ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension Practice Test 730055 Results

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Questions 5 5
Correct 0 2.84
Score 0% 57%

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1
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
Reflection and learning from the past.
Describing and understanding the nature of reality.
Practicality and present problem solving.
Imagination and planning for the future.

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

2
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 endemic to Australia can be found in India.
Endemism requires an organism be unique to a defined geographic location.
An organism that is endemic cannot have a cosmopolitan distribution.
An organism that is indigenous to Australia can be found in India.

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.

3
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 guarantees personal rights.
America is the first modern democracy.
Virtually the entire world has adopted democracy.
Democracy is the most noble form of government.

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.

4
On Monday, after a long quarter-century, West Virginians said goodbye to their state's 6 percent food tax. Now to see what, if any, business we've been missing. In 1989, retailers warned that sales in West Virginia would go down if legislators imposed a 6 percent tax on food. "Whatever they put on would be passed on to the consumer," Charles Forth, who owned supermarkets in both West Virginia and Ohio, told the newspaper in February 1989. "Six percent is $6 on $100. That will make a difference when people are already hurting and trying to make ends meet." It's a lot easier to drive customers away than to win them back, a fact legislators should bear in mind when it comes to taxation.
The author is _______________ that eliminating the 6 percent food tax will bring customers back to West Virginia stores.
45% Answer Correctly
skeptical
hopeful
denying
confident

Solution
The author cites a local retailer who predicted that sales in West Virginia would go down if the food tax was implemented and, although no facts are given to indicate that sales did in fact go down, the tone of the paragraph implies that the perception is that they have. The author is skeptical that eliminating the food tax will bring customers back claiming "It's a lot easier to drive customers away than to win them back".

5
The Urnero (Leptodactylus latinasus) is a species of frog in the Leptodactylidae family. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrub land, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, pastureland, rural gardens, and ponds.
What can you conclude about the Urnero?
74% Answer Correctly
It prefers a wet habitat.
It prefers a habitat with high altitude.
It prefers an urban habitat.
It is found primarily in Central America.