accuplacer reading full length practice test

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

Passage 1: In a recent survey concerning plagiarism among scholars, two University of Alabarma economists asked 1,200 of their colleagues if they believed their work had ever been stolen. A startling 40 percent answered yes. While not a random sample, the responses still represent hundreds of cases of alleged plagiarism. Very few of them will ever be dragged into the sunlight. That's because academia often discourages victims from seeking justice, and when they do, tends to ignore their complaints. 'It's like cockroaches,' says the author of a recent book about academic fraud. 'For every one you see on the floor, there are a hundred behind the stove.' Passage 2: Words belong to the person who wrote them. There are few simpler ethical notions than this, particularly as society directs more and more energy toward the creation of intellectual property. In the past 30 years, copyright laws have been strengthened, fighting piracy has become an obsession with w Hollywood, and, in the worlds of academia and publishing, plagiarism has gone from being bad literary manners to something close to a felony. When a noted historian was recently found to have lifted passages from other historians, she was asked to resign from the board of the Pulitzer Prize committee. And why not? If she had robbed a bank, she would have been fired the next day.
The main idea of Passage 1 is that academic plagiarism is:
  • A. becoming a primary concern among committees that review scholars' work
  • B. likely more common than it seems because suspected cases often go unreported
  • C. usually undetected because the stolen materials tend to be seen by few people
  • D. evolving into a source of widespread disgust among scholars at universities
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

The main idea of Passage 1 emphasizes the prevalence of academic plagiarism and its underreporting, making option B the most accurate choice. This highlights the hidden nature of the issue, suggesting that many cases go unrecognized. Option A focuses on the concern of committees, which is too narrow and does not capture the broader implications of plagiarism. Option C suggests that plagiarism is undetected due to limited visibility, but it overlooks the critical aspect of unreported cases. Option D implies a shift in emotional response among scholars, which, while relevant, does not address the fundamental issue of prevalence and reporting.

Other Related Questions

What is the main purpose of the questions in sentences 10–12?
  • A. To reveal the narrator's sense of isolation from family members other than her father
  • B. To suggest the narrator's uncertainty about whether the radio will work
  • C. To demonstrate the knowledge of electric principles required to operate the radio
  • D. To provide examples of the kinds of messages the narrator and her father obtained
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

The main purpose of the questions in sentences 10–12 is to provide examples of the types of messages that the narrator and her father received, illustrating their communication and connection through the radio. Option A misinterprets the focus of the questions, as they do not primarily express isolation but rather highlight shared experiences. Option B suggests uncertainty about the radio's functionality, which is not the central theme of the questions. Option C incorrectly emphasizes technical knowledge, while the questions are more about the content of the messages rather than the mechanics of operating the radio.
Which choice best summarizes the passage?
  • A. The narrator receives a ham radio from her father, then begins using it to exchange messages with another child.
  • B. The narrator's father is interrupted as he's putting together a ham radio, but later returns to the project and eventually completes it.
  • C. The narrator's father brings home the parts needed to build a ham radio, but he and the narrator struggle to assemble them.
  • D. The narrator and her father put together a ham radio and get radio licenses, then use the radio to receive messages.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

Option D effectively encapsulates the passage by highlighting both the assembly of the ham radio and the subsequent achievement of obtaining radio licenses, emphasizing the active engagement of both the narrator and her father in communication. Option A is too narrow, focusing solely on the exchange of messages without mentioning the assembly or licensing process. Option B inaccurately suggests that the father is interrupted, which does not capture the collaborative effort in building the radio. Option C implies struggle without acknowledging the successful completion and use of the radio, missing the positive outcome of their efforts.
The passage states that Russian and English are alike in that in both languages:
  • A. short syllables are not accented
  • B. the last syllable of words cannot be accented
  • C. only one syllable in each word is accented
  • D. the accent may fall on any syllable
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

Both Russian and English exhibit a flexible accentuation pattern, allowing the accent to potentially fall on any syllable within a word. This characteristic is evident in various examples from both languages. Option A is incorrect because, while some short syllables may not be accented, this is not a defining feature of either language. Option B is misleading; accents can occur on the last syllable in both languages, contradicting this statement. Option C is also inaccurate, as both languages allow for multiple syllables to be accented, not limiting it to just one per word.
Ecologist Frank Ortega warned that the state's decision to ______ the rigid standards for disposal of toxic wastes would be construed as a signal that sloppiness in handling such wastes will be tolerated.
  • A. enforce
  • B. codify
  • C. relax
  • D. publicize
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

The choice to relax the rigid standards for disposal of toxic wastes suggests a reduction in strictness, which aligns with Ortega's warning about sloppiness being tolerated. Option A, enforce, implies strengthening regulations, which contradicts Ortega's concern. Option B, codify, refers to formally establishing rules, indicating a commitment to standards rather than a reduction. Option D, publicize, focuses on making information known, which does not relate to the standards themselves. Thus, only "relax" accurately captures the potential easing of regulations that Ortega warns against.