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SQU English Exit study materials
SQU English Exit study resources

SQU English Exit practice questions

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Question 1Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. Starting next month, the university library will remain open until 2 a.m. on weekdays during the examination period. Library staff say the change responds to student requests for more late-night study space. Security guards will be added after midnight, and the café on the ground floor will stay open for hot drinks. What is the main idea of the passage?

  1. The library café will begin selling hot drinks to visitors.
  2. Security guards will replace library staff after midnight.
  3. The library is extending services for late study. Correct answer.
  4. Students have asked for shorter examination periods this year.

Explanation

The passage focuses on longer weekday hours during exams and the added services that support students studying late. The café and security details are supporting examples, not the central point.

Question 2Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The Academic Support Center will hold a free workshop on note-taking on Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Room 210. Participants should bring a notebook and a sample of lecture notes. Registration is not required, but seats are limited to forty students. According to the passage, what should participants bring?

  1. A notebook and lecture notes. Correct answer.
  2. A recording device and headphones.
  3. A completed registration form and fee.
  4. A laptop and a textbook.

Explanation

The passage states directly that participants should bring a notebook and a sample of lecture notes. It also says registration is not required and mentions no fee, laptop, or recording device.

Question 3Reading Comprehension

Read the sentence and answer the question. The committee's decision was provisional, meaning it could be changed after further review. As used in the sentence, "provisional" most nearly means:

  1. final
  2. temporary Correct answer.
  3. secret
  4. unanimous

Explanation

Provisional describes something arranged temporarily and open to change, as the definition after the comma makes clear. A final decision would not be subject to later review.

Question 4Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. When the new bus route began, few residents used it. Within three months, however, ridership had doubled, and the transport authority added two more buses. Local shop owners now report more customers on Saturdays. What can be inferred about the new bus route?

  1. It was unpopular from the start and remained so.
  2. It replaced all other routes in the area.
  3. It mainly serves local shop owners.
  4. It became more popular over time. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage shows ridership doubling and extra buses being added within three months, which supports the inference that the route gained popularity. The other choices contradict the text or go beyond what is stated.

Question 5Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The report argues that the city should plant more trees along busy roads. Trees absorb some air pollutants, lower street temperatures, and make walking more pleasant. The cost of planting and maintenance is modest compared with the health benefits. What is the author's main purpose?

  1. To explain why busy roads are dangerous for walkers.
  2. To describe how trees grow in crowded cities.
  3. To criticize the high cost of road maintenance.
  4. To argue for a tree-planting policy. Correct answer.

Explanation

The report presents benefits and compares them with modest costs, aiming to convince readers that planting trees is worthwhile. Description, criticism, and explanation are not the text's central goal.

Question 6Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The proposal to replace the historic clock tower with a parking lot deserves serious reconsideration. The tower has stood at the center of town for over a century, and generations of residents have gathered beneath it. A parking lot, however convenient, cannot replace that shared history. The author's attitude toward the proposal is best described as:

  1. indifferent
  2. confused
  3. disapproving Correct answer.
  4. enthusiastic

Explanation

The author calls for serious reconsideration and contrasts the tower's shared history with a mere parking lot, signaling disapproval. The tone is not enthusiastic, indifferent, or confused.

Question 7Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. Many students avoid group projects because they fear that one member will do little work while others carry the load. This concern is valid, but instructors can reduce it by assigning specific roles and asking teams to evaluate each member's contribution. In the passage, "it" refers to:

  1. the concern Correct answer.
  2. the group project
  3. the instructor
  4. the load

Explanation

The pronoun "it" refers back to the immediately preceding noun phrase, "this concern," which instructors can reduce. The group project, the load, and the instructor do not fit grammatically or logically.

Question 8Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. Some argue that online courses are inferior because they lack face-to-face contact. Yet many online courses include live video sessions, discussion boards, and regular instructor feedback. A course's quality depends less on its format than on its design and teaching. Which statement best expresses the author's argument?

  1. Face-to-face contact is the only measure of course quality.
  2. Online courses should replace all face-to-face classes.
  3. Discussion boards are more important than live video sessions.
  4. Quality depends more on design than format. Correct answer.

Explanation

The author concedes that online courses can include interaction, then claims quality depends on design and teaching rather than format. The other options are stronger or narrower than the argument.

Question 9Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The new student center opened in September. It contains a cafeteria, a game room, and three meeting rooms. The building's design is far more attractive than the old center's, and students seem to enjoy the extra space. Which sentence expresses an opinion rather than a fact?

  1. The new student center opened in September of last year.
  2. The center contains a cafeteria, a game room, and three meeting rooms.
  3. The center has three meeting rooms for student clubs.
  4. The building's design is far more attractive than the old center's. Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence about attractiveness evaluates the building's design, so it expresses an opinion rather than a verifiable fact. The opening date and room details can be checked.

Question 10Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. Two studies examined the effect of background music on reading. The first found that students who listened to music recalled fewer details than those who studied in silence. The second found no difference in comprehension scores between music and silence. Both studies used different tasks and different types of music. Which conclusion is best supported by both studies?

  1. Silence is always better for every kind of reading task.
  2. Music should be banned in all study spaces.
  3. Background music always improves reading comprehension.
  4. The effect may depend on task and music. Correct answer.

Explanation

The two studies reach different results with different tasks and music types, so the safest conclusion is that effects vary with conditions. Claims that music always helps or always harms are not supported.

Question 11Reading Comprehension

A student group at the university has opened a 'repair café' in the engineering building every Saturday. Visitors bring broken lamps, kettles, and bicycles, and student volunteers help them diagnose the problem and replace simple parts. The group reports that about seventy percent of items are fixed on the spot, and it plans to publish free repair guides online. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

  1. The university plans to sell new lamps and bicycles at a lower price.
  2. The engineering building is open only on Saturdays for public use.
  3. Student volunteers run a service that repairs items and shares repair knowledge. Correct answer.
  4. Most broken household items cannot be repaired without professional help.

Explanation

The passage describes a service that fixes broken items and plans to publish free repair guides. It does not discuss building hours, the impossibility of repairs, or selling new goods. Only option 0 captures the central activity and purpose of the repair café.

Question 12Reading Comprehension

The campus shuttle now runs every fifteen minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and a late-night route operates until 1 a.m. on weekdays. Students must show their university ID when boarding after 8 p.m. According to the passage, what must students do after 8 p.m.?

  1. Use only the late-night route.
  2. Show their university ID. Correct answer.
  3. Pay a small fare in cash.
  4. Wait fifteen minutes at every stop.

Explanation

The passage states that students must show their university ID when boarding after 8 p.m. The fifteen-minute interval applies to the daytime shuttle, and no fare is mentioned. Therefore, option 1 is the only detail supported by the text.

Question 13Reading Comprehension

Attendance at the weekly astronomy lectures has been sparse, with only a handful of students in the auditorium each time. The department is considering moving the talks to a smaller room and advertising them through the physics club. In the passage, the word 'sparse' most nearly means:

  1. widely publicized
  2. strictly required
  3. carefully organized
  4. thinly attended Correct answer.

Explanation

In context, sparse contrasts with a large audience and is followed by 'only a handful of students.' It therefore means thinly attended, not organized, publicized, or required.

Question 14Reading Comprehension

The campus writing center offers free appointments, but its sign-up sheet is fullest in the two weeks before final papers are due. During the rest of the term, many appointment slots remain open. The center's director suggests that students would benefit from booking sessions earlier, when drafts can still be revised. What can be inferred from the passage?

  1. Many students seek writing help only near deadlines. Correct answer.
  2. The writing center is too small to meet demand all term.
  3. Students prefer to revise papers without any assistance.
  4. The director wants to cancel appointments before finals.

Explanation

The sign-up sheet is fullest just before final papers are due, while slots remain open earlier. This pattern supports the inference that many students delay seeking help until deadlines are close.

Question 15Reading Comprehension

In a memo to the facilities committee, the student union argues that installing ten quiet study pods in the main library would cost less than expanding the library by one room. The memo notes that a pilot pod was used by 240 students in its first month and that 85 percent of users rated it helpful. It urges the committee to approve the pods before the next academic year. What is the author's main purpose in the memo?

  1. To describe the daily routine of 240 students.
  2. To explain how library rooms are designed and built.
  3. To compare two universities' library budgets.
  4. To persuade the committee to approve study pods. Correct answer.

Explanation

The memo presents cost and usage evidence and explicitly urges the committee to approve the pods. Its purpose is therefore persuasive rather than merely descriptive or comparative.

Question 16Reading Comprehension

The editorial board writes: 'The new policy requiring students to register their guests forty-eight hours in advance is presented as a simple security measure. Yet no evidence has been offered that guests have caused the problems the policy claims to solve. The administration should withdraw the rule until it can show that the burden on students is justified.' Which words best describe the tone of the editorial?

  1. Doubtful and critical Correct answer.
  2. Neutral and purely informative
  3. Enthusiastic and approving
  4. Amused and playful

Explanation

The editorial questions the evidence behind the policy and calls on the administration to withdraw it. Words such as 'yet' and 'should withdraw' create a doubtful, critical tone rather than approval or neutrality.

Question 17Reading Comprehension

Some instructors argue that recorded lectures reduce attendance. This concern, however, assumes that students who watch recordings would otherwise attend in person; at a commuter campus, many would simply miss class. What does 'This concern' refer to in the passage?

  1. The claim that recorded lectures lower attendance Correct answer.
  2. The assumption that instructors attend all lectures
  3. The proposal to stop recording lectures entirely
  4. The belief that commuter students often miss class

Explanation

The preceding sentence identifies the concern: the argument that recorded lectures reduce attendance. The following sentence challenges that specific concern by questioning its assumption about commuter students.

Question 18Reading Comprehension

The new online advising system was designed to reduce waiting time. ______, students who need complex course planning still report long delays because the system cannot answer detailed questions. Which transition best fills the blank?

  1. For example
  2. Similarly
  3. However Correct answer.
  4. In addition

Explanation

The first sentence describes an intended benefit, while the second reports a continuing problem. The relationship is contrast, so 'However' is the only transition that signals the expected benefit was not fully achieved.

Question 19Reading Comprehension

A campus survey found that students who used the library's online planner earned higher average grades than students who did not. The survey's authors conclude that using the planner causes students to earn higher grades. Which statement best identifies a weakness in this conclusion?

  1. The survey included only students who already had library accounts.
  2. The survey did not ask whether students enjoyed using the planner.
  3. It treats correlation as causation without ruling out other habits. Correct answer.
  4. The survey may have recorded students' grades inaccurately across departments.

Explanation

The survey shows only that planner use and higher grades occur together. Students who already manage their time well may be both more likely to use planners and more likely to earn higher grades, so the conclusion wrongly treats correlation as causation.

Question 20Reading Comprehension

Some faculty members want the science library to stay open twenty-four hours during exams, citing student requests and safety concerns about students walking home late. The library administration supports longer hours but notes that staffing the building all night would require additional funds and that use after midnight has been low in past years. Which statement best synthesizes the two positions?

  1. Both groups agree that the library should close earlier during exams.
  2. The faculty oppose longer hours because of safety concerns.
  3. Both favor longer hours but disagree about cost and low late-night use. Correct answer.
  4. The administration rejects longer hours because students never use the library.

Explanation

The faculty want longer hours, and the administration also supports longer hours. Their disagreement concerns whether the added staffing cost and low after-midnight use make the extension worthwhile, which option 1 captures.

Question 21Reading Comprehension

Read the sentence and answer the question. The dean's remarks were terse, lasting less than two minutes and offering no details about the budget cuts. As used in the sentence, "terse" most nearly means

  1. brief and direct Correct answer.
  2. rude and hostile
  3. loud and emotional
  4. vague and uncertain

Explanation

Terse means using few words in a short, direct way. The sentence supports this meaning with the detail that the remarks lasted less than two minutes and gave no details.

Question 22Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The campus health center has extended its walk-in hours to include Saturdays. It has also added two nurses and a pharmacist. These changes follow a survey in which students said they avoided the center because appointments were hard to get. What is the main idea of the passage?

  1. The center expanded access after student feedback. Correct answer.
  2. The center cut weekday staff and hours.
  3. Students prefer off-campus clinics for care.
  4. The survey was designed by the health center.

Explanation

The passage lists longer Saturday hours, more nurses, and a pharmacist, all following a student survey. These details support the main idea that the center expanded access in response to feedback.

Question 23Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The campus writing center is on the second floor of the library. It offers 30-minute sessions, and students may bring any piece of writing, from lab reports to application essays. No appointment is needed on Mondays. According to the passage, what is true about visits to the writing center on Mondays?

  1. They require an appointment booked online.
  2. They take place on the library's first floor.
  3. They are limited to application essays.
  4. They are available without an appointment. Correct answer.

Explanation

The last sentence directly states that no appointment is needed on Mondays. The passage also says students may bring any type of writing and that the center is on the second floor.

Question 24Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. For years, the department posted internship openings on a single bulletin board near the main office. Last fall, it began emailing a weekly list to all majors. Applications from qualified students rose by forty percent. What can be inferred about the bulletin board?

  1. It reached fewer students than email did. Correct answer.
  2. It was removed from the department last fall.
  3. It listed only unpaid internship openings.
  4. It attracted more students than email did.

Explanation

The rise in applications after the department began emailing all majors suggests that the bulletin board alone reached fewer qualified students. The passage does not say the board was removed or describe whether internships were paid.

Question 25Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. This guide explains how to request a disability accommodation at the university. It describes the documentation students must submit, the timeline for review, and the office to contact with questions. What is the author's purpose?

  1. To compare two universities' accommodation policies
  2. To explain how to request an accommodation Correct answer.
  3. To criticize the length of the review timeline
  4. To persuade students to avoid accommodations

Explanation

The guide describes documentation, a timeline, and an office to contact, which are steps in a process. It does not argue for or against accommodations, compare universities, or criticize the timeline.

Question 26Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and choose the best word for the blank. The new online advising system was designed to reduce waiting time. ______, students who need complex course planning still report long delays because the system cannot handle multiple majors.

  1. For example
  2. However Correct answer.
  3. Therefore
  4. Similarly

Explanation

The first sentence describes an intended benefit, while the second reports continuing delays. The relationship is contrast, so "However" is the only connector that signals it.

Question 27Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The laboratory's safety committee reviews every experiment involving chemicals. It requires researchers to submit a risk assessment two weeks before the work begins. This requirement gives the committee time to identify hazards and recommend safeguards. What does "This requirement" refer to?

  1. The recommendation of safeguards for hazards
  2. The committee's review of every experiment
  3. Submitting a risk assessment two weeks ahead Correct answer.
  4. The identification of hazards by the committee

Explanation

"This requirement" points to the immediately preceding requirement: researchers must submit a risk assessment two weeks before the work begins. The committee's review is the broader process, not the requirement itself.

Question 28Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The proposal to add bike lanes on College Avenue has merit, but its supporters overstate the safety data. A careful review shows that the accident figures they cite include incidents on adjacent streets. The city should pilot the lanes on one block before committing to the full plan. What is the author's attitude toward the proposal?

  1. Indifferent to the safety evidence
  2. Supportive but cautious about the plan Correct answer.
  3. Enthusiastic and completely uncritical
  4. Firmly opposed to any bike lanes

Explanation

The author says the proposal "has merit," which shows support, but warns that supporters overstate data and recommends a pilot. That combination signals cautious support rather than opposition or enthusiasm.

Question 29Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The university claims that its new early-alert system improves retention because students who received alerts last semester re-enrolled at a higher rate than students who did not. Yet the alerts were sent only to students who had already asked for academic help. The comparison therefore cannot show that the alerts caused the difference in re-enrollment. Which statement best expresses the flaw the author identifies?

  1. Help-seekers may differ from other students. Correct answer.
  2. Re-enrollment is not a valid measure of retention.
  3. The alert system was used for only one semester.
  4. Faculty were not trained to use the alert system.

Explanation

The author identifies a selection problem: the alerted group had already sought help and may have been more motivated or better supported. Without comparable groups, the higher re-enrollment rate cannot be attributed to the alerts.

Question 30Reading Comprehension

Read the two texts and answer the question. Text A argues that requiring students to live on campus for two years builds community. Text B responds that such a rule raises costs for students who commute from home and does not account for transfer students. Text B does not dispute the community benefit; it questions who bears the cost. Which best describes the relationship between the two texts?

  1. Text B rejects Text A's goal and proposes a different one.
  2. Text A and Text B agree on the policy's cost.
  3. Text B accepts the benefit but challenges the policy's fairness. Correct answer.
  4. Text B shows that commuters build stronger communities.

Explanation

Text B explicitly does not dispute the community benefit; it raises cost and fairness concerns for commuters and transfer students. That makes its relationship to Text A one of qualified disagreement about fairness, not rejection of the goal.

Question 31Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The campus food pantry, which opened last semester in the basement of the student center, now serves more than 200 students each week. It stocks canned goods, rice, and fresh produce donated by local grocers. To meet growing demand, the pantry has added evening hours and a confidential online request form. What is the main idea of the passage?

  1. The pantry has expanded its services to meet rising demand. Correct answer.
  2. Local grocers donate only canned goods and rice to the pantry.
  3. The pantry is located in the basement of the student center.
  4. Students prefer the online request form to shopping in person.

Explanation

The passage emphasizes that demand has grown and that the pantry responded by adding evening hours and an online request form. The other choices are either minor details or unsupported claims. The main idea is the expansion, not the location or donation specifics.

Question 32Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The department's weekly seminar was once sporadic, occurring only when a speaker happened to be available. This semester, however, the chair has scheduled a talk every Friday at noon, and attendance has risen steadily. As used in the passage, 'sporadic' most nearly means

  1. well attended
  2. irregular Correct answer.
  3. lengthy
  4. mandatory

Explanation

The word is contrasted with a fixed weekly schedule, and the passage explains that talks once happened only when a speaker was available. That context shows sporadic means occurring at irregular intervals. Attendance and length are separate ideas, and nothing suggests the seminar was required.

Question 33Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The new student ID card can be used as a library card, a gym pass, and a meal card. Students must activate the card online before using it for meals. Replacement cards cost $20 and are issued at the card office on the first floor of the administration building. According to the passage, what must students do before using the card for meals?

  1. Pay $20 at the card office.
  2. Go to the library to register the card.
  3. Activate the card online. Correct answer.
  4. Visit the gym to validate the card.

Explanation

The passage directly states that students must activate the card online before using it for meals. The $20 fee applies only to replacement cards, and the gym and library are other uses, not prerequisites for meal service.

Question 34Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. When Professor Lin announced that the final exam would be open-book, several students cheered. Others, however, exchanged worried glances. The exam will consist of four essay questions that require synthesizing material from all twelve weeks of the course. What can be inferred about the students who exchanged worried glances?

  1. They preferred multiple-choice exams to essay exams.
  2. They had not purchased the textbook for the course.
  3. They had missed most of the lectures during the semester.
  4. They understood that open-book exams can demand deeper preparation. Correct answer.

Explanation

The exam requires synthesis across twelve weeks, so an open-book format may be challenging rather than easy. The worried students likely recognize that looking up facts will not be enough. The passage gives no evidence about textbook purchases, exam format preferences, or lecture attendance.

Question 35Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. To the editor: The recent decision to remove recycling bins from residence hall floors is shortsighted. Students now must carry recyclables to the lobby, and many simply throw them in the trash. The university should restore the bins and add clear signage about what can be recycled. What is the author's main purpose?

  1. To explain the administration's reasons for removing the bins.
  2. To compare recycling rates at several different universities nationwide.
  3. To describe the technical process of recycling in detail.
  4. To criticize a decision and urge a change. Correct answer.

Explanation

The author calls the removal shortsighted, describes its negative effect, and asks the university to restore the bins with better signage. That combination shows criticism plus a recommendation. The letter does not explain recycling technology, compare campuses, or provide the administration's reasons.

Question 36Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and choose the best word for the blank. The university's new printing system requires students to upload documents to a web portal before printing. ______, students who need to print during a network outage cannot access the portal and must wait. Which word best fills the blank?

  1. Nevertheless
  2. Similarly
  3. Consequently Correct answer.
  4. For example

Explanation

The second sentence describes a direct result of the new requirement: without network access, students cannot use the portal. 'Consequently' signals that cause-and-effect relationship. The other transitions would suggest similarity, contrast, or illustration rather than result.

Question 37Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The proposal to ban single-use plastics on campus is well intentioned, but its timeline is unrealistic. Vendors currently have no affordable alternatives for certain food containers, and the pilot program has not yet tested compostable options. A phased approach would be wiser. What is the author's attitude toward the proposal?

  1. Complete opposition
  2. Indifference
  3. Qualified criticism Correct answer.
  4. Enthusiastic support

Explanation

The author agrees the proposal is well intentioned but objects to the timeline and suggests a phased approach. That is qualified criticism: supportive of the goal while questioning the plan. Enthusiastic support and complete opposition both overshoot the mixed stance, and indifference ignores the author's clear engagement.

Question 38Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The department's policy states that late lab reports will be accepted only if the student provides documentation of a medical emergency; otherwise, a penalty of ten percent per day applies. Which sentence best restates the policy?

  1. Lab reports are never accepted after the deadline.
  2. Documented medical emergencies avoid the daily ten percent penalty. Correct answer.
  3. Students with medical emergencies still pay a ten percent penalty.
  4. Only medical emergencies cause students to miss lab.

Explanation

The policy makes an exception for documented medical emergencies and applies the daily penalty otherwise. The correct restatement preserves both the condition and the consequence. The other options remove the exception, reverse it, or overstate the cause of missed labs.

Question 39Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. A study found that students who visited the campus tutoring center at least five times in a semester earned higher average grades than students who visited fewer than five times. The director concluded that frequent tutoring visits cause higher grades. Which assumption is necessary for the director's conclusion?

  1. Frequent visitors are not already higher-achieving than others. Correct answer.
  2. Grades are the only measure of success.
  3. All students are required to visit the center.
  4. The tutoring center is open five days a week.

Explanation

The director moves from a correlation to a causal claim, so the conclusion assumes that students who visited frequently were not already different in achievement before tutoring. If high achievers were simply more likely to attend, the tutoring itself might not be the cause. The center's hours, attendance rules, and broader success measures are irrelevant to that causal inference.

Question 40Reading Comprehension

Read the two texts and answer the question. Text A: Requiring all first-year students to live on campus creates a stronger community and improves retention. Text B: On-campus residency requirements ignore commuter students' financial and family obligations, and community can be built through classes and clubs. How do the texts differ?

  1. Text A uses statistics; Text B uses personal anecdotes.
  2. Both texts agree that commuter students are disadvantaged.
  3. Text A emphasizes community; Text B emphasizes equity. Correct answer.
  4. Text A opposes the requirement; Text B supports it.

Explanation

Text A defends the residency requirement by pointing to community and retention, while Text B challenges it by emphasizing commuter students' financial and family obligations. The core difference is therefore between community benefits and equity concerns. Text B does not support the requirement, and neither text presents statistics or anecdotes.

Question 41Reading Comprehension

Read the sentence and answer the question. The committee's report was deliberately equivocal: it praised the plan's ambition while warning that the costs were "not yet fully understood." As used in the sentence, "equivocal" most nearly means

  1. sharply critical
  2. carefully documented
  3. openly enthusiastic
  4. deliberately vague Correct answer.

Explanation

The colon introduces an explanation of the word: the report balances praise against a warning, so it refuses to commit to a single verdict. "Equivocal" describes language that can be read more than one way, which matches "deliberately vague." The costs are described as not understood, so the report cannot be carefully documented on that point.

Question 42Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. Starting next term, the main library will close at 2 a.m. instead of midnight on weekdays, but only during the four weeks before final exams. Librarians say the change responds to a survey in which 68 percent of respondents asked for later hours; staffing will come from reallocated student-employment funds rather than new money. Which sentence best states the main idea?

  1. The longer hours are temporary and paid for without new funding. Correct answer.
  2. Student employees objected to working later shifts during exams.
  3. The library will permanently close at 2 a.m. starting next term.
  4. Most students who answered a survey rarely use the library at night.

Explanation

The passage's central point combines two facts: the late closing runs only for the four weeks before exams, and the staffing is paid for by reallocating existing funds. The survey result and the funding detail both support that point rather than replace it. Options that call the change permanent or claim staff objections misread the passage.

Question 43Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The campus shuttle's Blue Route will add two stops, at the engineering annex and the north parking garage, beginning March 1. The route will keep its 15-minute frequency, but the first departure from the transit hub moves from 6:30 to 6:45 a.m. Riders who need the earlier time can use the Red Route, which still leaves at 6:15 a.m. According to the passage, which detail about the Blue Route changes?

  1. the fare charged to student riders
  2. the 15-minute frequency of departures
  3. the number of buses assigned to it
  4. the time of the route's first departure Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage states that the first departure from the transit hub shifts from 6:30 to 6:45 a.m., so that is the detail that changes. It also says the 15-minute frequency stays the same and mentions nothing about fleet size or fares. The added stops are a change, but they are not offered as an answer choice.

Question 44Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. When the department introduced online lab sign-ups, it expected conflicts to fall. Instead, complaints rose: students with slow internet at home reported that popular sections were full by the time their browsers loaded. The department has since added a staggered sign-up window by class year. It can reasonably be inferred that the department's original expectation failed mainly because

  1. students were not told about the new system
  2. too few lab sections were offered that term
  3. access to the system was unequal among students Correct answer.
  4. students preferred to sign up in person

Explanation

The complaints came from students whose slower connections left them shut out of popular sections, so the department's plan assumed a level of access that did not exist. The staggered window is a fix aimed at that inequality, not at a shortage of sections or a lack of information. Nothing in the passage suggests students wanted to sign up in person.

Question 45Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. To the editor: The faculty's decision to ban laptops in every lecture hall treats a real problem, distraction, with a blunt instrument. Students who use laptops to take notes, enlarge text, or run translation software lose a tool they need. A rule that lets each instructor set a clear default while granting documented exceptions would serve both goals. The author's main purpose is to

  1. propose a more flexible version of an existing rule Correct answer.
  2. explain how students can hide laptop use in class
  3. defend the faculty's decision without qualification
  4. summarize research on distraction in lectures

Explanation

The writer accepts that distraction is a real problem but argues the blanket ban is too crude, then offers a modified policy with instructor defaults and exceptions. That is a call to revise the rule, not to discard or fully endorse it. The passage cites no research and gives no advice on concealing laptop use.

Question 46Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The advising office moved appointments online last fall. The change cut no-shows by a third, but it also made it harder for advisors to notice students who seemed to be struggling. This is why the office now pairs every online appointment with a short follow-up call. In the third sentence, "This" refers to

  1. the fall semester schedule
  2. the drop in missed appointments
  3. a drawback created by the online format Correct answer.
  4. the plan to hire more advisors

Explanation

The pronoun points back to the negative consequence described in the previous sentence: online appointments made it harder for advisors to spot struggling students. The follow-up call exists to recover that lost signal, which confirms the drawback is the referent. The reduction in no-shows is a benefit and would not motivate a corrective call.

Question 47Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The new campus app is polished, and its map works well. Whether it deserves the administration's description of "a transformation of student life" is another matter: as of this week, the dining-hall menu page listed last semester's hours. The tone of the passage is best described as

  1. enthusiastic
  2. skeptical Correct answer.
  3. sympathetic
  4. indifferent

Explanation

The writer grants one genuine strength but immediately questions the administration's grand claim using a concrete failure, which signals doubt. That combination of partial praise and pointed evidence is the mark of a skeptical tone. Indifference would not bother citing a specific flaw.

Question 48Reading Comprehension

Read the two texts and answer the question. Text A: Recording lectures should be routine. Students who review a difficult explanation a second time learn more than those who hear it once, and absent students stop falling behind. Text B: Recording lectures changes the room. When every remark may be replayed, instructors grow cautious and discussion dries up, and the loss falls on the students sitting there. The two texts disagree mainly about

  1. whether its benefits outweigh the cost to discussion Correct answer.
  2. whether recordings help absent students catch up
  3. whether the technology is reliable enough to use
  4. how much preparation time instructors need

Explanation

Text A weighs the learning gains of replay and access for absent students and concludes recording should be routine. Text B accepts that change happens but stresses a cost to live discussion, so the real disagreement is how to balance benefit against cost. Neither text disputes that recordings could help absent students.

Question 49Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The student government launched a bike-share program with 60 bicycles at six racks. In the first month, riders took 1,200 trips, and 40 percent replaced a bus ride. Because two racks ran empty by noon, organizers plan to add 20 bicycles and two racks next term. Which sentence best states the main idea?

  1. Forty percent of trips replaced a bus ride during the first month.
  2. The program began with sixty bicycles at six campus racks.
  3. Early demand has led organizers to expand the bike-share program. Correct answer.
  4. Two racks were empty by noon on many days.

Explanation

The passage reports strong first-month use and then explains the organizers' response: adding bicycles and racks. That combination of demand and expansion is the central point, while the other details support it.

Question 50Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question. The writing center now offers 25-minute appointments instead of 50-minute ones. The director says shorter sessions let consultants see more students during peak weeks. Students who need more time may book two back-to-back appointments, but they must leave a 10-minute gap between them. According to the passage, how can a student receive more than 25 minutes of help?

  1. Visit during peak weeks without an appointment.
  2. Request a 50-minute appointment from the director.
  3. Ask a consultant to extend the session.
  4. Book two appointments with a ten-minute gap. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage explicitly says students who need more time may book two back-to-back appointments with a 10-minute gap. It does not say the director grants 50-minute appointments or that consultants can extend sessions.