Braille simplified it for use by the blind. Braille is still used today, consisting of one to six raised dots, representing the alphabet, that a person can feel with his or her fingertips.
20. Why was Napoleon interested in Braille?
(A) He was blind.
(B) He wanted to help the blind.
(C) He couldn’t read.
(D) He wanted a code that could be read at night.
21. How many raised dots are used to form each letter of the alphabet in Braille?
(A) three
(B) six
(C) one to six
(D) none of the above
22. What was Louis Braille’s contribution to the invention of this reading system?
(A) He taught blind people how to read.
(B) He urged Napoleon to have it developed.
(C) He named it.
(D) He simplified someone else’s complicated idea.
23. The word tactile, as used in this passage, most nearly means
(A) a sharp object.
(B) words on a printed page.
(C) something that is sticky.
(D) something that can be felt with the fingers.
Passage eleven
There seem to be abundant job opportunities for nurses these days. Plus, nurses receive decent salaries and benefits. Nursing jobs are very flexible with work schedules. There is an array of specialties when it comes to nursing positions in a variety of settings. It is true that nursing offers room for advancement and raises. Overall, the biggest advantage to being a nurse must be the satisfaction you get from knowing you are helping others.
24. According to the paragraph, what is the best part about being a nurse?
(A) getting good benefits
(B) helping people
(C) having three days off in a row
(D) having room for advancement
25. According to the passage, which of the following is not a benefit of being a nurse?
(A) room for advancement
(B) array of specialties
(C) convenient uniforms
(D) flexible scheduling
26. What is the main thought of the paragraph?
(A) There are a lot of nurses.
(B) There are a lot of nursing jobs.
(C) Nursing pays well.
(D) Nursing has many benefits.
27. In this paragraph, what is the meaning of the word abundant?
(A) excellent
(B) plenty
(C) few
(D) competitive
Answers and Explanations
Use this answer key to score the Paragraph Comprehension practice questions.
1 A. The correct answer is Choice (A) — Mercedes is anxious about taking the test, which you can tell with context clues such as “The whole day would be a mess” and “test-taker anxiety started to creep in.”
2 B. The correct answer is Choice (B). The passage says, “just thinking about what kind of topics were in the pool (and the fact that she had to finish the essay by noon) conjured a familiar ache.”
3 B. Although measuring is something you do when baking, it doesn’t most nearly mean the same thing as assembling. Putting together does. Therefore, Choice (B) is the correct answer.
4 C. The passage states that if you follow a recipe carefully, “your cookies will always turn out right.” The correct answer is Choice (C).
5 A. The passage’s first sentence tells you everything you need to know — it mentions writing and reading journals and eating food. Shopping isn’t mentioned, so the correct answer is Choice (A).
6 D. If you didn’t read the passage, praising someone who didn’t measure up may seem like a bad idea. However, the last sentence states you should give your subordinates credit for the parts of the task they performed correctly and counsel them how to do better the next time. Although that sentence doesn’t use the word praise, you can infer that giving someone credit means the same thing. The correct answer is Choice (D).
7 B. Choices (C) and (D) sound like good ideas, but they aren’t suggestions discussed in the paragraph. Remember to avoid the trap of answering based on your personal feelings. Choice (A) is the opposite of what the passage suggests — the writer says to “let [employees] do the work without looking over their shoulders.” Choice (B) is the correct answer.
8 C. The second sentence states that the original inhabitants “were hunters and nomadic foragers,” and because none of the other answer options include hunters, you can deduce that nomadic foragers means gatherers. The correct answer is Choice (C).
9 B. The passage mentions direct leaders but only to contrast them with organizational leaders, so Choice (A) is wrong. According to the passage, organizational leaders “establish policies and the organizational climate that support their subordinate leaders.” The correct answer is Choice (B).
10 D. Organizational leaders have staffs to help them efficiently lead their subordinates and manage the organization. Therefore, Choice (D) is the correct answer.
11 A. According to the passage, Frank’s face is “brown as saddle leather,” and he has wrinkles from laughing often. Choice (A) is the correct answer.
12 B. The first sentence in the passage explains why the children gave Frank the nickname of The Toyman. Frank knows how to fix things, but that’s not how he got his name. The correct answer is Choice (B).
13 D. Choice (A) doesn’t make much sense because the group put up an English flag in the first breach. Choice (B) doesn’t work because the passage talks about fighting and dead bodies. Choice (C) isn’t the best answer because it doesn’t directly relate to the passage. Choice (D) is correct because the main character is speaking of his experiences of a particular war.
14 B. The passage states in the beginning that the assault began in the day. Later in the passage, the author explains that the town was theirs by dusk, so you can conclude the time frame was from daytime into dusk.
15 A. Heap is a noun meaning a group of things
