Passage B

Practice Tests
Practice for the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Test
Passage B

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

11. Which sentence best states the main idea of the passage?

A. People sometimes misinterpret situations and form wrong perceptions.

B. Managing self-talk is an important component of stress management.

C. Anger and stress must be managed because they can cause severe health problems.

D. Counseling can solve problems associated with stress and anger management.

12. The author's primary purpose is to

A. explain the unhealthy effects of stress hormones on health.

B. list the types of counseling available for stress management.

C. discuss techniques to recognize irrational beliefs.

D. describe the best ways to cope with anger and stress.

13. Identify the relationship between these sentences from paragraph 1.

"Such thoughts are typical. However, the reality of the situation may have absolutely nothing to do with your being liked or disliked."

A. cause and effect

B. contrast

C. definition and example

D. listing

14. Identify the relationship of the parts within the following sentence.

"These people operate with the stress response turned on long after it should have been dissipated, because anger triggers the fight-or-flight reaction." (lines 22–24)

A. addition

B. comparison

C. classification

D. cause and effect

15. The word dissipated, as first mentioned in line 23, most nearly means

A. forgotten.

B. dissolved.

C. increased.

D. determined.

16. As used in line 26, the phrase "cynical individuals" probably refers to

A. people who have a past history of heart disease.

B. people who are chronically ill.

C. people who are pessimistic and contemptuous.

D. people who have little control over their emotions.

17. What is the overall tone of this passage?

A. persuasive

B. reflective

C. neutral

D. sympathetic

18. "People who spend all their emotional energy in a quest for justice or grow frustrated over events that seem impossible to change can become driven by anger."

This sentence from paragraph four is a statement of

A. fact.

B. opinion.

19. One reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from the last paragraph is

A. Fight-or-flight reactions are not healthy responses to dangerous situations.

B. Counseling techniques can help people reverse a weakened immune response system and decrease their risk of disease brought about by stress.

C. Wise people never allow themselves to brood or become angry.

D. People who need counseling are also in need of a health check-up because they are probably suffering from heart disease caused by stress.

20. Throughout the passage, overall, which type of support is offered to describe the various issues involved in managing money or credit?

A. objective

B. emotional

21. The reader can infer from this article that

A. even if you have a legitimate reason for being angry, you must still take responsibility for the way you release that anger, in order to not harm your health.

B. most people are poor managers of stress.

C. most people should receive counseling to learn to deal with anger and stress in a positive manner.

D. letting your emotions "out" will quickly get rid of your anger and frustration, causing the least harm to your body.