Lesson 1: Critical Reading Fundamentals

According to Lesson 1, critical reading is defined as going beyond decoding words to evaluate arguments, evidence, and logic. Which scenario best demonstrates critical reading rather than simple decoding?

• Reading a paragraph aloud without mistakes.

• Highlighting unfamiliar vocabulary to look up later.

• Comparing the author’s claims to the evidence provided to judge whether the reasoning is sound.

• Counting the number of sentences in each paragraph.

Which of the following statements is explicit, as it is directly stated and unambiguous?

• Cells are the building blocks of our bodies.

• Trees swaying suggest a windy day.

• Reading between the lines reveals the author’s intent.

• The report may imply a recommendation.

A descriptive sentence about trees swaying allows a critical reader to make which reasonable inference, supported by evidence from the sentence?

• The day is calm because trees are motionless.

• It is likely windy because trees are swaying.

• The trees are dead because they are not green.

• The writer dislikes nature.

A manager plans to evaluate whether a new software tool should be adopted. Which report type and two sections from its standard structure are most appropriate to support this decision?

• Feasibility report including Introduction and Challenges to assess practicality and risks.

• Informational report using Introduction and Conclusion focusing on raw facts.

• Incident report using Witnesses and Actions Taken.

• Feasibility report using Work Completed and Work Remaining.

Lesson 3 states that questionnaire items should be clear, simple, unbiased, and single-idea. Which revision best improves the following double-barreled, leading item: "Do you agree that our excellent new policy saves time and money?"

• "How much time and money does the policy save?"

• "Do you agree that the policy is excellent?"

• "To what extent do you agree that the new policy saves time?" and "To what extent do you agree that the new policy saves money?"

• "Why do you oppose the new policy?"

According to Lesson 2, why do reports matter? Choose the option that best captures two distinct purposes mentioned.

• To entertain readers and showcase creative writing

• To inform stakeholders and support transparency and accountability

• To advertise products and increase sales

• To summarize novels and poems for literature classes

Which set of elements is specifically listed for incident reports in the content?

• What, why, so what

• Who/what/when/where/how, witnesses, actions taken, recommendations for prevention

• Hypothesis, variables, control, results

• Abstract, literature review, methodology, results

Fill in the blank: Informational reports _______ and include key elements such as what, who, when, and where, with the purpose of data-sharing.

A city council must decide whether to fund a new community center. Based on Lesson 2, which report type should be produced to determine practicality, and what is the expected kind of outcome this report delivers?

• A feasibility report; it evaluates practicality of proposals and provides a go/no-go outcome.

• A progress report; it tracks ongoing activities and provides status updates.

• A recommendation report; it suggests the best course of action among alternatives.

• An incident report; it documents unexpected events and their consequences.

Select ALL statements that accurately describe analytical reports as presented in Lesson 2.

• They interpret data and recommend actions.

• Their primary purpose is entertainment.

• They support problem-solving and decision-making.

• They only list dates and locations without analysis.