Multiple Choice English Exam Questions

In the context of the passage, which of the following versions of the underlined text is the most effective way to introduce the evidence provided in sentence 10 (reproduced below)? Confirmation bias does admittedly have its uses: it can, for example, increase the efficiency with which we process information and also protect us against information that might be damaging to our self-esteem.

(As it is now)

The author's word choice in lines 14-16 ("Yet this... elders") serves which of the following functions?

It helps establish a characterization of children as playthings

In the course of the second paragraph (lines 6-21), the focus of the arguments shifts from

adults' language acquisition to children's learning in general

According to the author, "the obvious ground" (lines 46-47) can be ruled out because it

cannot be generalized to other similar situations

The quotation marks around the word "disrespect" in line 72 highlight the irony of the word because the behavior it describes represents

children's inevitable reaction to being treated rudely by adults

The primary purpose of the passage is to

critique a common practice

The primary function of the anecdote recounted in the fourth and fifth paragraphs (lines 26-41) is to

emphasize a point by presenting an absurd example

in context the word "sport" (line 15) is best interpreted to mean

entertainment

The author's tone in lines 42-45 ("now why... the insulter") can best be described as

exasperated

The analogies presented in line 59 ("like a machine-top") and in lines 60-61 ("as the cat plays wither her kittens") serve to

exemplify a difference between how people typically treat children and how they should strive to treat children

One contrast presented in the first paragraph (lines 1-5) is between

formal and informal learning

In the sixth paragraph (lines 42-56), the author advances her argument by

offering and then eliminating potential explanations

The three sentences in line 60-65 ("There is... at them") serve primarily to

provide a distinction to emphasize the passage's main point

Which of the following sentences in the passage can best be described as the writer's thesis statement?

sentence 11

In the passage as a whole, the author contrasts which of the following?

the treatment of children and the treatment of adults

The writer is considering adding the following sentence to the passage after sentence 3. Though the phenomenon has been observed throughout history by philosophers, historians, and novelists, the term "confirmation bias" itself wasn't invented until the 1960s by British psychologist Peter Wason. Should the writer add this sentence after sentence 3?

No, because it gives evidence that is not relevant to the passage's overall line of reasoning and therefore does not strengthen the validity of the writer's argument.

The writer wants to combine sentences 11 and 12 (reproduced below) into a single sentence. But when the stakes are high, the risks of making biased decisions are simply too great. An example of a high-stakes situation would be when jurors are deliberating a defendant's fate. Which of the following revisions to the underlined portion of sentences 11 and 12 most effectively accomplishes this goal?

high, such as when jurors are deliberating a defendant's fate, the risks of making biased decisions are simply too great

In sentence 13 (reproduced below), the writer wants to include a piece of relevant evidence that will help convince the reader to accept the techniques used by Warren Buffet as credible. Fortunately, there are techniques, like those used by Warren Buffett (born in Omaha, Nebraska, in1930) when he makes his financial decisions that can minimize the risks of confirmation bias. Which of the following versions of the underlined portion of sentence 13 best accomplishes this goal?

one of the most successful investors in history

Which of the following best describes the rhetorical function of the third paragraph (lines 22-25)?

It restates the author's argument at a transitional place in the passage

In sentence 3 (reproduced below), the writer is considering deleting the underlined portion, adjusting the punctuation as necessary. Confirmation bias, which describes the human tendency to interpret new information in a way that supports our preexisting beliefs, makes people tend to accept information that confirms what they already believe and reject information that undermines those beliefs. Should the writer keep or delete the underlined text?

Keep it, because it develops the writer's ideas by providing a definition of confirmation bias, which is the central concept of the passage.

The author uses the pronoun "we" throughout the passage to

highlight norms of adult behavior

The writer is considering adding the sentence below immediately after sentence 1 in order to further develop the argument in the first paragraph. When I decided where to go to college, for example, I thought I had considered every factor and made the best possible choice. Should the writer add this sentence after sentence 1?

Yes, because it describes a personal experience that helps illustrate the point made in sentence 1.