ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension Practice Test 176886 Results

Your Results Global Average
Questions 5 5
Correct 0 3.15
Score 0% 63%

Review

1
Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and gas). Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms (reducing or increasing the number of electrons in them), thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions and negative electrons or ions.
What does the word "state" most closely mean in the context of this paragraph?
73% Answer Correctly
territory
condition
category
form

Solution
Although each of these words are synonyms for "state", form is the most appropriate given the context of this paragraph.

2
Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that began in the United States around 1870. Pragmatism is a rejection of the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, or mirror reality. Instead, pragmatists develop their philosophy around the idea that the function of thought is as a instrument or tool for prediction, action, and problem solving. Pragmatists contend that most philosophical topics - such as the nature of knowledge, language, concepts, meaning, belief, and science - are all best viewed in terms of their practical uses and successes rather than in terms of representative accuracy.
Pragmatism would best be described as a philosophy that focuses on:
59% Answer Correctly
Describing and understanding the nature of reality.
Practicality and present problem solving.
Imagination and planning for the future.
Reflection and learning from the past.

Solution
According to this passage, pragmatists focus on present problem solving and the practical uses of philosophy.

3
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. The extreme opposite of endemism is cosmopolitan distribution.
Based on this passage, which of the following statements is false?
47% Answer Correctly
An organism that is indigenous to Australia can be found in India.
Endemism requires an organism be unique to a defined geographic location.
An organism that is endemic to Australia can be found in India.
An organism that is endemic cannot have a cosmopolitan distribution.

Solution
You don't necessarily need to know the definitions of the words in a paragraph to figure out the correct answer. Just go through the answers one by one and logically compare the answer to the the paragraph and eliminate the answers that aren't supported by the facts.

4
"Democracy's real test lies in its respect for minority opinions." - Ellery Sedgwick
Showing respect for a minority opinion _______________ democracy.
67% Answer Correctly
validates
invalidates
undermines
challenges

Solution
If democracy's test is whether or not it respects minority opinions then showing respect for a minority opinion is positive and validates democracy. Each of the other answers paints showing respect for minority opinion negatively.

5
The expert predicted that America's gross domestic product will return to more than 3 percent yearly expansion. For example, Dow Chemical is investing $4 billion in Texas plastics production that will be operational by 2019. Such growth requires cheap oil and natural gas - and "by 2022 or so, the United States will surpass Saudi Arabia in oil output, and Russia in gas." He continued: "The big attraction is the low price of natural gas, the lowest-carbon fossil fuel, which can be produced profitably at about a third the price per unit of energy as other hydrocarbons. That is particularly attractive to chemical companies. It is the raw material for plastics, Styrofoam, tires, sealants, adhesives, films, liquid crystal screens, nylons, polyesters - nearly everything around us."
According to this passage, what's going to cause America's future growth?
69% Answer Correctly
Cheap oil and natural gas.
Dow Chemical's $4 billion investment in Texas plastics production.
Increased plastics production.
Surpassing Saudi Arabia in oil output, and Russia in gas.

Solution
After predicting that America's gross domestic product will grow to more than 3 percent yearly expansion the expert states that "such growth requires cheap oil and natural gas".