Cause and Effect Relationships Flashcards
7 cards from real Reading Comprehension practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Cause and Effect Relationships flashcards as text
The ancient Roman city of Pompeii was buried under volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Because the ash sealed off oxygen, many organic materials were preserved remarkably well. Archaeologists discovered wooden furniture, food, and even fabric centuries later.
Answer: The lack of oxygen from the ash preserved organic materials for centuries
The passage explains that oxygen being sealed off by ash—caused by the eruption—led to preservation of organic materials.
Lily stayed up until midnight finishing her science project. The next morning, she felt exhausted and could barely keep her eyes open during class. She fell asleep briefly and missed an important explanation from the teacher.
Answer: Staying up late left Lily so exhausted that she fell asleep in class
The passage traces a direct line from staying up late to exhaustion to falling asleep in class.
A company developed a new app that translated spoken language in real time. Therefore, travelers no longer needed to learn foreign languages to communicate abroad. Tourism to remote regions increased substantially.
Answer: The translation app removed language barriers, boosting tourism to remote areas
'Therefore' introduces the effect: the app enabled barrier-free communication, which boosted tourism.
An unexpected cold snap in April killed many fruit blossoms on the orchards. Without pollinated blossoms, trees produced far less fruit that summer. Grocery stores in the region faced a shortage of locally grown apples and peaches.
Answer: The cold snap killed blossoms, reducing fruit production and causing store shortages
The cold snap killed blossoms, which prevented fruit development, ultimately causing shortages in stores.
The scientist mixed two chemicals that should not have been combined. The reaction produced toxic fumes, which triggered the building's fire alarm. Employees evacuated as a precaution.
Answer: Mixing incompatible chemicals created toxic fumes that activated the alarm
Mixing the incompatible chemicals caused fumes, and the fumes triggered the alarm—a direct cause-and-effect chain.
Deforestation in the Amazon has reduced the number of trees that absorb carbon dioxide. Since trees capture CO₂, their removal has contributed to higher atmospheric carbon levels. Scientists link this to accelerated global temperature rise.
Answer: Removing trees reduced CO₂ absorption, raising atmospheric carbon and contributing to warming
'Since' introduces the causal mechanism: fewer trees absorb less CO₂, leading to higher atmospheric levels and warming.
After the new library opened, students in the district showed improved reading scores. Librarians attributed this to greater access to diverse books and quiet study spaces. The school board decided to fund another library branch.
Answer: Greater access to books and study spaces improved reading scores, prompting a second library
The library provided resources that improved scores, which led the board to fund another branch.