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Question 1English - Reading Comprehension

Read this sentence: 'Although the experiment failed twice, the team refused to abandon the hypothesis.' What is the relationship between the two clauses?

  1. Cause and effect
  2. Addition of similar ideas
  3. Sequence in time
  4. Contrast or concession Correct answer.

Explanation

'Although' is a subordinating conjunction of concession: it signals that the second clause is surprising or contrary to what the first clause leads you to expect. The team's refusal to abandon the hypothesis stands in contrast to the repeated failure. Words like 'because' signal cause, 'then' signals sequence, and 'moreover' signals addition.

Question 2English - Reading Comprehension

In the passage sentence 'The new policy was welcomed by teachers, who had long complained of excessive paperwork,' what does the relative clause 'who had long complained of excessive paperwork' do?

  1. It reports what the policy itself stated.
  2. It contrasts teachers with another group.
  3. It identifies which teachers welcomed the policy.
  4. It explains why teachers welcomed the policy. Correct answer.

Explanation

A non-defining relative clause set off by a comma adds extra information about the noun rather than restricting it. Here the clause supplies the reason for the teachers' positive reaction, namely their earlier complaint about paperwork. Because all teachers are already identified, the clause cannot be selecting a subset.

Question 3English - Reading Comprehension

A passage states: 'Sales rose sharply in the first quarter. However, the second quarter saw an equally sharp decline.' Which word in the second sentence carries the contrast?

  1. sharp
  2. However Correct answer.
  3. saw
  4. equally

Explanation

'However' is a conjunctive adverb that signals contrast between two sentences or clauses. It tells the reader that the second statement reverses or qualifies the first. The other words are an adverb of degree, a verb, and an adjective, none of which marks logical contrast.

Question 4English - Reading Comprehension

Read the sentence: 'The committee rejected the proposal, arguing that its costs were prohibitive.' What is the function of the participle phrase 'arguing that its costs were prohibitive'?

  1. It introduces a new subject unrelated to the committee.
  2. It reports a question the committee asked.
  3. It states a condition that must be met first.
  4. It gives the reason for the committee's decision. Correct answer.

Explanation

A present-participle phrase placed after the main clause often explains the reason or manner of the preceding action. The phrase attaches to 'the committee' as its logical subject and supplies the justification for the rejection. It is not conditional, interrogative, or a change of subject.

Question 5English - Reading Comprehension

In the sentence 'Researchers found that children who read daily scored higher than those who did not,' what does 'those' refer to?

  1. Scores
  2. Researchers
  3. Children who did not read daily Correct answer.
  4. Children who read daily

Explanation

Demonstrative pronoun 'those' substitutes for a previously mentioned plural noun phrase that is parallel in structure. The comparison is between children who read daily and children who did not, so 'those' stands for the second group. Substitution pronouns must match the grammatical number and semantic category of their antecedent.

Question 6English - Reading Comprehension

Which sentence uses 'while' to express contrast rather than time?

  1. While walking home, I met an old friend.
  2. While she was cooking, the phone rang.
  3. While the plan is cheap, it is also risky. Correct answer.
  4. He fell asleep while the film was playing.

Explanation

'While' can mark either simultaneous time or concession/contrast. When both clauses contain contrasting evaluations of the same subject, as with 'cheap' versus 'risky', the meaning is concessive. The other sentences describe two events happening at the same time or an action in progress.

Question 7English - Reading Comprehension

A text says: 'The museum's collection is small. Nevertheless, it attracts visitors from around the world.' What does 'Nevertheless' tell the reader?

  1. The second fact is surprising given the first. Correct answer.
  2. The second fact is an example of the first.
  3. The second fact is a result of the first.
  4. The second fact happened earlier than the first.

Explanation

'Nevertheless' is a concessive adverb meaning 'in spite of that'. It signals that the second statement holds true despite the first, which would normally lead the reader to expect the opposite. It does not express cause, time order, or exemplification.

Question 8English - Reading Comprehension

In the sentence 'The scientist whose paper was retracted declined to comment,' what is the grammatical role of 'whose paper was retracted'?

  1. It is the main clause of the sentence.
  2. It defines which scientist is meant. Correct answer.
  3. It adds a comment about all scientists.
  4. It is an adverbial clause of reason.

Explanation

A defining relative clause with 'whose' restricts the noun it follows, identifying a specific scientist among others. Without the clause, the reader would not know which scientist is intended. It is subordinate, not the main clause, and it does not express reason.

Question 9English - Reading Comprehension

A paragraph opens: 'Few inventions have changed daily life as dramatically as the smartphone.' What is the main rhetorical purpose of this opening sentence?

  1. To refute an opposing argument in detail.
  2. To present statistical evidence about smartphones.
  3. To define the term 'smartphone' precisely.
  4. To introduce the topic with a striking general claim. Correct answer.

Explanation

An opening sentence of this type makes a broad, evaluative claim that grabs attention and announces the paragraph's topic. It contains no data, no formal definition, and no developed counterargument. Recognizing this function helps readers predict that supporting details will follow.

Question 10English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The proposal, which the board had rejected twice, was finally approved.' Which statement is true about the board's decisions?

  1. The board rejected the proposal and never approved it.
  2. The board approved the proposal twice before rejecting it.
  3. The board approved the proposal only once.
  4. The board rejected the proposal twice before approving it. Correct answer.

Explanation

The non-defining relative clause uses the past perfect 'had rejected twice', placing two rejections before the later approval in the past. The main verb 'was finally approved' reports the final outcome. Careful reading of tense and clause structure is needed to recover the correct sequence.

Question 11English - Reading Comprehension

In 'Not only did the team miss the deadline, but it also exceeded the budget,' why is 'did' placed before 'the team'?

  1. Because the sentence is in the passive voice.
  2. To emphasize the deadline rather than the team.
  3. Because 'not only' at the start triggers inversion. Correct answer.
  4. To form a question about the team.

Explanation

When a negative or restrictive expression such as 'not only' begins a clause, standard English requires subject-auxiliary inversion, giving 'did the team miss'. This is a formal stylistic device, not a question. The sentence remains active, and the emphasis falls on both failures.

Question 12English - Reading Comprehension

A writer says: 'The results should be interpreted cautiously.' Which earlier finding would best justify this conclusion in a research report?

  1. The sample included only thirty volunteers from one city. Correct answer.
  2. The study was published in a peer-reviewed journal.
  3. The findings matched those of three earlier studies.
  4. The researchers used standard statistical software.

Explanation

A caution about interpretation is justified when the evidence base is limited, for example a small, geographically narrow sample that restricts generalization. Peer review, standard tools, and replication all strengthen confidence rather than weaken it. The reader must connect the recommendation to the weakness it responds to.

Question 13English - Reading Comprehension

In the phrase 'the rapidly expanding urban population', what is the head noun?

  1. rapidly
  2. expanding
  3. population Correct answer.
  4. urban

Explanation

In a noun phrase, the head is the noun that the modifiers describe and that determines the phrase's grammatical behavior. Here 'rapidly', 'expanding', and 'urban' all modify 'population', which is therefore the head. Identifying the head helps readers locate the core meaning of dense academic noun phrases.

Question 14English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'Had the warning been issued earlier, many lives could have been saved.' What does this sentence suggest about the warning?

  1. It was issued earlier than expected.
  2. It saved many lives as planned.
  3. It was issued but then withdrawn.
  4. It was not issued early enough. Correct answer.

Explanation

This is a third conditional in inverted form: 'Had the warning been issued' means 'If the warning had been issued'. The unreal past condition implies the warning was not issued early enough, and the result clause states the missed consequence. Recognizing inversion in conditionals is essential for accurate inference.

Question 15English - Reading Comprehension

A paragraph begins with a general claim and then offers three specific examples. What is the organizational pattern of the paragraph?

  1. Comparison and contrast
  2. Problem and solution
  3. Chronological narration
  4. Generalization followed by illustration Correct answer.

Explanation

When a broad statement is followed by specific instances, the pattern is generalization plus illustration. The examples serve to support or clarify the opening claim. Narration would follow a time line, comparison would set two items side by side, and problem-solution would propose a remedy.

Question 16English - Reading Comprehension

In the sentence 'What surprised the reviewers was the clarity of the argument,' what is the subject of the main verb 'was'?

  1. the argument
  2. What surprised the reviewers Correct answer.
  3. the reviewers
  4. the clarity

Explanation

The sentence has a nominal relative clause, 'What surprised the reviewers', functioning as the subject, with 'the clarity of the argument' as the complement. A common error is to treat the noun after 'was' as the subject. Testing with a pronoun substitution ('It was the clarity') confirms the clause is the subject.

Question 17English - Reading Comprehension

A passage notes: 'Critics praised the novel's ambition but questioned its coherence.' What does this tell us about the critics' overall view?

  1. They recognized strengths while noting a weakness. Correct answer.
  2. They refused to comment on the novel.
  3. They found the novel entirely incoherent.
  4. They admired every aspect of the novel.

Explanation

The 'but' construction balances a positive evaluation ('praised ambition') against a negative one ('questioned coherence'). The resulting stance is mixed rather than wholly favorable or wholly unfavorable. Reading concession-and-contrast structures accurately prevents overstating an author's position.

Question 18English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The lecture was so dense that few students could follow it.' What does 'so dense that' express?

  1. A contrast with another lecture
  2. A purpose for attending the lecture
  3. A condition for following the lecture
  4. A result of the lecture's density Correct answer.

Explanation

The 'so + adjective + that' pattern expresses result: the degree of density produced the consequence that few could follow. It differs from 'so that', which usually expresses purpose. Distinguishing result from purpose is a frequent comprehension point in academic texts.

Question 19English - Reading Comprehension

Which sentence most clearly signals that the writer is drawing a conclusion from earlier evidence?

  1. The data were collected over six months.
  2. For instance, several trials produced similar results.
  3. Meanwhile, other laboratories continued their work.
  4. It follows, then, that the hypothesis is untenable. Correct answer.

Explanation

'It follows, then, that' is an explicit marker of logical inference, showing the statement is derived from preceding evidence. The other sentences present data collection, an example, and a simultaneous event. Recognizing inference markers helps readers distinguish claims from supporting detail.

Question 20English - Reading Comprehension

In 'The report, written hastily, contained several errors,' what does the participial phrase 'written hastily' modify?

  1. The act of containing
  2. An unnamed writer
  3. The errors
  4. The report Correct answer.

Explanation

A past-participle phrase placed next to a noun modifies that noun, here 'the report', which was written hastily. It is adjectival, not adverbial, and no separate agent is named. Misreading such phrases as modifying the verb is a common comprehension error.

Question 21English - Reading Comprehension

A text says: 'Far from solving the problem, the new regulation created additional delays.' What is the writer's attitude toward the regulation?

  1. Strongly supportive
  2. Uncertain
  3. Neutral and descriptive
  4. Critical Correct answer.

Explanation

'Far from solving the problem' explicitly denies the expected benefit and asserts the opposite outcome, which conveys criticism. The word 'additional' intensifies the negative evaluation. A neutral description would simply report effects without the dismissive framing.

Question 22English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'Only after the results had been replicated three times did the journal accept the paper.' What does the sentence emphasize about the journal's decision?

  1. It was reversed after publication.
  2. It depended on repeated confirmation of the findings. Correct answer.
  3. It was made quickly and without checks.
  4. It was based on the author's reputation.

Explanation

The inverted 'Only after... did...' construction foregrounds the condition that had to be met first, namely three replications. This stresses the journal's insistence on strong evidence before acceptance. The structure is emphatic, not merely temporal.

Question 23English - Reading Comprehension

In the sentence 'Neither the students nor the teacher was aware of the change,' why is the verb singular?

  1. Because the sentence is negative.
  2. Because the verb agrees with the nearer subject, 'the teacher'. Correct answer.
  3. Because 'neither' always takes a plural verb.
  4. Because 'aware' is an adjective.

Explanation

With 'neither...nor', the verb conventionally agrees with the subject closer to it, which is the singular 'teacher'. This is the proximity rule in standard usage. Negation alone does not determine verb number.

Question 24English - Reading Comprehension

A paragraph states: 'Urban green spaces lower summer temperatures. They also improve air quality and support mental health.' How are the sentences related?

  1. The second sentence contradicts the first.
  2. The second sentence adds further benefits. Correct answer.
  3. The second sentence narrows the first to one case.
  4. The second sentence gives a cause of the first.

Explanation

'They also' is an additive connector that introduces additional supporting points for the same topic. All three items, temperature, air quality, and mental health, are benefits of green spaces. There is no contradiction, causal link, or narrowing to a single instance.

Question 25English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The author's argument would be more persuasive if she had acknowledged the counterevidence.' What is the reader doing in this comment?

  1. Evaluating the argument's weaknesses Correct answer.
  2. Agreeing fully with the author
  3. Describing the author's research method
  4. Summarizing the argument's main points

Explanation

The conditional 'would be more persuasive if' identifies a shortcoming in the argument, namely the failure to address counterevidence. This is evaluative criticism, not summary or agreement. Recognizing evaluative language is central to critical reading tasks.

Question 26English - Reading Comprehension

A passage states: 'The new policy was intended to reduce traffic. In practice, however, it pushed drivers onto narrower side streets.' What is the writer's main point about the policy?

  1. It was designed mainly to help side streets.
  2. It was never actually implemented in practice.
  3. It produced an effect opposite to its stated aim. Correct answer.
  4. It reduced traffic more than expected.

Explanation

The contrast marker 'however' signals that the real outcome differed from the intention; drivers moved to side streets rather than traffic falling. The stated aim was reduction, so the actual result undercuts it, making the opposite-effect reading the only defensible one.

Question 27English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The committee reviewed the budget, revised the timeline, and submitted the final report.' Which structural feature does this sentence display?

  1. A series of parallel verb phrases sharing one subject. Correct answer.
  2. A compound sentence joined by a coordinating conjunction.
  3. A dependent clause followed by an independent clause.
  4. A passive construction with an omitted agent.

Explanation

The single subject 'The committee' governs three past-tense verbs in a coordinated list, which is parallelism. There is no conjunction linking independent clauses and no passive verb, so the other descriptions do not fit the structure.

Question 28English - Reading Comprehension

A text says: 'The evidence is suggestive rather than conclusive.' What does the writer imply about the evidence?

  1. It hints at a conclusion without proving it. Correct answer.
  2. It has been fully confirmed by replication.
  3. It is entirely irrelevant to the question.
  4. It contradicts all earlier findings.

Explanation

The frame 'X rather than Y' sets up a contrast, so 'suggestive' is affirmed and 'conclusive' is denied. 'Suggestive' means pointing toward a conclusion without establishing it, which matches the first option exactly.

Question 29English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The volunteers, exhausted after the flood, worked through the night.' Which element does the phrase 'exhausted after the flood' describe?

  1. The flood's duration
  2. The volunteers Correct answer.
  3. The night
  4. The working conditions

Explanation

The participial phrase sits next to 'The volunteers' and describes their condition, so it modifies that noun. Phrases of this type attach to the nearest logical noun, which here is the people who were tired.

Question 30English - Reading Comprehension

A paragraph opens with a claim, then gives statistics, then restates the claim in stronger terms. Which pattern does this paragraph follow?

  1. Problem and solution
  2. Comparison of two positions
  3. Claim, support, reinforced claim Correct answer.
  4. Chronological narration

Explanation

The paragraph begins with a thesis, supplies data as evidence, and closes by returning to the thesis with added force. That movement from assertion to support to restatement is a claim-support-claim structure, not narration or comparison.

Question 31English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'Scarcely had the announcement been made when protests began.' What does 'scarcely ... when' emphasize?

  1. How peaceful the protests became
  2. How immediately the protests followed Correct answer.
  3. How unlikely the protests were
  4. How long the announcement lasted

Explanation

'Scarcely ... when' is a fixed pattern meaning that the second event happened almost at once after the first. It stresses immediacy of sequence, not probability, duration, or the character of the protests.

Question 32English - Reading Comprehension

In the sentence 'The professor made her students rewrite the essay,' what is the grammatical function of 'rewrite the essay'?

  1. It is an adverbial clause of purpose.
  2. It is the direct object of 'made'.
  3. It is the object complement of 'made'. Correct answer.
  4. It is a reduced relative clause.

Explanation

With causative 'make', the structure is make + object + bare infinitive; the infinitive phrase completes the meaning of the object and is therefore an object complement. The direct object is 'her students', and no relative or purpose clause is present.

Question 33English - Reading Comprehension

A passage says: 'The data, though limited, point to a consistent trend.' How does the writer treat the limitation of the data?

  1. As the central finding of the study
  2. As a reason to reject the trend entirely
  3. As a problem the writer never addresses
  4. As a concession that does not overturn the main claim Correct answer.

Explanation

'Though limited' concedes a weakness, while the main clause still asserts a consistent trend. The concession therefore qualifies the claim without cancelling it, which is the standard function of this concessive structure.

Question 34English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'By the time the inspectors arrived, the records had been destroyed.' Which meaning does the past perfect convey here?

  1. The destruction happened before the inspectors' arrival. Correct answer.
  2. The destruction never actually took place.
  3. The destruction was happening as the inspectors arrived.
  4. The destruction happened after the inspectors' arrival.

Explanation

Past perfect ('had been destroyed') marks an event completed before another past reference point, here the inspectors' arrival. The 'by the time' frame makes that earlier-than sequence explicit.

Question 35English - Reading Comprehension

A sentence reads: 'The proposal was rejected not because it was costly but because it was vague.' What does the writer identify as the actual reason?

  1. The proposal's length
  2. The proposal's vagueness Correct answer.
  3. The proposal's cost
  4. The proposal's timing

Explanation

The 'not because X but because Y' frame denies the first reason and affirms the second. The affirmed clause names vagueness, so that is the reason the writer presents as decisive.

Question 36English - Reading Comprehension

In the sentence 'Whoever finishes first will present the findings,' what is the function of 'Whoever finishes first'?

  1. It is an interrogative sentence embedded as object.
  2. It is an adjectival clause modifying a noun.
  3. It is a nominal clause serving as subject. Correct answer.
  4. It is an adverbial clause of condition.

Explanation

The clause introduced by 'whoever' fills the subject slot before 'will present', so it functions as a noun (nominal) clause. It does not follow a noun it could modify, and it states no condition.

Question 37English - Reading Comprehension

A text argues: 'Remote work reduces commuting time. It also widens access to jobs for people with disabilities. These benefits, moreover, extend to employers.' What is the role of 'moreover'?

  1. It marks a conclusion drawn from the evidence.
  2. It adds a further point in the same direction. Correct answer.
  3. It introduces a contrasting view.
  4. It signals an example of the previous claim.

Explanation

'Moreover' is an additive connector: it stacks another supporting point alongside those already given. It neither reverses direction nor introduces an illustration or a conclusion.

Question 38English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The hypothesis was elegant; unfortunately, the experiments failed to support it.' Which best captures the relation between the two clauses?

  1. The second clause explains why the hypothesis was elegant.
  2. The second clause restates the first in different words.
  3. The second clause undercuts the positive evaluation in the first. Correct answer.
  4. The second clause confirms the first clause.

Explanation

'Unfortunately' signals a negative turn, so the failure of the experiments works against the praise in the first clause. The semicolon joins the two ideas, and the adverb makes the second a setback rather than support.

Question 39English - Reading Comprehension

In 'The report that the manager submitted was incomplete,' what does 'that the manager submitted' do?

  1. It identifies which report is meant. Correct answer.
  2. It states the content of the report.
  3. It reports what the manager said.
  4. It gives the reason the report was incomplete.

Explanation

This is a restrictive relative clause modifying 'report'; it narrows the reference to the one the manager submitted. It does not report speech, give a reason, or describe the report's contents.

Question 40English - Reading Comprehension

A paragraph reads: 'Many assume that bilingual children confuse their two languages. Research, however, shows that they separate them early and switch between them deliberately.' What is the writer doing?

  1. Correcting a common assumption with evidence Correct answer.
  2. Summarizing a debate without taking a side
  3. Presenting two equally supported views
  4. Describing a research method in detail

Explanation

The first sentence states a popular belief, and 'however' plus research findings overturn it. The writer therefore takes a clear side, using evidence to replace the assumption rather than merely reporting a debate.

Question 41English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'Neither the delay nor the cost overruns were mentioned in the summary.' Which statement about this sentence is accurate?

  1. The sentence is fully standard because 'neither' always takes a plural verb.
  2. The sentence contains no subject at all.
  3. The sentence is fully standard because 'nor' always takes a singular verb.
  4. The verb agrees with the nearer plural subject, which is acceptable in informal usage but disputed in formal writing. Correct answer.

Explanation

With 'neither ... nor', formal usage traditionally makes the verb agree with the nearer subject, which here is the plural 'cost overruns'. That yields 'were', though many style guides prefer a singular verb with 'neither', so the sentence reflects a contested rather than settled pattern.

Question 42English - Reading Comprehension

A passage states: 'The museum's audio guide is available in twelve languages, a fact that surprises many first-time visitors.' What does the underlined-style comment 'a fact that surprises many first-time visitors' do?

  1. It comments on the preceding information as an appositive. Correct answer.
  2. It introduces a condition for the preceding information.
  3. It lists an example of the preceding information.
  4. It contradicts the preceding information.

Explanation

The noun phrase re-labels the whole preceding statement and adds the writer's comment on it, which is the appositive function. It does not set a condition, contradict the claim, or provide an instance.

Question 43English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'Only a handful of scholars have examined the archive, and even fewer have published on it.' What does the second clause add?

  1. A generalization about all scholars
  2. A contradiction of the first clause
  3. An explanation of why the archive exists
  4. A stronger restriction on the same group Correct answer.

Explanation

'Even fewer' intensifies the restriction: the group that published is smaller than the already small group that examined. The two clauses point the same way, with the second narrowing further rather than contradicting.

Question 44English - Reading Comprehension

In 'Had it not been for the timely intervention, the project would have collapsed,' what does the inversion 'Had it not been for' replace?

  1. A relative clause identifying the project
  2. An 'if' clause expressing an unreal past condition Correct answer.
  3. A concessive clause meaning 'although'
  4. A 'because' clause giving a real cause

Explanation

Fronting 'had' instead of using 'if' creates a formal conditional: it means 'if it had not been for'. The main clause with 'would have collapsed' confirms the unreal past condition.

Question 45English - Reading Comprehension

A writer states: 'The survey covered 400 respondents, all of whom were recruited online.' What does 'all of whom' refer to?

  1. Online platforms in general
  2. The 400 respondents Correct answer.
  3. The survey questions
  4. The researchers

Explanation

'Whom' is a relative pronoun whose antecedent is the nearest preceding noun phrase, '400 respondents'. The clause then says that every one of those respondents was recruited online.

Question 46English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'While the sample size was small, the effect was large enough to warrant attention.' How does 'while' function here?

  1. It specifies the duration of the experiment.
  2. It concedes a limitation before affirming the main point. Correct answer.
  3. It compares two sample sizes.
  4. It introduces the cause of the large effect.

Explanation

Here 'while' introduces a concessive clause: the writer grants the small sample but still affirms that the effect deserves attention. The main clause carries the point, so the clause is a concession rather than a time or cause expression.

Question 47English - Reading Comprehension

A passage says: 'The theory is attractive precisely because it is simple; simplicity, though, is no guarantee of truth.' What is the writer's overall stance?

  1. The theory's simplicity is a merit that cannot by itself establish it. Correct answer.
  2. The theory is false because it is simple.
  3. The theory is true because it is simple.
  4. The theory's complexity is its main weakness.

Explanation

The first clause praises simplicity as an attraction, and the second warns that simplicity does not prove truth. Together they grant the merit while denying that it is sufficient, which is a balanced stance rather than endorsement or rejection.

Question 48English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'Not until the final chapter does the author reveal the narrator's identity.' What is the effect of fronting 'Not until the final chapter'?

  1. It delays the reveal and creates suspense. Correct answer.
  2. It shifts the narrative to the past tense.
  3. It shows the author never reveals the identity.
  4. It states the reveal happens early.

Explanation

Fronting the negative time phrase triggers subject-auxiliary inversion ('does the author reveal') and places the timing at the end of the book. The structure therefore builds anticipation by holding back the disclosure until the last chapter.

Question 49English - Reading Comprehension

A paragraph states: 'Critics who dismiss the reform as symbolic overlook its measurable effects on waiting times.' What assumption underlies the critics' position as the writer describes it?

  1. That waiting times are impossible to measure
  2. That the reform was never enacted
  3. That the writer supports the reform
  4. That symbolic measures cannot produce measurable practical effects Correct answer.

Explanation

The critics are said to 'overlook' measurable effects, which implies they assume a symbolic reform cannot have such effects. That unstated premise is what allows them to dismiss it, so the first option names the assumption.

Question 50English - Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The novelist's later work, for all its technical brilliance, lacks the emotional directness of her early fiction.' Which reading is best supported?

  1. The early fiction is criticized as emotionally flat.
  2. Admiration for the craft coexists with a judgment about emotional impact. Correct answer.
  3. The writer regards technical brilliance as irrelevant.
  4. The later work is dismissed as technically poor.

Explanation

'For all its technical brilliance' concedes high craft, while the main clause faults the later work for emotional distance. The sentence therefore pairs praise of technique with a reservation about feeling, which the first option captures.