praxis reading language arts 5002 practice test

A series of tests developed by ETS to assess the skills and knowledge of prospective teachers.

The following passage is titled "Where Do Old Satellites Go When They Die? by NASA. Like every other machine, satellites do not last forever. Whether thest job is to observe weather, measure greenhouse gases in the stmosphere or point away from Earth to shody the stars, eventually all satellites grow old, wear out, and die, just like old washing machines and vacuum cleaners. So what happens when a trusty satellite sume has come? These days there are two choices, depending on how high the satellite is For the closer satellites, engineers will use its last bit of fuel to slow it down. That way, it will fall out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere. The second choice is to send the satellite even further away frora Farth. It can take a lot of fuel for a satellite to slow down enough to fall back into the atmosphere. That a especially true if a satellite is in a very high orht. For many of these high satellites, it takes less fuel to blast it farther into space than to send it back to Earth.
How does the author organize information in the second paragraph?
  • A. By explaining the difference between two approaches to satellites
  • B. By explaining the process of how a satellite stops working
  • C. By discussing a problem with satellites and a solution
  • D. By discussing a series of events involving satellites
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

The author organizes information in the second paragraph by explaining the difference between two approaches to satellites, highlighting the contrasting methods and their implications. This structure allows readers to understand the nuances between the approaches clearly. Option B is incorrect as it focuses on the process of satellite failure, which is not the main theme. Option C misinterprets the content; while problems and solutions may be mentioned, the primary organization is not centered around this framework. Option D suggests a chronological sequence, but the paragraph does not follow a series of events; rather, it emphasizes comparative analysis.

Other Related Questions

Which of the following best describes the cognitive processes in which a reader must engage to summarize informational text effectively?
  • A. Evaluating the completeness and accuracy of the information in the text
  • B. Analyzing the structure of the passage and the stylistic features of the genre
  • C. Making judgments about what is important and what is not
  • D. Interpreting an author's perspective and purpose for writing on a topic
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

Effective summarization of informational text requires a reader to discern key ideas and determine which information is essential. This process involves prioritizing content, allowing the reader to distill the main points without extraneous details. Option A, while important for critical reading, focuses on assessing information rather than summarizing it. Option B emphasizes structural analysis and stylistic features, which are less relevant to the act of summarization. Option D, interpreting perspective and purpose, is crucial for comprehension but does not directly address the summarization process. Thus, prioritizing what is important is key to summarizing effectively.
Which of the following statements best explains the impact of fluency on comprehension?
  • A. Students who read at a very fast rate are more likely to comprehend what they read.
  • B. Students who decode slowly exhibit better overall comprehension.
  • C. Students who fluently reread familiar books repeatedly demonstrate greater comprehension.
  • D. Students who attend to punctuation and decode words fluently have increased comprehension.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

Fluency significantly enhances comprehension by allowing readers to focus on meaning rather than decoding. Option D highlights that attending to punctuation and decoding words fluently enables students to process text more efficiently, leading to improved understanding. Option A is misleading; while speed can play a role, it doesn't guarantee comprehension. Fast readers may overlook meaning. Option B suggests that slow decoding leads to better comprehension, which is not necessarily true; slow readers may struggle to grasp overall meaning due to cognitive overload. Option C, while true in some contexts, lacks the broader applicability of fluency in diverse texts.
In early literacy instruction, an understanding of phonics primarily helps students do which of the following?
  • A. Develop an increasingly large vocabulary
  • B. Learn how to recognize common sight words
  • C. Develop strategies to determine the meaning of words from context
  • D. Learn the skills necessary for decoding unfamiliar words
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

Phonics instruction is essential for helping students learn to decode unfamiliar words by connecting sounds to letters. This foundational skill allows them to read new words independently. Option A, while important, focuses on vocabulary development, which is more related to exposure and context rather than phonics. Option B pertains to sight words, which are often memorized rather than decoded using phonics. Option C involves context clues, a strategy that complements but does not primarily rely on phonics skills. Thus, option D best captures the primary role of phonics in early literacy.
Which of the following best describes a benefit of having students read both excerpts?
  • A. Students can analyze the differences between a primary and a secondary source document.
  • B. Students can compare the facts in the primary source to the emotions expressed in the secondary source.
  • C. Students can understand different points of view when forming an opinion about an event.
  • D. Students can learn to recognize whether sources are reliable.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

Analyzing both excerpts allows students to distinguish between primary and secondary sources, enhancing their understanding of historical context and perspective. Option B is misleading; while comparing facts and emotions is valuable, it does not specifically address the unique characteristics of primary versus secondary sources. Option C is also important, yet it focuses more on perspectives rather than the source types themselves. Option D, while relevant to evaluating reliability, does not emphasize the distinction between primary and secondary sources, which is central to the learning objective. Understanding these differences is crucial for critical analysis in historical studies.