Reading Practice Questions

Central Park Although the name "Central Park" suggests that it has a clear organizing feature, New York City's famous green space has no official center. There is no formal walkway that cuts through the park or monument that marks its middle. Instead of symmetry, Central Park contains winding paths and an ever-changing landscape that appears random and rustic. Despite appearances, the park is an achievement of planning and engineering. Years of citizen campaigning for a park on Manhattan convinced the state to purchase 750 acres of land in 1853. After a chance meeting with the project organizer, Frederick Law Olmsted who was raised in Connecticut and had been deeply impressed by the public parks of England applied for the job of Park Superintendent in 1857. Olmsted was appointed Superintendent, and workers began clearing the land for construction. The park now needed a design. Calvert Vaux, a British architect who had helped design the grounds of the White House and the Smithsonian Institution, asked Olmsted to collaborate with him. The two developed a plan that would give city dwellers a tranquil green space. After a vote by park commissioners, Vaux and Olmsted became the official designers of Central Park. Creation of the park required years of construction. Thanks in part to the use of 166 tons of gunpowder, the swampy land was transformed into gentle slopes and scenic vistas through the movement of 2.5 million cubic yards of earth. By the time construction finished, the park included 58 miles of walking paths and 7 man-made bodies of water. Today, Olmsted and Vaux's work of art welcomes about 40 million visitors each year. Without having a single orientation itself, Central Park's natural and open design made it a central escape from the noise and unyielding grid of the city that surrounds it. Which of the following paragraphs accurately summarizes the key points of this passage?

Fremont has struggled over recent years to keep downtown businesses thriving. Locals report that the inability to park anywhere other than at overpriced parking meters prevents them from shopping downtown. Last week, the city of Clarion reported that adding two new parking lots and decreasing the hourly parking rate in their downtown area increased surrounding business revenue by 7% over the past year. Fremont and Clarion are similar in terms of population and sales tax rates. The Fremont city manager's office is looking for ways to increase downtown revenue and asks the public for suggestions. Which of the following is a likely suggestion the city manager's office will receive from the public?

Copy the string of letters below on a piece of paper: NCKGABBH. Cross out the first and last letters. Replace the letter B with the letter Q. Insert a U after each Q. Switch the first and last letters. Which of the following letter sequences remains on the page?

This passage about Henry VIII narrates historical facts about his reign, marriages, and succession. What is the primary purpose of the passage?

Ingredients: freshly squeezed orange juice, ice cubes, sports drink, chilled water, fresh mint leaves. Directions: Fill a tall glass 1/3 of the way with orange juice. Add ice cubes, then slowly pour the sports drink over the ice until the glass is 5/6 full. There should be two distinct layers of liquid. Add chilled water over the ice to fill the remaining space. Add two to three mint leaves as a garnish, then enjoy this simple yet beautiful layered juice experience! How many layers of liquid will the finished drink have?

Central Park Although the name "Central Park" suggests that it has a clear organizing feature, New York City's famous green space has no official center. There is no formal walkway that cuts through the park, nor is there a monument that marks its middle. Instead of symmetry, Central Park contains winding paths and an ever-changing landscape that appears random and rustic. Despite appearances, the park is an achievement of planning and engineering. Years of citizens campaigning for a park on New York City's Manhattan Island convinced the state to purchase 750 acres of land in 1853. After a chance meeting with the project organizer, Frederick Law Olmsted who was raised in Connecticut and had been deeply impressed by the public parks of England applied for the job of Park Superintendent in 1857. Olmsted was appointed Superintendent, and workers began clearing the land for construction. The park now needed a design. Calvert Vaux, a British architect who had helped design the grounds of the White House and the Smithsonian Institution, asked Olmsted to collaborate with him. The two developed a plan that would give city dwellers a tranquil, growing space. After a vote by park commissioners, Vaux and Olmsted became the official designers of Central Park. Creation of the park required years of construction. Thanks in part to the use of 166 tons of gunpowder, the swampy land was transformed into gentle slopes and scenic vistas through the movement of 2.5 million cubic yards of earth. By the time construction finished, the park included 58 miles of walking paths and 7 man-made bodies of water. Today, Olmsted and Vaux's work of art welcomes about 40 million visitors each year. Without having a single orientation itself, Central Park's natural and open design made it a central escape from the noise and unyielding grid of the city that surrounds it. Which of the following contains the author's opinion?

In Jo's Slow Cooked Chili recipe, the directions say: "In a skillet, brown the ground beef and onions; drain." What is the meaning of the word "brown" as used in the directions?

Everyday life can be filled with a long list of things that need to be done. Without the necessary skills to meet these demands, it is easy to lose track of deadlines, forget appointments, or misplace important information. By consistently implementing the skills of effective time management and organization, even the most hectic of schedules can become more manageable. The most important aspect of practicing effective time management is learning to create a schedule that provides the time you need to complete necessary tasks. An effective way to do this is to determine whether you will have time to add a new task to your schedule. Digital calendars, task management applications, and paper agendas are all widely available tools to manage time and keep track of obligations. By making a habit of recording tasks and events as soon as you receive them, you will maintain a constant record of what time you have available. By effectively managing your time through diligent scheduling, you will always know what needs to be done and when you have time to do it. Maintaining an organized environment is an important part of finishing tasks quickly and effectively. One way to do this is by creating designated locations for different types of information. Whether the information is in the form of physical file folders, books, or digital materials, organization will reduce the time you spend searching for the resources and information you need. Only with consistent practice do the skills of time management and organization become effective tools for managing your everyday schedule. When practiced on a regular basis, these skills provide you with more control as well as a more orderly approach to whatever kind of schedule you might have. Which of the following words best defines the topic of this passage?

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Roll the previously refrigerated cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Arrange on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. When the oven is hot, bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack for 5 minutes before eating. Which of the following steps should the baker take immediately before rolling the cookie dough into balls?

Chimney Swifts are small, slender birds that have become a symbol of summer for many. They usually appear during the warm summer months before making their way to more tropical sites for the winter. They are recognized by their spectacular, chirping flocks moving through the sky in synchrony; Chimney Swifts can be seen most vividly at colonies of hundreds or even thousands of individuals, forming tornado-like funnels as they descend into a chimney. Unfortunately, the size of the colonies we see is misleading. Though the numbers may seem remarkable, Chimney Swift populations have been declining sharply since the 1970s, due primarily to habitat loss. Unlike most birds, Chimney Swifts cannot perch or stand upright, so they require long, hollow spaces that provide safe roosting and nesting sites. Historically, Chimney Swifts preferred hollow trees; however, as humans expanded their territory and replaced forests with towns, the species was forced to adapt by using other structures, such as chimneys. In the US, the large-scale shift to alternate heat sources, chimney capping, and the use of prefabricated chimneys has drastically reduced their ability to nest during migration. Newer, prefabricated chimneys are often lined with metal flues that make it impossible for the birds to grip the surface. In addition, logging and deforestation have made finding suitable overwintering habitat more challenging than ever. In an effort to sustain the remaining population, conservation groups have designed supplemental housing structures called "Chimney Towers." These towers are specially designed to provide roosting sites for Chimney Swifts, which now rely almost entirely on man-made structures like these to survive. However, because this species is remarkably adaptive, minimal conservation efforts like keeping traditional masonry chimneys uncapped during the summer months can improve their chances of survival. Which of the following best summarizes the passage?