TSI Reading Post-Assessment

Read the following early draft of an essay and then choose the best answer to the question or the best completion of the statement.

(1) What happens in our brains when we read?

(2) As one would expect, the parts of the brain associated with language development and processing play a central role. (3) But recent research by neuroscientists suggests that the words and phrases we encounter when reading stories activate many other parts of our brains as well, including those responsible for smell, touch, motion, and even empathy.

(4) In one study, researchers asked participants to read words and have them scanned by a brain imaging machine. (5) Brain imaging machines are also used to detect the effects of tumors, stroke, head and brain injury, or diseases such as Alzheimer’s. (6) When subjects looked at words such as “perfume,” their primary olfactory cortex, the region used for smells, lit up; when they

saw words such as “chair,” this region remained dark. (7) In another study, metaphors involving texture, such as “The singer had a velvet voice,” roused the sensory cortex, while phrases such as “The singer had a pleasing voice” did not. (8) The sensory cortex is the part of the brain responsible for perceiving texture through touch. (9) In a third study, sentences like “Pablo kicked the ball” caused brain activity in the motor cortex, which coordinates the body’s movements. (10) This activity was concentrated in different parts of the

motor cortex depending on whether the movement was arm-related or leg-related.

(11) The idea that reading activates parts of the brain associated with “real life” functions goes beyond simple words and phrases: there is evidence that the brain treats the detailed interactions among characters in a book as

something like real-life social encounters. (12) One scientist has proposed a reason: reading produces

a vivid simulation of reality, one that “runs on minds of readers just as computer simulations run on computers.” (13) The brain, it seems, does not make much of a distinction between reading about an experience and encountering it in real life.

Which piece of evidence, if added to the third paragraph (sentences 11–13), would best support the writer’s argument?

• Information about a study that showed substantial overlap in the parts of the brain used to understand stories and those used to navigate interactions with other people

• A discussion of how the nature of reading has changed due to people choosing to read books, magazines, and newspapers on computers and mobile devices rather than in print

• A quote from a neuroscientist about the connection between watching television and decreased

  brain activity

• A statement from a teacher about how reading great literature enhances students’ minds and improves students as human beings

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CCSS.RI.9-10.8

CCSS.W.9-10.1

Select the best version of the underlined part of the sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.

Indiana is the smallest state in the Midwest although they have one of the largest populations of any state in that region.

• although they have

• although with

• but has

• but they have

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CCSS.L.9-10.1

Select the best version of the underlined part of the sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.

The fans in the audience expressed one’s appreciation for the performance by giving the lead actor a standing ovation.

• one’s

• their

• its

• your

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CCSS.L.9-10.1

Select the best version of the underlined part of the sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.

Charleston, South Carolina, is a popular city for tourists, with their historical sites and beautiful weather.

• with their historical sites and beautiful weather

• with its historical sites and beautiful weather

• it has historical sites and beautiful weather

• because of their historical sites and beautiful weather

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CCSS.L.9-10.1

1. 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.

The main idea of this passage was...

• traditional volcanoes and underwater volcanoes are similar

• the lava and smoke from an underwater volcano is contained by the sea

• most tidal waves are caused by underwater volcanoes

• underwater volcanoes receive little attention but can be dangerous

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CCSS.RI.9-10.2

2. In 2010, talk show host Oprah Winfrey and novelist Jonathan Franzen kissed and made up after a 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.”

The passage implies that Franzen's criticism of the Oprah Book Club was motivated primarily by..

• pride

• anger

• insensitivity

• ignorance

3. 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.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• To praise the Founding Fathers

• To present information about an important American

• To define and explain “American English”

• To distinguish American dictionaries from British dictionaries

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CCSS.RI.9-10.2

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.

Which words best describe the author's attitude toward the "edible insect initiative?

• awe and amazement

• interest and support

• disgust and distaste

• fear and apprehension

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CCSS.RI.9-10.6

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.

The passage implies which of the following about the Bornean rainbow toad.

• Some people doubted the existence of the toad.

• Scientists were confident that they would find the toad.

• The surviving toads have been relocated to Europe.

• No human being had seen the toad since 1924.

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CCSS.RI.9-10.6

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.

The main idea of the passage is that television

• is only one of many information sources

• may have become less popular than the Internet

• is watched by more people now than ever before

• focuses more on entertainment than on news

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CCSS.RI.9-10.2