TEAS Reading Practice Test #2

The next four questions are based on the passage below.

Skin colors and markings have an important role to play in the world of snakes. Those intricate diamonds, stripes, and swirls help animals hide from predators and advertise to mates. Perhaps most important (for us humans, anyway), the markings can also indicate whether the snake is venomous. While it might seem counterintuitive for a poisonous snake to stand out in bright red or blue, that fancy costume tells any approaching predator that eating him would be a bad idea.

If you see a flashy-looking snake out in the woods, though, those markings don’t necessarily mean it’s poisonous: Some snakes have found a way to ward off predators without the actual venom. The California kingsnake, for example, has very similar markings to the venomous coral snake with whom it frequently shares a habitat. However, the kingsnake is actually nonvenomous; it’s merely pretending to be dangerous to eat. A predatory hawk or eagle, usually hunting from high in the sky, can’t tell the difference between the two species, and so the kingsnake gets passed over and lives another day.

The passage demonstrates which of the following types of writing?

This sentence appears in the first paragraph of the passage.

Skin colors and markings have an important role to play in the world of snakes.

This sentence is BEST described as which of the following?

Which of the following conclusions may be drawn directly from the second paragraph of the passage?

Which of the following is the author’s main purpose in writing this passage?

The next six questions are based on the passage below.

Credit scores, which range from 300 to 850, are a single value that summarizes an individual’s credit history. Pay your bills late? Your credit score will be lower than someone who gets that electric bill filed on the first of every month. Just paid off your massive student loans? You can expect your credit score to shoot up. The companies that compile credit scores actually keep track of all the loans, credit cards, and bill payments in your name. This massive amount of information is summed up in a credit report, which is then distilled to a single value: your credit score.

Credit scores are used by many institutions that need to evaluate the risk of providing loans, rentals, or services to individuals. Banks use credit scores when deciding when to hand out loans; they can also use them to determine the terms of the loan itself. Similarly, car dealers, landlords, and credit card companies will likely all access your credit report before agreeing to do business with you. Even your employer can access a modified version of your credit report (although it will not have your actual credit score on it).

When it comes to credit, everyone begins with a clean slate. The first time you access any credit—be it a credit card, student loan, or rental agreement—information begins to accumulate in your credit report. For this reason, having no credit score can often be just as bad as having a low one. Lenders want to know that you have a history of borrowing money and paying it back on time. After all, if you’ve never taken out a loan, how can a bank know that you’ll pay back its money? So, having nothing on your credit report can result in low credit limits and high interest rates.
With time, though, credit scores can be raised. With every payment, your credit report improves and banks will be more likely to loan you money. These new loans will in turn raise your score even higher (as long as you keep making payments, of course).

In general, there are a number of basic steps you can take to raise your credit score. First, ensure that payments are made on time. When payments are past due, it not only has a negative impact on your score but new creditors will be reluctant to lend while you are delinquent on other accounts. Being smart about taking on debt is another key factor in keeping your credit score high. As someone who is just starting off in the financial world, there will be multiple offers to open accounts, say, for an introductory credit card or short-term loan. You may also find that as your score increases, you receive offers for larger and larger loans. (Predatory lenders are a scourge on the young as well as the old.) But just because banks are offering you those loans doesn’t make them a good idea. Instead, you should only take on debt you know you can pay back in a reasonable amount of time.

Lastly, keep an eye on unpaid student loans, medical bills, and parking tickets, all of which can take a negative toll on your credit score. In fact, your credit score will take a major hit from any bill that’s sent to a collection agency, so it’s in your best interest to avoid letting bills get to that point. Many organizations will agree to keep bills away from collection agencies if you set up a fee payment system.

Which of the following excerpts from the passage contains an opinion?

Which of the following is a likely motive of the author?

The author’s description of how credit scores work in the first paragraph demonstrates which of the following types of text structure?

Which of the following conclusions may be drawn directly from the third paragraph of the passage?

Read the following sentence from the text.

Even your employer can access a modified version of your credit report (although it will not have your actual credit score on it).

Which of the following is the author’s intent in this sentence?

Which of the following is an example of a supporting detail in the passage?

The next five questions are based on the following passage.

Notice to All Students
It has come to the attention of the administration that many of you are angered about recent changes to the dormitory curfew policy. As you should be aware, the administration has instituted a temporary curfew for those living in the Walcher Dormitory due to the recent spike in on‐campus crime. While we understand the reasons for your concern, we will continue to enforce this curfew as it was described in earlier notices. The details are given again below for clarification:

• The curfew will be in effect from March 1 to March 31.
• Students who enter or leave the dormitory between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. will be subject to disciplinary action.
• Students who need to be exempted from the curfew may apply with Dr. Fowler at fowler@university.edu. Exemptions will only be given for students with work responsibilities or health issues. Other than emergency situations, students must have an official curfew exemption form in order to claim an exemption. The administration thanks you for your understanding and patience.

According to the notice, which of the following students would be subject to disciplinary action?

Which of the following is the administration’s main purpose for writing this notice?

Which of the following inferences may be logically drawn from the notice?

What is the purpose of the underlined text in the sentence below?

Other than emergency situations, students must have an official curfew exemption form in order to claim an exemption.

Which of the following is the administration’s intent in the notice?

The next two questions are based on the passage below.

Whenever Vi entered that old house, it felt like she was coming home. Even though she hadn’t lived there in almost twenty years, the memories of the years she had spent there felt as fresh as the newly fallen snow that blanketed the yard. When she walked through the living room, she didn’t see the rickety old chairs and peeling paint—she saw the many evenings she’d enjoyed there with her mom, dad, and kid sister. To her the old dining room didn’t smell like dust and moldy table linens; it smelled like home-cooked meals. Vi’s sister, on the other hand, worried about the more practical matters. That dust and mold had been accumulating in the house ever since their mother moved out, and it didn’t seem like their father planned to do anything about it. She hired cleaners, plumbers, and painters, but her father just sent them away.

Which of the following inferences may be logically drawn from the passage?

Based on a prior knowledge of literature, the reader can infer that this passage was taken from which of the following?

The next two questions are based on the passage below.

There’s no denying the cuteness of a puppy—those big eyes and boundless energy can bring joy to even the sourest of days. It’s that sense of joy that brings so many future pet owners to pet stores and dog breeders to pick out their newest family members.

But puppies don’t stay puppies forever. In just a few short years, that little bouncing bundle of fur will grow into a full-size dog, and unfortunately, many families just aren’t ready to handle that responsibility. Every year, tens of thousands of dogs end up in shelters once they reach adulthood. Perhaps the dog grew larger than the owners expected, or the owners weren’t able to provide the training that turns a puppy into a well-behaved adult. Whatever the reason, animal rescue shelters are overrun with adult dogs that need good homes.

Which of the following is the author’s intent in the passage?

Which of the following is the most likely motive of the author?

The next question is based on the table of contents below taken from a guide to home renovations.

Chapter 2: Do-It-Yourself Home Renovations

I. The Living Room

A. Installing Wood Floors
B. Installing Carpet
C. Building Custom Bookshelves

II. The Bathroom

A. Installing Tile
B. _________

III. The Kitchen

A. Choosing Countertops
B. Building Custom Cabinets

Which of the following is a reasonable heading to insert in the blank spot?

An editor wants to make sure that a writer is using a particular word correctly. Which of the following resources is the MOST appropriate for her to use?

After following the directions below, how far would you be from the hotel?

1. Starting from the hotel, drive 2 miles north to work.
2. From work, drive 3 miles east to the gym.
3. From the gym, drive 5 miles west to the theater.
4. From the theater, drive 4 miles south to a restaurant.

The next two questions are based on the table of contents below taken from a math textbook.

Advanced Mathematics
1. Pre-Calculus, pp. 137 – 225

A. Quadratic Equations, pp. 137 – 178
B. Trigonometry, pp. 179 – 225

2. Calculus, pp. 226 – 314

A. Limits, pp. 226 – 240
B. Derivatives, pp. 241 – 289
C. Integrals, pp. 290 – 314

3. Differential Equations, pp. 315 – 452

Which of the following topics is covered on page 237?

On which of the following pages would you find information on integrals?

The next two questions are based on the map below.

According to the map above, which direction is Ruby Stone Lake in relation to Camp Diamond?

According to the map, which geographical feature is due west of Camp Sapphire?

The next three questions are based on the passage below.

Sweat glands can be found all over the body. They lie beneath the skin and help regulate body temperature by transporting water to the skin’s surface. The most common type of sweat glands are eccrine glands. They are tiny, coiled glands and are concentrated on the palm of your hand and the sole of your foot. There are about two million to five million eccrine glands in the body, with about four hundred to five hundred per square centimeter in the palm of your hand. These glands are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates perspiration. The sweat that comes out of these glands is normally colorless and odorless.

Body odor tends to form around a special type of sweat gland—the apocrine glands—which develop in human beings during puberty. They are located in the armpits and in the groin. They, too, emit odorless perspiration, but bacteria in these areas mix with the apocrine secretions to create body odor.

Mammary glands are specialized examples of apocrine glands. Mammary glands produce milk following the birth of a child. Thus, sweat glands are associated not only with perspiration but also with lactation.

What is the author’s primary purpose in writing these paragraphs?

According to the passage, what is one specialized type of apocrine gland?

Readers can infer that most people do not know that mammary glands ________.

The next two questions are based on the pie chart below.

Monthly Budget

According to the chart above, how many dollars are spent on food and utilities each month?

According to the graph, what accounts for the largest expense per month?

Which of the following BEST defines the underlined word in the sentence below?

The teacher not only condoned the student’s behavior but also actively encouraged it.

The next question is based on the index below taken from a health textbook.

Health and Wellness, 52 – 103
Cardio, 55 – 69
Weight Loss, 73 – 86
Nutrition, 91 – 103

According to the index, which page includes information on weight loss?

After following the directions below, how many pennies do you have?

1. You start with five pennies in your pocket.
2. You find one penny on the ground.
3. You trade five pennies for one nickel.
4. You find three pennies under the bed.

Tina needs to purchase a dozen red or blue shirts, but she only has $14. According to the table below, which company can she order from?

The next two questions are based on the nutrition label below.

Two servings of the food described on the nutrition label above include how many grams of dietary fiber?

A single serving of the food described on the nutrition label above provides the highest percent daily value of which of the following?

The next two questions are based on the table below.

A teacher wants to order twenty-five books for her class. Which store should she order from to pay the lowest amount for the books and shipping?

A principal wants to order 150 books for her school. Which store should she order from to pay the lowest amount for books and shipping?

A customer wants to find unbiased reviews of Gino’s Pizzeria, a local restaurant. Which of the following resources should she consult?

The next two questions are based on the following chart.

The Jones family is planning a vacation in May. They would like to swim and fish. Which campground should they visit?

The Adams family would like to reserve a campground that permits campfires. They will be vacationing in the winter. Which campground should they book?

The next two questions are based on the phone book excerpt below.

Where is Spin Cycle Laundry located?

At which number can a customer reach Bard’s Stone & Feed?