Practice test 1: Florida State College Basic Skills Reading Exit Test
Directions: Read the entire passages below then carefully answer the questions.
Passage I (Adapted from Kishlansky et al. Civilization in the West. Vol. C. 864-65)
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In 1914, women in Russia took over new jobs in the workplace as the men marched
off to war. In the city of Petrograd, women constituted 55 percent of the labor force.
Most women workers held unskilled, poorly paid jobs in the textile industries and
worked grueling 12 and 13 hour days. When work was over for the day, the women
left their jobs to stand for hours in long bread lines, and then returned home to care
for their families.
In less than three years after the war had begun, prices had increased 400 percent.
Transport lines for food and coal had broken down. Bread was the main staple of
meager diets. Supplies of flour and grain were not reaching towns and cities. People
were starving and freezing to death. Almost half of all children died before the age
of three. Young children were working 11 hour days in factories. The situation was
dire, and working women understood that something must be done if their families
were to survive. The working women understood that this intolerable state of affairs
had come about because the government was unable to control the distribution of
food and coal and to ration limited supplies.
On March 8, 1917, more than 7000 women went on strike in acknowledgement of
International Women's Day, an event initiated in the United Sates in 1909 to
recognize the rights of working women. The striking women were angry, frustrated,
hungry, and tired of watching their families starve while their husbands, brothers,
and sons were away at the battlefront. Women left their posts to demand an end to
the war and an end to the reign of Tsar Nicholas II. They were responding not to
revolutionary propaganda but to the politics of hunger.
The women appealed to the working men to join their strike. By the end of the day,
100,000 workers had left their jobs to join the demonstration against the
government. Even the officers and soldiers of the tsar's private army abandoned the
tsar because they would not fire on crowds of women. Within four days, the
government had lost the support of Petrograd workers, women, and soldiers. The
Russian Revolution had begun.
1. Which sentence best states the main idea of this passage?
a. The working women of Russia faced severe hardships during World War
I.
b. The working women of Russia took justice into their own hands.
c. The working women of Russia were left to manage on their own while
their husbands went off to war.
d. The working women of Russia actually started the Russian Revolution.
2. The stated main idea of paragraph two is
a. Russian families were starving as a result of the war because there was too
little food.
b. Many Russian children endured a horrible fate after the onset of the war.
c. Russian families suffered many hardships as a result of the war.
d. Russia was in turmoil over the inability to provide for the citizens.
3. What is the relationship between the parts of the following sentence?
"Even the officers and soldiers of the tsar's private army abandoned the tsar
because they would not fire on crowds of women." (lines 23-24)
a. cause and effect
b. addition
c. time order
d. comparison and/or contrast
4. The author uses an overall organization pattern that
a. compares and contrast the contributions of the Russian women with those
of the men.
b. lists reasons for the women's views toward politics.
c. provides examples of the women's views toward politics.
d. explains the time line of World War I and the Russian Revolution.
5. Based on the passage, the tsar's soldiers did not stop the protesters because
a. they were outnumbered since most of the men were away fighting in the
war.
b. they were in secret agreement about the horrible conditions the people
were forced to endure.
c. they refused to fire upon crowds of women.
d. they were out of the city at that time, housed at the tsar's winter palace.
6. Identify the relationship between the following two sentences from paragraph
one.
“ Most women workers held unskilled, poorly paid jobs in the textile
industries and worked grueling 12 and 13 hour days. When work was over for the
day, the women left their jobs to stand for hours in long bread lines, and then
returned home to care for their families.” (lines 3-6)
a. time order
b. cause and effect
c. contrast
d. simple listing
7. What does the word dire (line 12) mean?
a. dangerous
b. extraordinary
c. favorable
d. desperate
8. “In less than 3 years after the war had begun, prices had increased 400 percent.”
The above sentence is a statement of one of these choices.
a. fact
b. opinion
c. informed opinion
d. bias
9. The tone of this passage could best be described as
a. nostalgic.
b. bitter.
c. sarcastic.
d. sympathetic.
10. The primary purpose of this passage is to
a. provide the historical background leading to the Russian women’s
involvement in the Russian Revolution.
b. describe the influence that the women of the United States had on
influencing the Russian women to revolt against their government.
c. to list the advantages and disadvantages that occur as a result of women
working in Russia.
d. argue that women should take a more prominent role in the government of
Russia.
Passage II (Adapted from Madura, Jeff. Personal Finance, 2nd ed. 5-6)
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Every product or service you purchase each day requires sufficient funds to cover
these expenses. Expenses can range from your morning cup of coffee to major car
repairs. You need to have liquidity, or access to funds to cover any short-term cash
needs. You can enhance your liquidity by using money management and credit
management.
Money management involves decisions regarding how much money to retain in a
liquid form and how to allocate the funds among short-term investments. If you do
not have access to money to cover cash needs, you may have insufficient liquidity.
That is, you have the assets to cover your expenses, but the money is not easily
10 accessible. Finding an effective liquidity level involves deciding how to invest your
money so that you can earn a return, but also have easy access to cash if needed. At
times, you may be unable to avoid cash shortages because of unanticipated expenses.
Credit management involves decisions about how much credit you need to support
your spending and which sources of credit to use. Credit is commonly used to cover
15 both large and small expenses when you are short on cash, so it enhances your
liquidity. Credit should be used only when necessary, however, as you will need to
pay back borrowed funds with interest (and the interest expenses may be very high).
Loans are typically needed to finance large expenditures, such as the payment of
college tuition or the purchase of a car or a home. The amount of financing needed is
20 the difference between the amount of the purchase and the amount of money you
have available. Managing loans involves three decisions. The first is to determine
how much you can afford to borrow. The other two decisions are deciding on the
maturity (length of time) of a loan, and selecting a loan that charges a competitive
interest rate.
11. Which sentence best states the main idea of passage II?
a. Money management involves decisions about the liquidity of one’s assets.
b. Managing credit will depend upon spending habits and available sources.
c. Liquidity of money can be improved through money and credit.
d. Financing is often needed to pay for large expenditures.
12. The author’s primary purpose is to
a. list the various decisions and issues for managing liquidity.
b. explain the types of loans that are available.
c. discuss the dangers of not following a budget.
d. describe the best way to invest extra money.
13. Identify the relationship of the parts within the following sentence.
“At times you may be unable to avoid cash shortages because of unanticipated
expenses.”
a. addition
b. comparison
c. classification
d. cause and effect
14. Identify the relationship among these sentences from paragraph four.
“Managing loans involves three decisions. The first is to determine how much
you can afford to borrow. The other two decisions are deciding on the maturity
(length of time) of the loan, and selecting a loan that charges a competitive interest
rate.”
a. cause and effect
b. comparison/contrast
c. definition and example
d. listing
15. Liquidity, as first mentioned in line 3, most nearly means
a. amount of a loan.
b. money available for spending.
c. one’s credit rating.
d. amount of large expenditures.
16. As used in lines 9 and 10, the phrase “money is not easily accessible” means
a. the purchaser does not have the money to buy an item.
b. the purchaser cannot get to the bank quickly or easily.
c. the purchaser has money, but it is being used for investments.
d. the purchaser does not have the money now, but has the means to earn it.
17. What is the overall tone of this passage?
a. persuasive
b. reflective
c. neutral
d. informal
18. “Credit should be used only when necessary.”
This part of the sentence from paragraph three is a statement of
a. fact
b. opinion
19. One reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from the last paragraph is
a. Everyone will need a loan to finance a house or a college education.
b. Loan rates will vary depending upon the loan amount, maturity length, and
the loan company.
c. Wise money managers borrow as much money as possible in order to have
more liquidity.
d. People who need a loan are able to borrow as much as they need, as long
as they pay it back.
20. Throughout the passage, overall, which type of support is offered to describe the
various issues involved in managing money or credit?
a. objective
b. emotional
21. The reader can infer from this article that
a. Surplus money is best invested in order to grow, but everyone should plan
for unanticipated expenses and alternate ways to handle them.
b. Most people are poor managers of money.
c. Most people should hire a financial consultant to help them become better
money managers because the issues involved are very complicated.
d. Buying a house is an example of short-term cash need.
Passage III (Adapted from Agee, Warren K., Phillip H. Ault and Edwin Emery,
Introdution to Mass Communications. 12th ed. 24-26)
Clearly the mass media strongly influence our thinking and conduct. This is evident
in obvious, simple ways: a teenage boy wears his cap backward in a TV situation
comedy, and soon boys nationwide imitate the style. News stories describe a new toy,
the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and the Fox television network builds a series
5 around it. At Christmas parents jam stores, trying to find Power Rangers for their
children. Actors playing the characters perform for Congress in the House Office
Building on the day in 1995 when Republicans took command of the House and
Senate.
The cultural, social, and political impact of the media, of course, runs far deeper than
10 these surface manifestations. The media create public opinion to bring about
significant changes. The national campaign to forbid smoking in public places, so
strong in the mid-1990’s, developed from a spate of news stories about the health
dangers created by second-hand smoke. This led to a ban against smoking on airlines,
creation of smoke-free areas in restaurants, and in some cities a total ban against
15 smoking in restaurants and public buildings. Sensing public support, President
Clinton took the issue into the national political arena in 1995 by authorizing a federal
regulatory campaign to decrease smoking by teenagers. Similarly, national awareness
of the outbreak of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the
promotion of safe sex practices to avoid exposure to the fatal disease came about
20 primarily through the mass media.
These are instances in which the media have crystallized public opinion for action.
Sometimes, however, the media merely reflect an existing attitude. Motion picture
and television producers who make pictures filled with violence claim, for example,
that they are merely giving the public what it desires. Some researchers within the
25 media believe, however, that decision makers in their industries have failed to learn
what the public really desires.
22. Which sentence best states the main idea of this passage?
a. Mass media affects our thinking and conduct through cultural, social, and
political influences.
b. Mass media is the root cause of many of the problems in society today.
c. Politicians sometime use mass media to gain support for national issues.
d. The content of mass media sometimes reflects the opinions, attitudes, and
wishes of the American public.
23. Motion picture and television producers believe that
a. they have failed to understand what the public wants to see in movies.
b. they are catalysts for changing public opinion about violence.
c. they are responsible for informing the public about dangerous issues such
as second-hand smoke and AIDS.
d. they are fulfilling the public’s wishes by producing movies that contain
violence.
24. The primary purpose of this passage is to
a. give the history of mass media.
b. detail the significance of mass media.
c. analyze the importance of mass media in bringing about change.
d. describe theories held by researchers about mass media.
25. Identify the relationship between these sentences from paragraph one.
“Clearly the mass media strongly influence our thinking and conduct. This is
evident in obvious, simple ways…”
a. time order
b. addition
c. comparison/contrast
d. example
26. Identify the relationship between these sentences from paragraph two.
“The national campaign to forbid smoking in public places, so strong in the mid1990’s, developed from a spate of news stories about the health dangers created by
second-hand smoke. This led to a ban against smoking on airlines, creation of smokefree areas in restaurants, and in some cities a total ban against smoking in restaurants
and public buildings.”
a. statement and clarification
b. cause and effect
c. contrast
d. concession
27. As used in line 10, the word manifestations most nearly means
a. occurrences of an occult phenomenon.
b. displays or shows.
c. lists or invoices.
d. motives.
28. The tone of this passage is
a. humorous.
b. clinical.
c. instructional.
d. critical.
29. In general, the author of this passage shows bias in favor of
a. regulating the content of mass media.
b. using mass media for political influence.
c. the positive impact of mass media.
d. restricting the influence of mass media.
30. Which conclusion can be drawn from the first paragraph?
a. Parents will do anything to find toys for their children at Christmas.
b. Mass media often initiates styles and fads.
c. Actors perform as zany cartoon characters at presidential inaugurations.
d. New reporters often support advertisers in promoting merchandise.
Passage IV (Adapted from Gerrig et al. 2002 Psychology and Life. 58-60)
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The nervous system is composed of billions of highly specialized nerve cells, or
neurons that constitute the brain and the nerve fibers that are found throughout the
body. The nervous system is subdivided into two major divisions: the central nervous
system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The CNS is composed of all
the neurons in the brain and spinal cord; the PSN is made up of all the neurons
forming the nerve fibers that connect the CNS to the body.
The job of the CNS is to integrate and coordinate all the bodily functions, process all
the incoming neural messages, and send out commands to different parts of the body.
The CNS sends and receives neural messages through the spinal cord, a trunk line of
10 neurons that connects the brain to the PNS. The trunk line itself is housed in a hollow
portion of the vertebral column, called the spinal column. The spinal cord coordinates
the activity of the left and right sides of the body and is responsible for simple, fast
action reflexes that do not involve the brain. For example, an organism whose spinal
15 cord has been severed from its brain can still withdraw its limb from a painful
stimulus.
It is the role of the PNS to provide the CNS with information from sensory receptors,
such as those found in the eyes and ears, and to relay commands from the brain to the
body’s organs and muscles. The PHS is actually composed of two sets of nerve fibers.
20 The autonomic nervous system, a branch of the PHS, sustains basic life processes.
This system is on the job 24 hours a day, regulating bodily functions that you usually
don’t consciously control, such as respiration and digestion. To carry out these
functions, the autonomic nervous system is further subdivided into the sympathetic
and parasympathetic nervous system. These divisions work in opposition to
accomplish their tasks. The sympathetic division governs responses to emergency
25 situations; the parasympathetic division monitors the routine operations of the body’s
internal functions.
31. Which sentence best states the main idea of this passage?
a. The central nervous system works 24 hours a day.
b. The spinal cord plays a critical role in the central nervous system.
c. The central nervous system controls the functions of the body.
d. The nervous system has two major parts: the central nervous system and
the peripheral nervous system.
32. According to the passage, the spinal cord
a. coordinates the activity of the brain.
b. is responsible for coordinating activities that don’t involve the brain.
c. needs information from the brain to do its job.
d. is the main trunk line that houses the peripheral nervous system.
33. The author’s primary purpose is to
a. explain the development of the central nervous system.
b. describe the functions of the different parts of the nervous system.
c. persuade the reader that the central nervous system is the most important
system of the body.
d. emphasize the complexity of the central nervous system.
34. What is the relationship between the parts of the following sentence?
“The nervous system is subdivided into two major divisions: the central nervous
system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).”
a. summary
b. classification
c. contrast
d. cause/effect
35. As used in line 16, the word stimulus most nearly means
a. something that is caused by an emotion.
b. something that is caused by a situation.
c. something that is caused by an occasion.
d. something that causes a reaction.
36. As used in line 21, the word regulating most nearly means
a. policing.
b. controlling.
c. stimulating.
d. measuring.
37. The tone of this passage is
a. subjective
b. sympathetic
c. informal
d. clinical
38. “For example, an organism whose spinal cord has been severed from its brain can
still withdraw its limb from a painful stimulus.”
One conclusion that could be drawn from this sentence in paragraph two is
a. A person needs the brain to send the signal to pull a hand away from a hot
stove.
b. A person’s muscles always react on their own accord.
c. A person whose spinal cord has been severed cannot move.
d. A person can pull a hand away from a hot stove without being directed by
the brain.
39. Overall, the author uses an organizational pattern that
a. gives examples of injuries that damage the central nervous system.
b. provides a comparison of the two divisions of the central nervous system.
c. offers reasons for the way the nervous system functions.
d. classifies the different divisions and sub-divisions of the central nervous
system.
40. This passage is based upon
a. fact
b. opinion
Answers
Passage I
1. d
2. c
3. a
4. b
5. c
6. a
7. d
8. a
9. d
10. a
Passage II
11. c
12. a
13. d
14. d
15. b
16. c
17. c
18. b
19. b
20. a
21. a
Passage III
22. a
23. d
24. b
25. d
26. b
27. b
28. c
29. d
30. b
Passage IV
31. d
32. d
33. b
34. b
35. d
36. b
37. d
38. d
39. d
40. a