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Midwest Skills Development Center

Sample Questions for Assessment Test

English Test

READING COMPREHENSION - NARRATION

Question 1
Every sip of milk contains 59 different bioactive hormones according to endocrinologist Clark Grosvenor. Imagine taking 59 different hormone pills every morning, afternoon and evening. These hormones cause mood swings, irritability and depression. Imagine the devastation that is created in your body by the cumulative effect of taking those powerful drugs? What is the gross effect on the total behavior of a society, so dosed?

As we drink more and more milk and increase the amount of genetically engineered milk and cheese and ice cream products containing increased levels of naturally occurring milk hormones, we most certainly have influenced the way we act as a society.

The author's argument is that:

1. Many people are drug addicts
2. Milk has an effect on the way our society acts
3. Women need to take hormones
4. Everyone should drink more milk

Question 2
There are two types of pottery that I do. There is production pottery-mugs, tableware, the kinds of things that sell easily. These pay for my time to do the other work, which is more creative and satisfies my needs as an artist.

The author of the passage implies that:

1. artists have a tendency to waste valuable time
2. creativity and mass-production are incompatible
3. most people do not appreciate good art
4. pottery is not produced by creative artists

Question 3
In the words of Thomas De Quincey, "It is notorious that the memory strengthens as you lay burdens upon it." If, like most people, you have trouble recalling names of those you have just met, try this: the next time you are introduced, plan to remember the names. Say to yourself, "I'll listen carefully; repeat each person's name to be sure I've got it, and I will remember." You'll discover how effective this technique is and probably recall those names for the rest of your life.

The main idea of the paragraph maintains that the memory

1. always operates at peak efficiency.
2. breaks down under great strain.
3. improves if it is used often.
4. becomes unreliable if it tires.

READING COMPREHENSION - SENTENCE RELATIONSHIPS

Question 4
Two bold sentences are followed by a question or statement about them. Read each pair of sentences and then choose the best answer to the question or the best completion of the statement.

The Midwest is experiencing its worst drought in fifteen years.

Corn and soybean prices are expected to be very high this year.

What does the second sentence do?

1. It restates the idea found in the first.
2. It states an effect.
3. It gives an example.
4. It analyzes the statement made in the first.

Question 5

The rain froze as it touched the ground. Roads were slippery and dangerous.

How are the two sentences related?

1. the second sentence contradicts the first
2. the two sentences set up a comparison
3. the second sentence shows a direct result of the first
4. the second sentence states what dangerous means

Question 6
The American prison system functions rimarily to extract retribution. In Japan, the courts are less concerned with sending people to jail than they are with rehabilitating them.

What does the second sentence do?

1. It supports an idea found in the first sentence.
2. It analyzes an idea stated in the first sentence.
3. It states a contrast to the statement in the first sentence.
4. It exemplefies an idea found in the first sentence.

SENTENCE SKILLS - SENTENCE CORRECTION

Question 1
Select the best version of the bold part of the sentence. The first choice is the same as the original sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.

Ms. Rose planning to teach a course in biology next summer.

1. planning
2. are planning
3. with a plan
4. plans

Question 2
Select the best version of the bold part of the sentence. The first choice is the same as the original sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.

Walking by the corner the other day, a child, I noticed, was watching for the light to change.

1. a child, I noticed, was
2. I noticed a child watching
3. a child was watching, I noticed,
4. there was, I noticed, a child watching

Question 3
Select the best version of the bold part of the sentence. The first choice is the same as the original sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.

To walk, biking, and driving are Pat's favorite ways of getting around.

1. To walk, biking, and driving
2. Walking, biking, and driving
3. To walk, biking, and to drive
4. To walk, to bike, and also driving

SENTENCE SKILLS - CONSTRUCTION SHIFT

Question 4
Rewrite the sentence in your head, following the directions given below. Keep in mind that your new sentence should be well written and should have essentially the same meaning as the sentence given you.

Being a female jockey, she was often interviewed.

Rewrite, beginning with

"She was often interviewed..."

The next words will be

1. on account of she was
2. by her being
3. because she was
4. being as she was

Question 5
Rewrite the sentence in your head, following the directions given below. Keep in mind that your new sentence should be well written and should have essentially the same meaning as the sentence given you.

Excited children ran toward the loud music, and they told others about the ice cream truck outside.

Rewrite, beginning with

"The excited children, who had run toward the loud..."

The next words will be

1. music, they told
2. music told
3. music, telling
4. music and had told

Question 6
Rewrite the sentence in your head, following the directions given below. Keep in mind that your new sentence should be well written and should have essentially the same meaning as the sentence given you.

The band began to play, and then the real party started.

Rewrite, beginning with

"The real party started..."

The next words will be

1. after the band began
2. and the band began
3. although the band began
4. the band beginning

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Math Test

There is one general math test for RCC no matter what your acdemic goals. Taking the math test can place you anywhere from Math 51 (Arithmetic) to Math 1A (Calculus) depending on your personal skill levels. However, there are three sections within the test: Arithmetic, Elementary Algebra and College Level Math. You will begin with one section and, depending on your performance, may be branched into others. Determination of which secton you begin with is based upon your previous experieice in math classes.

*NOTE* Some students have been told their selection of major affects their math placement. This is incorrect. Major selection on the test in no way factors into your math placement.

ARITHMETIC

Question 1
All of the following are ways to write 20 percent of N, EXCEPT

A.
B.
C.
D.

Question 2
Three people who work full time are to work together on a project, but their total time on the project is to be equivalent to that of only one person working full time. If one of the people is budgeted for 1/2 of his time to the project and a second person for 1/3 of her time, what part of the third workers time should be budgeted to this project?

1. 1/3
2. 1/4
3. 1/6
4. 1/8

Question 3
Which of the following is closest to ?

1. 3
2. 4
3. 5
4. 8

Question 4
The Number of Employees of Company K Who Were Involved in Accidents

	Plant X	Plant Y
Mechanics	11	30
Power Machine Operators	9	12

The table above show the results of an industrial health survey of 10,000 people employed at Company K for more than 5 years. If 2,500 employees were surveyed in each of the four categories, which group of employees had the highest accident rate?

1. Mechanics in Plant X
2. Mechanics in Plant Y
3. Power Machine Operators in Plant X
4. Power Machine Operators in Plant Y

Question 5
7/20 is equal to

1. 0.035
2. 2.858
3. 0.35
4. 3.5

ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA

Question 1
If a number is divided by 4, and then 3 is subtracted, the result is 0. What is the number?

1. 12
2. 4
3. 3
4. 2

Question 2
If A represents the number of apples purchased at 15 cents each and B represents the number of bananas purchased at 10 cents each, which of the following represents the total value of the purchases?

1. A+B
2. 25(A+B)
3. 10A + 15B
4. 15A + 10B

Question 3
16x - 8 =

1. 8x
2. 8(2x-x)
3. 8(2x-1)
4. 8(2x-8)

Question 4
(3x-2y)² =

1. 9x² - 4y²
2. 9x² + 4y²
3. 9x² + 4y² - 6xy
4. 9x² + 4y² -12xy

Question 5
If x² - x - 6 = 0 then x is

1. -2 or 3
2. -1 or 6
3. 1 or -6
4. 2 or -3

COLLEGE LEVEL MATH

Question 1
If f(x) = x⁴; - x + 2, then f(-x) =

1. x⁴ - x
2. x⁴ + x
3. x⁴ - x + 2
4. x⁴ + x + 2
5. x⁴ + x - 2

Question 2

The SINE of angle "B" is?

A.	BC AC
B.	AC AB
C.	AB BC
D.	AB AC

Question 3
Mary has 12 more apples than peaches. If she divides each fruit in half, she will have enough to give each of her 32 classmates a piece of fruit. How many peaches does Mary have?

1. 2
2. 3
3. 12
4. 8

Question 4
x² + 2ix - 4 = 0 has as its roots

1. -1, --1
2. - i, + i
3. - i, -+ i
4. - i, + i
5. - i, -- i

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ANSWERS

	Question 1	Question 2	Question 3	Question 4	Question 5	Question 6
READING COMPREHENSION	B	B	C	B	C	C
SENTENCE SKILLS	D	B	B	C	B	A
ARITHMETIC	D	C	A	B	C
ALGEBRA	A	D	C	D	A
COLLEGE LEVEL MATH	D	B	A	E