ASVAB Practice Test 1 Paragraph Comprehension

Read the passage below and answer the following question.

As a parent, I find television and movie rating systems unhelpful. Ratings systems are not human. Their scores are based on numbers: how many bad words, how many gory scenes. To me, that makes no sense. Nobody else knows my kids like I do, so nobody else can say what’s okay for them to watch.

In my experience, the content a government organization rates as PG or PG-13 may or may not be appropriate for my 9-, 14-, and 16-year-olds. My youngest is quite mature for his age, and I’m fine with him hearing a bad word or two as a part of a meaningful story.

Violence concerns me more. I won’t let even my 16-year-old watch frivolous violence or horror. But I don’t shelter him from realistic violence. My little guy still has to stay out of the room for the bloody stuff. But eventually, kids need to know what’s out there.

The primary purpose of this passage is to:

Read the passage below and answer the following question.

As a parent, I find television and movie rating systems unhelpful. Ratings systems are not human. Their scores are based on numbers: how many bad words, how many gory scenes. To me, that makes no sense. Nobody else knows my kids like I do, so nobody else can say what’s okay for them to watch.

In my experience, the content a government organization rates as PG or PG-13 may or may not be appropriate for my 9-, 14-, and 16-year-olds. My youngest is quite mature for his age, and I’m fine with him hearing a bad word or two as a part of a meaningful story.

Violence concerns me more. I won’t let even my 16-year-old watch frivolous violence or horror. But I don’t shelter him from realistic violence. My little guy still has to stay out of the room for the bloody stuff. But eventually, kids need to know what’s out there.

The author of this passage would be most likely to agree that:

Read the passage below and answer the following question.

As a parent, I find television and movie rating systems unhelpful. Ratings systems are not human. Their scores are based on numbers: how many bad words, how many gory scenes. To me, that makes no sense. Nobody else knows my kids like I do, so nobody else can say what’s okay for them to watch.

In my experience, the content a government organization rates as PG or PG-13 may or may not be appropriate for my 9-, 14-, and 16-year-olds. My youngest is quite mature for his age, and I’m fine with him hearing a bad word or two as a part of a meaningful story.

Violence concerns me more. I won’t let even my 16-year-old watch frivolous violence or horror. But I don’t shelter him from realistic violence. My little guy still has to stay out of the room for the bloody stuff. But eventually, kids need to know what’s out there.

The author of this passage would be likely to support an effort to:

Read the following passage and answer the question.

Adelia stood on the porch in her bathrobe. “Mr. Snuggles?” she called. “Mr. Snuggles! Come on in, you little vermin.”

She peered up and down the street. Sighing, she went back inside and, a moment later, emerged with a metal bowl and a spoon. She rapped on the bowl several times. “Mr. Snuggles? Breakfast!”

When Mr. Snuggles did not appear, Adelia reached inside and grabbed some keys off a low table. Cinching her bathrobe tightly around her waist, she climbed into the car. “It’s not like I have anything better to do than look for you again,” she said.

From the text above, you can infer that Adelia is:

Read the following passage and answer the question.

Adelia stood on the porch in her bathrobe. “Mr. Snuggles?” she called. “Mr. Snuggles! Come on in, you little vermin.”

She peered up and down the street. Sighing, she went back inside and, a moment later, emerged with a metal bowl and a spoon. She rapped on the bowl several times. “Mr. Snuggles? Breakfast!”

When Mr. Snuggles did not appear, Adelia reached inside and grabbed some keys off a low table. Cinching her bathrobe tightly around her waist, she climbed into the car. “It’s not like I have anything better to do than look for you again,” she said.

Which detail does not provide evidence to back up the conclusion that Adelia is feeling frustrated?

Read the following passage and answer the question.

Adelia stood on the porch in her bathrobe. “Mr. Snuggles?” she called. “Mr. Snuggles! Come on in, you little vermin.”

She peered up and down the street. Sighing, she went back inside and, a moment later, emerged with a metal bowl and a spoon. She rapped on the bowl several times. “Mr. Snuggles? Breakfast!”

When Mr. Snuggles did not appear, Adelia reached inside and grabbed some keys off a low table. Cinching her bathrobe tightly around her waist, she climbed into the car. “It’s not like I have anything better to do than look for you again,” she said.

Which detail from the text supports the inference that Adelia cares what happens to Mr. Snuggles, even if she is angry at him?

Read the passage below and answer the following question.

Publishers typically pay male authors slightly higher advances than female authors. They also price men’s books higher, which results in higher royalty payments for male creators. Male authors are more likely than female authors to win literary awards, receive speaking invitations, and gain attention from major reviewers, all of which drive sales.

Which phrase best describes the topic of the group of sentences above?

Read the passage below and answer the following question.

Publishers typically pay male authors slightly higher advances than female authors. They also price men’s books higher, which results in higher royalty payments for male creators. Male authors are more likely than female authors to win literary awards, receive speaking invitations, and gain attention from major reviewers, all of which drive sales.

Which of the following sentences would best function as a topic sentence to unite the information above?

Read the passage below and answer the following question.

Publishers typically pay male authors slightly higher advances than female authors. They also price men’s books higher, which results in higher royalty payments for male creators. Male authors are more likely than female authors to win literary awards, receive speaking invitations, and gain attention from major reviewers, all of which drive sales.

Which sentence provides another supporting detail to address the topic of the sentences above?

Read the passage below and answer the following question.

The idea of raising children in prison is controversial, but well-run prison nursery programs can actually be beneficial. A study of preschool age children showed that anxiety and depression are common among young children who are separated from their mothers at birth and reunited later. In contrast, babies who spent brief sentences of two years or less behind bars with their mothers showed greater resilience and stronger attachments.

According to a nationwide analysis of women who participated in prison nursery programs, the benefits for mothers are even clearer than the benefits to children. Women who were allowed to remain with their infants during prison sentences were less likely to be convicted of another crime and less likely to use drugs in the five years after release. They were more likely to continue their education in prison and more likely to find employment on the outside. Mothers involved in prison nursery programs also reported better mental health and greater confidence in their own parenting skills.

Which statement expresses an opinion?

Read the passage below and answer the following question.

The idea of raising children in prison is controversial, but well-run prison nursery programs can actually be beneficial. A study of preschool age children showed that anxiety and depression are common among young children who are separated from their mothers at birth and reunited later. In contrast, babies who spent brief sentences of two years or less behind bars with their mothers showed greater resilience and stronger attachments.

According to a nationwide analysis of women who participated in prison nursery programs, the benefits for mothers are even clearer than the benefits to children. Women who were allowed to remain with their infants during prison sentences were less likely to be convicted of another crime and less likely to use drugs in the five years after release. They were more likely to continue their education in prison and more likely to find employment on the outside. Mothers involved in prison nursery programs also reported better mental health and greater confidence in their own parenting skills.

What is the primary argument of the passage?