Praxis Reading : Praxis Core Skills: Reading

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Praxis Reading

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Example Questions

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Example Question #1 : Craft, Structure, And Language Skills In Brief Statements

Kelvyn is a bully and a misanthrope, not to mention that his hygiene leaves much to be desired. Last week his odor remained in my nostrils for days after he left.

The bolded and underlined phrase "not to mention that," serves what purpose in the passage overall?

Possible Answers:

It continues the trend of enumerating negative qualities that began in the first clause, but facilitates a transition into a different kind of negative quality

It facilitates a purely grammatical transition

None of these

It facilitates a sudden transition from listing negative qualities to describing neutral qualities

It facilitates a transition from listing negative qualities to listing positive qualities

Correct answer:

It continues the trend of enumerating negative qualities that began in the first clause, but facilitates a transition into a different kind of negative quality

Explanation:

This is a pretty simple question. "Not to mention that" is a transition phrase used to signal an addition that matches in spirit with a statement that has already been made. The first clause identifies Kelvyn as a bully and a misanthrope, both negative qualities, before adding on another, somewhat unrelated, negative quality, poor hygiene.

Example Question #1 : Identifying Logical Gaps And Inconsistencies In The Text

If Gerald is a ne'er do well and ne'er do wells always miss their trains, it is reasonable to expect that Gerald will miss all his other scheduled appointments.

The given statement makes _________________.

Possible Answers:

a leap of logic that leads it to reach an unsupported conclusion

a logically coherent claim supported by anecdotal evidence

a logically consistent argument

a plea to evidence

a reasonable inference

Correct answer:

a leap of logic that leads it to reach an unsupported conclusion

Explanation:

The logical conditions stated in the introductory clause of this brief statement would ONLY logically support the assertion that Gerald would always his trains. The leap to all other appointments is not logical, as it glosses over innumerable potentially relevant factors.

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