HESI A2 — All Questions

Read the passage: 'Regular handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of illness. Soap and water remove germs from the skin, reducing the chance of infection. Health experts recommend washing for at least twenty seconds.' What is the main idea?

• a.Soap is expensive to buy.
• b.Germs cannot be removed from skin.
• c.People should wash for one minute.
• d.Handwashing helps prevent illness.✓

The main idea is the central point the passage develops, stated in the first sentence. The details about soap and time support that point rather than serving as the main idea.

Read the passage: 'The library will be closed on Monday for a staff training day. Normal hours will resume on Tuesday.' Which day will the library be open?

• a.Tuesday✓
• b.It never reopens
• c.Sunday
• d.Monday

The passage states normal hours resume on Tuesday, so the library is open that day. Monday is explicitly the closed day.

Read the passage: 'Maria studied every night for two weeks before her exam. When results came back, she earned the highest score in her class.' What can you infer?

• a.The exam was canceled.
• b.Maria did not care about the exam.
• c.Maria cheated on the test.
• d.Maria's studying helped her succeed.✓

An inference is a logical conclusion drawn from clues in the text. Steady studying followed by the top score implies her effort led to success, though the passage does not state it directly.

Read the passage: 'The old wooden bridge creaked with every step. Its boards were split, and rusty nails poked out at odd angles.' What is the tone of this passage?

• a.Peaceful
• b.Cheerful and bright
• c.Humorous
• d.Neglected✓

Tone is the author's attitude conveyed through word choice. Words like creaked, split, and rusty create a sense of neglect and danger.

Read the passage: 'Exercise offers many benefits. It strengthens the heart, improves mood, and helps control weight.' Which is a supporting detail, not the main idea?

• a.Exercise offers many benefits.
• b.Exercise strengthens the heart.✓
• c.The passage has no details.
• d.Exercise is the topic sentence.

The main idea is that exercise offers many benefits. The claim that it strengthens the heart is one specific detail that supports that broader statement.

Read the passage: 'Please submit your application by Friday. Late submissions will not be considered.' What is the author's purpose?

• a.To entertain the reader
• b.To state a deadline✓
• c.To describe a place
• d.To tell a story

The author's purpose is why the text was written. This passage gives a clear instruction and consequence, so its purpose is to inform readers of a deadline.

Read the passage: 'The new phone has a longer battery life than any previous model. You simply must upgrade today to enjoy the best experience ever!' Which best describes this passage?

• a.It is entirely factual.
• b.It contains persuasive opinion.✓
• c.It is a set of instructions.
• d.It is a historical account.

Persuasive writing uses opinion and emotional appeals to influence the reader. Phrases like 'must upgrade' and 'best experience ever' signal opinion rather than verifiable fact.

Read the passage: 'First, gather your supplies. Next, mix the ingredients. Finally, bake for thirty minutes.' How is this passage organized?

• a.Problem and solution
• b.Compare and contrast
• c.Cause and effect
• d.Sequential steps✓

Text structure describes how information is arranged. Signal words like first, next, and finally show the passage lists steps in sequential order.

Read the passage: 'Because the storm knocked down power lines, thousands of homes lost electricity for days.' What is the cause?

• a.The homes were rebuilt
• b.The days grew shorter
• c.Downed power lines✓
• d.Homes lost electricity

The cause is the event that makes something else happen. Here the storm knocking down power lines caused the homes to lose electricity, which is the effect.

Read the passage: 'Nursing requires both technical skill and compassion. A good nurse must master procedures while also comforting anxious patients.' What is the main idea?

• a.Procedures are difficult to learn.
• b.Nursing requires both skill and compassion.✓
• c.Nurses do not need training.
• d.Patients are always anxious.

The main idea is stated in the first sentence and reinforced by the second. The passage stresses that nursing combines technical ability with caring for patients.

Read the passage: 'Although the medicine tasted bitter, Jonah swallowed it quickly and thanked the nurse.' What can you infer about Jonah?

• a.He disliked the nurse.
• b.He was cooperative.✓
• c.He refused the medicine.
• d.He was very young.

The clues show Jonah took the unpleasant medicine and expressed thanks. This implies he was cooperative even though the taste was unpleasant.

Read the passage: 'The report was riddled with errors, submitted late, and impossible to follow.' What is the tone?

• a.Excited
• b.Neutral
• c.Critical✓
• d.Approving

Tone reflects the author's attitude. The negative descriptions of errors, lateness, and confusion create a clearly critical tone.

Read the passage: 'Water covers about seventy percent of Earth's surface, yet most of it is salt water unsuitable for drinking.' What is the topic?

• a.Ocean animals
• b.Drinking habits
• c.Earth's water✓
• d.Weather patterns

The topic is the general subject the passage discusses. This passage focuses on how much of Earth is water and how much of it can be used for drinking.

Read the passage: 'Turn off the machine before cleaning it. Failing to do so may cause serious injury.' What is implied about the machine?

• a.It can be dangerous.✓
• b.It cleans itself.
• c.It is broken.
• d.It is inexpensive.

The warning about serious injury implies the machine poses a risk if used carelessly. The instruction to turn it off first supports that inference.

Read the passage: 'Some people prefer coffee for its bold flavor, while others choose tea for its calming effect.' How is this passage organized?

• a.Compare and contrast✓
• b.Chronological order
• c.Persuasion
• d.Spatial description

The passage sets two beverages side by side and notes how they differ. Presenting similarities and differences is the compare and contrast structure.

Read the passage: 'The volunteers worked tirelessly, sorting donations late into the night without a single complaint.' Which word best describes the volunteers?

• a.Lazy
• b.Dedicated✓
• c.Indifferent
• d.Rude

The details of working tirelessly and without complaint show strong commitment. The word dedicated best captures that behavior.

Read the passage: 'A balanced diet includes fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. Skipping any group may lead to nutritional gaps.' What is the main idea?

• a.Fruits are the most important food.
• b.Grains cause nutritional gaps.
• c.Dairy should be avoided.
• d.Several food groups are needed.✓

The passage explains that a balanced diet is made up of multiple food groups. The warning about skipping a group supports this central idea.

Read the passage: 'Despite losing the first two games, the team practiced harder and won the championship.' What can you conclude?

• a.The team gave up.
• b.The championship was easy.
• c.The team never played again.
• d.Hard work helped the team recover.✓

A conclusion draws on the stated facts. The team's extra practice after early losses led to winning, showing that hard work helped them recover.

Read the passage: 'Ladies and gentlemen, the future of our city depends on your vote. Do not let this opportunity slip away!' What is the author's purpose?

• a.To describe the city's history
• b.To explain a scientific process
• c.To persuade the audience to vote✓
• d.To entertain with a joke

The urgent, emotional language is designed to move the audience to action. This shows the author's purpose is to persuade people to vote.

Read the passage: 'The instructions were vague, the deadline unclear, and the goals undefined.' Which statement is a fact from the passage?

• a.The instructions were vague.✓
• b.The project succeeded.
• c.The deadline was extended.
• d.The team was happy.

A fact is a detail directly stated in the text. The passage explicitly says the instructions were vague, while the other options are not mentioned.

Read the passage: 'The garden burst with color as tulips, daisies, and roses swayed gently in the warm spring breeze.' What is the mood?

• a.Frightening
• b.Gloomy
• c.Tense
• d.Pleasant✓

Mood is the feeling created in the reader. Images of colorful flowers and a warm, gentle breeze produce a pleasant and calm mood.

Read the passage: 'When the fire alarm sounds, exit through the nearest door and gather in the parking lot. Do not use the elevators.' What should you NOT do?

• a.Leave the building
• b.Gather in the parking lot
• c.Exit through the nearest door
• d.Use the elevators✓

The passage directly instructs readers not to use the elevators during a fire alarm. The other actions are things the passage tells you to do.

Read the passage: 'Sleep is essential for health. During sleep, the body repairs tissues and the brain consolidates memories.' Which detail supports the main idea?

• a.The brain consolidates memories.✓
• b.Sleep is a waste of time.
• c.Memories are unimportant.
• d.People need no rest.

The main idea is that sleep is essential for health. The statement that the brain consolidates memories during sleep is a specific detail that supports that idea.

Read the passage: 'The clerk sighed, glanced at the clock repeatedly, and answered questions in short, clipped phrases.' What can you infer about the clerk?

• a.The clerk was on vacation.
• b.The clerk owned the store.
• c.The clerk was impatient.✓
• d.The clerk was eager to help.

Sighing, watching the clock, and giving clipped answers are clues to the clerk's mood. Together they imply the clerk was impatient.

Read the passage: 'Recycling reduces waste in landfills, conserves natural resources, and saves energy.' What is the primary purpose?

• a.To criticize recycling
• b.To tell a personal story
• c.To sell recycling bins
• d.To inform about benefits✓

The passage lists factual benefits of recycling without persuasion or narrative. Its primary purpose is to inform readers about those benefits.

Read the passage: 'The hallway stretched on endlessly, its flickering lights casting long shadows on the silent, empty walls.' What is the tone?

• a.Businesslike
• b.Eerie✓
• c.Joyful
• d.Romantic

Tone comes from descriptive word choices. Flickering lights, long shadows, and silence create an eerie, unsettling tone.

Read the passage: 'Vaccines train the immune system to recognize harmful germs. As a result, the body can fight infection more quickly if exposed later.' What relationship is shown?

• a.Order of importance
• b.Compare and contrast
• c.Spatial order
• d.Cause and effect✓

The phrase 'as a result' signals a cause and effect relationship. Vaccines training the immune system is the cause, and faster infection fighting is the effect.

Read the passage: 'Ella packed her bags days early, checked her passport twice, and set three alarms.' What can you infer about Ella?

• a.She dreaded the trip.
• b.She was disorganized.
• c.She missed her flight.
• d.She was careful and prepared.✓

Packing early, double-checking documents, and setting multiple alarms are clues to Ella's habits. They imply she was careful and well prepared.

Read the passage: 'Hospitals schedule a handoff report at every shift change. The departing nurse reviews each patient's condition, medications and pending tests with the nurse arriving. Studies show that most serious errors in care begin with information lost at this moment.' What is the main idea?

• a.Handoff reports matter because lost information causes errors✓
• b.Nurses work in shifts that change several times each day
• c.Pending tests are the hardest information to pass along
• d.Most hospital errors happen during the night shift

Every sentence builds toward the risk created when information is dropped at shift change, so that is the main idea. Shift work is background detail, the passage never singles out pending tests as hardest, and it says nothing about which shift is most dangerous.

Read the passage: 'The body makes vitamin D when skin is exposed to sunlight. People who work indoors, live far from the equator, or cover their skin often fall short and may need it from food or supplements.' According to the passage, who is most likely to need a supplement?

• a.Someone who eats a diet rich in fish
• b.Someone who works indoors all day✓
• c.Someone who lives near the equator
• d.Someone who exercises outdoors each morning

The passage names indoor workers, people far from the equator and people who keep their skin covered as the groups at risk. A fish-rich diet supplies vitamin D, and living near the equator or exercising outdoors both mean more sun exposure, not less.

Read the passage: 'Devon set his alarm for four in the morning, laid out his clothes the night before, and reread the directions to the testing centre twice.' What can you infer about Devon?

• a.He has taken the test before
• b.He lives far from the testing centre
• c.He is anxious about being late✓
• d.He dislikes waking up early

Each action is a precaution against arriving late, so nervousness about the schedule is the reasonable inference. Nothing in the passage says he has tested before, and although he checks directions twice, the distance is never stated. His early alarm shows determination rather than a preference.

Read the passage: 'The manual was a disgrace. Sentences ran on for half a page, the diagrams were mislabelled, and the index pointed to pages that did not exist.' What is the author's tone?

• a.Neutral
• b.Regretful
• c.Amused
• d.Scornful✓

Words such as disgrace and the pile-up of faults make the tone openly contemptuous. A neutral tone would simply list the features without judgement, regret would suggest sadness at something lost, and nothing here is played for humour.

Read the passage: 'The clinic opened in 1998 and now serves about 4,000 patients a year. It is by far the finest clinic in the county.' Which sentence from the passage is an opinion?

• a.That the clinic opened in 1998
• b.That it serves about 4,000 patients a year
• c.That the clinic is located in a county
• d.That it is the finest clinic in the county✓

Finest is a judgement that cannot be checked against a record, so it is opinion. The opening year and the yearly patient count are both verifiable facts, and the clinic's location is simply stated rather than judged.

Read the passage: 'Because the ward was short-staffed, the charge nurse had to triage requests, answering call lights for pain and breathing first and postponing those for a change of linens.' In this passage, the word 'triage' most nearly means:

• a.refuse politely
• b.rank by urgency✓
• c.answer in order received
• d.record for later review

The passage itself shows the meaning: urgent needs are handled first and lesser ones wait. Nothing is refused or merely recorded, and answering in the order received is the opposite of what the charge nurse did.

Read the passage: 'Check the label against the order three times: when you take the medication from the shelf, when you prepare it, and again at the bedside.' What is the author's purpose?

• a.To persuade the reader to work carefully
• b.To entertain the reader with a story
• c.To give instructions✓
• d.To compare two ways of giving medication

The passage is a set of numbered steps in the imperative, which is instruction. It does not argue a case, tell a story, or set two approaches side by side for comparison.

Read the passage: 'Every patient on the unit received the new discharge booklet. Readmissions within thirty days fell by a quarter over the following year, although the unit also hired two additional case managers during that period.' What conclusion is best supported?

• a.The booklet alone caused readmissions to fall
• b.Something on the unit reduced readmissions, but the cause is unclear✓
• c.Hiring case managers has no effect on readmissions
• d.Readmission rates always fall after a year

Two changes happened at once, so the drop cannot be assigned to either with confidence. Crediting the booklet ignores the new staff, dismissing the case managers ignores the same problem in reverse, and one unit over one year says nothing about what always happens.

Read the passage: 'Wash and dry the thermometer. Next, place the probe under the tongue. Wait for the tone. Finally, record the reading in the chart.' How is this passage organized?

• a.By comparison and contrast
• b.From most to least important
• c.By cause and effect
• d.In chronological steps✓

The signal words next and finally mark a sequence of actions in time. Nothing is compared, no ranking of importance is offered, and no cause produces an effect.

Read the passage: 'Heavy rain fell for three days. The river rose over its banks, and by Thursday the low road into town was closed.' What is the effect described?

• a.Three days of heavy rain
• b.The town was built near a river
• c.The low road was closed✓
• d.Thursday came at the end of the week

The rain is the cause, the rising river the link, and the closed road the final effect. The town's location is background rather than an effect, and the day of the week is only a time marker.

Read the passage: 'Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, yet about a quarter of all marine species depend on them for food or shelter.' What is the best title for this passage?

• a.Small Reefs, Enormous Importance✓
• b.How Coral Reefs Are Formed
• c.The Shrinking of the World's Oceans
• d.Fish Species of the Deep Sea

The passage contrasts the reefs' tiny area with the huge number of species that rely on them, which is exactly what the title captures. Formation is never described, the oceans are not said to be shrinking, and the deep sea is a different habitat entirely.

Read the passage: 'The applicant arrived twenty minutes early, greeted the receptionist by name, and had brought a spare copy of her transcript.' Which word best describes the applicant?

• a.Prepared✓
• b.Impatient
• c.Anxious
• d.Indifferent

Arriving early with an extra copy of a document shows planning. Impatience would show in complaint rather than courtesy, anxiety is not indicated by any nervous behaviour, and indifference is contradicted by the effort described.

Read the passage: 'Do not leave the unit without telling the charge nurse. A missing staff member during a code delays care for the patient.' What is implied about codes?

• a.They happen most often on understaffed units
• b.They require every team member to be accounted for✓
• c.They are rare enough not to worry about
• d.They are managed entirely by physicians

The warning only makes sense if a code needs the full team present, which is the implication. How often codes occur is never mentioned, the tone treats them as serious rather than rare, and the passage addresses nursing staff rather than physicians.

Read the passage: 'Antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses. Taking them for a cold gives no benefit, and it clears the way for any resistant bacteria already in the body to multiply.' Which detail supports the idea that unnecessary antibiotics are harmful?

• a.Antibiotics kill bacteria
• b.Colds are caused by viruses
• c.Antibiotics are widely available
• d.Resistant bacteria are left free to multiply✓

Only the multiplying of resistant bacteria describes actual harm to the patient and to others. That antibiotics kill bacteria is their intended action, the viral cause of colds explains why they do not help, and availability is never mentioned in the passage.

Read the passage: 'Our town has debated the new bypass for six years. Supporters point to shorter commutes; opponents note that three farms would be divided by the route.' What is the author's approach?

• a.Balanced, presenting both sides✓
• b.Strongly in favour of the bypass
• c.Strongly opposed to the bypass
• d.Humorous about the whole debate

Each side is given one reason in the same measured language, so the writing is even-handed. No word of praise or condemnation appears, and there is nothing playful in the tone.

Read the passage: 'She had rehearsed the presentation a dozen times, but when the room went quiet her mouth went dry and the first slide blurred in front of her.' What can you infer?

• a.Practice did not prevent her stage fright✓
• b.She had not prepared for the presentation
• c.The projector was out of focus
• d.She forgot the content of her talk

Rehearsing a dozen times shows real preparation, yet her body reacts anyway, so nerves overcame practice. The blur is her own vision rather than the equipment, and nothing says the material left her memory.

Read the passage: 'Sunscreen should be applied twenty minutes before going outdoors and reapplied every two hours, or immediately after swimming.' When should sunscreen be reapplied?

• a.Only after swimming
• b.Every two hours, or right after swimming✓
• c.Twenty minutes before going outdoors
• d.Once at the start of each day

The passage names two triggers for reapplying, the two-hour interval and swimming, so both must appear in the answer. The twenty-minute rule governs the first application, and a single daily application contradicts the instruction outright.

Read the passage: 'The museum's newest wing is a triumph of glass and light, and anyone who fails to visit it this spring will regret the omission for years.' What is the author's purpose?

• a.To inform the reader about the building's design
• b.To describe the museum's history in detail
• c.To criticise the museum's new addition
• d.To persuade the reader to visit✓

The passage praises the wing and warns of regret, which is an appeal to act. A few words about glass and light are not a full description, no history is given, and the tone is admiring rather than critical.

Read the passage: 'Unlike the paper chart, the electronic record can be read by two people at once and cannot be misplaced. It is slower to update, however, and fails whenever the network does.' How is this passage organized?

• a.In order of time
• b.By listing steps in a process
• c.By comparison and contrast✓
• d.From a general idea to specific examples

The passage sets the electronic record against the paper chart, weighing advantages against drawbacks. There is no timeline, no procedure to follow and no broad claim narrowed down by examples.

Read the passage: 'After the storm passed, volunteers cleared branches from the road by hand, since the county's only chipper had been damaged the week before.' Why did volunteers work by hand?

• a.The storm blocked the county roads
• b.The chipper was already damaged✓
• c.Volunteers preferred working by hand
• d.The county had no volunteers available

The word since introduces the reason: the machine was out of service. The blocked road is the problem being solved rather than the reason for the method, and nothing suggests a preference or a shortage of people.

Read the passage: 'The recipe calls for a scant cup of flour. Use slightly less than a full measure, or the dough will turn out tough.' In this passage, 'scant' most nearly means:

• a.heaping
• b.exactly level
• c.barely enough✓
• d.doubled

The second sentence defines the word by telling the cook to use slightly less than a full cup. Heaping and doubled both mean more rather than less, and exactly level would be a full measure, which is what the passage warns against.

Read the passage: 'Three of the four exits were blocked by stacked chairs on the night of the inspection. The inspector issued a citation and gave the hall ten days to correct the violation.' What is the main idea?

• a.Inspections take place at night
• b.Blocked exits led to a citation✓
• c.Stacked chairs are a fire hazard everywhere
• d.The hall will probably close within ten days

The passage reports a specific violation and its consequence. The timing of one inspection is incidental, the passage does not generalise about chairs, and it says the hall has ten days to correct the problem, not that it will close.