Entry Exam Category: College Admission Exams
Course: Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0
Exam: TSIA2 Reading and Writing Practice Test 2
Practice Question
Extract
Read the passage below and then choose the best answer to each question. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.
Passage
Passage 1
As more and more people choose to read the headlines on the internet or watch news programs on television, major newspapers are rapidly losing money-and some have shut down completely. It is obvious that traditional journalism is in crisis. But if we have other news sources, why should we care about newspapers? The answer is that the newspaper is still the primary source for specific local topics: local politics, schools, crime, neighborhood and community events, local jobs, and so on. Newspapers continue to be a valuable and convenient source of information we might not be able to easily access elsewhere.
Passage 2
We've all heard the claims that the newspaper industry is dying, and it's true that daily circulation has been dropping. But there's no need to panic. Thanks to the internet, we now have greater access to information than newspapers ever provided. Why should we wait to read about today's news in tomorrow's papers when we can go to websites and follow a breaking story as it develops? And why should we pay for delivery of our local papers when local, national, and global news can be found online for free? Someday soon there won't be any newspapers left-and I doubt we'lleven notice.
Passage
Passage 1
As more and more people choose to read the headlines on the internet or watch news programs on television, major newspapers are rapidly losing money-and some have shut down completely. It is obvious that traditional journalism is in crisis. But if we have other news sources, why should we care about newspapers? The answer is that the newspaper is still the primary source for specific local topics: local politics, schools, crime, neighborhood and community events, local jobs, and so on. Newspapers continue to be a valuable and convenient source of information we might not be able to easily access elsewhere.
Passage 2
We've all heard the claims that the newspaper industry is dying, and it's true that daily circulation has been dropping. But there's no need to panic. Thanks to the internet, we now have greater access to information than newspapers ever provided. Why should we wait to read about today's news in tomorrow's papers when we can go to websites and follow a breaking story as it develops? And why should we pay for delivery of our local papers when local, national, and global news can be found online for free? Someday soon there won't be any newspapers left-and I doubt we'lleven notice.
The author of Passage 1 would probably say that the claims in the last sentence of Passage 2 ("Someday... notice") are
Answer Choices
- A: disappointing and inaccurate
- B: stimulating and insightful
- C: optimistic but vague
- D: alarming but truthful
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Passage 1 argues newspapers are vital for local news. Passage 2 claims their demise won't be noticed. Passage 1's author would find this claim disappointing (due to loss of local news) and inaccurate (because the unique local coverage would be missed).