CAEL MCQ 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In an academic CAEL reading passage, the word 'mitigate' most likely means:
- to worsen a condition
- to reduce the severity of something (Correct answer)
- to completely eliminate a problem
- to transfer responsibility
Correct answer: to reduce the severity of something
'Mitigate' means to lessen or reduce the impact or severity of something.
Question 2: Which sentence uses the passive voice correctly in an academic context?
- The researchers were conducting the experiment last year.
- The experiment was conducted by the researchers in 2022. (Correct answer)
- The researchers have been conducting many experiments.
- The experiment conducted by the researchers was important.
Correct answer: The experiment was conducted by the researchers in 2022.
The passive voice uses 'was/were + past participle' to shift focus from the agent to the action.
Question 3: A CAEL test-taker reads: 'The findings are consistent with earlier studies.' What does this sentence imply?
- The findings contradict previous research.
- The findings support what earlier research showed. (Correct answer)
- The findings are the first of their kind.
- The findings were based on earlier studies.
Correct answer: The findings support what earlier research showed.
'Consistent with' means the results align with or confirm what previous studies found.
Question 4: Which transition word best signals a contrast between two academic ideas?
- Furthermore
- Therefore
- Nevertheless (Correct answer)
- Similarly
Correct answer: Nevertheless
'Nevertheless' introduces a contrasting point, meaning 'despite what was just said.'
Question 5: In a CAEL listening task, a professor says: 'This is a contentious issue in the field.' What does 'contentious' mean?
- well-established and accepted
- causing disagreement or debate (Correct answer)
- recently discovered
- difficult to measure accurately
Correct answer: causing disagreement or debate
'Contentious' describes something that causes disagreement or controversy among experts.
Question 6: Which citation style is most commonly required in Canadian academic institutions tested by CAEL?
- Chicago Manual of Style only
- APA, MLA, or Chicago depending on the discipline (Correct answer)
- Only APA for all subjects
- CAEL has its own citation format
Correct answer: APA, MLA, or Chicago depending on the discipline
Canadian universities use different citation styles by discipline: APA for social sciences, MLA for humanities, and Chicago for history.
Question 7: A CAEL writing task asks you to 'synthesize' information from multiple sources. This means you should:
- quote each source directly without commentary
- summarize each source in separate paragraphs
- combine ideas from sources to form a unified argument (Correct answer)
- list all sources alphabetically in your response
Correct answer: combine ideas from sources to form a unified argument
Synthesis involves integrating ideas from multiple sources into a coherent, unified piece of writing.
CAEL MCQ 2
In an academic CAEL reading passage, the word 'mitigate' most likely means: