OAR FREE OAR Reading Comprehension Question and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage states: 'The development of radar technology during World War II had far-reaching consequences beyond military applications. Post-war adaptations of radar led to advances in weather forecasting, air traffic control, and even microwave cooking.' Based on this passage, what is the author's primary purpose?
- To argue that World War II was beneficial for society
- To illustrate how military technology can have unexpected civilian applications (Correct answer)
- To explain the technical workings of radar systems
- To compare wartime and peacetime technological development
Correct answer: To illustrate how military technology can have unexpected civilian applications
The passage focuses on how radar, originally a military technology, was adapted for several civilian uses after the war.
Question 2: Read the following: 'Unlike alligators, which prefer slow-moving freshwater environments, crocodiles can tolerate saltwater and are often found in coastal habitats. This physiological difference is due to specialized salt-excreting glands present in crocodiles but absent in alligators.' What can be inferred from this passage?
- Alligators are more dangerous than crocodiles
- Crocodiles evolved before alligators
- Alligators lack the biological mechanism to efficiently process saltwater (Correct answer)
- Crocodiles cannot survive in freshwater environments
Correct answer: Alligators lack the biological mechanism to efficiently process saltwater
The passage states crocodiles have salt-excreting glands that alligators lack, implying alligators cannot efficiently handle saltwater.
Question 3: A passage reads: 'The mayor announced a new initiative to plant 10,000 trees across the city over the next five years. Critics argue the plan is insufficient given the city's rapid deforestation rate of 3,000 trees per year.' Based on the information provided, what conclusion is best supported?
- The mayor's plan will completely reverse deforestation in the city
- The initiative will result in a net loss of trees over the five-year period (Correct answer)
- Critics believe the city should plant fewer trees
- The mayor does not care about the environment
Correct answer: The initiative will result in a net loss of trees over the five-year period
Planting 10,000 trees over five years while losing 3,000 per year means a net loss of 5,000 trees over that period.
Question 4: Consider this excerpt: 'Dr. Elaine Foster's research challenged the prevailing theory that memory consolidation occurs exclusively during REM sleep. Her studies demonstrated significant memory processing during non-REM deep sleep stages as well.' The word 'prevailing' most nearly means:
- Incorrect
- Widely accepted (Correct answer)
- Controversial
- Outdated
Correct answer: Widely accepted
'Prevailing' means currently dominant or widely accepted, which fits the context of a commonly held scientific theory being challenged.
Question 5: Read the passage: 'The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was not solely caused by drought. Decades of aggressive farming practices had stripped the Great Plains of native grasses that anchored the topsoil. When drought conditions arrived, there was nothing to prevent massive soil erosion.' According to the passage, what was the fundamental cause of the Dust Bowl?
- Unusually severe drought conditions in the 1930s
- A combination of poor farming practices and natural drought (Correct answer)
- Government policies encouraging westward expansion
- Climate change affecting the Great Plains region
Correct answer: A combination of poor farming practices and natural drought
The passage identifies both aggressive farming that removed protective grasses and the subsequent drought as combined causes of the Dust Bowl.
Question 6: A passage states: 'While the term "smartphone" suggests a device primarily used for phone calls, recent surveys indicate that calling ranks fifth among the most common smartphone activities, behind texting, internet browsing, social media use, and email.' What rhetorical strategy does the author employ?
- Appeal to authority by citing surveys
- Irony by contrasting the device's name with its actual usage patterns (Correct answer)
- Chronological organization of smartphone history
- Persuasion to discourage phone call usage
Correct answer: Irony by contrasting the device's name with its actual usage patterns
The author highlights the irony that a device called a 'phone' is used least for actual phone calls compared to other activities.
OAR FREE OAR Reading Comprehension Question and Answers 2
A passage states: 'The development of radar technology during World War II had far-reaching consequences beyond military applications.
Post-war adaptations of radar led to advances in weather forecasting, air traffic control, and even microwave cooking.' Based on this passage, what is the author's primary purpose?