32Vocabulary and General Knowledge

The word root cardi- refers to which structure?

  1. Lung
  2. Liver
  3. Heart Correct answer.
  4. Kidney

Explanation

Cardi- comes from the Greek word for heart and appears in terms such as cardiac, cardiology, and myocardium. Structures are identified by their own distinct roots, so cardi- names only the heart.

Question 33Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Which word is the best antonym for benign?

  1. Mild
  2. Malignant Correct answer.
  3. Stable
  4. Noncancerous

Explanation

Benign describes a growth that is not cancerous and does not spread. Its established opposite is the term for a growth that is invasive and cancerous. Malignant supplies that meaning.

Question 34Vocabulary and General Knowledge

The suffix -ectomy, as in appendectomy, means:

  1. Inflammation
  2. Viewing with a scope
  3. Surgical removal Correct answer.
  4. Suturing

Explanation

The suffix -ectomy denotes the surgical excision or removal of a structure. Appendectomy therefore means removal of the appendix, and gastrectomy means removal of the stomach.

Question 35Vocabulary and General Knowledge

A client's monitor shows tachycardia. Which description matches this term?

  1. Absent heartbeat
  2. Fast heartbeat Correct answer.
  3. Slow heartbeat
  4. Irregular heartbeat

Explanation

Tachy- is the prefix for rapid, and -cardia refers to the heart. Tachycardia therefore means a heart rate that is faster than normal.

Question 36Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Read the sentence: "After the surgery, the client remained lethargic, sleeping most of the day and responding slowly to questions." As used here, lethargic most nearly means:

  1. Hungry
  2. Sluggish Correct answer.
  3. Agitated
  4. Talkative

Explanation

Context clues in the sentence, namely sleeping most of the day and responding slowly, point to a state of low energy and slowed response. A word conveying sluggishness fits those clues. The other choices describe states the sentence does not support.

Question 37Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Choose the word that most nearly means dilate.

  1. Narrow
  2. Harden
  3. Shift
  4. Expand Correct answer.

Explanation

To dilate is to become or make wider. Expand carries the same sense of increasing in size or breadth, as when the pupils widen in dim light.

Question 38Vocabulary and General Knowledge

A nurse documents that a lesion is located on the posterior surface of the arm. Posterior means:

  1. Toward the side
  2. Toward the front
  3. Toward the back Correct answer.
  4. Toward the midline

Explanation

Posterior derives from the Latin for "coming after" and in anatomy refers to the back side of the body. It is the counterpart of anterior, which refers to the front.

Question 39Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Fill in the blank: "Because the tumor had been fully removed and had not spread, the surgeon offered a ____ prognosis."

  1. Delayed
  2. Guarded
  3. Uncertain
  4. Favorable Correct answer.

Explanation

A prognosis is a forecast of the likely course of a condition. The sentence's clues, full removal with no spread, indicate a positive outlook, which is described as favorable.

Question 40Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Which word is the best antonym for superficial?

  1. External
  2. Visible
  3. Shallow
  4. Deep Correct answer.

Explanation

Superficial describes something that involves only the surface layer. Its opposite must describe something that extends well beneath the surface, a meaning carried by deep.

Question 41Vocabulary and General Knowledge

The word root nephr-, as in nephritis, refers to which organ?

  1. Bladder
  2. Kidney Correct answer.
  3. Liver
  4. Nerve

Explanation

Nephr- comes from the Greek word for kidney, so nephritis means inflammation of the kidney. The related term nephron names the kidney's functional unit.

Question 42Vocabulary and General Knowledge

A hematoma is best described as:

  1. A type of tumor
  2. A bone fracture
  3. A collection of blood Correct answer.
  4. An infected wound

Explanation

Hemat- refers to blood and -oma commonly denotes a mass or swelling. A hematoma is therefore a localized pooling of blood outside a vessel, often caused by trauma.

Question 43Vocabulary and General Knowledge

The prefix hypo-, as in hypoglycemia, means:

  1. Below Correct answer.
  2. Above
  3. Around
  4. Between

Explanation

Hypo- is a Greek prefix meaning under or below normal. Hypoglycemia therefore means a blood glucose level lower than normal.

Question 44Vocabulary and General Knowledge

The prefix ante-, as in antepartum, means:

  1. Before Correct answer.
  2. Again
  3. After
  4. Against

Explanation

Ante- is a Latin prefix meaning before, so antepartum refers to the period before birth. It contrasts with post-, which means after.

Question 45Vocabulary and General Knowledge

A nurse observes that a client is febrile. Which description matches this finding?

  1. Short of breath
  2. Free of pain
  3. Feverish Correct answer.
  4. Unable to sleep

Explanation

Febrile derives from the Latin febris, meaning fever, and describes a client who has an elevated body temperature. The opposite state, without fever, is afebrile.

Question 46Vocabulary and General Knowledge

A condition described as idiopathic is one that is:

  1. Of unknown cause Correct answer.
  2. Caused by medication
  3. Caused by a virus
  4. Inherited from parents

Explanation

Idiopathic combines idio- (peculiar to itself) with -pathic (disease), and by convention it labels a disorder whose origin is not identified. It does not imply any specific cause such as infection, heredity, or drugs.

Question 47Vocabulary and General Knowledge

The suffix -megaly, as in hepatomegaly, means:

  1. Softening
  2. Inflammation
  3. Enlargement Correct answer.
  4. Narrowing

Explanation

Megaly comes from the Greek megas, meaning great or large. Hepatomegaly therefore means an enlarged liver, and splenomegaly an enlarged spleen.

Question 48Vocabulary and General Knowledge

A client is prescribed prophylaxis before a dental procedure. Prophylaxis refers to:

  1. Diagnostic imaging
  2. Preventive treatment Correct answer.
  3. Palliative sedation
  4. Curative surgery

Explanation

Prophylaxis derives from the Greek phylax, meaning guard, and the prefix pro-, meaning before. It denotes measures taken in advance to prevent disease rather than to cure or diagnose it.

Question 49Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Fill in the blank with the correct word: "The cardiologist warned that the new drug could ____ the client's heart rhythm."

  1. affect Correct answer.
  2. affects
  3. effected
  4. effect

Explanation

Affect is normally a verb meaning to influence, and it follows the modal could in its base form. Effect is chiefly a noun meaning result, except in the phrase to effect change, which means to bring about.

Question 50Vocabulary and General Knowledge

A client's intake and output record documents oliguria. This term refers to:

  1. Absence of urine
  2. Excessive urine output
  3. Blood in the urine
  4. Scanty urine output Correct answer.

Explanation

Olig- means few or scanty, and -uria refers to urine, so oliguria describes abnormally low urine production. It is distinct from complete failure to produce urine.