Reading TEAS Practice Test Related

Christopher Columbus is often credited for discovering America. This is
incorrect. First, it is impossible to "discover" something where people already
live; however, Christopher Columbus did explore places in the New World
that were previously untouched by Europe, so the term “explorer†would be
more accurate. Another correction must be made, as well: Christopher
Columbus was not the first European explorer to reach the present day
Americas! Rather, it was Leif Erikson who first came to the New World and
contacted the natives, nearly five hundred years before Christopher
Columbus.
Leif Erikson, the son of Erik the Red (a famous Viking outlaw and explorer in
his own right), was born in either 970 or 980, depending on which historian you seek. His own family, though, did not raise Leif, which was a Viking
tradition. Instead, one of Erik's prisoners taught Leif reading and writing,
languages, sailing, and weaponry. At age 12, Leif was considered a man and
returned to his family. He killed a man during a dispute shortly after his
return, and the council banished the Erikson clan to Greenland.
In 999, Leif left Greenland and traveled to Norway where he would serve as a
guard to King Olaf Tryggvason. It was there that he became a convert to
Christianity. Leif later tried to return home with the intention of taking
supplies and spreading Christianity to Greenland, however his ship was blown
off course and he arrived in a strange new land: present day Newfoundland,
Canada.
When he finally returned to his adopted homeland Greenland, Leif consulted
with a merchant who had also seen the shores of this previously unknown
land we now know as Canada. The son of the legendary Viking explorer then
gathered a crew of 35 men and set sail. Leif became the first European to
touch foot in the New World as he explored present-day Baffin Island and
Labrador, Canada. His crew called the land Vinland since it was plentiful with
grapes.
During their time in present-day Newfoundland, Leif's expedition made
contact with the natives whom they referred to as Skraelings (which translates
to "wretched ones" in Norse). There are several secondhand accounts of their
meetings. Some contemporaries described trade between the peoples. Other
accounts describe clashes where the Skraelings defeated the Viking explorers
with long spears, while still others claim the Vikings dominated the natives.
Regardless of the circumstances, it seems that the Vikings made contact of
some kind. This happened around 1000, nearly five hundred years before
Columbus famously sailed the ocean blue.
Eventually, in 1003, Leif set sail for home and arrived at Greenland with a
ship full of timber.
In 1020, seventeen years later, the legendary Viking died. Many believe that
Leif Erikson should receive more credit for his contributions in exploring the
New World.

Which of the following most accurately describes the author's main conclusion?

• A. Leif Erikson is a legendary Viking explorer.
• B. Leif Erikson deserves more credit for exploring America.
• C. Spreading Christianity motivated Leif's expeditions.
• D. Leif Erikson contacted the natives nearly five hundred years before Columbus.

Which of the statements reflect information that one could reasonably infer based on the author's tone?

• A. The author's tone is persuasive and attempts to call the audience to action.
• B. The author's tone is passionate due to excitement over the subject and personal narrative.
• C. The author's tone is informative and exhibits interest in the subject of the study.
• D. The author's tone is somber, depicting some anger at the state of insect larvae.

In 1889, Jerome K. Jerome wrote a humorous account of a boating holiday. Originally intended as a chapter in a serious travel guide, the work became a prime example of a comic novel. Read the passage below, noting the word/words in italics. Answer the question that follows. I felt rather hurt about this at first; it seemed somehow to be a sort of slight. Why hadn't I got housemaid's knee? Why this invidious reservation? After a while, however, less grasping feelings prevailed. I reflected that I had every other known malady in the pharmacology, and I grew less selfish, and determined to do without housemaid's knee. Gout, in its most malignant stage, it would appear, had seized me without my being aware of it; and zymosis I had evidently been suffering with from boyhood. There were no more diseases after zymosis, so I concluded there was nothing else the matter with me. Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat

Which definition best fits the word zymosis?

• A. Discontent
• B. An infectious disease
• C. Poverty
• D. Bad luck

Passage I
Lethal force, or deadly force, is defined as the physical means to cause death or serious harm to another individual. The law holds that lethal force is only accepted when you or another person are in immediate and unavoidable danger of death or severe bodily harm. For example, a person could be beating a weaker person in such a way that they are suffering severe enough trauma that could result in death or serious harm. This would be an instance where lethal force would be acceptable and possibly the only way to save that person from irrevocable damage.
Another example of when to use lethal force would be when someone enters your home with a deadly weapon. The intruder's presence and possession of the weapon indicate mal-intent and the ability to inflict death or severe injury to you and your loved ones. Again, lethal force can be used in this situation. Lethal force can also be applied to prevent the harm of another individual. If a woman is being brutally assaulted and is unable to fend off an attacker, lethal force can be used to defend her as a last-ditch effort. If she is in immediate jeopardy of rape, harm, and/or death, lethal force could be the only response that could effectively deter the assailant.
The key to understanding the concept of lethal force is the term last resort. Deadly force cannot be taken back; it should be used only to prevent severe harm or death. The law does distinguish whether the means of one's self-defense is fully warranted, or if the individual goes out of control in the process. If you continually attack the assailant after they are rendered incapacitated, this would be causing unnecessary harm, and the law can bring charges against you. Likewise, if you kill an attacker unnecessarily after defending yourself, you can be charged with murder. This would move lethal force beyond necessary defense, making it no longer a last resort but rather a use of excessive force.
Passage II
Assault is the unlawful attempt of one person to apply apprehension on another individual by an imminent threat or by initiating offensive contact. Assaults can vary, encompassing physical strikes, threatening body language, and even provocative language. In the case of the latter, even if a hand has not been laid, it is still considered an assault because of its threatening nature.
Let's look at an example: A homeowner is angered because his neighbor blows fallen leaves into his freshly mowed lawn. Irate, the homeowner gestures a fist to his fellow neighbor and threatens to bash his head in for littering on his lawn. The homeowner's physical motions and verbal threat heralds a physical threat against the other neighbor. These factors classify the homeowner's reaction as an assault. If the angry neighbor hits the threatening homeowner in retaliation, that would constitute an assault as well because he physically hit the homeowner.
Assault also centers on the involvement of weapons in a conflict. If someone fires a gun at another person, it could be interpreted as an assault unless the shooter acted in self-defense. If an individual drew a gun or a knife on someone with the intent to harm them, it would be considered assault. However, it's also considered an assault if someone simply aimed a weapon, loaded or not, at another person in a threatening manner.

Which of the following, if true, would most seriously undermine the explanation proposed by the author in Passage I, third paragraph?

• A. An instance of lethal force in self-defense is not absolutely absolved from blame. The law takes into account the necessary use of force at the time it is committed.
• B. An individual who uses necessary defense under lethal force is in direct compliance with the law under most circumstances.
• C. Lethal force in self-defense should not be forgiven in all cases for the peace of mind of the primary victim.
• D. The use of lethal force is not evaluated based on the intent of the user, but rather the severity of the primary attack that warranted self-defense.

In the United States, the foreign language requirement for high school graduation is decided at the state level. This means the requirement varies, with some states deciding to forego a foreign language requirement altogether (www.ncssfl.org). It is necessary that these states reconsider their position and amend their requirements to reflect compulsory completion of a course of one or more foreign languages. Studying a foreign language has become increasingly important for the global economy. As technology continues to make international business relations increasing easy, people need to keep up by increasing their communication capabilities. High school graduates with foreign language credits have been shown to have an increased college acceptance rate. In addition, students who have mastered more than one language typically find themselves in greater demand when they reach the job market. Students who did not study a foreign language often find themselves unable to obtain a job at all.

Which of the following statements represents the best summary of the claims made in this passage?

• A. Studying a foreign language is important if you want to graduate from high school and get a job.
• B. Studying a foreign language is important for the global economy because of the technological advances that have made international communication easier.
• C. Studying a foreign language is important for the global economy, college acceptance rates, and becoming a sought-after candidate in the job market.
• D. Studying a foreign language is important for college acceptance rates and obtaining a job after college.