ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension Practice Test 573014 Results

Your Results Global Average
Questions 5 5
Correct 0 3.11
Score 0% 62%

Review

1
In linguistics, the comparative method is a technique for studying the development of languages by performing a feature-by-feature comparison of two or more languages with common descent from a shared ancestor, as opposed to the method of internal reconstruction, which analyzes the internal development of a single language over time.
Which of the following would be the most useful for someone using the comparative method in linguistics when studying a particular language?
66% Answer Correctly
The same text written in two different dialects of the language.
An ancient text written in the language.
Old folk songs that have been passed down among generations of speakers of the language.
Two editions of the same text written one-hundred years apart.

Solution
The wrong answers all provide insight into how a single language has changed over time while the text written in two different dialects offers an opportunity to compare languages that share a common ancestor.

2
A perennial stream or perennial river is a stream or river (channel) that has continuous flow in parts of its stream bed all year round during years of normal rainfall. "Perennial" streams are contrasted with "intermittent" streams which normally cease flowing for weeks or months each year, and with "ephemeral" channels that flow only for hours or days following rainfall.
Which of the following is the correct order of stream type from the least amount of time flowing to the most amount of time flowing over the course of a year?
57% Answer Correctly
perennial, intermittent, ephemeral
perennial, ephemeral, intermittent
ephemeral, intermittent, perennial
ephemeral, perennial, intermittent

Solution
Ephemeral streams flow for hours or days, intermittent streams flow for weeks or months, and perennial streams flow continuously throughout the year.

3
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?
68% Answer Correctly
Dow Chemical's $4 billion investment in Texas plastics production.
Cheap oil and natural gas.
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".

4
The South Shore Estuary is an estuary located along the south shore of Long Island, between the mainland and the outer barrier islands, in eastern New York state. It stretches for over 70 miles (110 km) from West Bay in Nassau County to the Shinnecock Bay in Suffolk County.
According to this passage where is the South Shore Estuary located?
61% Answer Correctly
Off the coast of Long Island
The south shore of Manhattan
West Nassau County
Eastern New York state

5
On this date in 1776, rebellious colonials launched the first modern democracy, an experiment in government controlled by the people themselves. America succeeded so well that virtually the entire world later adopted democracy with its guarantee of personal rights.
Based on this paragraph, which of the following statements about the author's beliefs is false?
59% Answer Correctly
Democracy is the most noble form of government.
America is the first modern democracy.
Virtually the entire world has adopted democracy.
Democracy guarantees personal rights.

Solution
This question is asking which of these statements is false given what the author states in the paragraph not whether or not the author is correct or incorrect in those beliefs or what additional beliefs he or she is likely to have. Although you might infer that the author thinks democracy is the most noble form of government, that was not specifically mentioned in the article.