accuplacer reading sample questions practice test

Commonly used by colleges and universities to place students into appropriate courses.

Read the passage(s) below and answer the question based on what is stated or implied in the passage(s) and in any introductory material that may be provided. Passage Passage 1 The realm of blogging and other user-generated web content, like personal home pages, has a Wild West, anything-can-happen feel to it. A guy who has never written a children's book goes from blogging, to networking, to causing a stir, and ends up with a book deal. A couple of women who find their conversations about dating incredibly amusing turn out to be right, and end up with a television deal from a major cable channel. While it is growing and changing more rapidly than anyone can accurately track, the world of blogging is still a place where anyone can stand out, make a splash, be seen, be heard, and be successful. Passage 2 A blog can seem like a waste of time to some, since there is no guarantee readers will come and comment. Maintaining it with new posts and an interesting layout can seem like a chore. Why does someone bother to create a blog if it isn't to peddle a product or to get in touch with consumers? "The principal reason to blog is because you have something to say," claims one expert on blogging. "While the cadre of readers may be small, it is not really how many sets of eyeballs are reading your material that's important, but who the eyeballs belong to. Blogs are written by influencers, and it is often other influencers that read them."
At the end of Passage 2. ('While... them'), the expert emphasizes
  • A. function over form
  • B. theory over practice
  • C. ethics over ambition
  • D. quality over quantity
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

The emphasis on quality over quantity highlights the importance of substance in achieving meaningful results. Focusing on quality ensures that efforts lead to impactful outcomes, rather than merely increasing the number of tasks or projects. Option A, function over form, suggests prioritizing practicality, which is not the main point in this context. Option B, theory over practice, implies valuing ideas over action, contradicting the emphasis on tangible quality. Option C, ethics over ambition, shifts the focus to moral considerations rather than the value of high-quality efforts. Thus, the passage underscores the significance of quality in any endeavor.

Other Related Questions

The main idea of the passage is that some types of poison frogs
  • A. have developed the capacity to protect themselves from the poison they carry in their skin
  • B. could eventually produce a natural pain relief option for people who suffer from headaches
  • C. combine chemicals from their food to create a toxic substance that keeps them safe from predators
  • D. can be grouped based on the changes they've made to their nicotinic acetylecholine receptors
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

Option A highlights the unique adaptation of certain poison frogs, emphasizing their ability to protect themselves from their own toxins, which is central to understanding their survival strategy. Option B incorrectly suggests a potential medical application of the frogs' toxins, which is not the main focus of the passage. Option C mentions the frogs' use of dietary chemicals for defense, but does not address their self-protection mechanism, which is crucial to the main idea. Option D discusses a specific biological aspect of the frogs without linking it to their overall survival strategy, missing the broader context of the passage.
Which choice best characterizes the way the author presents the relationship between the arts and political and social issues?
  • A. The arts are a key driver of political and social change.
  • B. The arts are a way to distract people from political and social problems.
  • C. The arts reflect changes in the political and social landscape,
  • D. The arts are stifled during times of political and social upheaval
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

The author illustrates that the arts serve as a mirror to society, effectively reflecting the evolving political and social landscape. This perspective highlights how artistic expression often responds to and encapsulates the sentiments of the times. Option A overstates the influence of the arts, suggesting they actively drive change rather than reflect it. Option B misrepresents the role of the arts, implying they serve only as distractions, which neglects their deeper societal relevance. Option D presents a limited view, focusing solely on suppression during upheaval, ignoring the arts' potential to comment on or critique such situations.
What change needs to be made to sentence 7 (reproduced below) to make the sentence grammatically correct? American writers such as Dashiell Hammett, whose novel The Maltese Falcon was made into one of the first big-budget film noirs, and James M. Cain being particularly influential.
  • A. Change 'such as' to 'like'
  • B. Change 'whose' to 'which'
  • C. Change 'was made' to 'making'
  • D. Change 'being' to 'were'
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

To ensure grammatical correctness, the verb form must agree with the subject. Option D, changing "being" to "were," corrects the sentence by providing a proper verb to match the plural subject "American writers." Option A, substituting "such as" with "like," does not address the grammatical issue and merely alters style without improving clarity. Option B's change from "whose" to "which" is incorrect since "whose" appropriately refers to the novel's author. Option C's shift from "was made" to "making" disrupts the intended meaning and does not resolve the grammatical error. Thus, only option D effectively corrects the sentence.
Which of the following, if true, would best serve to challenge Ogburn and Thomas's belief that the discovery of calculus is an example of the 'phenomenon' mentioned in the first sentence?
  • A. Uncovering the existence of a journal that Newton kept while working with calculus
  • B. Learning that scientists other than Newton and Leibniz had also made substantial progress on calculus
  • C. Finding a previously unknown letter between Newton and Leibniz discussing calculus that predated its commonly assumed discovery
  • D. Identifying a minor error in Newton's original mathematical calculations
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

Option C effectively challenges Ogburn and Thomas's belief by suggesting that the discovery of calculus was not as isolated as previously thought. A letter between Newton and Leibniz predating the commonly accepted timeline implies prior knowledge or collaboration, undermining the notion of a singular 'phenomenon.' Option A, while interesting, does not directly challenge the notion of discovery but rather adds context to Newton's process. Option B highlights contributions from others but does not negate the significance of Newton and Leibniz’s roles. Option D points to an error that could suggest flaws in Newton's work but does not impact the legitimacy of the discovery itself.