Sample Questions for the Paper-Pencil Version of
Diagnostic Assessment
Descriptive Tests of Language Skills and
Descriptive Tests of Mathematics Skills
Assessing Basic Academic Competencies Identified in
Academic Preparation for College
Descriptions of the Tests
Sample Questions
Reading Comprehension
Following are some practice questions that provide a sampling
of those you will find on the actual tests. The directions
provided are reprinted directly from the test booklets; disregard
any page references.
This test consists of 45 questions, administered in 45
minutes. The test contains individual questions and sets of
questions based on reading passages. The test is
designed to measure how well you are able to identify word
or phrase meanings through the context in which they are
presented, understand literal and interpretive meaning, and
understand the writer’s assumptions, opinions, and tone.
Arithmetic Skills
This test consists of 35 questions, administered in 30
minutes. It is designed to measure your knowledge of
operations with whole numbers; operations with fractions;
operations with decimals; ratio, proportion, and percent;
and your ability to apply arithmetic skills in solving word
problems.
Elementary Algebra Skills
This test consists of 35 questions, administered in 30
minutes. It measures your knowledge of operations with
real numbers; operations with algebraic expressions;
solutions of equations and inequalities; and the ability to
apply algebraic operations and to interpret data.
Writing Skills
Two topics are provided. You need to choose one to write
about to demonstrate your writing skills to
•
Summarize a short reading
•
Focus on a topic
•
Organize your writing
•
Use paragraphs to explain and develop your ideas
•
Support your point of view with appropriate examples
and evidence
•
Express yourself clearly using the conventions of
written English
Reading Comprehension
Question 1: The sentence below contains an underlined word.
You are to choose the word or phrase that is closest in meaning
to the underlined part of the sentence.
1.
Far from pursuing a single goal, Edgerton has made many
of his most important contributions by following a network
of interconnecting side interests to numerous additional
enterprises.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
allowing
simplifying
letting go
working toward
Question 2-5: Each passage below is followed by a question
or series of questions based on its content. Answer each
question following a passage on the basis of what is stated or
implied in that passage.
The majority of today’s retirees are not satisfied with settling
into rockers to watch the world go by. One woman has retired
five times, but the extra cash and human contact keep calling
her back to work.
2.
What is the main point the author is making?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Most retirees like to stay involved.
Retirees maintain contract with former coworkers.
Retirement can be exciting.
Most people retire more than once.
You are given 60 minutes to complete it.
Permission is hereby granted to any nonprofit organization or institution to reproduce this Student Guide in limited quantities
for its own use, but not for sale.
There is no such thing as a safe drug. Each medication is a
double-edged sword, with a good side and a bad side.
Successful medical treatment is a careful balance between the
beneficial and harmful effects of medication, weighted, one
hopes, in favor of the beneficial. Unfortunately, just the
opposite is often the case. The original disease may be less of
a problem than the reaction to treatment, and the old dictum
“The cure was worse than the disease” has frequently been all
too true.
Too many drugs are prescribed in our pill-popping society.
The evidence that we are overmedicated is overwhelming.
Americans spend about $11 billion on prescribed medications
each year, and that does not include the $2.6 billion we shell
out for nonprescription, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.
According to a study carried out in twenty-four Boston hospitals,
more than 75 million Americans consume a drug at least once a
week and usually every day. Is it any wonder that drugs are
killing us faster than automobile accidents or certain major
diseases?
3.
The tone of the passage indicates that writer is
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
mildly disdainful
highly critical
guardedly respectful
somewhat offended
4.
The author cites expenditures of “$11 billion” and “$2.6
billion” as evidence to support the opinion that
(A) Americans consume unhealthy amounts of prescription and
over-the-counter drugs
(B) doctors often prescribe drugs in situations where adverse
side effects may result
(C) reactions to drugs are often more severe than the
symptoms of the disease itself
(D) it is impossible to achieve a balance between the beneficial
and harmful effects of drugs
5.
The author cites a study that supports which of the
following statements?
(A) Each medication is a double-edged sword, with a good
side and a bad side.
(B) The original disease may be less of a problem than
reaction to treatment.
(C) More than 75 million Americans consume a drug at least
once a week.
(D) Too many drugs are prescribed in our pill-popping society.
Sample Questions for
Conventions of Written English
This test has two kinds of questions: Usage and Sentence
Correction.
USAGE
Directions: Read each of the sentences below and find the
error in standard written English in each. On your answer
sheet mark the letter of the place in the sentence where the
error appears. There is no more than one error in each
sentence.
Remember that standard written English is the kind of English
you are usually asked to write in class and that there is
sometimes a difference between the way we write something
and the way we say the same thing.
Examples:
I. He spoke bluntly and angrily to we spectators.
A
B
C
D
Answer:
A
D
B
II. She works every day so that she would become
A
B
C
financially independent in her old age.
D
Answer:
A
B
C
D
Sample Questions:
While watching the whales, the passengers on
A
the boat could not hardly help feeling a
B
C
sense of awe and excitement.
D
4. It was raining hard when we started out, but
A
we could still see the road clear enough
B
C
to drive safely.
D
3.
SENTENCE CORRECTION
Sample Questions for Arithmetic Skills
Directions: Select the best version of the underlined part of the
sentence. Choice A is the same as the original sentence. If you Directions: For this test solve each problem. Then indicate
think the original sentence is best, choose answer (A).
the best answer in the appropriate space on the answer
sheet.
Example:
1. 77 + 123 + 5 =
Ms. Rose planning to teach a course in biology next summer.
(a) 195
(b) 205
(A) planning
(c) 250
(B) are planning
(c) 1,393
(C) with a plan
(D) plans
1
1
2. 5 − 2 =
Answer:
8
6
A
B
C
(a)
Sample Questions:
1.
Although both brothers are playwrights, one writing
comedy while the other goes in for tragedy.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
one writing comedy while the other goes in for
one writing comedy while the other writes
one writes comedy, the other doing
one writes comedy and the other writes
(b)
(c)
(d)
3
8
23
2
24
1
3
24
1
3
2
2
2.
Neither the mayor nor the superintendent was aware
about exactly the kind of repairs being made at the high 3. 1.3 793
school.
(a) 6.1
(b) 61
(A) was aware about exactly the kind of repairs
(c) 610
(B) were aware about exactly the kind of repairs
(d) 6100
(C) was aware of the exact nature of the repairs
(D) were aware of exactly what were the nature of the
4. Last week Joanna earned $280. She set aside 15 percent
repairs.
of this money to buy books that cost $12 each. What is the
Answers:
Reading Comprehension
1. ( D ), 2. ( A ), 3. ( B ), 4. ( A ), 5. ( C )
Conventions of Written English
1. ( B ), 2. ( C ), 3. ( D ), 4. ( C )
greatest number of these books that she could buy?
(a) 3
(b) 3 ½
(c) 4
(d) 42
5. The graph below shows the weights, in pounds, of four
children. Approximately what is the average (arithmetic
mean) weight, in pounds, of these four children?
Weights of Four Children
80
60
40
20
0
Lee
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
50
55
60
65
Larry
Kim
Chris
Sample Questions for
Elementary Algebra Skills
Sample Questions for
Intermediate Algebra Skills
Directions: For this test solve each problem. Then indicate
the best answer in the appropriate space on the answer sheet.
Directions: For this test solve each problem. Then, indicate
the best answer in the appropriate space on the answer sheet.
1. 3 + 3 =
(a) 6
(b) 8
(c) 9
(d) 10
1. 4 x y − x y =
0
2
4
2
2
4
(a) x y ( 2 x − y )( 2 x − y )
2
2
(b) x y ( 2 x + y )(2 x − y )
2
2
(c) 4 xy ( x − y )
3
3
(d) 4 x y ( 2 x + y )(2 x − y )
2
2. (3t − 4) =
2
2
(a) 9t − 16
2
(b) 9t + 16
2
2.
(c) 9t − 24t − 16
2
(d) 9t − 24t + 16
2
5 x + 3 y = 21

x + y = 5
3. Which of the following is the graph of − 4 ≤ x ≤ 2 ?
(a)
–4 –2
0
2
4
(b)
–4 –2
0
2
4
(c)
–4 –2
0
2
4
(d)
–4 –2
0
2
4
4.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
5.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
If Eric has x dimes and y nickels, which of the following
represents the amount of money he has, in cents?
5x + 10y
10x + 5y
(10 + 5)(x + y)
50(x + y)
If the average (arithmetic mean) of the noon temperatures
for the 4 days shown in the table below was 55o, what is
the value of x?
55
56
57
61
DAILY NOON TEMPERATURE
Noon Temperature
(in degrees Fahrenheit)
Monday
52
Tuesday
54
Wednesday
53
Thursday
x
Day
In the solution to the system of equations, what is the
value of x?
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
–2
1
3
4
3. The y-intercept of the graph of 5x – 3y = 7 is
(a) −
7
3
7
5
5
(c)
3
(b)
(d) 7
4. A bag contains exactly 3 yellow disks and 11 green disks.
If a disk is chosen at random, what is the probability that it is
yellow?
1
11
3
(b)
14
3
(c)
11
1
(d)
3
(a)
5. According to the graph below, if Carl’s weekly grocery
expenses are $100, how much does he spend on meat and dairy
products?
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
$55
$45
$35
$20
3. log 3 37 is between
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 4
(d) 4 and 5
4. If 0 ≤ θ ≤
π
(a) 0
Fruits and
Vegetables
15%
(b)
(c)
Meat y%
Dairy
Products
x%
(d)
2
and sin θ = tan θ , then θ =
π
6
π
4
π
3
5. The figure below could be the graph of y =
Other 30%
1
-4
-3
-2
-1
Sample Questions for Functions and Graphs
(Calculus Readiness)
Directions: For this test solve each problem. Then indicate
the best answer in the appropriate space on the answer sheet.
Unless otherwise specified, the domain of a function f is
assumed to be the set of all numbers x for which f(x) is a real
number.
1. If f ( x) = x + 1 , the range of f is the set of all numbers y
such that
(a) y ≥ −1
2
(b) y ≥ 0
(c) y ≥ 1
(e) y ≥ 2
2. If f ( x ) =
4x − 3
2
4x + 3
(b)
2
2x − 3
(c)
4
2x + 3
(d)
4
(a)
2x − 3
, then f
4
−1
( x) =
1
2
3
4
-1
π


3

π

(b) cos x − 
3

π

(c) sin  x + 
3

π

(d) sin  x − 
3

(a) cos x +
Solutions:
Arithmetic Skills:
1. b 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. b
Elementary Algebra Skills:
1. d 2. d 3. c 4. b 5. d
Intermediate Algebra Skills:
1. b 2. c 3. a 4. b 5. a
Functions and Graphs: (Calculus Readiness):
1. c 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. d
5