TSI Testing 126 Questions with Verified Answers
In 2010, talk show host Oprah Winfrey and novelist Jonathan Franzen kissed and made up after a
... [Show More] nine-year feud. In 2001, Franzen was disinvited from appearing on Winfrey's TV show to pitch his novel The Corrections after he made it clear that he was unhappy about the book's being chosen for the Oprah Book Club. Describing his work as
"in the high-art literary tradition," Franzen said he didn't want to be associated with the Club, which he accused of occasionally choosing "schmaltzy, one-dimensional" novels. But Winfrey is apparently able to forgive and forget: she chose Franzen's next novel, Freedom, for her book club and said of it, "Now you haven't heard me say this word often, but this book is a masterpiece." - CORRECT ANSWER Pride
The main authors of The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are usually thought of as America's "Founding Fathers." Other, less known personages also deserve the title, however, and Noah Webster was one
of these. Through his writings, which include the still- influential dictionary that bears his name, Webster sought to legitimize an "American English" that was independent of British spelling and pronunciation. For instance, Webster removed the "u" from "colour," creating the distinct American version of the word. - CORRECT ANSWER To present information about an important American
Television has been the primary source of information and entertainment for most Americans over the last 50 years. However, with Internet use on the rise year after year, some may wonder if surfing the net will soon surpass watching television as Americans' primary leisure activity. Indeed, some recent surveys show that time spent on the Internet
is now greater than time spent in front of the television. However, this statistic may not tell the whole story, as 59% of Americans say they multitask, using the Internet and watching TV simultaneously. - CORRECT ANSWER may have become less popular than the Internet
If you are committed to healthy, green living and want to reduce your environmental footprint, you might consider expanding your daily diet to include bugs. Supporters of the edible insect initiative rightfully argue that farming insects has a much lower environmental impact than does raising livestock since bugs are easier to harvest and require a fraction of the water and land space that cattle need. Indeed, the high-protein, low-fat health benefits of bug-eating have long been known. For hundreds of years, crickets, silkworms and even tarantulas have been served roasted, stewed and fried at the dinner tables of many cultures. - CORRECT ANSWER interest and support
If you are committed to healthy, green living and want to reduce your environmental footprint, you might consider expanding your daily diet to include bugs. Supporters of the edible insect initiative rightfully argue that farming insects has a much lower environmental impact than does raising livestock since bugs are easier to harvest and require a fraction of the water and land space that cattle need. Indeed, the high-protein, low-fat health benefits of bug-eating have long been known. For hundreds of years, crickets, silkworms and even tarantulas have been served roasted, stewed and fried at the dinner tables of many cultures.
In the first sentence, "expanding" most nearly means - CORRECT ANSWER Broadening
Long thought to be a case of mistaken identity, the discovery of the Bornean rainbow toad by European explorers in 1924 was recently verified by scientists. The explorers had made a black-and-white sketch of an unusual toad they had found in the jungles of Southeast Asia, christening it the Bornean rainbow toad. Skeptical but curious, scientists recently went to look for the toad—and ended up finding three specimens. - CORRECT ANSWER Some people doubted the existence of the toad
Plywood, while not the most pleasing wood to look at, has become an incredibly important building material in house construction. It is flexible, inexpensive, and strong. Its strength is due to layers of thin wood glued on top of each other with the grain of each layer making a right angle with the grain of the layer below it. This way of layering the sheets of wood makes plywood difficult to break.
Which word best describes the author's attitude towards plywood's qualities - CORRECT ANSWER Impressed
Plywood, while not the most pleasing wood to look at, has become an incredibly important building material in house construction. It is flexible, inexpensive, and strong. Its strength is due to layers of thin wood glued on top of each other with the grain of each layer making a right angle with the grain of the layer below it. This way of layering the sheets of wood makes plywood difficult to break.
According to the passage, the arrangement of the layers of thin wood explains plywood's - CORRECT ANSWER strength
Studies show that the prevalence of fast-food restaurants corresponds with the rates of obesity
in both children and adults. Obesity is now on the rise in countries outside the U.S., where fast food restaurants are becoming more common. - CORRECT ANSWER They express roughly the same idea.
It is said that a smile is universally understood. Nothing triggers a smile more universally than the taste of sugar. Nearly everyone loves sugar. Infant studies indicate that humans are born with an innate love of sweets. Based on statistics, a lot of people in Great Britain must be smiling because on average, every man, woman and child in that country consumes 95 pounds of sugar each year.
This passage implies that the writer thinks that 95 pounds of sugar per person per year is: - CORRECT ANSWER a surprisingly large amount
Some historians attribute the origins of the front porches so common in American houses to the covered porticos of classical Rome. Indeed, our word "porch" derives from the Latin portico. However, these colonnaded spaces were almost always connected to public or religious structures rather than to private homes. The loggias of Renaissance Venice, recessed front entryways built into the ground floor of Venetian canal houses, perhaps provide a better starting point for the evolution of the American-style porch. This architectural feature later became popularized throughout Europe by the 17th-century Venetian architect Andrea Palladio. Eventually, English colonists would spread the loggia to the American colonies.
Why does the author mention Venetian architect Andrea Palladio? - CORRECT ANSWER Palladio inspired other builders to include loggias in their designs.
Our bones grow continuously throughout our lives, with old bone cells dying and being discarded. However, for astronauts who are in space for a prolonged period, a lack of gravitational pull—which has a number of beneficial effects on the body, including supporting new bone growth—results in their bones adding less bone tissue to replace dying tissue. In fact, for every month in space, a person will lose 1.5 to 2% of his or her bone mass, with the hip bone and the lower leg bones most affected.
It can be inferred from the passage that - CORRECT ANSWER the lower body typically experiences more bone growth than the upper body D.
astronauts seldom stay in space for more than a month
Our bones grow continuously throughout our lives, with old bone cells dying and being discarded. However, for astronauts who are in space for a prolonged period, a lack of gravitational pull—which has a number of beneficial effects on the body, including supporting new bone growth—results in their bones adding less bone tissue to replace dying tissue. In fact, for every month in space, a person will lose 1.5 to 2% of his or her bone mass, with the hip bone and the lower leg bones most affected.
The human body adds bone mass in order to: - CORRECT ANSWER replace dead bone tissue
Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is used in most water-carrying pipes in the United States. Known for their resistance to the corrosion that can be caused by water, PVC pipes are more durable than the metal pipes of old. As useful as PVC is, it may be surprising that it was accidentally discovered in 1835 by Henri Victor Regnault, who observed a mysterious white solid plastic forming inside some test tubes that were left exposed to sunlight in his lab.
It can be inferred from the passage that metal pipes - CORRECT ANSWER are more likely to corrode than PVC pipes
American copyright laws, laws that prohibit the use, distribution, or adaptation of another's product without permission, first applied only to the copying of books, but now cover such diverse products as sound recordings, motion pictures, and computer programs. The federal Copyright Act of 1790 allowed copyright protection for 14 years with one 14-year extension allowed (if the author survived the first 14-year term). The Copyright Act of 1909 extended copyright protection to 28 years with a 28-year renewal, and the Copyright Act of 1976 extended it further, to 75 years. - CORRECT ANSWER To indicate how copyright laws have changed
The 1922 German Expressionist film Nosferatu, directed by F. W. Murnau, is considered one of the most influential films in cinematic history—while also being a classic vampire movie. The film is closely based on Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula; however, the villain in the film is called "Count Orlok" rather than "Count Dracula." The reason is that
the small studio that produced the film, Prana Film, was unable to secure the rights to Stoker's novel. In fact, shortly after finishing Nosferatu, its one and only film, Prana went bankrupt in order to dodge copyright lawsuits from Stoker's widow. - CORRECT ANSWER To show that the makers of Nosferatu made minor changes to Stoker's novel
Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena became a successful inventor at an early age. By the age of seven, he had constructed a variety of electronically-propelled toys to play with; he later designed and built his own amateur radio and a functioning telescope. In 1940, when he was only 23, Camarena obtained the world's first patent for color television. Camarena's early color television transmission system was the first one to be approved by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Other color-television technologies came after Camarena's patented invention, but his system is still used by a number of scientists today. - CORRECT ANSWER working
The author of Passage 2 probably would respond to the last sentence of Passage 1 ("Parents . . . every day!") by - CORRECT ANSWER arguing that children should be spending more time using computers
The author of Passage 1 would most likely criticize the author of Passage 2 for - CORRECT ANSWER overlooking the drawbacks of increasing the time children spend using technology
In line 1, "this work" clearly refers to - CORRECT ANSWER insect research
Details in the passage suggest that the narrator is - CORRECT ANSWER an adult recalling a location from childhood
The descriptions of the Lab and of the ice house are similar in that both descriptions - CORRECT ANSWER highlight the narrator's misconception of size
When the narrator repeatedly uses the pronouns "we" and "us," she is most likely speaking of herself and - CORRECT ANSWER A sibling
When we think of volcanoes, eruptions, lava, and smoke- filled air come to mind—all occurring on land. Most people are surprised to learn about the prevalence of underwater volcanoes on our planet. Because the lava and smoke spilling out of an active, underwater volcano is contained by the ocean, people generally do not take note of these eruptions. However, the largest underwater volcanoes are capable of creating huge tidal waves, threatening coastal communities. - CORRECT ANSWER underwater volcanoes receive little attention but can be
dangerous
In context, which of the following is the best way to revise and combine sentences 1 and 2 (reproduced below)?
"Seaweed-based fuel could one day power your car. It is more than just an ingredient in a purifying face mask or a sushi roll." - CORRECT ANSWER Seaweed is more than just an ingredient in a purifying face mask or a sushi roll; seaweed-based fuel could one day power your car.
In context, where would the following sentence best be placed?
"There are a number of possible reasons for this." - CORRECT ANSWER After sentence 4
In context, which of the following is best to insert at the beginning of sentence 7 (reproduced below)?
"Japanese researchers are much more familiar with it and have spent decades studying its potential uses." - CORRECT ANSWER As a result
In context, which of the following sentences would best be inserted between sentences 9 and 10? - CORRECT ANSWER Maine Seaweed Co., for instance, harvests the seaweed naturally available along the U.S. coast.
In context, which is the best revision to sentence 13 (reproduced below)?
"They say that the seaweed-based fuel would work better in automobiles than ethanol and be easier to transport." - CORRECT ANSWER Replace "They say" with "Advocates contend".
It is important to learn how to swim, even if afraid; the skill will invariably prove useful later in your life. - CORRECT ANSWER you are
In the Roman Empire, the first fish to be brought indoors was the sea barbel, it was kept under guest beds in small tanks made of marble. - CORRECT ANSWER sea barbel, which
The idea that lightning never strikes the same place twice
is one of the oldest and most well-known weather-related myths; , lightning strikes the Empire State Building in New York City about 100 times per year. - CORRECT ANSWER In fact
Horror films . - CORRECT ANSWER that keep viewers in a state of endless fright draw
According to explorers, a "Lost Falls" resembling New York's Niagara Falls in Tsangpo River Gorge in the Himalaya Mountains. - CORRECT ANSWER has been found
In some places, virtually all the topsoil has washed away, leaving the subsoils to sustain the crops.
Rewrite, beginning with
"In some places, the subsoils must sustain the crops ..."
The next word will be - CORRECT ANSWER because
Hawaii, which consists of eight major islands and many smaller ones, and which used to be known as the Sandwich Islands, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth state in 1959.
Rewrite, beginning with
"Formerly known as the Sandwich Islands, and consisting of eight major and many smaller islands, ..."
The next words will be - CORRECT ANSWER Hawaii was
Facing a 50% cut in funding for the library, the director was forced to lay off two librarians and sharply reduce hours of operation.
Rewrite, beginning with
"Funding for the library was cut by 50%, ..."
The next words will be - CORRECT ANSWER forcing the director
Carmen created a new piñata by constructing a papier-mâché figure and decorating it with brilliantly colored tissue paper.
Rewrite, beginning with
"To create a new piñata, ..."
The next words will be - CORRECT ANSWER Carmen constructed a papier-mâché figure
If Antarctica's icebergs could be floated north before melting, many arid areas would experience relief from drought.
Rewrite, beginning with
"If they could be floated north before melting, ..."
The next words will be - CORRECT ANSWER Antarctica's icebergs would bring
Select the best edit for the underlined part.
These are very valuable. - CORRECT ANSWER books, which were published in the late eighteenth century
Select the best edit for the underlined part.
Working as a receptionist for my uncle's business taught me - CORRECT ANSWER how to handle customer complaints, how to answer the telephone, and how to maintain a Rolodex.
Select the best edit.
In a large city, you may have massive traffic jams on your daily commute to work. - CORRECT ANSWER In a large city, massive traffic jams may be part of the daily commute to work.
Select the best edit.
We could watch the stars sitting on the balcony. - CORRECT ANSWER Sitting on the balcony, we could watch the stars.
Due to the fact it was raining on the scheduled day of the picnic, the drama club had to cancel and reschedule a new date for the event.
Rewrite, beginning with
The drama club had to...
The next words should be... - CORRECT ANSWER reschedule the picnic because of rain.
Good money managers control their present expenses, and they invest surplus dollars to meet their future needs.
Rewrite the sentence using "because"
The best choice will be... - CORRECT ANSWER Because good money managers control their present expenses, they invest surplus dollars to meet their needs.
Select the best edit for the underlined part.
If a person wants to succeed in school, - CORRECT ANSWER he or she has to study.
Select the best edit for the underlined part.
Coming in from Fourth Street, the - CORRECT ANSWER students who are arriving on campus see the Student Union.
Select the best edit for the underlined part.
Judy is dating a - CORRECT ANSWER a man who has a seven hundred-acre ranch near the foothills outside of town.
In his songs, Gordon Lightfoot makes melody and lyrics intricately intertwine. Rewrite, beginning with
Melody and lyrics...
Your new sentence will include: - CORRECT ANSWER make Gordon Lightfoot's
A backpacker must be prepared for climatic extremes. When you hit the trail in the morning, the temperature may be below zero. You have to keep warm but also be able to move comfortably and freely. As the sun comes up, the temperature often climbs rapidly, and you must be able to dissipate heat. But then, as you move around an outcropping of rock or into forest cover, the temperature can drop almost instantaneously. The author suggests that a backpacker must be - CORRECT ANSWER adaptable
All water molecules form six-sided structures as they freeze and become snow crystals. The particular, virtually unique, crystal shape is determined by temperature, vapor, and wind conditions in the upper atmosphere. Snow crystals are uniformly symmetrical because these conditions affect all six sides simultaneously. The purpose of the passage is to present - CORRECT ANSWER factual information
A recent study conducted by British zoologists concludes that, like birds and other animals, human beings possess a ―homing instinct.‖ The study showed that this homing instinct or natural sense of direction is based on some kind of perception of magnetic fields. When blindfolded students who otherwise displayed a keen homing sense were made to wear helmets containing magnets, they became disoriented. The passage suggests that the cause of the students' disorientation was that the - CORRECT ANSWER magnets in the helmets interfered with their homing sense
A personal computer is a small computer based on a microprocessor; it is a microcomputer. Not all microcomputers, however, are personal computers. A microcomputer can be dedicated to a single task such as controlling a machine tool or metering the injection of fuel into an automobile engine; it can be a word processor, a video game, or a ―pocket computer‖ that is not quite a computer. A personal computer is something different: a standalone computer that puts a wide array of capabilities at the disposal of an individual. The author's chief aim in the passage is most likely to - CORRECT ANSWER provide an introduction to the subject of personal computers
Although more people than ever are gardening today, there could very well be a decline in gardening in the near future. Studies show a large number of dropout gardeners, most of them people whose hopes of large savings on food were frustrated by their lack of gardening know-how. The main idea of the passage is that - CORRECT ANSWER gardening is not as simple as people think
As energy costs rise and resources wane, people look to the sun. Solar energy almost certainly will be a main source for heating buildings someday. Special roof panels that take in the heat have already been developed and are now in use. In the average home, however, about one hundred tons of rock or several thousand gallons of water are needed to store enough heat for release during dark hours. Recently an inventor has created a heat storage and transfer device which can release heat as needed. Its small size makes it a more practical tool than piles of rock or pools of water. The keys to the invention are small amounts of eutectic salt, which can store a large volume of heat, and a special technique for releasing that heat as it is needed. Which of the following will hold and store the most heat from the sun? - CORRECT ANSWER One pound of eutectic salt
As energy costs rise and resources wane, people look to the sun. Solar energy almost certainly will be a main source for heating buildings someday. Special roof panels that take in the heat have already been developed and are now in use. In the average home, however, about one hundred tons of rock or several thousand gallons of water are needed to store enough heat storage and transfer device which can release heat as needed. Its small size makes it a more practical tool than piles of rock or pools of water. The keys to the invention are small amounts of eutectic salt, which can store a large volume of heat, and a special technique for releasing that heat as it is needed. The invention described is a method for - CORRECT ANSWER regulating the energy flow
Because of the recent ruling, television stations - at least in theory - are now free to program laundry detergent commercials all day long with maybe a few minutes of an old movie thrown in for kicks. The tone of the passage can best be described as - CORRECT ANSWER flippant
Characters in fantasies written for children differ significantly from one historical period to another. Each fantasy in some way holds up a mirror to the culture in which it is produced. When we examine literary fantasy, we look upon a reflection of the social pressures of the period, problems of sex role and personal identity, and the changing role of the artist. What all of these changing patterns mean is the subject of an interesting sociological study. Which of the following statements would most clearly be supported by the passage? - CORRECT ANSWER Nineteenth-century fantasies are likely to have in common features not found in twentieth-century fantasies.
Conservationists have short-sightedly condemned the elephants that roam in the parks of Kenya for the destruction of baobab trees-huge plants that are reputed to live for hundreds of years. It is certainly distressing to see this destruction occur; if one goes deeper into the question, however, one will discover that the baobab tree contains more than thirty trace elements and is particularly rich in calcium. While the free is standing, it provides shade and a nesting place for birds, but only when it is felled are its nutrients released into the soil and made available to other plants and, in turn, to animals. Could it not be that this ―destructive‖ tendency of the elephants in reality makes good ecological sense? The passage as a whole suggests which of the following? - CORRECT ANSWER It is often hard to tell what is best for the environment
Conservationists have short-sightedly condemned the elephants that roam in the parks of Kenya for the destruction of baobab trees—huge plants that are reputed to live for hundreds of years. If is certainly distressing to see this destruction occur; if one goes deeper into the question, however, one and is particularly rich in calcium. While the tree is standing, it provides released into the soil and made available to other plants and, in turn, to animals. Could it not be that this ―destructive‖ tendency of the elephants in reality makes good ecological sense? The main idea of the passage is that - CORRECT ANSWER the destruction of the baobab tree may be beneficial to the environment [Show Less]