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LPAT English practice questions

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Question 1Reading

A reading passage states: 'The committee's recommendation was not so much a rejection of the proposal as a request for clearer costings.' Which inference is best supported by this sentence?

  1. The committee broadly accepted the proposal but wanted its figures sharpened. Correct answer.
  2. The committee rejected the proposal outright and refused further discussion.
  3. The committee doubted the proposal's overall merit rather than its presentation.
  4. The committee was indifferent to the proposal's financial detail.

Explanation

The construction 'not so much X as Y' downgrades the first element and foregrounds the second. Here the rejection is minimised and the request for clearer costings is emphasised, so the committee is inclined to accept provided the figures improve.

Question 2Reading

Read: 'Sales rose in every region except the north, where a warehouse fire disrupted deliveries for six weeks.' What does the passage imply about northern sales?

  1. They were unaffected by the fire.
  2. They rose faster than in other regions.
  3. They probably fell or stagnated because of the disruption. Correct answer.
  4. They were the strongest in the company.

Explanation

The phrase 'except the north' signals that the north did not share the general rise, and the following clause supplies the cause. A six-week delivery disruption plausibly suppressed sales, so decline or stagnation is the supported implication.

Question 3Reading

A writer says: 'Had the funding been approved, the pilot scheme would now be running in twenty schools.' What is the writer's main point?

  1. The scheme is currently operating in twenty schools.
  2. Funding was approved but the scheme was delayed.
  3. The scheme will run in twenty schools next year.
  4. The scheme is not running because funding was refused. Correct answer.

Explanation

The third conditional with 'had...been approved' plus 'would now be running' describes an unreal present result of a past condition that did not happen. The scheme therefore is not running because the funding was not approved.

Question 4Reading

Passage: 'Far from being a passive record of events, the diary actively shaped how its author later remembered them.' Which statement best captures the writer's claim?

  1. The diary influenced the author's recollection rather than merely reflecting it. Correct answer.
  2. The author's memory was unreliable before the diary was written.
  3. The diary is valuable mainly as a historical record of events.
  4. The diary recorded events objectively before memory faded.

Explanation

'Far from being a passive record' negates the reflective view, and 'actively shaped...remembered' asserts an influence on memory. The claim is that the diary helped construct recollection.

Question 5Reading

Which word in the sentence 'The minister's remarks were widely interpreted as a tacit admission of error' carries the meaning 'understood without being stated openly'?

  1. interpreted
  2. tacit Correct answer.
  3. admission
  4. widely

Explanation

'Tacit' means implied or understood without being openly expressed, which matches the gloss given. The other words concern extent, the act of construing, or the act of conceding.

Question 6Reading

In the sentence 'The report's conclusions are contentious, and several reviewers have contested them', what does 'contentious' most nearly mean?

  1. legally binding
  2. likely to provoke disagreement Correct answer.
  3. carefully worded
  4. widely accepted

Explanation

'Contentious' describes something that causes or invites dispute, which is confirmed by reviewers contesting the conclusions. The cause-and-effect link in the sentence supports this reading.

Question 7Reading

'The scheme was rolled out piecemeal, with individual departments adopting it at their own pace.' Which paraphrase best preserves the meaning of 'piecemeal'?

  1. at considerable expense
  2. under strict central control
  3. without any prior planning
  4. in a gradual way, one part at a time Correct answer.

Explanation

'Piecemeal' means done in separate stages or portions rather than as a whole, which the following clause about departments adopting at their own pace confirms. Gradual, part-by-part implementation is the accurate paraphrase.

Question 8Reading

A passage notes that a charity's 'overheads are lean but its reach is limited'. Which pair of words best captures the contrast the writer draws?

  1. efficiency versus scope Correct answer.
  2. wealth versus poverty
  3. tradition versus innovation
  4. speed versus accuracy

Explanation

'Lean overheads' concerns low administrative cost, i.e. efficiency, while 'limited reach' concerns how far the organisation extends, i.e. scope. The contrast is therefore between economy and extent of impact.

Question 9Reading

In a passage on urban planning, the writer refers to 'a virtuous circle of investment and improved services'. What does this phrase indicate?

  1. The cycle is impossible to sustain in cities.
  2. Investment has steadily declined despite better services.
  3. Services improve only when investment is withdrawn.
  4. Each improvement attracts further investment, which funds more improvements. Correct answer.

Explanation

A 'virtuous circle' is a self-reinforcing loop in which a beneficial effect produces conditions for further benefit. Investment improving services, which then attracts more investment, fits that definition.

Question 10Reading

Which sentence uses 'sanction' in the sense of 'official approval'?

  1. The regime sanctioned protesters who broke the curfew.
  2. He feared the sanction of his superiors if he spoke out.
  3. Trade sanctions were imposed on the region last month.
  4. The board voted to sanction the merger after a lengthy review. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Sanction' can mean either authorise/approve or impose a penalty, so context decides. Only the board voting to sanction a merger after review presents approval of an action.

Question 11Reading

A paragraph opens: 'Critics of the new curriculum have been vocal. Yet their objections rest on a misreading of the syllabus.' What is the function of 'Yet' here?

  1. It signals that the writer will concede the critics' point.
  2. It introduces an additional supporting point for the critics.
  3. It marks a conclusion drawn from the critics' objections.
  4. It signals a shift to the writer's counter-position against the critics. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Yet' is a contrastive connector. After acknowledging that critics are vocal, the writer pivots to dismiss their objections as based on a misreading, so the connector introduces the writer's opposing stance.

Question 12Reading

Read: 'The results were, to put it mildly, disappointing.' What is the effect of the parenthetical phrase?

  1. It introduces a quotation from the researchers.
  2. It softens the criticism while signalling that the reality was worse. Correct answer.
  3. It states that the results were mildly disappointing.
  4. It indicates the writer is uncertain about the results.

Explanation

'To put it mildly' is an understatement marker: the writer adopts restrained language while implying the true assessment is stronger. It therefore hedges the wording but intensifies the criticism.

Question 13Reading

A writer begins a paragraph with 'Admittedly, the technology is expensive.' What is this sentence most likely doing in the argument?

  1. Stating the writer's main conclusion
  2. Summarising an earlier section of the text
  3. Conceding a point before offering a counter-argument Correct answer.
  4. Rejecting the technology as unaffordable

Explanation

'Admittedly' conventionally introduces a concession, acknowledging a point that opponents might raise, usually before the writer qualifies or rebuts it. It is a strategic concession within an argument.

Question 14Reading

Passage: 'The study surveyed 400 commuters. Its findings, however, were drawn from a single city.' What does 'however' indicate about the relationship between the two sentences?

  1. The second sentence gives the cause of the survey.
  2. The second sentence limits the generalisability of the findings. Correct answer.
  3. The second sentence confirms the findings' reliability.
  4. The second sentence repeats the first in different words.

Explanation

'However' marks a qualification or contrast. The second sentence introduces a limitation, a single-city sample, which restricts how far the findings can be generalised, so it qualifies the first sentence.

Question 15Reading

In the sentence 'The proposal was rejected, albeit narrowly', what does 'albeit' signal?

  1. The rejection was unanimous.
  2. The proposal was never voted on.
  3. The rejection was close, which qualifies the preceding statement. Correct answer.
  4. The proposal was accepted.

Explanation

'Albeit' introduces a concessive qualification to what has just been said. Here it adds that the rejection was narrow, softening or qualifying the bald statement that the proposal was rejected.

Question 16Reading

A passage argues: 'If we accept that literacy is a right, we must also accept that funding for adult literacy classes cannot be treated as optional.' What is the logical structure of this argument?

  1. A conditional premise is used to draw a necessary conclusion. Correct answer.
  2. An empirical study is cited to support a general claim.
  3. An analogy is used to compare two unrelated policies.
  4. A counter-example is raised to refute a definition.

Explanation

The argument takes the form 'if P, then Q': from the premise that literacy is a right, it derives the necessity of funding. This is a conditional premise yielding a conclusion presented as following necessarily.

Question 17Reading

A writer claims: 'Every city that has introduced congestion charging has seen traffic fall. Therefore, congestion charging always reduces traffic.' Which criticism of the reasoning is most accurate?

  1. It relies on an irrelevant emotional appeal.
  2. It generalises from a limited set of cases to a universal claim. Correct answer.
  3. It confuses a cause with its effect.
  4. It contradicts itself by denying its own premise.

Explanation

The premise concerns cities that introduced charging, but the conclusion extends to all cases as a universal law. The inference over-generalises from observed instances to an unrestricted claim.

Question 18Reading

Read: 'Opponents say the tax will deter investment. But the same was said of the 2015 levy, and investment there rose by a fifth.' How does the writer respond to the opponents?

  1. By conceding that their prediction is correct
  2. By redefining the term 'investment'
  3. By questioning their professional qualifications
  4. By citing a precedent that undermines their prediction Correct answer.

Explanation

The writer invokes a comparable earlier levy whose outcome contradicted the same warning. This is an appeal to precedent used to cast doubt on the opponents' prediction, not to accept it.

Question 19Reading

A passage states: 'Correlation between the two variables was strong, but the researchers were careful to note that causation had not been established.' Which conclusion is safe for a reader to draw?

  1. The researchers' caution invalidates their data.
  2. The two variables are associated, but one does not necessarily cause the other. Correct answer.
  3. One variable definitely causes the other.
  4. The study found no relationship between the variables.

Explanation

The sentence reports a strong association while explicitly withholding any causal claim. A careful reader should therefore accept the correlation but not infer causation from it.

Question 20Reading

A reviewer writes: 'The author's command of detail is impressive; her judgement, less so.' What does the semicolon construction achieve?

  1. It balances two assessments and ellipts words to sharpen the contrast. Correct answer.
  2. It corrects a factual error in the first clause.
  3. It introduces a direct quotation from the book.
  4. It lists two equally positive qualities of the author.

Explanation

The semicolon joins two parallel evaluations, and 'less so' ellipts 'is impressive' to contrast praise of detail with doubt about judgement. The structure is balanced and contrastive, not a list of positives.

Question 21Reading

Passage: 'The museum's decision to return the artefacts was described as generous. It was, more precisely, legally unavoidable.' What is the writer's attitude towards the description 'generous'?

  1. Approving, because the museum acted from goodwill.
  2. Sceptical, because the return was legally required rather than voluntary. Correct answer.
  3. Confused, because the writer cannot judge the law.
  4. Neutral, because both descriptions are equally valid.

Explanation

'More precisely' signals a correction of the earlier label. By substituting 'legally unavoidable' for 'generous', the writer implies the generosity was illusory, since the museum had no real choice.

Question 22Reading

Read: 'The novelist's later works are often dismissed as repetitive. To read them in sequence, however, is to see variation within a narrow range.' What is the writer doing?

  1. Summarising the plots of the later novels.
  2. Comparing the novelist with another writer.
  3. Endorsing the view that the later works are repetitive.
  4. Challenging a common judgement by offering a different reading. Correct answer.

Explanation

The writer cites the dismissive view, then uses 'however' to counter it with the claim that sequential reading reveals variation. This challenges the common judgement rather than endorsing it.

Question 23Reading

A passage notes: 'The policy was popular, cheap and, as it turned out, ineffective.' What does the final clause suggest about the writer's priorities?

  1. Effectiveness matters more to the writer than popularity or cost. Correct answer.
  2. The writer regards the policy as a success.
  3. Popularity is the most important criterion for the writer.
  4. Cost is the decisive factor in the writer's assessment.

Explanation

The 'as it turned out' clause is placed last for emphasis and delivers the decisive verdict. By ending on ineffectiveness, the writer signals that outcomes outweigh popularity and cheapness.

Question 24Reading

Passage: 'The report recommends that the bridge be inspected annually, that its load limit be reviewed, and that all findings be published.' Which feature of formal report style does this sentence illustrate?

  1. Use of the past perfect for completed actions
  2. Use of rhetorical questions to engage readers
  3. Use of the subjunctive after 'recommend' for proposals Correct answer.
  4. Use of the passive to avoid naming the agent in narration

Explanation

After verbs such as 'recommend', formal English uses the subjunctive base form: 'be inspected', 'be reviewed', 'be published'. This marks the clauses as proposals rather than statements of fact.

Question 25Reading

Which sentence is most appropriate in a formal academic report on literacy rates?

  1. Literacy rates? They went up, big time.
  2. Literacy rates got a lot better over the last ten years.
  3. Literacy rates shot up like anything in that decade.
  4. Literacy rates improved markedly between 2010 and 2020. Correct answer.

Explanation

Formal academic reporting favours precise, neutral lexis and a measured tone. 'Improved markedly' conveys the finding with appropriate register and specificity, unlike colloquial alternatives.

Question 26Reading

A reading passage contains the sentence: 'The committee's findings were provisional, pending further data.' Which paraphrase most accurately preserves the meaning of 'provisional' in this context?

  1. The findings were preliminary in scope but final in their conclusions.
  2. The findings were unanimous and unlikely to change.
  3. The findings were temporary and subject to revision once more evidence arrived. Correct answer.
  4. The findings were confidential and could not be released to the public.

Explanation

'Provisional' means arranged or accepted for the present but likely to be changed later, and the participial phrase 'pending further data' confirms that revision is expected. A paraphrase must keep both the temporary status and the link to incoming evidence.

Question 27Reading

In a passage on public health, the writer says the campaign 'met with a lukewarm reception from clinicians'. Which reading of 'lukewarm' is best supported?

  1. Clinicians responded with indifference rather than enthusiasm. Correct answer.
  2. Clinicians were openly hostile and campaigned against it.
  3. Clinicians were confused about what the campaign involved.
  4. Clinicians welcomed it warmly but asked for more funding.

Explanation

'Lukewarm' literally describes liquid that is only slightly warm and figuratively means unenthusiastic or indifferent. It signals mild, muted support rather than active opposition, enthusiasm or confusion.

Question 28Reading

A passage reads: 'The council approved the plan. The mayor, however, withheld her signature.' What is the function of 'however' in these two sentences?

  1. It indicates that the mayor's action happened first.
  2. It adds a further point supporting the approval.
  3. It signals a contrast between the council's action and the mayor's. Correct answer.
  4. It introduces a cause for the council's decision.

Explanation

'However' is a conjunctive adverb marking contrast between the statement it introduces and the preceding one. Here it sets the mayor's withholding of her signature against the council's approval.

Question 29Reading

A reading text states: 'The trust's accounts were audited twice, and no irregularities were found.' Which inference is best supported by this sentence alone?

  1. The audit found no evidence of financial misconduct. Correct answer.
  2. The trust's staff were unaware of the audit.
  3. The trust is certain to remain financially solvent.
  4. The auditors were appointed by the trust's own board.

Explanation

'Irregularities' in an accounts context means discrepancies or improper transactions, so finding none supports an inference of no detected misconduct. The sentence reports an audit result and nothing more.

Question 30Reading

Which option best states the main idea of this short passage? 'Many cities now plant trees to cool streets. Shade lowers surface temperatures, and leaves release water vapour that further cools the air. Yet saplings take decades to mature, so benefits arrive slowly.'

  1. Trees are the only effective way to reduce temperatures in modern cities.
  2. Leaves release water vapour, which is the sole reason trees cool the air.
  3. Cities should stop planting trees because the benefits are too slow.
  4. Urban tree planting cools streets through shade and evaporation, though the effects take time to appear. Correct answer.

Explanation

A main-idea statement must capture the whole passage, including both the cooling mechanisms and the caveat about slow maturity. Only one option combines the benefits with the qualification.

Question 31Reading

A passage says: 'The new library is spacious and well stocked; the old one, by contrast, was cramped and sparsely shelved.' Which relationship between the two clauses is expressed?

  1. A comparison highlighting difference. Correct answer.
  2. A cause followed by its effect.
  3. A sequence of events over time.
  4. A concession followed by a rebuttal.

Explanation

The phrase 'by contrast' explicitly frames the second clause as a comparison that emphasises difference from the first. The paired adjectives (spacious/cramped, well stocked/sparsely shelved) reinforce the contrast.

Question 32Reading

In a passage about a scientific dispute, the writer says one researcher's claims were 'later shown to rest on a flawed sampling method'. What does this tell the reader about the claims?

  1. They have since been replicated successfully.
  2. They were based on data collected by another team.
  3. Their underlying evidence was unreliable. Correct answer.
  4. They were never published in any journal.

Explanation

To 'rest on' a method means to depend on it for support, so a flawed sampling method undermines the evidential basis of the claims. The sentence concerns the quality of the evidence, not publication or replication.

Question 33Reading

A reading passage notes: 'The scheme was praised in principle but resisted in practice.' Which statement best captures the writer's point?

  1. The scheme was accepted as an idea but obstructed when implemented. Correct answer.
  2. The scheme was never formally approved by any body.
  3. The scheme was implemented successfully despite initial doubts.
  4. The scheme was opposed by everyone who understood it.

Explanation

The 'in principle ... in practice' contrast separates abstract approval from concrete resistance during implementation. The paraphrase must preserve both halves of that contrast.

Question 34Reading

Read this extract: 'Attendance at the lectures was compulsory, but the seminars were optional.' Which option is a correct restatement of the relationship between the two activities?

  1. Seminars were required while lectures were voluntary.
  2. Both lectures and seminars were required of all students.
  3. Neither lectures nor seminars carried any requirement.
  4. Lectures had to be attended, whereas seminars could be skipped. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Compulsory' means required and 'optional' means not required, and 'but' signals the contrast between them. A correct restatement must keep the two obligations attached to the right activities.

Question 35Reading

A passage states: 'The museum's collection is encyclopaedic in scope, though its display space is modest.' What does the writer imply about the museum?

  1. It has recently expanded its exhibition galleries.
  2. Its collection focuses narrowly on one historical period.
  3. Its collection is small and rarely changed.
  4. It owns a very broad range of objects but can show only part of them. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Encyclopaedic' describes a collection covering many fields comprehensively, and the concessive 'though' contrasts this breadth with limited display space, implying much is not on show.

Question 36Reading

In a passage, a writer comments: 'The minister's statement was carefully worded, as one might expect from a lawyer.' What attitude does the comment convey?

  1. Admiration for the minister's legal training.
  2. Surprise that a lawyer would speak publicly.
  3. A suggestion that the wording was evasive or guarded. Correct answer.
  4. Approval of the statement's plainness and clarity.

Explanation

Calling a statement 'carefully worded' and linking it to legal training usually implies caution and possible evasiveness rather than praise. The aside 'as one might expect' adds a knowing, slightly ironic tone.

Question 37Reading

A paragraph begins: 'Even the scheme's architects now concede that costs have outstripped forecasts.' What does the word 'Even' contribute to the sentence?

  1. It marks the sentence as a hypothetical example.
  2. It emphasises that the concession comes from the least likely source. Correct answer.
  3. It indicates that the scheme had several architects.
  4. It suggests that the costs were predicted accurately.

Explanation

'Even' is a focusing adverb that marks the following noun phrase as surprising or extreme in context. Here it stresses that the admission comes from those who designed the scheme, who would be least expected to concede failure.

Question 38Reading

A text reads: 'The vaccine was rolled out to health workers first. Only later did supplies reach rural clinics.' Which aspect of the rollout does the second sentence add?

  1. The order in which groups received supplies. Correct answer.
  2. The number of doses involved.
  3. The cost of delivering supplies to clinics.
  4. The reason rural clinics were prioritised.

Explanation

The inverted structure 'Only later did supplies reach...' adds information about sequencing: health workers first, rural clinics afterwards. It concerns timing and order, not reasons, quantities or costs.

Question 39Reading

A reviewer writes: 'The book is not without merit, but its argument is thin.' What is the reviewer's overall assessment?

  1. The book is excellent and merits wide recommendation.
  2. The book's argument is strong but its style is poor.
  3. The book is entirely without value and should be ignored.
  4. The book has some value, yet its central argument is weak. Correct answer.

Explanation

The litotes 'not without merit' concedes some value, while 'but its argument is thin' criticises the substance of the argument. A correct reading must hold both the limited praise and the criticism together.

Question 40Reading

A passage says: 'Proponents argue that the levy will curb speculation. Opponents counter that it will simply shift trading elsewhere.' Which description best fits the structure of these two sentences?

  1. A position followed by a contrasting counter-argument. Correct answer.
  2. A definition followed by an illustrative example.
  3. A cause followed by its predicted effect.
  4. A claim followed by supporting evidence for that claim.

Explanation

The first sentence presents one side's argument and the second presents the opposing side's reply, signalled by 'counter'. The structure is therefore claim versus counter-claim, not claim plus evidence.

Question 41Reading

Read: 'The results were striking: infection rates fell by half within a month.' What role does the colon play in this sentence?

  1. It marks a shift to a contrasting point of view.
  2. It separates two independent clauses of equal weight.
  3. It introduces an explanation or specification of the preceding claim. Correct answer.
  4. It lists three or more parallel items.

Explanation

A colon after a complete clause commonly introduces a specification, explanation or elaboration of what precedes it. Here the figures explain in what sense the results were 'striking'.

Question 42Reading

A passage observes: 'The novelist's reputation rests less on sales than on the admiration of a small circle of critics.' What does this suggest about the novelist's standing?

  1. The novelist is admired equally by critics and the general public.
  2. Sales figures are the main measure of the novelist's success.
  3. Critical esteem matters more to the reputation than commercial success. Correct answer.
  4. The novelist's reputation has declined among critics recently.

Explanation

The 'less on ... than on ...' construction ranks critical admiration above sales as the basis of reputation. The paraphrase must keep that ranking rather than reversing it.

Question 43Reading

A writer states: 'The reforms were introduced in haste; the consequences were, predictably, chaotic.' Which word carries the writer's judgement that the chaos could have been foreseen?

  1. predictably Correct answer.
  2. consequences
  3. reforms
  4. introduced

Explanation

The adverb 'predictably' encodes the writer's evaluative stance: it asserts that the chaotic outcome was foreseeable, implicitly criticising those who acted in haste. Adverbs of this kind often carry a text's evaluative load.

Question 44Reading

A passage says: 'Far from resolving the dispute, the ruling deepened it.' Which restatement is accurate?

  1. The ruling was postponed to allow further argument.
  2. The ruling made the dispute worse instead of settling it. Correct answer.
  3. The ruling had no effect on the dispute either way.
  4. The ruling resolved the dispute as intended.

Explanation

The 'far from X, Y' construction denies X and asserts the opposite, so the ruling did not resolve the dispute but intensified it. The restatement must preserve both the denial and the intensified outcome.

Question 45Reading

A passage notes: 'The archive is open to researchers, provided they register in advance.' What condition does the sentence impose?

  1. Researchers must request permission from the archive's donors.
  2. Researchers must be affiliated with a university.
  3. Researchers must pay a fee before using the archive.
  4. Researchers must register before using the archive. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Provided (that)' introduces a condition, and the condition stated is advance registration. The sentence names no fee, affiliation or donor approval, so only the registration requirement is supported.

Question 46Reading

In a passage, a writer remarks: 'The report's recommendations are sensible; whether anyone will act on them is another matter.' What is the effect of the second clause?

  1. It questions the practical impact of the recommendations. Correct answer.
  2. It repeats the first clause in different words.
  3. It confirms that the recommendations will be implemented.
  4. It explains why the recommendations were made.

Explanation

The idiom 'is another matter' sets the second clause apart as a separate and doubtful question, casting uncertainty on whether the sensible recommendations will actually be followed. The semicolon balances praise of the content against scepticism about uptake.

Question 47Reading

A passage states: 'The findings, while robust, apply only to coastal populations.' Which comment best evaluates the scope of the findings?

  1. The findings are unreliable because the sample was small.
  2. The findings are robust because they cover coastal areas only.
  3. The findings apply to every population studied so far.
  4. The findings are reliable but cannot be generalised to all populations. Correct answer.

Explanation

The concessive 'while robust' grants reliability, and 'apply only to coastal populations' restricts generalisability. An accurate comment must affirm the strength of the findings while noting their limited scope.

Question 48Reading

Read: 'The committee did not reject the proposal outright; it deferred a decision until the autumn.' What does the second clause clarify?

  1. The proposal was rejected without any discussion.
  2. The proposal was formally approved in the autumn.
  3. The proposal was set aside for later consideration rather than refused. Correct answer.
  4. The committee lost the documents relating to the proposal.

Explanation

The semicolon introduces a clarification that corrects a possible misreading of the first clause: not outright rejection but postponement. 'Deferred' means postponed for later consideration.

Question 49Reading

A writer argues: 'Because the trial lacked a control group, its conclusions about the drug's effectiveness cannot be trusted.' Which assumption underlies this argument?

  1. Control groups are optional in clinical trials.
  2. The drug is ineffective in every group tested.
  3. Trials without control groups cannot reliably establish effectiveness. Correct answer.
  4. The trial's conclusions were later confirmed by other studies.

Explanation

The argument moves from a missing control group to distrust of the conclusions, which only works if control groups are assumed necessary for reliable causal claims about effectiveness. That unstated premise is the assumption.

Question 50Reading

A passage says: 'The city's pledge to cut emissions is ambitious on paper; its budget for the plan tells a different story.' What does the second clause imply?

  1. The budget is larger than the pledge requires.
  2. The budget is too small to support the pledge. Correct answer.
  3. The budget confirms that the pledge will be met.
  4. The budget has not yet been published.

Explanation

The idiom 'tells a different story' signals a discrepancy between the stated pledge and the funding behind it, implying the budget falls short of what the ambition requires. The reader must infer the shortfall from the contrast.