TSI Reading Test #2 2 Flashcards
6 cards from real TSI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 TSI Reading Test #2 2 flashcards as text
Passage: "The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was not simply a natural disaster; it was the result of poor farming practices that left topsoil vulnerable to wind erosion." What argument does the author make?
Answer: Human farming decisions contributed significantly to the Dust Bowl
The author uses "not simply" and "it was the result of" to argue that human actions — not just natural forces — caused the Dust Bowl, placing responsibility on farming practices.
What does "vulnerable" most nearly mean in: "practices that left topsoil vulnerable to wind erosion"?
Answer: Exposed and susceptible to damage
"Vulnerable" means open to harm or attack. Topsoil left "vulnerable" to erosion was exposed and unprotected, making it susceptible to being blown away.
A reader draws this conclusion from a passage: "Since the article mentions coffee has antioxidants, coffee must cure all diseases." Is this a valid inference?
Answer: No — it overgeneralizes far beyond what the text states
Valid inferences stay close to the evidence. "Cures all diseases" is an extreme overgeneralization; the text only mentions antioxidants, not cures.
An author writes a passage about the benefits of exercise and only cites studies that show positive outcomes. What is this an example of?
Answer: Confirmation bias — presenting only evidence that supports one view
Selecting only supporting evidence while ignoring contradictory research is confirmation bias. It distorts the reader's understanding of the full picture.
Which sentence most effectively uses context clues to reveal the meaning of "benevolent"?
Answer: "The benevolent donor gave millions to build free clinics for low-income families."
The first sentence provides rich context — donating millions to build free clinics — that clearly signals "benevolent" means generous and kind toward others.
An informational text uses a graph showing rising global temperatures over 100 years. What is the primary purpose of including this visual?
Answer: To provide visual evidence that supports a claim about climate change
Visuals like graphs are used to present data in a clear, compelling format that supports written claims. Here, the rising-temperature graph visually reinforces arguments about climate change.