HESI A2 Reading Comprehension
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Free HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Questions
Water is needed to sustain practically all of life functions on planet Earth. A single drop of this compound is comprised of an oxygen atom which shares its electrons with each of the two hydrogen atoms. The cycle starts when precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet or hail descends from the sky onto the ground. Water not absorbed immediately from the precipitation is known as runoff. The runoff flows across the land and collects in ground water reservoirs, rivers, streams and the ocean. Evaporation takes place when liquid water changes into water vapor, which is a gas. Water vapor returns to the air from surface water and plants. Ultimately, condensation happens when this water vapor cools and changes back into droplets of liquid. In fact, the puffy, cotton clouds that we observe are formed by condensation. When the clouds become so heavily laden with liquid droplets, precipitation then ensues.
Which sentence uses the word laden the same as in the passage?
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As the rain continued, the water trickled down the empty, laden street.
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When the storm cleared, you could see the cloudless, laden sky.
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The laden trumpets sounded when the stadium became crowded with fans.
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The bowl of cereal overflowed when it became too laden with milk.
Explanation
Correct Answer: D. The bowl of cereal overflowed when it became too laden with milk.
Detailed Explanation of the Correct Answer:
In the passage, the word laden is used in the sentence:
“When the clouds become so heavily laden with liquid droplets, precipitation then ensues.”
Here, laden means heavily filled or weighed down with something—in this case, water droplets.
D. The bowl of cereal overflowed when it became too laden with milk uses laden in the same way, meaning the bowl was filled or weighed down with milk, leading to an overflow. This directly mirrors the context in which clouds become too full of water, leading to precipitation.
Explanation of Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
A. The empty, laden street – This is contradictory; a street cannot be both empty and laden, and the use of laden here is unclear or incorrect.
B. The cloudless, laden sky – Again, this is contradictory. A sky can't be laden and cloudless at the same time, and the word doesn't clearly refer to being filled or weighed down.
C. The laden trumpets sounded – Laden is not typically used to describe the sound or action of trumpets. This usage is metaphorical or unclear and does not match the passage's meaning.
The Electoral College has nothing to do with college and contains no students. The Electoral College consists of votes that each state acquires based on the number of representatives it has in Congress.
Each state has two electoral votes because each state has two senators. The remaining electoral votes are determined by the number of Congressmen, the number of which is based on the population of the state established by the Census taken each decade.
During the presidential election, most states cast all their electoral votes for the candidate who wins the popular vote in that particular state. It's all very confusing, but the founding fathers knew what they were doing. By having and using the Electoral College candidates campaign in every state, but just because they win the popular vote across the country doesn't mean they will always win the election. Case in point, in election 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote across the country, but George W. Bush won more electoral votes.Therefore he became our 43rd president.
Which statement from the passage is a fact?
- A. The government randomly assigns electoral votes to states.
- B. Candidates only campaign in states where they think they can win.
- C. The Electoral College is a college in Washington D.C.
- D. Each state casts their electoral votes during the Presidential election.
Explanation
The passage explains that “during the presidential election, most states cast all their electoral votes for the candidate who wins the popular vote in that particular state.” This is a factual statement describing how the Electoral College process works.
The author’s motive for writing the paragraph seems to have been to
Food
Food and drink are necessary and desirable, but their abuse can cause serious physical and mental problems. Many physicians believe that overeating is one of the country's main health problems, since it places a great strain on the heart, can lead to diabetes, and often shortens the individual’s life span. To fill an emotional void, people often turn to food when they are bored or lonely.
Another area of concern is alcohol consumption. The results of alcohol abuse are widely publicized. The social drinker who becomes alcoholic, the drunken driver’s contribution to highway deaths, spousal and child abuse, are all concomitant problems associated with alcohol abuse.
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Urge self-control.
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Explain the need for physical exercise.
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Describe the social consequences of overeating.
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Urge strict legislation of alcohol.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
Urge self-control.
Explanation:
The author’s main goal is to highlight the consequences of abusing food and drink — not their use. Words like “desirable,” “necessary,” and “abuse” paired with phrases like “to fill an emotional void” imply that people need to be mindful and controlled in their consumption. The tone and focus are personal, not political or social.
Why Other Options are Wrong:
Explain the need for physical exercise:
Exercise is not mentioned anywhere in the passage. The focus is entirely on consumption habits and their effects.
Describe the social consequences of overeating:
While some consequences of overeating are mentioned, they are mostly physical (heart strain, diabetes, shorter life span). Social consequences are more connected to alcohol abuse, not food.
Urge strict legislation of alcohol:
The paragraph does not advocate for laws or regulation. It simply highlights the problems that accompany alcohol abuse, not proposing legal solutions.
Which statement is a detail from the passage?
Coffee
Over the last few decades, medical experts have changed their thinking on the health effects of some common foods and beverages. Higher-fat foods and some alcoholic beverages like red wine and beer, once viewed as top threats to a healthy lifestyle, are now seen by many as less harmful and even as having some health benefits. But there is perhaps no topic that the medical community has reversed its thinking on more often than coffee. Since long before the advent of modern medicine, public opinion regarding the health effects of coffee has been diverse and ever-changing.
Opinion on coffee’s health effects can be traced back several centuries. In the 1600s, doctors in England touted coffee as a cure for alcoholism, but some women complained that coffee was making their husbands impotent. They may have been correct, as caffeine is a diuretic and can irritate the prostate (dehydration and prostatitis can both lead to erectile dysfunction).
In the late 1700s, coffeehouses began opening all over colonial America, where coffee was seen as a healthy stimulant that helped the colonists work longer hours. But by the early 1900s, public concern grew as coffee consumption was blamed for a variety of common ailments, such as nervousness, indigestion, and insomnia.
In the 1970s, medical journals published studies that linked coffee consumption with high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attacks. In 2001, a meta-study indicated that coffee was responsible for a 20% increase in risk for urinary tract cancer.
But starting in 2007, to the surprise of many, meta-studies began to show positive health effects of coffee consumption. A 2007 study revealed that drinking coffee decreased the risk of liver cancer by 43%, and studies in 2011 showed that coffee reduced the risk of stroke and prostate cancer. Studies in 2012 and 2013 indicated that coffee reduced the risk of heart failure and heart disease.
In 2015, CNN reported that coffee was viewed by many as “practically a health food.” However, CNN also warned that given the long history of flip-flops on the health effects of coffee, medical and public opinion on coffee could easily turn negative again.
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Caffeine is an antidiuretic that can strengthen the prostate.
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A study showed coffee increases the risk of liver cancer.
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Doctors in England once believed coffee would cause alcoholism.
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CNN reported that coffee was viewed as a health food by many.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
CNN reported that coffee was viewed as a health food by many.
Explanation:
This is a direct quote from the final paragraph: "CNN reported that coffee was viewed by many as 'practically a health food.'" It is a specific detail from the text.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Caffeine is an antidiuretic that can strengthen the prostate.: Incorrect—caffeine is described as a diuretic, not an antidiuretic.
A study showed coffee increases the risk of liver cancer.: The 2007 study actually showed reduced risk of liver cancer.
Doctors in England once believed coffee would cause alcoholism: Doctors believed coffee could cure alcoholism, not cause it.
One of the best ways to understand a group of people is to know what makes them laugh. Laughter encompasses the limits of the soul and serves social, psychological, and physiological functions. In humor, life is redefined and accepted. Irony and satire provide much keener insights into a group's collective psyche and values than do years of research. It has always been a great disappointment to native Americans that the humorous side of their life has not been mentioned by experts on native American affairs. Rather, the image of the stern-faced redskin has been presented by the American Westerns.
Which statement is presented in the paragraph?
- A. Native American humor is often overlooked.
- B. Native American humor is mostly satire.
- C. White Americans neglect the needs of the Native Americans.
- D. Native Americans rarely laugh.
Explanation
The paragraph clearly states that experts and media have failed to mention the humorous side of Native American life, instead portraying them as stern and serious. This directly supports the idea that their humor is overlooked or ignored in popular representation.
English is a vibrant, changing, dynamic language. It allows people to express their thoughts in diverse ways, as there are many synonyms and antonyms to choose from. The hardest part for the English speaker - or those learning English as a second language - is learning about homonyms. These are words that sound alike but are spelled different ways, with different meanings.
One example is "One". This word, spelled "one" means the numeral 1, an amount. If spelled "won," it means to be victorious. No wonder spelling is a difficult skill to master! Other homonyms encountered by the beginning English speaker are "to, two, too," "four, for, fore," "there, their, they're" and "son, sun" to name just a few. This is one reason that "Spell check" programs on word processing computers cannot be completely accurate, because the way a word is spelled depends on the context of the sentence. Proofreaders will always be in demand.
What conclusion can be drawn from the article?
- A. English is impossible to master, so don't worry about mistakes.
- B. Spoken English is easier than written English.
- C. In order to master English, the student must learn about homonyms.
- D. Homonyms should be eliminated from the English language.
Explanation
The passage emphasizes that homonyms create challenges for both native speakers and English learners because they sound alike but have different spellings and meanings. The author explains that mastering English spelling requires understanding homonyms and that even spell-check programs cannot detect these errors. This supports the conclusion that learning homonyms is essential to mastering English.
Sleep apnea causes
Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Have you ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 2:00 a.m.? Have you kicked the blankets off to the floor from tossing and turning? Many longtime sufferers of insomnia know these situations all too well. As many as 17% of Americans find the restful break of sleep hard to achieve.
Lack of sleep affects intellectual abilities at work or school by causing a deficit in memory, attention, and concentration which in turn creates a feeling of irritation or depression. Chronic insomnia can result from a medical illness, a psychiatric condition, or from sleep apnea, a condition where an individual actually stops breathing during sleep. Sleep hygiene, developing good sleep habits, and nonpharmacological therapies such as herbs and spices are some solutions to insomnia.
There is no need to live with insomnia, so contact a physician and get a good night’s sleep!
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Chronic insomnia.
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Chronic illness.
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Sleep hygiene.
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Good sleep habits.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
Chronic insomnia.
Explanation:
The passage explicitly states that “chronic insomnia can result from... sleep apnea,” making it clear that sleep apnea is a cause of chronic insomnia. Sleep apnea disrupts normal breathing during sleep, which interferes with sleep quality and contributes to ongoing sleep problems.
Why Other Options are Wrong:
Chronic illness:
While sleep apnea may be associated with illness, the passage does not say that it causes chronic illness. It only identifies sleep apnea as a cause of chronic insomnia.
Sleep hygiene:
Sleep hygiene is described as a solution to insomnia, not something caused by sleep apnea. It involves good habits to promote better sleep.
Good sleep habits:
Similarly, good sleep habits are part of the recommended treatment plan for insomnia. They are not caused by sleep apnea.
Water is needed to sustain practically all of life functions on planet Earth. A single drop of this compound is comprised of an oxygen atom which shares its electrons with each of the two hydrogen atoms. The cycle starts when precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet or hail descends from the sky onto the ground. Water not absorbed immediately from the precipitation is known as runoff. The runoff flows across the land and collects in ground water reservoirs, rivers, streams and the ocean. Evaporation takes place when liquid water changes into water vapor, which is a gas. Water vapor returns to the air from surface water and plants. Ultimately, condensation happens when this water vapor cools and changes back into droplets of liquid. In fact, the puffy, cotton clouds that we observe are formed by condensation. When the clouds become so heavily laden with liquid droplets, precipitation then ensues.
Which of the following words is an antonym for the word comprised?
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Exclude
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Embody
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Encompass
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Incorporate
Explanation
Correct Answer: A. Exclude
Detailed Explanation of the Correct Answer:
The word comprised in the passage is used to mean "made up of" or "composed of"—as in, "A single drop of this compound is comprised of an oxygen atom which shares its electrons with each of the two hydrogen atoms." This shows that something is included as part of a whole.
A. Exclude is the correct antonym because it means to leave out or not include, which is the opposite of comprising or including.
Explanation of Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
B. Embody – Means to represent or include an idea or quality clearly and completely, similar in meaning to comprise.
C. Encompass – Means to include or surround, also similar in meaning to comprise.
D. Incorporate – Means to include something as part of a whole, again similar in meaning to comprise.
What is the main reason that athletes want to participate in the Olympics?
The Summer Olympic Games
Once every four years the countries of the world send their best and brightest to participate in the Summer Olympic Games. The site for the event is decided years before, and most countries contend strongly for the privilege to host the Games. The 2008 games were held in Beijing, China.
There is a lot of pageantry and tradition attached to the event. The opening ceremony is elaborate and awe-inspiring. China put on a spectacularly beautiful fireworks display to welcome the world’s athletes in 2008.
The track events, water events (swimming, diving), and precision activities such as archery and rhythmic gymnastics are wonderful to watch. Seeing these athletes perform their special skills is a treat for those of us who achieve a vicarious satisfaction from it. Everyone roots for the athletes from their own country and we thrill when our anthem is played during the medal ceremony. Being an Olympian is an honor every athlete dreams of.
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They get a sizable stipend for their performance.
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They have a patriotic pride in their performance.
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Travel to foreign countries.
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They can win a scholarship for future education.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
They have a patriotic pride in their performance.
Explanation:
The passage emphasizes that athletes are honored to represent their countries and that “being an Olympian is an honor every athlete dreams of.” It also states that “everyone roots for the athletes from their own country,” suggesting a strong sense of national pride. This makes it clear that athletes are largely motivated by patriotic feelings and a desire to bring pride to their country.
Why Other Options are Wrong:
They get a sizable stipend for their performance:
The passage does not mention any monetary reward or stipend as a motivation. In fact, the tone focuses on tradition, honor, and pride rather than financial gain.
Travel to foreign countries:
While athletes do travel, the text does not imply that this is the main reason they participate. The emphasis is instead on representing their country and the honor of competing.
They can win a scholarship for future education:
There is no mention in the passage of scholarships or educational benefits tied to participation in the Olympics.
Water is needed to sustain practically all of life functions on planet Earth. A single drop of this compound is comprised of an oxygen atom which shares its electrons with each of the two hydrogen atoms. The cycle starts when precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet or hail descends from the sky onto the ground. Water not absorbed immediately from the precipitation is known as runoff. The runoff flows across the land and collects in ground water reservoirs, rivers, streams and the ocean. Evaporation takes place when liquid water changes into water vapor, which is a gas. Water vapor returns to the air from surface water and plants. Ultimately, condensation happens when this water vapor cools and changes back into droplets of liquid. In fact, the puffy, cotton clouds that we observe are formed by condensation. When the clouds become so heavily laden with liquid droplets, precipitation then ensues. Which transitional expression best replaces the underlined word in the following sentence:
"Ultimately, condensation happens when water vapor cools."
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Furthermore
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Moreover
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While
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Since
Explanation
Correct Answer: C. While
Detailed Explanation of the Correct Answer:
The original sentence uses the word "Ultimately" to indicate a sequence or conclusion in the process. However, if we're replacing it with a transitional expression that fits logically and grammatically with the idea of cause or timing, the best choice is C. While.
Using "While" shifts the focus from sequence to timing, showing that condensation happens at the same time as water vapor cooling. The revised sentence would read:
"While condensation happens, water vapor cools" or more clearly,
"Condensation happens while water vapor cools."
This keeps the sentence scientifically accurate and maintains a logical connection between the cooling and the condensation that results from it.
Explanation of Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
A. Furthermore – Adds additional information, but does not express cause or timing. It would be illogical in this context.
B. Moreover – Like "furthermore," it emphasizes addition, not timing or causation.
D. Since – Could imply cause, but in this sentence, it would awkwardly change the meaning to suggest condensation happens because water vapor cools, which is less fluid and natural than "while" in this context.
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