praxis reading language arts 5002 practice test

A series of tests developed by ETS to assess the skills and knowledge of prospective teachers.

A teacher passes out twenty slips of paper—half with the beginnings of ten different jokes and half with the corresponding punch lines—to twenty students. Students are then asked to mingle and converse until each has found the student whose paper corresponds with his or her own and until everyone has learned one new fact about his or her partner.
Which of the following best explains a primary benefit of the activity?
  • A. It improves students' inferential reading comprehension.
  • B. It helps students learn to integrate humor into their writing.
  • C. It gives students an opportunity to work on expressing their opinions clearly.
  • D. It allows students to practice communicating with diverse partners.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

Option D highlights a primary benefit by emphasizing the importance of communication skills in diverse settings. Engaging with various partners fosters adaptability and cultural awareness, essential skills in today’s interconnected world. Option A, while valuable, focuses specifically on reading comprehension rather than the broader communication aspect. Option B narrows the focus to humor in writing, which may not be the main goal of the activity. Option C addresses opinion expression, but it does not encompass the collaborative and diverse interaction that option D provides, making it less comprehensive in capturing the activity's primary benefit.

Other Related Questions

Which of the following is a quantitative measure of text complexity?
  • A. Conventions of language
  • B. Sentence length
  • C. Knowledge demands
  • D. Structure
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

Quantitative measures of text complexity rely on numerical data to assess readability. Sentence length (Option B) is a key quantitative factor, as it can be measured and analyzed statistically to determine how challenging a text might be for readers. Option A, conventions of language, refers to grammatical rules and stylistic choices, which are qualitative aspects. Option C, knowledge demands, involves the background knowledge required for comprehension, making it subjective rather than quantifiable. Option D, structure, pertains to the organization of a text, which can be analyzed qualitatively. Thus, sentence length stands out as the only purely quantitative measure.
During an oral presentation, which of the following strategies will best help a speaker facilitate audience comprehension of the material presented?
  • A. Varying vocal volume
  • B. Articulating words clearly
  • C. Wearing proper attire
  • D. Using hand gestures
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

Articulating words clearly directly enhances audience understanding, ensuring that key points are communicated effectively. This clarity is essential for comprehension, particularly in complex topics. Varying vocal volume (A) can engage the audience but may not significantly aid in comprehension if the words are not articulated clearly. Wearing proper attire (C) contributes to professionalism but does not impact the audience's understanding of the material. Using hand gestures (D) can support engagement and emphasize points but, without clear articulation, may lead to confusion rather than clarity.
A group of students work together at a literacy center where the individual letters "p," "i," and "g" are printed on card stock. One student puts the three letters together and says, "I made 'pig'!" The activity best supports which of the following reading skills?
  • A. Building words with onsets
  • B. Dividing words using syllabication
  • C. Blending phonemes to make words
  • D. Segmenting phonemes to make words
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

The activity involves combining individual letters to form the word "pig," which directly supports blending phonemes. Blending is the skill of merging individual sounds to create a complete word, exemplified by the student saying "I made 'pig'." Option A, building words with onsets, focuses specifically on the initial consonant sounds, which is not the primary skill demonstrated here. Option B, dividing words using syllabication, pertains to breaking words into syllables, while this activity emphasizes merging sounds instead. Option D, segmenting phonemes, involves breaking words into their individual sounds, which is the opposite of what the student is doing in this scenario.
Which THREE of the following words contain diphthongs?
  • A. Boy
  • B. Mother
  • C. Buy
  • D. Apple
  • E. Coin
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A,C,E

Diphthongs are complex vowel sounds that begin with one vowel sound and glide into another within the same syllable. Option A, "Boy," contains the diphthong /ɔɪ/, where the sound transitions from "o" to "i." Option C, "Buy," features the diphthong /aɪ/, transitioning from "a" to "i." Option E, "Coin," includes the diphthong /ɔɪ/, moving from "o" to "i." In contrast, Option B, "Mother," has a single vowel sound /ʌ/, and Option D, "Apple," contains the vowel sound /æ/, both lacking the glide characteristic of diphthongs. Thus, A, C, and E correctly identify words with diphthongs.