TEAS 7 practice questions › Reading
TEAS 7 Reading practice questions
10 free practice questions with answers and explanations. The Reading section tests how well you understand, interpret and evaluate short passages, charts and everyday documents such as instructions, schedules and labels.
The Reading section at a glance
| Sub-area | Scored questions |
|---|---|
| Key ideas and details | 15 |
| Craft and structure | 9 |
| Integration of knowledge and ideas | 15 |
Source: ATI TEAS content specifications. The remaining 6 questions are unscored pretest items, and you won't know which ones they are.
Practice questions
Answer each question first, then open “Show answer” to check yourself.
Sleep and Memory
Researchers have long known that sleep matters for health, but its role in learning has become clearer only in recent decades. During deep sleep, the brain replays patterns of activity from the day, a process that appears to strengthen new memories. In one common type of study, volunteers learn a list of word pairs in the evening. Half of them sleep normally, while the other half stay awake through the night. When both groups are tested the next day, those who slept usually recall more pairs. Some scientists caution, however, that staying awake all night also causes stress, which may itself interfere with memory. For this reason, newer studies compare daytime naps with equal periods of quiet rest.
Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?
- Staying awake all night is the main cause of stress.
- Sleep appears to help the brain strengthen new memories.
- Daytime naps are more useful than nighttime sleep.
- Word-pair tests are the best way to measure intelligence.
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Sleep appears to help the brain strengthen new memories.
The passage centers on how sleep, especially deep sleep, seems to strengthen new memories. The other options are details or claims the passage does not make.
Sleep and Memory
Researchers have long known that sleep matters for health, but its role in learning has become clearer only in recent decades. During deep sleep, the brain replays patterns of activity from the day, a process that appears to strengthen new memories. In one common type of study, volunteers learn a list of word pairs in the evening. Half of them sleep normally, while the other half stay awake through the night. When both groups are tested the next day, those who slept usually recall more pairs. Some scientists caution, however, that staying awake all night also causes stress, which may itself interfere with memory. For this reason, newer studies compare daytime naps with equal periods of quiet rest.
According to the passage, what do volunteers learn in the common type of study described?
- A list of word pairs
- A set of math problems
- A series of pictures
- A short story
Show answer
Correct answer: A. A list of word pairs
The passage states that volunteers "learn a list of word pairs in the evening."
Sleep and Memory
Researchers have long known that sleep matters for health, but its role in learning has become clearer only in recent decades. During deep sleep, the brain replays patterns of activity from the day, a process that appears to strengthen new memories. In one common type of study, volunteers learn a list of word pairs in the evening. Half of them sleep normally, while the other half stay awake through the night. When both groups are tested the next day, those who slept usually recall more pairs. Some scientists caution, however, that staying awake all night also causes stress, which may itself interfere with memory. For this reason, newer studies compare daytime naps with equal periods of quiet rest.
Why does the author mention that staying awake all night causes stress?
- To argue that sleep has no effect on memory
- To describe a symptom of sleep disorders
- To point out a possible weakness in the overnight study design
- To recommend that students avoid exams
Show answer
Correct answer: C. To point out a possible weakness in the overnight study design
Stress is a second explanation for why the awake group remembers less. The author raises it to show a flaw in the design, which is why newer studies use naps versus quiet rest.
Sleep and Memory
Researchers have long known that sleep matters for health, but its role in learning has become clearer only in recent decades. During deep sleep, the brain replays patterns of activity from the day, a process that appears to strengthen new memories. In one common type of study, volunteers learn a list of word pairs in the evening. Half of them sleep normally, while the other half stay awake through the night. When both groups are tested the next day, those who slept usually recall more pairs. Some scientists caution, however, that staying awake all night also causes stress, which may itself interfere with memory. For this reason, newer studies compare daytime naps with equal periods of quiet rest.
Which finding would most strengthen the claim that sleep itself improves memory?
- People who nap report feeling less tired.
- Volunteers who stay awake all night feel stressed.
- Volunteers who nap recall more word pairs than volunteers who rest quietly for the same amount of time.
- Volunteers recall fewer word pairs a week after testing.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Volunteers who nap recall more word pairs than volunteers who rest quietly for the same amount of time.
Comparing a nap with equal quiet rest removes the stress problem. If nappers still remember more, sleep itself is the most likely cause.
Sleep and Memory
Researchers have long known that sleep matters for health, but its role in learning has become clearer only in recent decades. During deep sleep, the brain replays patterns of activity from the day, a process that appears to strengthen new memories. In one common type of study, volunteers learn a list of word pairs in the evening. Half of them sleep normally, while the other half stay awake through the night. When both groups are tested the next day, those who slept usually recall more pairs. Some scientists caution, however, that staying awake all night also causes stress, which may itself interfere with memory. For this reason, newer studies compare daytime naps with equal periods of quiet rest.
As used in the passage, the word "caution" most nearly means:
- warn
- prove
- ignore
- celebrate
Show answer
Correct answer: A. warn
Scientists "caution" that stress may interfere: they are warning readers about a limitation.
Community Flu Clinic — Saturday Hours
| Location | Hours | Appointment needed? |
|---|---|---|
| North Library | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | No |
| Westside Recreation Center | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Yes |
| Main Street Pharmacy | 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | No |
All visitors must bring a photo ID. Children under 12 must be vaccinated at the Westside Recreation Center.
An adult without an appointment can only go between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Which location should this person choose?
- North Library
- Westside Recreation Center
- Main Street Pharmacy
- None of the locations
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Main Street Pharmacy
Only Main Street Pharmacy is open at that time (1:00–6:00 p.m.), and it does not require an appointment.
Community Flu Clinic — Saturday Hours
| Location | Hours | Appointment needed? |
|---|---|---|
| North Library | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | No |
| Westside Recreation Center | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Yes |
| Main Street Pharmacy | 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | No |
All visitors must bring a photo ID. Children under 12 must be vaccinated at the Westside Recreation Center.
A parent wants to get an 8-year-old child vaccinated. What must the parent do?
- Walk in to North Library before noon
- Make an appointment at Westside Recreation Center
- Walk in to Main Street Pharmacy after 1:00 p.m.
- Choose any location that is open
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Make an appointment at Westside Recreation Center
Children under 12 must go to Westside Recreation Center, and that location requires an appointment.
Community Flu Clinic — Saturday Hours
| Location | Hours | Appointment needed? |
|---|---|---|
| North Library | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | No |
| Westside Recreation Center | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Yes |
| Main Street Pharmacy | 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | No |
All visitors must bring a photo ID. Children under 12 must be vaccinated at the Westside Recreation Center.
What must every visitor bring, regardless of location?
- An appointment confirmation
- A photo ID
- A vaccination record
- Proof of insurance
Show answer
Correct answer: B. A photo ID
The note states that all visitors must bring a photo ID.
Letter to the Editor
Our town should add bike lanes on Elm Avenue. Last year, the city recorded 14 crashes involving cyclists on that street. Painted lanes are inexpensive compared with widening the road, and three nearby towns have already installed them. Anyone who rides on Elm Avenue knows it is the most frightening road in the county.
What is the writer's main purpose?
- To describe the history of Elm Avenue
- To persuade the town to add bike lanes on Elm Avenue
- To compare three nearby towns
- To explain how to ride a bike safely
Show answer
Correct answer: B. To persuade the town to add bike lanes on Elm Avenue
The letter opens with a recommendation ("Our town should add bike lanes") and supports it with reasons: a persuasive purpose.
Letter to the Editor
Our town should add bike lanes on Elm Avenue. Last year, the city recorded 14 crashes involving cyclists on that street. Painted lanes are inexpensive compared with widening the road, and three nearby towns have already installed them. Anyone who rides on Elm Avenue knows it is the most frightening road in the county.
Which statement from the letter is an opinion rather than a fact?
- Last year, the city recorded 14 crashes involving cyclists on that street.
- Three nearby towns have already installed them.
- Painted lanes are inexpensive compared with widening the road.
- It is the most frightening road in the county.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. It is the most frightening road in the county.
"Most frightening" is a personal judgment that cannot be verified. The other statements can be checked against records or costs.
Tips for the Reading section
- Read the question before the passage on detail questions, so you know what to look for.
- For main-idea questions, choose the answer that covers the whole passage, not one detail.
- For inference questions, pick the answer the text supports, not one that is merely true or likely.
- Watch for answer choices that are accurate but don't answer the question that was asked.
- You have about 73 seconds per question. If a passage is long, skim first and come back for details.
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These are original practice questions written for the published ATI TEAS 7 outline. They are not official TEAS questions. More sections: Math · Science · English and Language Usage