NTS Verbal Reasoning: Reading Comprehension 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the passage: 'The Amazon rainforest, often called the lungs of the Earth, produces about 20% of the world's oxygen. It spans nine countries and is home to approximately 10% of all species on Earth. Despite its importance, deforestation has reduced its size significantly.' What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?
- The Amazon produces exactly 20% of the world's oxygen
- The Amazon rainforest is a vital but threatened ecosystem (Correct answer)
- Deforestation is the world's most urgent environmental problem
- The Amazon rainforest spans exactly nine countries
Correct answer: The Amazon rainforest is a vital but threatened ecosystem
The passage covers multiple facts about the Amazon's importance and its threat from deforestation, making option B the central idea that unifies all the details.
Question 2: Read the passage: 'Antibiotics fight bacterial infections by either killing bacteria or preventing them from reproducing. However, overuse of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which pose a serious global health threat.' According to the passage, what is the PRIMARY concern about antibiotics?
- Antibiotics are becoming too expensive for patients
- Overuse of antibiotics has created resistant bacteria (Correct answer)
- Antibiotics are ineffective against most infections
- Bacteria reproduce faster than antibiotics can work
Correct answer: Overuse of antibiotics has created resistant bacteria
The passage explicitly states that overuse has led to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, identifying this as the serious global health threat.
Question 3: In the sentence 'The beauty of cherry blossoms is ephemeral, lasting only a few days each spring,' the word 'ephemeral' most likely means:
- vibrant and intensely colorful
- lasting only a very short time (Correct answer)
- unique to the Japanese climate
- dependent on rainfall and temperature
Correct answer: lasting only a very short time
The context clue 'lasting only a few days' directly defines ephemeral as something that exists for a very short time.
Question 4: Read the passage: 'Solar energy is derived from the sun's radiation and converted into electricity using photovoltaic cells. Unlike fossil fuels, solar energy is renewable and produces no harmful emissions during operation.' What can be INFERRED from this passage?
- Solar energy is currently the most widely used energy source worldwide
- Solar energy is more cost-effective than every other alternative
- Solar energy is more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels (Correct answer)
- Photovoltaic cells are the only method of harnessing solar energy
Correct answer: Solar energy is more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels
Since solar energy produces no harmful emissions while fossil fuels do, it can be logically inferred that solar energy is more environmentally friendly.
Question 5: A passage states: 'The Industrial Revolution transformed society by shifting production from homes to factories, creating urban centers, and establishing wage labor as the norm.' Which detail BEST supports the idea that the Industrial Revolution changed WHERE people worked?
- It established wage labor as the economic norm
- It shifted production from homes to factories (Correct answer)
- It led to the creation of urban centers
- It fundamentally transformed all of society
Correct answer: It shifted production from homes to factories
Shifting production from homes to factories directly describes a change in the physical location where work was performed.
Question 6: When an author writes 'Many argue that social media has more benefits than drawbacks, pointing to connectivity and information sharing,' the author is most likely:
- Expressing personal agreement with social media's benefits
- Presenting a viewpoint held by others without personally endorsing it (Correct answer)
- Arguing against social media use in modern society
- Describing the historical development of social media
Correct answer: Presenting a viewpoint held by others without personally endorsing it
The phrase 'many argue' signals that the author is attributing this viewpoint to others, not necessarily expressing personal agreement.
Question 7: A passage reads: 'Climate change threatens coastal communities through rising sea levels, increased flooding, and more intense storms. Immediate action is needed to mitigate these effects.' The author's PRIMARY purpose is to:
- Entertain readers with stories about coastal community life
- Inform readers about the geography of coastal regions
- Persuade readers that climate change requires urgent action (Correct answer)
- Describe the historical development of coastal communities
Correct answer: Persuade readers that climate change requires urgent action
The call for 'immediate action' reveals the author's persuasive intent, urging readers to treat climate change as an urgent matter.
NTS Verbal Reasoning: Reading Comprehension 1
Read the passage: 'The Amazon rainforest, often called the lungs of the Earth, produces about 20% of the world's oxygen.
It spans nine countries and is home to approximately 10% of all species on Earth.
Despite its importance, deforestation has reduced its size significantly.' What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?