ATI TEAS 7 — All Questions

Passage: "The tundra is the coldest of all biomes. It is famous for its frost-molded landscapes, low temperatures, little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons." According to the passage, which factor is NOT listed as a characteristic of the tundra?

• a.Short growing seasons
• b.Abundant rainfall✓
• c.Poor nutrients
• d.Low temperatures

The passage explicitly lists low temperatures, short growing seasons, and poor nutrients. It states the tundra has 'little precipitation,' which is the opposite of abundant rainfall. Therefore abundant rainfall is not a listed characteristic.

Passage: "Maria studied for three hours, then reviewed her flashcards, and finally took a practice test before going to bed." What is the correct sequence of Maria's actions?

• a.Studying, flashcards, practice test✓
• b.Flashcards, practice test, studying
• c.Studying, practice test, flashcards
• d.Practice test, studying, flashcards

The passage uses the signal words 'then' and 'finally' to order events. Maria first studied, then reviewed her flashcards, and finally took a practice test, so the order is studying, flashcards, practice test.

Passage: "The invention of the printing press transformed society. Books, once rare and expensive, became widely available, and literacy spread rapidly across Europe." What is the main idea of this passage?

• a.Literacy declined after the printing press
• b.Books in Europe were always cheap and easy to obtain
• c.The printing press spread books and literacy✓
• d.Europe had no books before the printing press

The main idea is the central point every detail supports: the printing press made books widely available and literacy spread as a result. Saying literacy declined, that books were always cheap, or that Europe had no books at all each contradicts the passage.

A nurse reads a medication label that says: "Take two tablets by mouth every six hours as needed for pain, not to exceed eight tablets in 24 hours." What is the maximum number of tablets a patient may take in one day?

• a.Eight✓
• b.Four
• c.Twelve
• d.Sixteen

The label states 'not to exceed eight tablets in 24 hours,' and a day is 24 hours, so eight tablets is the daily maximum. Twelve is what a patient gets by wrongly reading 'every six hours' as six doses a day, sixteen comes from taking two tablets at each of eight doses, and four is the number of doses rather than tablets.

Passage: "Although the storm was fierce, the old lighthouse stood firm, its beam cutting through the darkness to guide ships safely home." The word 'firm' in this sentence most nearly means:

• a.Steady✓
• b.Colorful
• c.Fragile
• d.Distant

Context clues show the lighthouse 'stood firm' during a fierce storm while still guiding ships, implying it remained solid and unmoving. 'Steady' best captures this meaning, while 'fragile' is the opposite.

Which of the following sources would be MOST reliable for finding current, peer-reviewed information about a new nursing treatment?

• a.A personal blog post
• b.An anonymous online forum thread
• c.A comment on a nursing social media group
• d.A medical journal database✓

Current, authoritative, peer-reviewed information is found in a medical journal database, where experts evaluate research before publication. A personal blog, an anonymous online forum thread and a comment on a nursing social media group carry no such review, however confident they sound.

Passage: "Exercise strengthens the heart, improves circulation, and boosts mood. For these reasons, doctors strongly recommend at least thirty minutes of activity most days." The author's primary purpose is to:

• a.Entertain readers with a personal story
• b.Describe how the heart pumps blood
• c.Persuade readers to exercise more✓
• d.Compare two types of exercise

The passage lists benefits and reports that doctors recommend exercise, which is meant to convince readers to exercise more. Describing how the heart pumps blood would be informative rather than persuasive, and the passage neither tells a personal story nor compares types of exercise.

A recipe reads: "Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour and sugar. Add eggs. Bake for 25 minutes." Which step comes immediately after mixing flour and sugar?

• a.Preheat the oven
• b.Serve the dish
• c.Bake for 25 minutes
• d.Add eggs✓

Following the ordered steps, mixing flour and sugar is followed by 'Add eggs.' Preheating happens first, and baking happens after adding eggs.

Passage: "Some people believe that all snakes are dangerous. In fact, most snake species are harmless to humans and even help control rodent populations." Which statement from the passage is an OPINION or misconception rather than a fact?

• a.Some snakes are harmless
• b.All snakes are dangerous✓
• c.Snakes help control rodent populations
• d.Most snake species are harmless to humans

'All snakes are dangerous' is presented as a belief that the passage refutes, making it an opinion or misconception. The other statements are supported as verifiable facts.

Using a table of contents, a reader wants to find the chapter titled 'Cell Structure.' A table of contents primarily helps a reader:

• a.List the author's sources
• b.Find page numbers for specific terms
• c.Define difficult vocabulary words
• d.Locate where topics begin in a book✓

A table of contents lists chapters and sections with their starting page numbers, helping readers locate topics. Defining words is a glossary's role, an index lists specific terms, and a bibliography lists sources.

Passage: "The scientist recorded the temperature every hour. By noon, the data clearly showed a steady rise, confirming her hypothesis." Based on the passage, what can you infer about the scientist's hypothesis?

• a.It predicted the temperature would fall
• b.It was unrelated to temperature
• c.It predicted the temperature would rise✓
• d.It was never tested

Because the rising temperature 'confirmed her hypothesis,' the hypothesis must have predicted a temperature increase. Confirmation means the observed data matched the prediction.

Passage: "First, gather your materials. Next, read the instructions carefully. Then, begin the experiment." The words 'first,' 'next,' and 'then' are examples of:

• a.Descriptive adjectives
• b.Compare-and-contrast words
• c.Cause-and-effect signal words
• d.Sequence transition words✓

'First,' 'next,' and 'then' signal the order in which steps occur, which makes them sequence transition words. Compare-and-contrast words such as 'however' and cause-and-effect signal words such as 'because' do a different job, and none of the three is an adjective.

A map's legend shows a blue line representing a river and a red line representing a highway. If a traveler sees a blue line on the map, it represents a:

• a.Highway
• b.City
• c.River✓
• d.Mountain

A map legend defines what each symbol or color means. Since the legend states blue represents a river, a blue line on the map indicates a river.

Passage: "The new policy will reduce waste, lower costs, and improve efficiency. Critics, however, argue it may reduce staff morale." The word 'however' signals that the author is about to present:

• a.A restatement of the first idea
• b.A summary of the policy
• c.A contrasting viewpoint✓
• d.An additional benefit

'However' is a contrast transition. After listing benefits, it introduces the critics' opposing concern about morale, signaling a contrasting viewpoint.

Passage: "By the time the runner crossed the finish line, her legs ached and her lungs burned, yet a smile spread across her face." What can the reader infer about the runner?

• a.She was not tired at all
• b.She felt satisfied despite exhaustion✓
• c.She stopped before reaching the finish line
• d.She regretted running and wanted to quit

The aching legs and burning lungs show exhaustion, but the smile signals satisfaction, and the contrast word 'yet' links the two. She crossed the finish line, so she neither quit nor failed to finish, and nothing suggests regret.

Which text feature would BEST help a reader quickly find the definition of a bolded vocabulary word in a textbook?

• a.Appendix
• b.Glossary✓
• c.Title page
• d.Table of contents

A glossary is an alphabetical list of key terms and their definitions, ideal for finding the meaning of a vocabulary word. The table of contents lists chapters, and the appendix holds supplementary material.

Passage: "The committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss the budget. All members are required to attend." What is the tone of this passage?

• a.Angry and hostile
• b.Sad and reflective
• c.Humorous and playful
• d.Formal and direct✓

The passage uses plain, businesslike language and the word 'required.' This gives it a formal, direct tone typical of an official announcement rather than emotional or comedic writing.

Passage: "Water is essential for life. It regulates body temperature, transports nutrients, and removes waste. Without adequate water, the body cannot function." Which sentence is the topic sentence?

• a.It transports nutrients to the cells
• b.It removes waste
• c.The body cannot function without it
• d.Water is essential for life✓

The topic sentence states the broad claim the rest of the paragraph supports: water is essential for life. Transporting nutrients, removing waste, and the body not functioning without water are the specific details that back that claim up.

A bus schedule shows departures at 8:00, 8:20, 8:40, and 9:00. Based on this pattern, when is the next bus after 9:00?

• a.9:20✓
• b.9:30
• c.9:10
• d.9:15

The schedule shows buses leaving every 20 minutes. Adding 20 minutes to 9:00 gives 9:20, which follows the established pattern.

Passage: "The novel's protagonist overcomes poverty through education, eventually becoming a respected physician." The word 'protagonist' most nearly means:

• a.Main character✓
• b.Narrator's opinion
• c.Villain
• d.Setting

A protagonist is the central character of a story around whom the plot revolves. Here it refers to the person who overcomes poverty, which is the main character, not the antagonist or the setting.

Passage: "Studies show that students who sleep at least eight hours perform better on exams than those who sleep less." This statement is best described as:

• a.A fact supported by studies✓
• b.An unsupported claim
• c.A fictional story
• d.An opinion based on feelings

The statement references 'studies' as evidence. This makes it a fact supported by research rather than a personal opinion or unsupported assertion.

An index at the back of a textbook lists 'photosynthesis, 112-115.' This tells the reader that:

• a.Photosynthesis is the title of chapter 112
• b.There are 115 chapters
• c.Pages 112-115 discuss photosynthesis✓
• d.Photosynthesis is defined in the glossary

An index lists topics with the page numbers where they appear, so 'photosynthesis, 112-115' means pages 112 through 115 discuss photosynthesis. The numbers are pages, not chapters, and an index is not a glossary of definitions.

Passage: "The abandoned house creaked in the wind. Shadows danced across broken windows, and a cold draft whispered through the empty halls." The mood of this passage is best described as:

• a.Cheerful
• b.Eerie✓
• c.Romantic
• d.Peaceful

Word choices like 'abandoned,' 'creaked,' 'shadows,' and 'cold draft' create a spooky, unsettling atmosphere. This produces an eerie mood rather than a cheerful or peaceful one.

Passage: "To reduce traffic, the city should invest in public transportation. Buses and trains move more people using less space than cars." What evidence does the author use to support the argument?

• a.Public transportation is too expensive for the city
• b.The city has too many cars
• c.Traffic is frustrating for drivers
• d.Buses and trains move more people using less space✓

Supporting evidence is the reason given to back the claim. The author backs investing in transit with an efficiency point: buses and trains move more people using less space. Cost, the number of cars, and driver frustration are never offered as evidence in the passage.

Passage: "Despite losing power during the storm, the hospital continued operating because its backup generators activated immediately." What is the cause of the hospital continuing to operate?

• a.The power never went out in the hospital
• b.The staff went home
• c.The storm ended before the power failed
• d.Backup generators activated✓

The word 'because' marks the cause-and-effect link. The effect is that the hospital kept operating; the cause is that the backup generators activated immediately. The passage says the power did go out, and the storm had not ended.

Which of the following is the BEST paraphrase of the sentence: "The physician advised the patient to abstain from strenuous activity until fully recovered"?

• a.The patient refused all medical advice
• b.The physician recommended strenuous activity
• c.The doctor advised no hard exercise until healed✓
• d.The patient exercised hard despite the doctor's warning

A paraphrase restates the same meaning in different words: 'abstain from strenuous activity until fully recovered' means the doctor advised no hard exercise until healed. The other choices change the meaning, either by having the patient defy or refuse the advice, or by having the physician recommend the very activity he warned against.

Passage: "The graph showed sales rising sharply in summer, peaking in July, then declining through autumn." According to the passage, when were sales highest?

• a.Spring
• b.Autumn
• c.July✓
• d.June

The passage states sales were 'peaking in July,' meaning that month had the highest sales. Autumn showed decline, and spring is not mentioned as a peak.

An author writes: "In my opinion, this is the greatest painting ever created." The phrase 'in my opinion' signals that the following statement is:

• a.A scientific measurement
• b.A historical date
• c.A subjective judgment✓
• d.A proven fact

The phrase 'in my opinion' explicitly marks the statement as a personal judgment. It signals a subjective view rather than an objective, verifiable fact.

Passage: "The library offers free classes on Mondays, tutoring on Wednesdays, and book clubs on Fridays." A student who wants tutoring should visit the library on:

• a.Friday
• b.Tuesday or Thursday
• c.Monday
• d.Wednesday✓

The passage states directly that tutoring is offered on Wednesdays. Monday is for free classes and Friday is for book clubs, and no Tuesday or Thursday program is mentioned at all.

Passage: "Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, produce electricity without burning fossil fuels, reducing air pollution." The phrase 'such as' in the passage is used to:

• a.Contrast two ideas
• b.Provide examples✓
• c.State a conclusion
• d.Show a result

'Such as' introduces examples that illustrate a broader category. Here it gives solar and wind as examples of renewable energy sources, clarifying the general term with specifics.

Passage: "Hospitals began requiring hand hygiene before every patient contact after several studies linked unwashed hands to the spread of infection. Within two years, infection rates on the units that enforced the rule had fallen by nearly half." Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

• a.Studies of infection are usually conducted inside large teaching hospitals
• b.Enforcing hand hygiene lowered hospital infection rates✓
• c.Infection rates fell for reasons the passage never identifies or explains
• d.Hospital units that ignored the new rule were eventually closed by regulators

Both sentences work together to support one point: the rule was enforced and infections dropped. The passage never says where the studies were conducted, never mentions closures, and does identify a cause, so the remaining choices add information the text does not contain.

Passage: "Every applicant must submit the form by Friday. Late forms will not be reviewed, and no exceptions will be granted for any reason." What is the author's primary purpose in this passage?

• a.To compare this deadline with the deadlines used in previous years
• b.To persuade readers that the deadline is unfair to working applicants
• c.To inform readers of a requirement and its consequence✓
• d.To entertain readers with a story about a missed application deadline

The passage states a rule and what happens if it is broken, which is informing. Nothing in it argues a position, tells a story, or mentions any other year, so the persuasive, entertaining, and comparative purposes are not supported by a single word of the text.

Passage: "Rosa arrived at the clinic before dawn. By the time the doors opened, thirty people stood in line behind her, and the waiting room chairs were full within ten minutes." What can the reader reasonably infer?

• a.The clinic charges nothing for its services
• b.Rosa had an appointment scheduled for dawn
• c.Most of the people in line were turned away
• d.Demand for the clinic exceeds its seating✓

Thirty people arriving before opening and filling every chair in ten minutes supports an inference about heavy demand. Cost, appointments, and who was turned away are never mentioned, so those three go beyond what the passage allows a reader to conclude.

Passage: "The mountain trail is six miles long. In my view, it is the most beautiful hike in the entire state." Which part of the passage is an opinion rather than a fact?

• a.That the trail measures six miles in length
• b.That it is the most beautiful hike in the state✓
• c.That the passage describes a hiking trail
• d.That the trail is located in the mountains

A fact can be checked; a judgment of beauty cannot, and the phrase 'in my view' marks it as the writer's belief. Length, location, and subject matter are all verifiable details, so none of them qualifies as opinion.

Directions on a bottle read: "Shake well. Measure 10 mL using the enclosed cup. Take with food. Refrigerate after opening." A patient has just measured the dose. What should the patient do next?

• a.Shake the bottle a second time
• b.Refrigerate the bottle immediately
• c.Take the dose with food✓
• d.Measure a second 10 mL dose

The steps are listed in order, and the instruction following the measuring step is to take the dose with food. Refrigerating comes afterward, shaking came before measuring, and nothing on the label authorizes a second dose.

Passage: "Unlike the earlier model, which required a technician to calibrate it weekly, the new monitor calibrates itself each time it is switched on." Which text structure does this sentence use?

• a.Chronological sequence
• b.Problem and solution
• c.Compare and contrast✓
• d.Description of a single object

The word 'unlike' sets the old model against the new one on the same feature, which is contrast. No problem is named and solved, no events are placed in time order, and two objects are discussed rather than one.

Passage: "The old bridge groaned under the weight of the truck, and rust flaked from its railings into the brown water below." The word 'groaned' is used to suggest that the bridge:

• a.Collapsed into the river
• b.Was recently repainted
• c.Carried no traffic at all
• d.Strained audibly under the load✓

Giving the bridge a human sound conveys stress from the truck's weight, not destruction. The passage shows the bridge still standing, describes rust rather than fresh paint, and has a truck crossing it, so the other three contradict the text.

A nutrition label lists a serving size of 1 cup and 12 grams of sugar per serving. A student drinks 2.5 cups. How many grams of sugar has the student consumed?

• a.14.5 grams, adding 12 grams and 2.5 cups together
• b.12 grams, because the label gives the total amount
• c.30 grams, since 12 grams multiplied by 2.5 servings✓
• d.24 grams, because partial servings are not counted

Sugar is listed per serving, so 12 x 2.5 = 30 grams. Reporting 12 ignores the amount consumed, 24 discards the half serving rather than counting it, and 14.5 adds grams to cups, which are different units.

Passage: "Some claim that vitamin supplements can replace a balanced diet. However, whole foods supply fiber and compounds that no pill has been shown to duplicate." What is the author's position?

• a.Vitamin supplements are dangerous to take
• b.Supplements cannot substitute for whole foods✓
• c.Nobody should take a supplement of any kind
• d.Fiber is the only nutrient that matters

The word 'however' rejects the claim in the first sentence, and the reason given is that whole foods supply what pills do not. The author never calls supplements dangerous, never says fiber alone matters, and never tells readers to avoid supplements entirely.

A textbook index entry reads: "Diabetes, type 2, 88-94; see also insulin." What does the phrase 'see also insulin' tell the reader?

• a.Insulin is the first topic covered in the whole book
• b.Insulin is another name used for type 2 diabetes
• c.Insulin is discussed only on pages 88 through 94
• d.Related material appears under a separate index entry✓

A cross-reference points the reader toward a different heading that carries related material. It does not assign page numbers, does not claim the two terms are synonyms, and says nothing about the order in which topics appear.

Passage: "Sea turtles hatch at night and crawl toward the brightest horizon, which is normally the moonlit ocean. Beachfront lighting can draw them inland instead, where they die of exhaustion." What is the cause of the hatchlings moving inland?

• a.Hatching during the nighttime
• b.Exhaustion after a long crawl
• c.Artificial light on the beach✓
• d.The brightness of the moon itself

The passage says beachfront lighting draws them the wrong way, making it the cause. Exhaustion is the result rather than the cause, night hatching is normal behavior, and moonlight over the water is what guides them correctly.

Which of these would be considered a primary source for a paper about a 1918 influenza outbreak in a small town?

• a.An encyclopedia article describing influenza outbreaks generally
• b.A recent textbook chapter that summarizes the 1918 pandemic
• c.A documentary film made in 2015 about the 1918 pandemic
• d.A physician's handwritten case log kept during the outbreak✓

A primary source is a record created by a participant at the time of the event, which the case log is. A textbook, an encyclopedia, and a later documentary all interpret events after the fact and are therefore secondary.

Passage: "Dear Neighbors: the water will be shut off Tuesday from 9 a.m. until noon so the main can be replaced. Please store drinking water in advance." Who is the intended audience?

• a.Suppliers who manufacture replacement water pipes
• b.Residents served by the affected water line✓
• c.City engineers assigned to replace the water main
• d.Inspectors who certify completed plumbing work

The greeting addresses neighbors and the advice is about storing drinking water, which only residents would need. Engineers, suppliers, and inspectors would require technical details the notice never gives.

Passage: "The medication reduced pain in 9 of 10 volunteers. All ten volunteers were healthy men between 20 and 25 years old." Which is the strongest reason to question a claim that the drug works for everyone?

• a.Ten volunteers reported that the drug reduced their pain
• b.Pain is difficult for any volunteer to describe precisely
• c.One of the ten volunteers experienced no reduction in pain
• d.The group tested was narrow in age and included no women✓

A sample of young healthy men cannot support a claim about everyone, which is a limitation of who was studied. The success count, the difficulty of describing pain, and the single non-responder are details that do not by themselves address whether the results generalize.

Passage: "The recipe yields twelve muffins and takes forty minutes from start to finish. It calls for only six ingredients, all of which are pantry staples." Which summary is most accurate?

• a.A forty-minute recipe requires shopping for six unusual ingredients
• b.A complicated recipe makes twelve muffins using rare ingredients
• c.A pantry-staple recipe produces six muffins in twelve minutes
• d.A simple six-ingredient recipe makes a dozen muffins in forty minutes✓

An accurate summary keeps every number and characteristic the passage gives: six ingredients, twelve muffins, forty minutes, staples. The others swap the numbers or call common pantry items rare, which reverses the passage.

Passage: "Hana checked the chart twice, counted the tablets aloud, and asked a colleague to confirm the dose before she administered it." What does the passage suggest about Hana?

• a.She is careful about medication accuracy✓
• b.She is new and has not yet been trained
• c.She was reprimanded for an earlier mistake
• d.She does not trust the colleague she asked

Three separate verification steps portray deliberate care. Her experience level, her opinion of her colleague, and any past discipline are never mentioned, so those readings import facts the passage does not supply.

A clinic's hours are posted as Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.-noon, and closed weekends. A patient needs a 4 p.m. appointment. Which day will NOT work?

• a.Wednesday
• b.Tuesday
• c.Friday✓
• d.Thursday

The clinic closes at noon on Friday, so a 4 p.m. slot is impossible that day. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday all run until 6 p.m., which comfortably includes 4 p.m.

Passage: "The coastal town rebuilt its seawall after the hurricane. Two years later, a storm of similar strength caused only minor flooding." Which conclusion does the passage best support?

• a.The seawall was built with volunteer labor
• b.No town can protect itself against flooding
• c.The rebuilt seawall reduced storm flooding✓
• d.Hurricanes have grown weaker along that coast

A comparable storm produced far less damage after the wall was rebuilt, which supports the wall's effectiveness. The passage calls the second storm similar in strength rather than weaker, never mentions who built the wall, and shows protection working rather than failing.

Passage: "The antique clock, its brass face dulled by a century of polish, still kept perfect time." The word 'dulled' in this sentence most nearly means:

• a.Made less shiny✓
• b.Broken apart
• c.Slowed down
• d.Made quieter

The word describes the clock's brass face after repeated polishing, so it refers to lost luster. The clock still keeps perfect time, ruling out slowing or breakage, and the sentence describes appearance rather than sound.

Passage: "Turn left at the second light. Continue two blocks past the school. The pharmacy is on your right, next to the bank." A driver has just passed the school. What should the driver look for?

• a.A traffic light where a left turn is required
• b.A school building on the left side of the road
• c.A second set of directions from another driver
• d.A pharmacy on the right, beside a bank✓

Once the school is behind the driver, the only landmark left in the directions is the pharmacy next to the bank on the right. The light and the school are steps already completed, and the passage never mentions asking anyone.