accuplacer reading sample questions practice test

Commonly used by colleges and universities to place students into appropriate courses.

The following sentence has a blank indicating that something has been left out. Beneath the sentence are four words or phrases. Choose the word or phrase that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
Daryl and Kristen preferred not to see the latest horror film that their friends wanted to see, so they chose a showing of a highly rated comedy film that started and ended at the same time as the horror film.
  • A. reciprocal
  • B. congruent
  • C. relevant
  • D. concurrent
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

Daryl and Kristen chose to watch a comedy film that started and ended simultaneously with the horror film, indicating that both films occur at the same time. This situation is described as "concurrent," meaning events happening simultaneously. Option A, "reciprocal," refers to mutual actions or relationships, which does not apply here. Option B, "congruent," typically relates to figures or shapes that are identical in form, not relevant to film timings. Option C, "relevant," pertains to the significance of information, which doesn't capture the timing aspect of the films. Thus, "concurrent" accurately describes the films' overlapping schedules.

Other Related Questions

In sentence 13, the narrator most likely uses the image of 'a tightly woven fruit basket' to suggest that the rain is
  • A. a physical challenge that must be endured
  • B. falling so heavily that she can barely see through it
  • C. a reminder of the weather in harvest season
  • D. important because it allows crops to survive
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

The image of "a tightly woven fruit basket" conveys the idea of something dense and tightly packed, suggesting that the rain is overwhelming and challenging to endure. This aligns with option A, which emphasizes the physical challenge of the rain. Option B misinterprets the imagery; while heavy rain can obscure vision, the fruit basket metaphor does not directly imply visibility issues. Option C incorrectly suggests a seasonal reminder, while the metaphor focuses more on the immediate experience of rain rather than its seasonal context. Option D, while acknowledging the rain's importance for crops, overlooks the emphasis on the struggle implied by the basket imagery.
Which of the following, if true, would best serve to challenge Ogburn and Thomas's belief that the discovery of calculus is an example of the 'phenomenon' mentioned in the first sentence?
  • A. Uncovering the existence of a journal that Newton kept while working with calculus
  • B. Learning that scientists other than Newton and Leibniz had also made substantial progress on calculus
  • C. Finding a previously unknown letter between Newton and Leibniz discussing calculus that predated its commonly assumed discovery
  • D. Identifying a minor error in Newton's original mathematical calculations
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

Option C effectively challenges Ogburn and Thomas's belief by suggesting that the discovery of calculus was not as isolated as previously thought. A letter between Newton and Leibniz predating the commonly accepted timeline implies prior knowledge or collaboration, undermining the notion of a singular 'phenomenon.' Option A, while interesting, does not directly challenge the notion of discovery but rather adds context to Newton's process. Option B highlights contributions from others but does not negate the significance of Newton and Leibniz’s roles. Option D points to an error that could suggest flaws in Newton's work but does not impact the legitimacy of the discovery itself.
The final paragraph suggests that seeing the woman has caused the narrator to
  • A. face the negative feelings she has about her new home
  • B. realize that she misses her mother more than she admits
  • C. think about her own feelings about her family and background
  • D. remember the reason she moved away from her home country
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

The final paragraph indicates that the narrator's encounter with the woman prompts deep reflection on personal emotions and familial connections. This aligns with option C, as it emphasizes the narrator's introspection regarding her family and background. Option A is incorrect; while the narrator may have complex feelings about her new home, the focus is not solely on negativity. Option B suggests a specific longing for her mother, which is not explicitly stated in the text. Option D implies a focus on the reasons for moving, but the narrator's thoughts center more on her feelings than on past decisions. Thus, option C best captures the essence of the narrator's experience.
In context, the statement that the woman is 'draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen' (sentence 10) primarily
  • A. reveals the narrator's assumptions about the woman's income
  • B. explains why the woman might be uncomfortable in the cold weather
  • C. shows how different the woman's clothing is from the narrator's clothing
  • D. emphasizes how out of place the woman seems in the surrounding environment
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

The description of the woman as being "draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen" highlights her extravagant attire, which starkly contrasts with her surroundings, suggesting she is out of place. This visual disparity emphasizes her uniqueness in the environment. Option A incorrectly focuses on income rather than the visual impact of her clothing. Option B misinterprets the context; the statement does not address her comfort in cold weather. Option C, while noting differences in clothing, misses the broader implication of her being out of sync with her environment, which is the core of the description.