Reading Comprehension Activities

Head of the Forum

Answer questions 466–468 on the basis of the
following passage.
The ravages [of the storm] were terrible in America,
Europe, and Asia. Towns were overthrown, forests
uprooted, coasts devastated by the mountains of
water which were precipitated on them, vessels cast
on the shore, whole districts leveled by waterspouts,
several thousand people crushed on land or drowned
at sea; such were the traces of its (468) ________, left
by this devastating tempest.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
466. What is the meaning of the word overthrown
in the context of this passage?
a. surrendered
b. devastated
c. capitulated
d. yielded
467. What is the meaning of the word leveled as it
is used in the passage?
a. razed
b. marked
c. spread
d. raised
468. Which word, if inserted in the blank, makes
the most sense in the context of the passage?
a. velocity
b. fury
c. reward
d. benevolence
Answer questions 469–470 on the basis of the
following passage.
One summer, while visiting in the little village
among the Green Mountains where her ancestors
had dwelt for (469) ________,my Aunt Georgiana
kindled the callow fancy of my uncle,Howard Carpenter,
then an idle, shiftless boy of twenty-one.
—Willa Cather
469. Which word, if inserted in the blank, makes
the most sense in the context of the passage?
a. days
b. seasons
c. infinity
d. generations
470. What is the meaning of the word shiftless as
it is used in the passage?
a. amiable
b. ruthless
c. lazy
d. carefree
Answer questions 471–472 on the basis of the
following passage.
Experts who study rhesus monkeys have determined
that the species uses facial expressions to communicate
with each other and to enforce social order.
For example, the fear grimace—although it looks
ferocious—is actually given by a (472) ________
monkey who is intimidated by a (472) ________
member of the group.
471. What is the meaning of the word grimace as
it is used in the passage?
a. smirk
b. contortion
c. howl
d. simper
472. Which pair of words or phrases, if inserted
into the blanks in sequence, makes the most
sense in the writer’s context?
a. calm . . . aggressive
b. dominant . . . subordinate
c. confident . . . fearless
d. subordinate . . . dominant
Answer question 473–475 on the basis of the
following passage.
In space flight there are the obvious (473) ________
of meteors—debris and radiation. However, astronauts
must also deal with two vexing physiological
foes—muscle atrophy and bone loss.
473. Which word, if inserted in the blank, makes
the most sense in the context of the passage?
a. thrills
b. ages
c. hazards
d. speed
474. The phrase vexing physiological foes as used
in the paragraph refers to
a. physical deterioration.
b. serious illness.
c. nervous disorder.
d. contagious disease.
475. The word atrophy as used in the paragraph
most nearly means
a. pain.
b. wasting.
c. aches.
d. cramping.
Answer questions 476–478 on the basis of the
following passage.
There are as many types of business correspondence
as there are kinds of corporate atmospheres. Office
environments come in all sizes and can be ordinary
and traditional or quirky entrepreneurial offices;
some of them actually started in garages. Others can
be very formal,multinational behemoths.
476. What is the meaning of the word atmospheres
as it is used in the passage?
a. commodities
b. ambiance
c. elements
d. resources
477. What is the meaning of the word quirky as it
is used in the passage?
a. idiosyncratic
b. engaging
c. quaint
d. exceptional
478. Which of the following words is a synonym
for behemoth?
a. conglomerate
b. millionaire
c. scandal
d. chain
Answer questions 479–481 on the basis of the
following passage.
A few species of birds are parasitic. The glossy cowbird,
for example, lays five or six eggs a season, each
in a different nest and then abandons them. The old
world cuckoo lays her clutch in the nest of the host
that reared her, her young ejecting the host’s offspring
as soon as they are able.
479. In the context of the passage, what does
parasitic mean?
a. to take advantage of another without contributing
anything
b. to devour a member of one’s own species
c. to abandon one’s offspring very early in
life
d. to kill the offspring of another member of
one’s own species
480. As used in the context of this passage, a
clutch consists of
a. eggs.
b. chicks.
c. feathers.
d. nests.
481. What is the meaning of the word ejecting as
used in the passage?
a. fighting
b. killing
c. combating
d. expelling
Answer questions 482–483 on the basis of the
following passage.
When we were learning to read, most of us learned
to sound out words by syllables in order to pronounce
them. Syllables are parts of words that carry
separate sounds, though those sounds may be comprised
of several letters. Every syllable must have a
vowel sound. That vowel sound may be made up of
more than one vowel letter. For instance, in the word
arraignment, the a and i together make the long a
sound. The g is silent. Breaking words into syllables
is one of the best (483) ________ to divide and conquer
longer words.
482. Based on the context of this passage, what is
the best synonym for comprised?
a. excluded
b. composed
c. fashioned
d. produced
483. Which word, if inserted in the blank, makes
the most sense in the context of the passage?
a. mediums
b. markers
c. strategies
d. caveats
Answer questions 484–485 on the basis of the
following passage.
Martin Luther King was in Ghana when Ghana
gained its independence.He said that the experience
was an emotional one for him. As he watched the
lowering of the old flag, (484) ________ British rule,
and the raising of the new flag of the sovereign
nation, he wept.
484. Which word, if inserted into the blank,
makes the most sense in the context of the
passage?
a. symbolizing
b. regaling
c. incorporating
d.demanding
485. What is the meaning of the word sovereign
as it is used in the passage?
a. isolated
b. autonomous
c. dominant
d. commanding
Answer questions 486–488 on the basis of the
following passage.
WARNING: Antihistamines can cause drowsiness,
so you should avoid driving or other operations
that demand alertness, coordination, or dexterity.
Do not use this product if you are intolerant to
aspirin. Allergic reactions may occur in susceptible
persons.
486. What is the meaning of the word dexterity
as it is used in the passage?
a. balance
b. agility
c. clumsiness
d. gait
487. What is the meaning of the phrase intolerant
to aspirin as it is used in the passage?
a. unable to absorb aspirin without adverse
effects
b. disliking the effects of aspirin
c. unaffected by the healing effects of aspirin
d. needing a stronger medication than
aspirin
488. What is the meaning of the word susceptible
as it is used in the passage?
a. adaptable
b. robust
c. malleable
d. sensitive
Answer questions 489–490 on the basis of the
following passage.
The (489) ________ use by physicians of medical
abbreviations can cause medication errors and
incorrect interpretation of notes in the medical
chart. It can create treatment delay if the nurse has
to seek out the physician to ask for (490) ________.
489. Which word, if inserted into the first blank,
makes the most sense in the context of the
passage?
a. clandestine
b. indiscriminate
c. unlawful
d. intrepid
490. Which word, if inserted into the second
blank, makes the most sense in the context
of the passage?
a. reenactment
b. restitution
c. recompense
d. clarification
Answer questions 491–493 on the basis of the
following passage.
John Reed was a schoolboy of fourteen years old;
four years older than I, for I was but ten; large and
(491) ________ for his age, with a dingy and
unwholesome skin; thick lineaments in a spacious
visage, heavy limbs, and large extremities.
—Charlotte Brontë
491. Which word, if inserted in the blank, makes
the most sense in the context of the passage?
a. thin
b. stout
c. big
d. pleasant
492. What is the meaning of the phrase spacious
visage as it is used in the passage?
a. large frame
b. big face
c. huge room
d. dull expression
493. What is the meaning of the word extremities
as it is used in the passage?
a. hands and feet
b. neck and shoulders
c. arms and legs
d. height and weight
Answer questions 494–496 on the basis of the
following passage.
In this refulgent summer it has been a luxury to draw
the breath of life. The grass grows, the buds burst,
the meadow is spotted with fire and gold in the tint
of flowers. The air is full of birds, and sweet with the
breath of the pine, the balm-of-Gilead, and the new
hay.Night brings no gloom to the heart with its welcome
shade.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
494. Based on the context of the passage, what is
the meaning of the word refulgent?
a. downhearted
b. wholesome
c. radiant
d. stifling
495. To what does the phrase balm-of-Gilead
most likely refer as it is used in the passage?
a. a plant
b. a cloud
c. a meadow
d. a scent
496. What is the meaning of the word shade as it
is used in the passage?
a. ghost
b. obscurity
c. darkness
d. indistinctness
Answer questions 497–500 on the basis of the
following passage.
Voting is the privilege for which wars have been
fought, protests have been organized, and editorials
have been written. “No taxation without representation,”
was a battle cry of the American Revolution.
Women struggled for suffrage, as did many minorities.
Eighteen year olds clamored for the right to
vote, saying that if they were old enough to go to
war, they should be allowed to vote. Yet Americans
have a deplorable voting history, and many will tell
you they have never voted.
497. Which of the following words is the best
synonym for the word privilege as it is used
in the passage?
a. duty
b. responsibility
c. right
d. nonentity
498. What is the meaning of the word suffrage as
it is used in the passage?
a. the right to honor all Americans
b. the right to vote in elections
c. the right to go to war
d. the right to protest taxes
499. The phrase battle cry means the same as
________.
a. legislation
b. limitation
c. motto
d.amendment
500. What is the meaning of the word deplorable
as it is used in the passage?
a. covetous
b. conclusive
c. enviable
d. shameful
Answer questions 501–502 on the basis of the
following passage.
The wandering albatross (diomedea exulans) has a
wingspan of twelve feet and lays a single chalky egg
in sand or in a simple grass nest. Sailors are said to
catch albatrosses with baited hooks dropped into the
turbulent wake of a boat. Since it is considered bad
luck to kill an albatross, sailors release the birds
immediately.
501. What is the most likely meaning of the word
chalky as it is used in the passage?
a. having the chemical makeup of chalk
b. having the color of chalk
c. tasting like chalk
d. made of chalk
502. What is the best synonym for the word
turbulent, as it is used in the passage?
a. undercurrent
b.mammoth
c. tumultuous
d.cumbersome
Answer questions 503–509 on the basis of the
following passage.
After studying the Civil War and the antebellum
period, an (503) ________ of history students (504)
________ on the magnificent, (505) ________
waterfront home and presidential library of Jefferson
Davis. Davis lived on the estate toward the end
of his life to write his (506) ________. He was the
first and only president of the Confederacy. The
students learned that this man, so passionate about
his nation, had to (507) ________ his seat in the
Senate when his state (508) ________ from the
nation and assume a role he knew would cause great
(509) ________ in his life.
503. a. analogy
b. associate
c. assemblage
d. intimation
504. a. converged
b. departed
c. deviated
d.swerved
505. a. paltry
b. palatial
c. meager
d. trifling
506. a. pretext
b. vanguard
c. ledgers
d.memoirs
507. a. engage
b. resign
c. occupy
d.adopt
508. a. affiliated
b. allied
c. related
d. seceded
509. a. constancy
b. tranquility
c. upheaval
d. stability
Answer questions 510–515 on the basis of the
following passage.
Probably no town, city, or state in this country is
immune to the (510) ________ that always surrounds
attempts to cut government budgets.Many
communities are already faced with (511) ________
expenses related to high labor costs, costly social
services, and shrinking tax bases. In (512) ________,
some think we are paying for the unprecedented
government spending of the last decade. The (513)
________ of opinion today, however, seems to be
that budgets must be cut, though such cuts threaten
to (514) ________ the services to the neediest
groups of people.Consequently, the (515) ________
for the economic future of our cities is guarded.
510. a. controversy
b. praise
c. admiration
d. applause
511. a. equitable
b. sensible
c. exorbitant
d. reasonable
512. a. general
b. retrospect
c. conclusion
d. denial
513. a. consensus
b. compromise
c. confrontation
d. cooperation
514. a. preserve
b. conserve
c. safeguard
d. diminish
515. a. effect
b. prognosis
c. consequence
d. outcome
Answer questions 516–521 on the basis of the
following passage.
It is quite (516) ________ that we watch television
to learn about current events.We are drawn to stories
presented to us by attractive, (517) ________
people whose sophistication gives (518) ________
to the remarks they make about a wide range of subjects.
Critics say television reporting is ordinary and
(519) ________, offering little more than a mindless
(520) ________ of unimportant facts disguised as
news. Proponents of news programs say that
reporters offer (521) ________ and insightful
accounts of world events that enhance our understanding
of the events that shape our lives.
516. a. ambiguous
b. evident
c. indistinct
d.opportune
517. a. urbane
b. straightforward
c. primitive
d.unrefined
518. a. diffidence
b. dissonance
c. complacency
d. credence
519. a. outstanding
b. exceptional
c. admirable
d. uninspired
520. a. recapitulation
b. instigation
c. proliferation
d. labyrinth
521. a. lackluster
b. monotonous
c. incisive
d. tacit
Answer questions 522–529 on the basis of the
following passage.
To visit a computer superstore these days is to step
into a dizzying world of (522) ________ by way of
computer applications unimagined even a generation
ago. A dazzling array of (523) ________ packages
allows computer users a wide choice of
programs to load onto a home computer. Brightly
colored screens on (524) ________, or video display
terminals, invite the browser to use a mouse, a (525)
________ that allows users to point to the operations
they want to use on the computer. They can
also explore the (526) ________, an international
network of computer networks, connected by
means of a telephone device called a (527)
________. Interested consumers can learn how to
correspond electronically from their home computers
by (528) ________ and how to organize
household accounts on a (529) ________ program
that is designed for record keeping.
522. a. databases
b. cybernetics
c. hardware
d.networks
523. a. websites
b. cursors
c. software
d. icons
524. a. monitors
b. televisions
c. video recorders
d. hardware
525. a. design
b. prototype
c. pattern
d.peripheral
526. a. websites
b. Internet
c. terminals
d.networks
527. a. mouse
b. mousepad
c. modem
d.monitor
528. a. e-mail
b. telephone
c. voice mail
d. interface
529. a. hardware
b. code
c. spreadsheet
d. system
Answer questions 530–534 on the basis of the
following passage.
A major (530) ________ problem, the magnitude of
which we are just beginning to realize, is global
warming.When people say that the winters are not
as cold as they used to be, or that there was definitely
more snow in past years, they are correct. In addition
to these personal (531) ________, there is concrete
visual evidence of global warming. Most
noticeable is the (532) ________ of the ice caps. In
recent years, glaciers have been (533) ________ at
a greater rate than in (534) ________ years.
530. a. global
b. environmental
c. longitudinal
d. societal
531. a. outcries
b. denominations
c. testimonials
d. denials
532. a. depletion
b. reinstatement
c. restoration
d. restitution
533. a. advancing
b. proceeding
c. progressing
d. receding
534. a. former
b. latter
c. concluding
d. secondary
Answer questions 535–539 on the basis of the
following passage.
When the ice caps, made of fresh water, melt, it
changes many things.These changes affect the (535)
________ of the oceans, the currents, and the conditions
for survival for myriad species.Additionally,
(536) ________ species could move in, affecting the
entire ecosystem. This has a (537) ________ effect,
as all species are (538) ________ and survive according
to predictable sources of food and living conditions.
A specific example recently described on an
environmental calendar told of the effect of global
warming on polar bears. Melting ice caps (539)
________ bears from hunting food.Without food,
525. a. design
b. prototype
c. pattern
d.peripheral
526. a. websites
b. Internet
c. terminals
d.networks
527. a. mouse
b. mousepad
c. modem
d.monitor
528. a. e-mail
b. telephone
c. voice mail
d. interface
529. a. hardware
b. code
c. spreadsheet
d. system
Answer questions 530–534 on the basis of the
following passage.
A major (530) ________ problem, the magnitude of
which we are just beginning to realize, is global
warming.When people say that the winters are not
as cold as they used to be, or that there was definitely
more snow in past years, they are correct. In addition
to these personal (531) ________, there is concrete
visual evidence of global warming. Most
noticeable is the (532) ________ of the ice caps. In
recent years, glaciers have been (533) ________ at
a greater rate than in (534) ________ years.
530. a. global
b. environmental
c. longitudinal
d. societal
531. a. outcries
b. denominations
c. testimonials
d. denials
532. a. depletion
b. reinstatement
c. restoration
d. restitution
533. a. advancing
b. proceeding
c. progressing
d. receding
534. a. former
b. latter
c. concluding
d. secondary
Answer questions 535–539 on the basis of the
following passage.
When the ice caps, made of fresh water, melt, it
changes many things.These changes affect the (535)
________ of the oceans, the currents, and the conditions
for survival for myriad species.Additionally,
(536) ________ species could move in, affecting the
entire ecosystem. This has a (537) ________ effect,
as all species are (538) ________ and survive according
to predictable sources of food and living conditions.
A specific example recently described on an
environmental calendar told of the effect of global
warming on polar bears. Melting ice caps (539)
________ bears from hunting food.Without food,

Head of the Forum

KEYS
466. b. From the context of the passage, only
choice b describes the way a storm or
force of nature could create total
destruction.
467. a. Razed means to flatten or demolish to the
ground, hence the districts mentioned in
the passage would be leveled, or on a flat
horizontal surface.
468. b. Fury describes the violence of the weather
in the passage.
469. d. The context clue is the word ancestors,
which indicates generations.
470. c. The word shiftless means lazy.
471. b. A grimace is the contortion of facial
features.
472. d. It makes sense that a subordinate monkey
would be intimidated by a dominant one,
choice d.
473. c. Debris and radiation are both hazards;
choice c is the only possible answer.
474. a. Muscle atrophy and bone loss are examples
of physical deterioration.
475. b. Although a muscle that atrophies may be
weakened (choice c), the primary meaning
of the word atrophy is to waste away.
476. b. The word ambiance refers to the distinctive
atmosphere surrounding a person or
place.
477. a. The conjunction or tells you that you are
looking for the opposite of ordinary or
traditional. To be quirky is to have a peculiarity
of behavior.
478. a. A conglomerate is a commercial corporation
formed by merging a number of different
enterprises.
479. a. To be parasitic means to be living on or
dependent on a live animal or plant.
480. a. The word lays is the key here. The only
thing a bird would lay would be a collection
of eggs.
481. d. To eject something is to throw it out forcefully
or to expel it.
482. b. Composed is synonymous with comprised.
483. c. Breaking words into syllables is a type of
strategy that could be used to understand
longer words.
484. a. The old flag is symbolizing something that
represents something else by association,
in this case that of British rule.
485. b. The passage is about the day Ghana
gained its independence. To be independent
is to be autonomous.
486. b. Dexterity means that the hands are agile.
487. a. The fact that the passage is a warning
points to choice a, which speaks of adverse
effects.
488. d. To be allergic to something is to be sensitive
to it.
489. b. This choice—which means random or
haphazard—makes the most sense in the
context of the passage.
490. d. It is logical to deduce that unclear orders
by a doctor—in the form of medical
abbreviations—would call for
clarification.
491. b. Stout, bulky in figure, works best in the
context of the passage.
492. b. The author is describing Reed’s appearance
in what is obviously an old-fashioned
style.
493. a. An extremity is the outermost portion of
something. The boy’s limbs (arms and
legs) have already been mentioned, so
hands and feet is the next most logical
choice.
494. c. The context clues in this passage are the
words luxury, burst, fire, and gold, all of
which embody radiance.
495. a. The word pine immediately before the
phrase balm-of-Gilead and the phrase the
new hay immediately after makes choice a,
a plant, the most logical choice.
496. c. Night usually brings darkness.
497. c. While voting is a duty (choice a) and a
responsibility (choice b), as a privilege, it is
a right.
498. b. Suffrage, in the context of this passage,
means the right to vote in elections.
499. c. A battle cry is a motto.
500. d. Based on the context clue in the sentence—
and many will tell you they have
never voted—it can be determined that
deplorable means regrettable, wretched, or
bad; something that is shameful.
501. b. Chalky is a descriptive word often used in
the place of the word white. Eggs are not
made of chalk—choices a and d—and
there is nothing in the passage to suggest
that anyone tasted the albatross egg,
choice c.
502. c. Turbulent waters are those that have
been violently agitated or disturbed,
tumultuous.
503. c. An assemblage of students is a gathering
of students.
504. a. Converged means to approach at an intersecting
point.
505. b. Palatial means of or like a palace.
506. d. Memoirs are the accounts of personal
experiences.
507. b. To resign means to give up a position with
a formal notification.
508. d. Seceded means withdrawn from a membership
in an organization or alliance—
in this case, the United States.
509. c. Upheaval is violent disruption or upset.
510. a. Budget cuts can be subject to controversy
or disagreement.
511. c. Exorbitant expenses are those that are
inflated or excessive.
512. b. Retrospect means to review or think back
on past events.
513. a. A consensus of opinion is one that is
reached in harmony or agreement.
514. d. Budget cuts can diminish or destroy services
to the neediest groups of people.
515. b. A prognosis, in this case, would be the projection
of the economic future of our
cities.
516. b. Evident means to be apparent or obvious.
517. a. Urbane people are those who are sophisticated
and refined.
518. d. A sophisticated person would lend
credence—credibility and confidence—
to a subject.
519. d. Uninspired reporting would be mediocre
or ordinary coverage.
520. a. A recapitulation is a summary or a repetition
of information.
521. c. Incisive and insightful accounts would be
those that are perceptive or observant.
522. b. Cybernetics is the science of electrical
systems.
523. c. Programs for a computer are called software.
524. a. Monitors are video display terminals.
525. d. A peripheral is an external component,
something that is lying outside the central
part.
526. b. The Internet is a computer network made
up of smaller businesses and academic
and government organizations.
527. c. A modem is a device that converts data to
a form that can be transmitted, usually by
telephone.
528. a. E-mail is electronic mail that is sent via a
computer.
529. c. A spreadsheet is a computer program that
organizes data into rows and columns so
that calculations or adjustments can be
made.
530. b. An environmental problem is a dilemma
that affects the natural world.
531. c. Testimonials, in this case, are statements
testifying to seemingly warmer winters.
532. a. Depletion means a reduction or lessening
of the ice caps.
533. d. Glaciers that are receding are withdrawing
or moving back.
534. a. Former years are years gone by.
535. b. Salinity is the salt content of the oceans,
affected by the melting of fresh water ice
caps.
536. d. Only invasive species would affect an
entire ecosystem.
537. b. In a domino effect, one element affects the
next in a chain reaction.
538. a. To be interdependent is to be mutually
dependent on another.
539. c. Melting ice caps get in the way, prevent, or
preclude bears from finding food.
540. b. Phases are distinct stages of development
that would occur in cycles.
541. c. Hastened means to speed up or accelerate.
542. a. When energy is consumed, it is used.
543. c. The atmosphere is the air surrounding the
earth.
544. a. Mitigate means to moderate or reduce.
545. d. Ramifications are consequences.

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