which of the following sentences distracts the reader from the main focus of the passage

ATI TEAS 7

TEAS Reading Questions

1. Which of the following sentences distracts the reader from the main focus of the passage?

A. Malory's work, which is believed to be largely a translation of older French stories, was written in prose style.
B. Instead of embracing the romance angle, however, Malory focused more on the moral elements within these stories.
C. In Tennyson's work, Arthur chooses to forgive Guinevere, and she chooses to spend the rest of her days doing good works in a convent.
D. Charles Dickens is remembered for doing the same thing in his novels about the abuses of lower-class children in Victorian England.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The focus of the passage is on Malory and Tennyson and their interpretations of the Arthurian legends. The mention of Charles Dickens in choice D is irrelevant and distracts the reader from the main discussion. While the other choices discuss Malory's prose style, his focus on moral elements, and Tennyson's approach to the Arthurian stories, choice D brings in a comparison to Charles Dickens and his novels about lower-class children in Victorian England. This mention of Dickens does not directly relate to the main theme of the passage, making it the correct answer as the distracting sentence.

2. The author of the passage describes Harriet Tubman's life as a slave to show

A. why she wanted to escape slavery.
B. why she was a spy during the Civil War.
C. why she suffered from seizures.
D. how she loved babies.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'why she wanted to escape slavery.' The author details Harriet Tubman's life as a slave to highlight the hardships and injustices she faced, motivating her to seek freedom for herself and others. Choice B is incorrect because while Tubman was a spy during the Civil War, the passage focuses on her experiences as a slave. Choice C is incorrect as the passage mentions her suffering from seizures due to a head injury, not as a primary reason for describing her life as a slave. Choice D is incorrect as the passage briefly mentions her experience as a nursemaid for a baby, but it does not focus on her love for babies as a key aspect of describing her life as a slave.

3. Which of the following supports evaluating a logical argument?

A. Unbiased information
B. Generalizations
C. Emotional statements
D. Anecdotes

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Unbiased information is crucial for assessing the validity and soundness of an argument. It helps in making informed judgments based on facts rather than personal opinions or biases. Choice B, generalizations, can oversimplify complex issues and lack specific evidence, making them unreliable for evaluating logical arguments. Emotional statements (Choice C) can cloud judgment and introduce subjective elements that may not be logically relevant. Anecdotes (Choice D) are specific instances that may not represent the overall truth or validity of an argument, making them less reliable for logical evaluation.

4. What is the central idea conveyed in the passage?

A. David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest is the holy grail of modern literature.
B. Infinite Jest is a page-turner.
C. David Foster Wallace wrote Infinite Jest.
D. Infinite Jest is a modern classic for good reason and everybody should read it.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The passage describes Infinite Jest as a modern classic that holds significant value, indicating that it is highly recommended for everyone to read it. Choice A focuses solely on the praise of the book without emphasizing the recommendation to read it. Choice B, mentioning it as a page-turner, does not capture the essence of it being a modern classic that everyone should read. Choice C is a factual statement about the authorship but does not encompass the main point that the book is a modern classic that deserves to be read by all.

5. According to the table above, how many more shirts were ordered in size medium than size small in the month of January?

A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The corrected question asks how many more shirts were ordered in size medium than in size small in January. The table shows that two more shirts were ordered in size medium than in size small. Therefore, the correct answer is 'Two.' Choice A, 'One,' is incorrect as the comparison is between medium and small, not medium and large. Choices C and D, 'Three' and 'Four,' are incorrect as the actual difference is two as per the data provided in the table.