ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension Practice Test 86194 Results

	Your Results	Global Average
Questions	5	5
Correct	0	3.27
Score	0%	65%

Review

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.
	Two editions of the same text written one-hundred years apart.
	Old folk songs that have been passed down among generations of speakers of the language.

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.

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 cannot have a cosmopolitan distribution.
	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 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.

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

	form
	territory
	category
	condition

Solution

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

The Agricultural Commissioner/Weights & Measures Department routinely conducts price verification inspections at retail locations to confirm that prices charged to consumers are the same as those posted or advertised. On a typical visit to a store, the inspector will select up to 15 items and then take them to the check stand for payment. When the items’ bar codes are scanned at the register, the price showing at the register must match what is posted on the shelf or advertised. If the prices do not match, the store will receive a notice of violation and the case may be turned over to the District Attorney’s Office or local city attorney for prosecution.

According to this passage:

77% Answer Correctly

	A store receives a violation when the shelf or advertised price does not match the charged price.
	An item costing less than the announced price will no t be considered a violation.
	An inspector will usually find a pricing error when 15 items are being purchased.
	Price violation cases are automatically turned over to the appropriate jurisdiction’s attorney office.

Solution

The passage states that a store will receive a violation if the price showing at the register does not "match what is posted on the shelf or advertised."

Speed skating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating. Short track speed skating takes place on a smaller rink, normally the size of an ice hockey rink. Distances are shorter than in long track racing, with the longest Olympic race being 3000 meters. Races are usually held as knockouts, with the best two in heats of four or five qualifying for the final race, where medals are awarded. Disqualifications and falls are not uncommon. The sport originates from pack-style events held in North America and was officially sanctioned in the 1970s, becoming an Olympic sport in 1992. Although this form of speed skating is newer, it is growing faster than long track speed skating, largely because short track can be done on an ice hockey rink rather than a long-track oval.

What does the author cite as the reason that short track speed skating is growing faster than long-track speed skating?

64% Answer Correctly

	Short track speed skating can be played in a more accessible venue.
	Short track speed skating is newer and appeals to younger skaters.
	Short track speed skating is more exiting because of the shorter tracks and knockout race format.
	Short track speed skating is more exiting due to frequent disqualifications and falls.

Solution

The author states that short track speed skating is growing faster than long track speed skating "largely because short track can be done on an ice hockey rink rather than a long-track oval" which implies that the ability to be played in a more accessible venue is fueling its growth.