TACHS Reading Comprehension 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a TACHS reading passage, the 'main idea' of a paragraph is best described as:
- The first sentence of the paragraph
- The central point the paragraph is making (Correct answer)
- The most interesting detail mentioned
- The last sentence of the paragraph
Correct answer: The central point the paragraph is making
The main idea is the central point or message that the entire paragraph supports.
Question 2: When a TACHS passage asks you to make an 'inference,' you should:
- Copy a sentence directly from the passage
- Look up the answer in a dictionary
- Use clues in the text to draw a logical conclusion (Correct answer)
- Ask someone else for the answer
Correct answer: Use clues in the text to draw a logical conclusion
An inference requires using evidence from the text to reach a conclusion that is not directly stated.
Question 3: A student reads a passage about ocean pollution. The author repeatedly uses words like 'devastating' and 'alarming.' This most likely indicates the author's:
- Objective reporting style
- Concerned and urgent tone (Correct answer)
- Humorous attitude
- Indifferent perspective
Correct answer: Concerned and urgent tone
Words with strong negative connotations like 'devastating' and 'alarming' signal a concerned, urgent tone.
Question 4: Which context clue strategy helps most when you encounter an unfamiliar word in a TACHS passage?
- Skip the word and keep reading
- Read the surrounding sentences for meaning clues (Correct answer)
- Replace it with any word you know
- Stop reading the passage entirely
Correct answer: Read the surrounding sentences for meaning clues
The surrounding context often provides clues to an unfamiliar word's meaning through examples, definitions, or contrasting ideas.
Question 5: A TACHS passage compares two historical events. This organizational structure is called:
- Cause and effect
- Problem and solution
- Compare and contrast (Correct answer)
- Chronological order
Correct answer: Compare and contrast
When a passage examines similarities and differences between two topics, it uses the compare and contrast structure.
Question 6: In a TACHS passage, a 'supporting detail' serves to:
- Introduce a new topic
- Contradict the main idea
- Provide evidence or examples that back up the main idea (Correct answer)
- Summarize the entire passage
Correct answer: Provide evidence or examples that back up the main idea
Supporting details are facts, examples, or descriptions that strengthen and develop the main idea.
TACHS Reading Comprehension 1
In a TACHS reading passage, the 'main idea' of a paragraph is best described as: