AQL Academic Reading and Comprehension 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a topic sentence in an academic paragraph?
- To introduce the main point that the paragraph will develop (Correct answer)
- To provide a citation for the source material
- To conclude the argument of the entire essay
- To offer a counterargument to the main thesis
Correct answer: To introduce the main point that the paragraph will develop
A topic sentence introduces the main point of the paragraph, acting as a mini-thesis for that section of the text.
Question 2: In academic reading, 'context clues' are used to:
- Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words from surrounding text (Correct answer)
- Identify the author's biography
- Count the number of supporting details
- Recognize the text's font and formatting
Correct answer: Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words from surrounding text
Context clues are words and phrases surrounding an unfamiliar term that help the reader deduce its meaning without a dictionary.
Question 3: Which text structure presents events or steps in the order they occur?
- Chronological order (Correct answer)
- Compare and contrast
- Problem and solution
- Cause and effect
Correct answer: Chronological order
Chronological order presents information in the sequence in which events happened or steps should be performed.
Question 4: A passage that presents a problem and then discusses ways to address it is using which organizational pattern?
- Problem and solution (Correct answer)
- Chronological order
- Descriptive
- Narrative
Correct answer: Problem and solution
The problem-and-solution pattern identifies an issue and then proposes or discusses one or more ways to resolve it.
Question 5: If an AQL question asks you to 'summarize' a passage, you should:
- State the main idea and key supporting points in your own words (Correct answer)
- Copy several sentences directly from the passage
- Analyze the author's rhetorical devices in detail
- List every fact mentioned in the passage
Correct answer: State the main idea and key supporting points in your own words
A summary restates the main idea and the most important supporting points concisely in your own words, without including minor details.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a fact rather than an opinion?
- The US population exceeded 330 million in 2020. (Correct answer)
- Americans should eat more vegetables.
- This policy is the best solution to climate change.
- Reading is more important than writing.
Correct answer: The US population exceeded 330 million in 2020.
A fact is a statement that can be verified with evidence, such as census data confirming the US population count.
AQL Academic Reading and Comprehension 2
What is the purpose of a topic sentence in an academic paragraph?