Practice Test Geeks(ELSA) English Language Skills Assessment Practice Test
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Reading Comprehension & Analysis Flashcards

7 cards from real ELSA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. A passage states: 'While renewable energy sources have grown significantly, fossil fuels still account for over 80% of global energy consumption.' What does this sentence primarily convey?

    Answer: Fossil fuels remain dominant despite growth in renewables

    The sentence contrasts renewable energy growth with fossil fuels' continued dominance at over 80% of consumption.

  2. An author writes: 'The committee's decision was not made lightly, nor without considerable deliberation.' Which literary device is used here?

    Answer: Litotes (understatement through negation)

    Litotes uses double negatives ('not...lightly, nor without') to emphasize that the decision was taken very seriously.

  3. A paragraph begins with a claim, then provides three supporting examples, and ends with a restatement. This structure is best described as:

    Answer: Point-illustration-explanation

    The point-illustration-explanation structure presents a claim, supports it with examples, and reinforces the main idea.

  4. The word 'ephemeral' in the sentence 'Social media trends are ephemeral, vanishing almost as quickly as they appear' most nearly means:

    Answer: Short-lived

    Ephemeral means lasting for a very short time, which is reinforced by 'vanishing almost as quickly as they appear.'

  5. A reader notices that a nonfiction author cites only sources that support one viewpoint and ignores contradictory evidence. This is an example of:

    Answer: Confirmation bias in writing

    Selectively citing only supporting evidence while ignoring contradictory sources demonstrates confirmation bias.

  6. In a passage about urban planning, the author states: 'Green spaces are not a luxury but a necessity.' This sentence is best classified as:

    Answer: A thesis statement expressing the author's position

    The sentence makes a strong declarative claim about green spaces that represents the author's central argument or thesis.

  7. A passage compares two policy approaches using the phrase 'on the one hand... on the other hand.' The author's primary purpose is to:

    Answer: Present both sides of an issue for balanced analysis

    The transitional phrase 'on the one hand... on the other hand' signals a balanced comparison of two opposing perspectives.