Free ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension Practice Test

Paragraph Comprehension practice questions

1. Question 1

   Many people think of sleep as a time when the body simply shuts down. In fact, the brain stays busy all night. During sleep, it sorts through the events of the day, strengthens new memories, and clears away waste products that build up while we are awake. Muscles and other tissues also use this time to repair themselves. Without enough sleep, people tend to react more slowly, make more mistakes, and have trouble learning new skills.

   What is the main idea of the passage?

   1. A.Most people sleep fewer hours than they should.
   2. B.The brain shuts down completely during the night.
   3. C.Sleep is an active period that helps the brain and body recover.
   4. D.Muscles repair themselves faster than the brain does.
   Show answer

   Correct answer: C. Sleep is an active period that helps the brain and body recover.

   The passage opens by rejecting the idea that the body shuts down and then lists the work the brain and body do during sleep, so its central point is that sleep is an active, restorative period.

2. Question 2

   Before lifting a heavy box, a worker should first check the load for sharp edges and test its weight by tipping one corner. Next, the worker should stand close to the box with feet about shoulder-width apart. Bending at the knees rather than at the waist, the worker grips the box firmly and lifts by straightening the legs. The back should stay as straight as possible, and the worker should turn by moving the feet instead of twisting the body.

   According to the passage, what should a worker do immediately after checking the load?

   1. A.Stand close to the box with feet about shoulder-width apart
   2. B.Bend at the waist and grip the box
   3. C.Turn the body toward the destination
   4. D.Lift by straightening the back
   Show answer

   Correct answer: A. Stand close to the box with feet about shoulder-width apart

   The passage says the worker first checks the load and "next" stands close to the box with feet about shoulder-width apart.

3. Question 3

   Desert plants have developed many ways to survive long dry periods. Some store water in thick, fleshy stems. Others have small leaves or spines that reduce the amount of water lost to the air. Many desert plants also have roots that spread out widely just below the surface, allowing them to absorb rain quickly before it evaporates. These features make the plants remarkably resilient in a harsh environment.

   As used in the passage, the word "resilient" most nearly means

   1. A.fragile
   2. B.colorful
   3. C.unusual
   4. D.able to withstand hardship
   Show answer

   Correct answer: D. able to withstand hardship

   The passage describes features that let desert plants survive long dry periods in a harsh environment, so "resilient" means able to withstand difficult conditions.

4. Question 4

   A town's library recently extended its weekday hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Before the change, the reading rooms were nearly empty in the late afternoon, and staff often heard complaints from people who could not visit until after work. In the first month of the new schedule, the number of library cards issued nearly doubled, and the evening computer stations were almost always in use.

   Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

   1. A.The library will soon open on weekends as well.
   2. B.Many residents had been unable to use the library because of their work hours.
   3. C.Most visitors come to the library only to use computers.
   4. D.The library had too many staff members before the change.
   Show answer

   Correct answer: B. Many residents had been unable to use the library because of their work hours.

   Staff heard complaints from people who could not visit until after work, and usage rose sharply once evening hours were added, which suggests work schedules had kept many residents away.

5. Question 5

   Recruits often arrive at basic training expecting the hardest part to be physical. Running, marching, and obstacle courses are certainly demanding, but instructors frequently say that the greater challenge is learning to work as a team. Recruits must follow instructions precisely, keep track of shared equipment, and depend on others to complete tasks they cannot finish alone. Those who learn early to put the group's success ahead of their own comfort usually adapt more quickly.

   The author's main purpose in this passage is to

   1. A.describe the obstacle courses used in basic training
   2. B.explain that teamwork is a central challenge of basic training
   3. C.argue that basic training should be less physically demanding
   4. D.compare military training with civilian jobs
   Show answer

   Correct answer: B. explain that teamwork is a central challenge of basic training

   The passage acknowledges the physical demands but stresses that "the greater challenge is learning to work as a team," which is the point the rest of the passage develops.

6. Question 6

   Volcanic eruptions can affect weather far from the volcano itself. When a large eruption sends sulfur gases high into the atmosphere, those gases form tiny droplets that reflect some sunlight back into space. Because less sunlight reaches the ground, average temperatures in many regions can drop slightly for a year or two. Ash, by contrast, is heavier and usually falls out of the air within days or weeks, so it has a much shorter effect on climate.

   According to the passage, why can a large eruption cause temperatures to drop?

   1. A.Ash stays in the air for several years and blocks heat.
   2. B.Lava cools the surrounding land and oceans.
   3. C.The eruption pushes cold air down from the upper atmosphere.
   4. D.Droplets formed from sulfur gases reflect some sunlight back into space.
   Show answer

   Correct answer: D. Droplets formed from sulfur gases reflect some sunlight back into space.

   The passage states that sulfur gases form droplets that reflect sunlight, so less sunlight reaches the ground and temperatures can drop.

7. Question 7

   The new safety manual is meant to be concise. Earlier versions ran to more than two hundred pages, and few employees read them all the way through. The revised manual covers the same essential rules in about thirty pages, using short sections, clear headings, and checklists that workers can review in a few minutes before starting a job.

   In this passage, the word "concise" most nearly means

   1. A.brief but complete
   2. B.highly technical
   3. C.difficult to understand
   4. D.printed in color
   Show answer

   Correct answer: A. brief but complete

   The revised manual covers "the same essential rules" in far fewer pages, so "concise" means short while still covering what is needed.

8. Question 8

   Honeybees communicate the location of food through movement. When a forager finds a good source of nectar, it returns to the hive and performs a pattern called the waggle dance. The direction of the dance shows the direction of the food relative to the sun, and the length of the waggling portion indicates how far away the food is. Other bees watch the dance and then fly out to find the source.

   According to the passage, what does the length of the waggling portion of the dance indicate?

   1. A.The type of flower the nectar came from
   2. B.The direction of the food relative to the sun
   3. C.How far away the food is
   4. D.How many bees should leave the hive
   Show answer

   Correct answer: C. How far away the food is

   The passage states that "the length of the waggling portion indicates how far away the food is."

9. Question 9

   Engineers who design bridges in cold climates must plan for the way materials change with temperature. Steel and concrete expand slightly in summer heat and contract in winter cold. To keep these small changes from cracking the structure, designers place expansion joints at intervals along the deck. These gaps, often covered by metal plates with interlocking teeth, allow sections of the bridge to move without pushing against one another.

   Based on the passage, what would most likely happen to a long bridge built without expansion joints?

   1. A.It would become lighter in the winter.
   2. B.It would no longer need regular inspections.
   3. C.It would expand only in cold weather.
   4. D.It would be more likely to develop cracks as temperatures change.
   Show answer

   Correct answer: D. It would be more likely to develop cracks as temperatures change.

   The passage says expansion joints keep temperature-driven expansion and contraction from cracking the structure, so without them cracking would be more likely.

10. Question 10

    Handwashing is one of the simplest ways to prevent the spread of illness. Germs from surfaces and other people easily reach the hands, and from there they can enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Washing with soap and water for at least twenty seconds loosens and rinses away many of these germs. Health agencies recommend washing before eating, after using the restroom, and after coughing or sneezing.

    Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

    1. A.Soap is more effective than any other cleaning product.
    2. B.Regular handwashing is a simple and effective way to reduce illness.
    3. C.Most germs enter the body through the mouth.
    4. D.People should avoid touching surfaces in public places.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: B. Regular handwashing is a simple and effective way to reduce illness.

    The passage begins by calling handwashing one of the simplest ways to prevent illness and then explains how and when it works, which is its central point.

11. Question 11

    To report for jury duty, a citizen first receives a summons in the mail. The summons usually includes a questionnaire that must be completed and returned by a stated date. On the assigned day, the citizen checks in at the courthouse and waits in a jury assembly room. Groups of potential jurors are then called to a courtroom, where the judge and attorneys ask questions before the final jury is selected.

    According to the passage, what happens right after potential jurors are called to a courtroom?

    1. A.The judge and attorneys ask them questions.
    2. B.They complete and return a questionnaire.
    3. C.They check in at the courthouse.
    4. D.They receive a summons in the mail.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. The judge and attorneys ask them questions.

    The passage says groups are called to a courtroom, "where the judge and attorneys ask questions before the final jury is selected."

12. Question 12

    Early sailors had no satellites to tell them where they were, so they relied on a method called dead reckoning. By recording their speed, their compass heading, and the time that had passed, navigators could estimate their current position from their last known one. The method was useful but imprecise: small errors in measuring speed or direction accumulated over many days, and a ship could end up miles from where its crew believed it to be.

    As used in the passage, the word "accumulated" most nearly means

    1. A.disappeared
    2. B.were corrected
    3. C.built up
    4. D.were recorded
    Show answer

    Correct answer: C. built up

    Small errors adding up over many days is what causes a ship to end up miles off course, so "accumulated" means built up.

13. Question 13

    Some communities post signs warning drivers about wildlife crossings, but these signs are only part of the solution. Highway planners have found that underpasses and overpasses built specifically for animals, combined with fencing that guides animals toward them, can greatly reduce collisions. Such structures cost more to build than signs, yet they also prevent vehicle damage, injuries to drivers, and the loss of animals that are important to local ecosystems.

    The author's main purpose in this passage is to

    1. A.warn drivers to slow down at night
    2. B.explain why wildlife crossing signs should be removed
    3. C.show that crossing structures can be a worthwhile way to reduce collisions
    4. D.describe the animals most often struck by vehicles
    Show answer

    Correct answer: C. show that crossing structures can be a worthwhile way to reduce collisions

    The passage presents crossing structures and fencing as more effective than signs and argues their benefits justify the higher cost.

14. Question 14

    A small company tracked how employees used a new scheduling app. Workers who received a short training session used the app's shift-swap feature three times as often as workers who had not been trained. Untrained workers continued to arrange shift changes by phone and paper notes, which sometimes led to two people arriving for the same shift or no one arriving at all.

    What can most reasonably be inferred from the passage?

    1. A.Training helps employees make fuller use of new tools, which can reduce scheduling errors.
    2. B.The scheduling app does not work well without a phone connection.
    3. C.Most employees prefer using paper notes to using apps.
    4. D.The company should stop allowing shift swaps.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A. Training helps employees make fuller use of new tools, which can reduce scheduling errors.

    Trained workers used the swap feature far more, while untrained workers kept using phone and paper methods that caused mix-ups, suggesting that training leads to better use of the tool and fewer errors.

15. Question 15

    Lightning heats the air around it to extremely high temperatures in a fraction of a second. The sudden heat makes the air expand rapidly, creating a shock wave that we hear as thunder. Because light travels much faster than sound, people see the flash before they hear the thunder. Counting the seconds between the two gives a rough idea of distance: about five seconds for every mile.

    According to the passage, what causes the sound of thunder?

    1. A.Clouds colliding with one another
    2. B.Rain striking the ground at high speed
    3. C.Electric charges moving from the ground to the clouds
    4. D.Air expanding rapidly after being heated by lightning
    Show answer

    Correct answer: D. Air expanding rapidly after being heated by lightning

    The passage explains that the sudden heat makes the air expand rapidly, "creating a shock wave that we hear as thunder."

Tips for ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension

• Read the question first, then the passage, so you know what to look for.
• Answer from the passage only — a choice can be true in real life and still be wrong for the question.
• For main-idea questions, pick the choice that covers the whole passage, not just one sentence.
• Eliminate choices with absolute words (always, never, all) unless the passage says so.

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