ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension Practice Test 913268 Results

	Your Results	Global Average
Questions	5	5
Correct	0	2.97
Score	0%	59%

Review

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

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

Solution

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

A rule change was enacted before the 1974 National Football League (NFL) season to add one sudden death overtime period (15 minutes) to all preseason and regular season games. If no team scored in this period, the game would result in a tie. This rule was enacted to decrease the number of tie games. The first ever regular season overtime, a September 22 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos, ended in a 35-35 draw. It was not until November 10, when the New York Jets defeated the New York Giants, 26-20, that an overtime game would produce a winner.

Based on this information, which of the following statements is accurate?

50% Answer Correctly

	The number of ties have increased after this rule change.
	The number of ties have been reduced after this rule change.
	The number of ties have stayed the same after this rule change.
	There's not enough information to determine if this rule change impacted the number of ties.

Solution

Without knowing how many ties occurred in pre-1974 NFL seasons we can't determine if the number of ties in 1974 was more than, less than, or the same as in past years.

"Democracy's real test lies in its respect for minority opinions." - Ellery Sedgwick

Showing respect for a minority opinion _______________ democracy.

67% Answer Correctly

	invalidates
	undermines
	challenges
	validates

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.

The 1980 New York Mets season was the 19th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Led by manager Joe Torre, the team had a 67-95 record, yielding a 5th place finish in the National League East.

In the context of this paragraph, the word "yielding" most closely means:

52% Answer Correctly

	Being flexible.
	Being submissive.
	Giving way under pressure.
	Complying with the requests or desires of others.

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

	Increased plastics production.
	Cheap oil and natural gas.
	Surpassing Saudi Arabia in oil output, and Russia in gas.
	Dow Chemical's $4 billion investment in Texas plastics production.

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".