Reading Comprehension: Scientific Passages Flashcards

A passage reports that a study used a 'control group.' The primary purpose of a control group is to:

Answer: Provide a baseline for comparison against the treatment group

Control groups establish a comparison baseline to isolate treatment effects.

If a passage says findings 'cannot be generalized' to other populations, this most likely means:

Answer: The results may not apply beyond the studied group

Limited generalizability means results may not extend to other groups.

When answering an inference question, the correct choice should be:

Answer: A logical conclusion supported by but not directly stated in the passage

Inferences are logically supported conclusions not stated verbatim.

A reader who notices the author repeatedly uses words like 'might,' 'possibly,' and 'suggests' should conclude the author's stance is:

Answer: Cautious or tentative

Hedging words signal a cautious, tentative tone.

In a passage comparing two experimental methods, the word 'whereas' is used to:

Answer: Highlight a difference between the two methods

'Whereas' draws a contrast between two items.

If a question asks about the function of a specific paragraph, the best approach is to consider:

Answer: How that paragraph contributes to the passage's overall argument

Function questions ask how a paragraph serves the larger structure.

A scientific passage that ends by calling for 'further research' most likely indicates the author believes:

Answer: Current findings are incomplete and warrant additional study

Calls for further research imply current knowledge is incomplete.