Passage A

Practice Tests
Practice Tests for the Texas Academic Skills Program Reading Test
Passage A

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

1. The subject matter of this passage is

A. the differences between urban and rural citizens.

B. reasons why people left farms.

C. marriage trends of the 1920's.

D. social patterns emerging in the 1920's.

2. In this selection, the author's main purpose is to

A. define and illustrate the methods of census gathering in the 1920s.

B. describe the changes in society during the 1920s.

C. argue for the equality of the sexes.

D. describe the differences between the working-class and the middle-class.

3. From paragraph one, the reader may draw the conclusion that

A. one-half of the residents in the census of 1920 were incorrectly labeled as urban.

B. a village or small town with as few as 2,500 residents was classified the same as a large, urban metropolis such as New York City.

C. according to the census of 1920, about one-half of all Americans lived in a small village or town. .

D. in the 1920s, most of the residents of villages and small towns shared many of the same values and beliefs as those held by residents of large urban cities

4. Which of the following best defines the word modest as it is used in paragraph 3 of the selection?

A. shy

B. lavish

C. poor

D. average

5. Which of the following best defines the word intrafamily as it is used in paragraph 5 of the selection?

A. ruled by the father

B. within the family unit

C. controlled by the eldest

D. outside the family unit

6. The authors' primary means of organization of this selection is

A. cause and effect

B. sequential

C. comparison/contrast

D. problems/solutions

7. Which of the following list of topics most accurately represents the information presented in the selection?

A.
By 1920 the majority of Americans lived in an urban area.
Wives of varying ethnic backgrounds held different roles.

Moving to the city brought about many changes in family structure.

The concept of intrafamily democracy emerged.

There were many differences between the middle-class and the working-class.

B.

Population shift to urban areas

Changes in social patterns

Differences between middle and working-class

Variations among wives of ethnic groups

Emergence of intrafamily democracy

C.

Sixteen million living in villages and small towns

Couples marrying for love

Unskilled laborers could not support families

Majority of black women worked

Easier divorce laws

D.

Most Americans lived in urban places by 1920.

People left farms to work in towns and cities.

City dwellers held different values and beliefs than rural dwellers.

Couples held more freedom of choice in marriage.

Families were smaller as women had few children.