edready critical reading and critical thinking answers

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Course Placement Assessments

Course Placement FAQs

Paradise Valley Community College uses multiple measures for placement into English, reading and math courses. These measures include:

* High school transcripts more than 10 years old may not be used for placement into math courses. There is no time limit for the use of HS GPA for placement int English and reading courses.

Visit the MCCCD website for  Additional Placement Information .

Placement with a Placement Test You will need to take a placement test if:

• You are currently a high school freshman or sophomore
• You wish to place in a higher level of English, reading or math
• Your cumulative GPA is below a 2.6 AND you do not have an eligible ACT, SAT or GED score
• Your high school transcripts are older than 10 years
• Your high school transcripts are from outside the United States

EdReady is a free tool that assesses your English, reading and math knowledge, then creates a personalized study plan so you can master the concepts required for course placement.

No appointment or in-person testing needed. EdReady is a non-proctored, online test you can access anytime at maricopa.edready.org . You will need your MEID and password to sign in. 

To get started, review the student instructions and video prior to starting the EdReady assessments.

• Student Instructions
• EdReady Video

Take EdReady Tests Here

The assessments are untimed. New to college students seeking a degree will need to take at least one assessment in all three subject areas: English, reading and math. There are two separate assessments under the reading and math subject areas. Choose the assessment that best fits your goals.

• EdReady English – students should take this assessment for placement into ALT100 and ENG101
• College Reading – for placement into ALT100 and RDG100
• Critical Reading and Critical Thinking – for placement into CRE101 or to test “Exempt from CRE 101”
• Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra & Statistics – for placement into MAT120/121/122 or MAT140/141/142 or MAT155/156
• For placement into MAT172, MAT187/188, MAT206, MAT212/213, MAT220/221, these courses have enrollment requirements in addition to the EdReady College Algebra score. Speak with your advisor for more details.

ACCUPLACER: Advanced Algebra and Functions is a comprehensive, computerized, adaptive test designed to place students into the appropriate higher-level math course. This placement option is available for students who do not have the combination of the EdReady College Algebra score and a second multiple measure required for enrollment.

The ACCUPLACER AAF test is administered in-person at the Testing Center and is untimed. Though the test is not timed, most students complete the assessment within 90 minutes. We encourage students to arrive at the center at least 90 minutes before the test center closes to ensure they have enough time to complete the assessment. If you feel that you need more time, please arrive earlier. All exams must be submitted 15 minutes before the testing center closes.

Personal calculators are not permitted on ACCUPLACER. Students are only allowed to use the calculator built into the program. Scratch paper and pencils will be provided. A valid, physical photo ID is required on the day of testing.

• ACCUPLACER Next Generation: Advanced Algebra & Functions Sample Questions
• Free ACCUPLACER Practice Resources

Accommodations

Please refer to  EdReady's Accessibility Information   page for information about screen readers, keyboard navigation, and screen contrast. If you have a testing accommodation request not covered by this information, please contact  Disability Resources and Services  (602-787-7171) so that they can review your accommodation request with you.

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Get ready for college and career

Maricopa's EdReady site will help you improve in English, math, and reading with a customized study path. If you're thinking about what's next for college and career, be smart and know your options.

• You must be a student at Maricopa to access your EdReady account. If you are not, please go here to apply to a Maricopa College.
• You must log into your EdReady account using your MEID.
• If you are experiencing login issues, try resetting your password here . You can also access live chat support at this site.
• If you continue to experience login issues, please contact your college's Technology Support Team for further assistance.

Get ready to ace a

Placement test.

Are you hoping to attend a community or technical college?

Whether you’re in high school or a recent graduate, or you’re considering returning to school, edready will help you master the topics you’ll need to understand to be prepared for the school(s) of your choice., how it works....

First, you will take a low-stakes quiz to see what you know today, and what you may need to brush up on or learn for the first time.

It’s okay if you don’t know the answer to a question. Simply skip it, and EdReady will make sure that topic is added to your customized study path.

Next, work through your personal study path at a pace that fits your schedule. EdReady will give you immediate feedback about your progress, and you’ll have access to a library of online learning resources that will help you gain a deeper understanding of the concepts you’re trying to master.

Aim to hit or exceed the target score for this goal. If you achieve the target score, you should be ready to take on entry-level math and / or English coursework. If you exceed the target score, you’re likely to do well in your first-year classes.

WHAT TO EXPECT

EdReady can’t guarantee your admission into the schools you want, but it can help you avoid having to take remedial classes that cost money and don’t earn you credit toward your certificate or degree.

Sometimes the hardest part of achieving a goal is showing up consistently. If you don’t use EdReady regularly, it can’t help you. Plan to spend at least 30 minutes a session until you get a sense of how much time you need to budget to meet your goal in the timeframe you choose.

If you put in the time and learn the material provided, EdReady can help you become college math and / or English ready.

If you hit any roadblocks or want extra, just-in-time support, take advantage of UPchieve live, virtual, and anonymous math tutoring, available 24/7.

Ready to get started?

Reading & Writing Purposes

Introduction: critical thinking, reading, & writing, critical thinking.

The phrase “critical thinking” is often misunderstood. “Critical” in this case does not mean finding fault with an action or idea. Instead, it refers to the ability to understand an action or idea through reasoning. According to the website SkillsYouNeed [1]:

Critical thinking might be described as the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking.

In essence, critical thinking requires you to use your ability to reason. It is about being an active learner rather than a passive recipient of information.

Critical thinkers rigorously question ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face value. They will always seek to determine whether the ideas, arguments, and findings represent the entire picture and are open to finding that they do not.

Critical thinkers will identify, analyze, and solve problems systematically rather than by intuition or instinct.

Someone with critical thinking skills can:

• Understand the links between ideas.
• Determine the importance and relevance of arguments and ideas.
• Recognize, build, and appraise arguments.
• Identify inconsistencies and errors in reasoning.
• Approach problems in a consistent and systematic way.
• Reflect on the justification of their own assumptions, beliefs and values.

Read more at:  https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/critical-thinking.html

Critical thinking—the ability to develop your own insights and meaning—is a basic college learning goal. Critical reading and writing strategies foster critical thinking, and critical thinking underlies critical reading and writing.

Critical Reading

Critical reading builds on the basic reading skills expected for college.

College Readers’ Characteristics

• College readers are willing to spend time reflecting on the ideas presented in their reading assignments. They know the time is well-spent to enhance their understanding.
• College readers are able to raise questions while reading. They evaluate and solve problems rather than merely compile a set of facts to be memorized.
• College readers can think logically. They are fact-oriented and can review the facts dispassionately. They base their judgments on ideas and evidence.
• College readers can recognize error in thought and persuasion as well as recognize good arguments.
• College readers are skeptical. They understand that not everything in print is correct. They are diligent in seeking out the truth.

Critical Readers’ Characteristics

• Critical readers are open-minded. They seek alternative views and are open to new ideas that may not necessarily agree with their previous thoughts on a topic. They are willing to reassess their views when new or discordant evidence is introduced and evaluated.
• Critical readers are in touch with their own personal thoughts and ideas about a topic. Excited about learning, they are eager to express their thoughts and opinions.
• Critical readers are able to identify arguments and issues. They are able to ask penetrating and thought-provoking questions to evaluate ideas.
• Critical readers are creative. They see connections between topics and use knowledge from other disciplines to enhance their reading and learning experiences.
• Critical readers develop their own ideas on issues, based on careful analysis and response to others’ ideas.

The video below, although geared toward students studying for the SAT exam (Scholastic Aptitude Test used for many colleges’ admissions), offers a good, quick overview of the concept and practice of critical reading.

Critical Reading & Writing

College reading and writing assignments often ask you to react to, apply, analyze, and synthesize information. In other words, your own informed and reasoned ideas about a subject take on more importance than someone else’s ideas, since the purpose of college reading and writing is to think critically about information.

Critical thinking involves questioning. You ask and answer questions to pursue the “careful and exact evaluation and judgment” that the word “critical” invokes (definition from The American Heritage Dictionary ). The questions simply change depending on your critical purpose. Different critical purposes are detailed in the next pages of this text.

However, here’s a brief preview of the different types of questions you’ll ask and answer in relation to different critical reading and writing purposes.

When you react to a text you ask:

• “What do I think?” and
• “Why do I think this way?”

e.g., If I asked and answered these “reaction” questions about the topic assimilation of immigrants to the U.S. , I might create the following main idea statement, which I could then develop in an essay:  I think that assimilation has both positive and negative effects because, while it makes life easier within the dominant culture, it also implies that the original culture is of lesser value.

When you apply text information you ask:

• “How does this information relate to the real world?”

e.g., If I asked and answered this “application” question about the topic assimilation , I might create the following main idea statement, which I could then develop in an essay:  During the past ten years, a group of recent emigrants has assimilated into the local culture; the process of their assimilation followed certain specific stages.

When you analyze text information you ask:

• “What is the main idea?”
• “What do I want to ‘test’ in the text to see if the main idea is justified?” (supporting ideas, type of information, language), and
• “What pieces of the text relate to my ‘test?'”

e.g., If I asked and answered these “analysis” questions about the topic immigrants to the United States , I might create the following main idea statement, which I could then develop in an essay: Although Lee (2009) states that “segmented assimilation theory asserts that immigrant groups may assimilate into one of many social sectors available in American society, instead of restricting all immigrant groups to adapting into one uniform host society,” other theorists have shown this not to be the case with recent immigrants in certain geographic areas.

When you synthesize information from many texts you ask:

• “What information is similar and different in these texts?,” and
• “What pieces of information fit together to create or support a main idea?”

e.g., If I asked and answered these “synthesis” questions about the topic immigrants to the U.S. , I might create the following main idea statement, which I could then develop by using examples and information from many text articles as evidence to support my idea: Immigrants who came to the United States during the immigration waves in the early to mid 20th century traditionally learned English as the first step toward assimilation, a process that was supported by educators. Now, both immigrant groups and educators are more focused on cultural pluralism than assimilation, as can be seen in educators’ support of bilingual education. However, although bilingual education heightens the child’s reasoning and ability to learn, it may ultimately hinder the child’s sense of security within the dominant culture if that culture does not value cultural pluralism as a whole.

Critical reading involves asking and answering these types of questions in order to find out how the information “works” as opposed to just accepting and presenting the information that you read in a text. Critical writing involves recording your insights into these questions and offering your own interpretation of a concept or issue, based on the meaning you create from those insights.

• Crtical Thinking, Reading, & Writing. Authored by : Susan Oaks, includes material adapted from TheSkillsYouNeed and Reading 100; attributions below. Project : Introduction to College Reading & Writing. License : CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial
• Critical Thinking. Provided by : TheSkillsYouNeed. Located at : https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright . License Terms : Quoted from website: The use of material found at skillsyouneed.com is free provided that copyright is acknowledged and a reference or link is included to the page/s where the information was found. Read more at: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/
• The Reading Process. Authored by : Scottsdale Community College Reading Faculty. Provided by : Maricopa Community College. Located at : https://learn.maricopa.edu/courses/904536/files/32966438?module_item_id=7198326 . Project : Reading 100. License : CC BY: Attribution
• image of person thinking with light bulbs saying -idea- around her head. Authored by : Gerd Altmann. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/photos/light-bulb-idea-think-education-3704027/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• video What is Critical Reading? SAT Critical Reading Bootcamp #4. Provided by : Reason Prep. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hc3hmwnymw . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• image of man smiling and holding a lightbulb. Authored by : africaniscool. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/photos/man-african-laughing-idea-319282/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved

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Critical Thinking: Basic Questions & Answers

Critical Reading Practice Test 2024 With Answers PDF

Critical Reading Practice Test 2024 With Answers. Download Free Printable PDF Critical Thinking Reading passage for any standardized exam in the United States. Participate in our Free exercise Quiz Online.

Critical Reading Practice Test 2024

Directions: Questions follow each of the passages below. Using only the stated or implied information in each passage and in its introduction, if any, answer the questions.

Q1. In lines 15–16, the word “correspondence” means

• A. correlation.
• B. agreement.
• C. conformity.
• D. similarity.
• E. letters.

Q2. Gauguin found the faces of Tahitian women beautiful because of their

• A. elegant coloration.
• B. unusual proportions.
• C. refusal to wear makeup.
• D. dark hair covering the forehead.
• E. openness and innocence.

Q3. The passage suggests that a painter depicting a Tahitian in a period sometime before Gauguin would probably

• A. rely on photographs for models.
• B. make an image that was not in accord with European ideals of female beauty.
• C. paint a picture that employed a symbolic landscape as background.
• D. fail to differentiate a Tahitian from the inhabitants of Asian countries.
• E. paint only models who were fully clothed in Western-style costume.

Q4. It can be inferred that the author would like to see the lost paintings of Charles Giraud in order to

• A. determine whether they presented the Tahitians realistically.
• B. determine whether they were better paintings than Gauguin’s.
• C. determine whether they deserve their high reputation.
• D. compare the symbolism of these paintings with that of Gauguin’s. E. discover what subjects Giraud chose to paint.

Q5. Of the following phrases, which does the author use to refer to the aspect of Gauguin’s art that attempts to depict the real world accurately?

I. “the image is a relatively straightforward one” (lines 38–39) II. “desire to portray the Tahitian physiognomy naturalistically” (lines 55–56) III. “a way of painting Tahiti that would accord with his Symbolist aspirations” (lines 64–66)

• B. III only
• C. I and II only
• D. I and III only
• E. I, II, and III

Q6. The passage suggests that an important problem Gauguin would have to deal with in his paintings of Tahiti was how to

• A. reconcile his naturalistic and symbolistic impulses.
• B. make Europeans understand the beauty of Tahiti.
• C. find the necessary supplies in a remote location.
• D. earn enough money to support himself by selling his paintings in Paris.
• E. make artistic use of the new advances in photography.

Questions 7 through 15 are based on the following passage:

Q7. The purpose of the first paragraph (lines 1–23) of the passage is to

• A. argue for the reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
• B. defend on economic grounds the reduction of greenhouse gases.
• C. present two opposing positions on the subject of the earth’s rising temperature.
• D. lessen the concern of the public about the alleged buildup of greenhouse gases.
• E. introduce the two most important spokesmen for and against ecological reforms.

Q8. In the first paragraph in line 13, the word “pits” means

• A. removes the core of.
• B. sets in competition.
• C. depresses.
• D. marks with small scars.
• E. hardens.

Q9. From the information in the second paragraph of the passage, you can infer that a planet

• A. whose atmosphere was made up entirely of oxygen would be warmer than a planet equally distant from the sun with an atmosphere made up entirely of nitrogen.
• B. whose atmosphere was made up entirely of nitrogen would be warmer than a planet equally distant from the sun with an atmosphere made up entirely of oxygen.
• C. with a larger amount of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere, other factors being equal, will be warmer than a planet with less carbon dioxide.
• D. with a small amount of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere cannot increase this amount.
• E. with little infrared radiation escaping from its surface is likely to be extremely cold.

Q10. The passage implies that a greenhouse gas is one that I. forms a large part of the earth’s atmosphere. II. absorbs heat escaping from the earth’s surface. III. can be formed by the clearing and burning of forests.

• A. III only
• B. I and II only
• C. I and III only
• D. II and III only

Q11. From the passage, it can be inferred that all the following are greenhouse gases EXCEPT

• A. nitrogen.
• B. carbon dioxide.
• C. methane.
• D. chlorofluorocarbons.
• E. nitrous oxide.

Q12. Which of the following, if true, would call into question the argument of the Marshall report?

I. Since the earth’s climate did not grow colder in the five hundred years since 1400 when the amount of greenhouse gases released by humans was small, there is no reason to expect a decrease in temperature when the amounts of gas released are now much larger. II. The radical reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases will result in massive unemployment throughout the industrial world. III. Some scientific studies have shown that the temperature of the earth is unaffected by the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere.

Q13. The word “skeptics” in line 59 most nearly means

• A. scientists.
• B. ecologists.
• C. opponents.
• D. doubters.
• E. politicians.

Q14. Stephen Schneider probably referred to Sununu’s “brandishing the [Marshall] report as if he were holding a crucifix to repel a vampire” in order to

I. amuse his audience. II. suggest that Sununu’s claims are melodramatic. III. imply that the idea that greenhouse gases are dangerous is as imaginary as a vampire.

Q15. The effect of the final paragraph of the passage is to

• A. stress the superiority of Jim Hansen’s case.
• B. undermine Sununu’s argument.
• C. support the conclusions of the Marshall report.
• D. call Arrhenius’s theories into question.
• E. leave the debate about global warming unresolved.

Download Critical Reading Practice Test 2024 (PDF)

Sentence Completion Practice Test 1

Sentence Completion Practice Test 3

Sample Reading Tests

Reading Practice Test – 1

Reading Practice Test – 2

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Reading Practice Test – 4

Reading Practice Test – 5

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Sample Critical Reading Tests

Critical Reading 1

Critical Reading 2

Critical Reading 3