WorksheetsQuiz: Why College Isn’t for Everyone
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 18mins
What is the central claim of Reich’s argument?
College is too expensive for low-income families.
Every student should attend college to ensure success.
Four-year college is not necessary for everyone, and vocational alternatives should be valued.
All colleges should reduce tuition for middle-class families.
In paragraph 4, the author’s tone when describing competition for college admission can best be described as ___.
Amused
Appalled
Objective
Admiring
Which phrase from the essay best supports the claim that society pressures students into college?
Competition for places at top-brand colleges is absurdly intense.
Every college president wants to increase the ratio of applications to admissions.
They feel compelled to go to college because they’ve been told over and over that a college degree is necessary.
It’s even hard to find a skilled plumber or electrician.
What type of evidence does Reich use when he cites the Federal Reserve Bank statistic that '46 percent of recent college graduates were in jobs that don’t even require a college degree'?
Personal experience
Statistical evidence
Hypothetical case
Expert testimony
In paragraph 15, the word absurdity most nearly means ___.
Logical necessity
Ridiculous situation
Serious problem
Exciting challenge
Which of the following best describes Reich’s purpose in paragraphs 16–20?
To present emotional stories about parents’ worries
To illustrate negative consequences of society’s college-only mindset
To compare American and European college systems
To argue that more students should study abroad
Reich’s tone toward parents who pay 'grotesque sums' to boost their children’s college prospects is primarily ___.
Envious
Sarcastic
Sympathetic
Detached
Which sentence presents the essay’s counterclaim?
A four-year college degree isn’t necessary for many of tomorrow’s good jobs.
With inequality at record levels and almost all the economic gains going to the top…
They may be bright and ambitious but they won’t get much out of it.
The biggest absurdity is that a four-year college degree has become the only gateway into the American middle class.
How does Reich refute the counterclaim that college is the only path to success?
He lists famous college dropouts.
He shows that many jobs and trades do not require a degree.
He explains how college improves social mobility.
He calls college 'nuts' and moves on.
What solution does Reich propose to fix the 'absurd' college-only funnel?
More scholarships for elite schools
Expanding vocational-technical education and community-college partnerships
Eliminating tuition entirely
Sending students to college earlier
What evidence does Reich use to support his proposal?
Personal interviews with students
Comparisons to Germany’s successful technical-training model
Quotes from business executives
Statistics about U.S. unemployment
Which rhetorical device is used in 'Excuse me, but this is nuts'?
Metaphor
Irony
Rhetorical question
Colloquial expression
The phrase 'affirmative action for the rich' (paragraph 11) is an example of ___.
Simile
Hyperbole
Analogy
Allusion
Which group does Reich most directly criticize?
Students who drop out of college
Parents and institutions who treat college as a status symbol
Teachers who encourage vocational paths
Businesses that hire non-graduates
What does Reich mean by describing community colleges as 'under-appreciated crown jewels'?
They are too expensive.
They offer valuable opportunities that society overlooks.
They should be privatized.
They are declining in quality.
Which of the following best summarizes Reich’s view on equality and opportunity?
Only elite degrees guarantee equality.
True opportunity requires multiple, equally respected educational routes.
Vocational programs lower national standards.
Equal opportunity depends solely on lowering tuition.
What is the overall tone of Reich’s conclusion in paragraph 37?
Hopeless
Defiant
Reflective
Optimistic
Explain how Reich’s use of personal anecdotes at the beginning of the essay strengthens his argument. Provide one example and describe its effect on readers.
Reich contrasts American education with Germany’s system. What lesson does he want policymakers to learn from this comparison?
Do you agree with Reich’s claim that 'it’s time to give up the idea that every young person has to go to college'? Support your answer with reasoning and/or evidence from the text.
