HESI A2 Reading Comprehension
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Free HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Questions
Which is a solution to insomnia?
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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Using nonpharmacological therapies and seeing a psychiatrist.
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Kicking off the blankets and concentrating on the ceiling.
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Developing good sleep habits and taking herbs and spices.
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Taking a restful break and having sleep hygiene.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
Developing good sleep habits and taking herbs and spices.
Explanation:
The passage specifically lists “developing good sleep habits” and “nonpharmacological therapies such as herbs and spices” as solutions to insomnia. This directly matches the correct option, which combines both elements mentioned.
Why Other Options are Wrong:
Using nonpharmacological therapies and seeing a psychiatrist:
Although both approaches are mentioned in the passage, they are listed as separate causes and solutions. Seeing a psychiatrist is mentioned as a possible cause of insomnia (related to psychiatric conditions), not as a direct solution.
Kicking off the blankets and concentrating on the ceiling:
This behavior is described in the passage as a symptom or consequence of insomnia, not a solution.
Taking a restful break and having sleep hygiene:
“Sleep hygiene” is indeed mentioned, but “taking a restful break” is vague and not referenced in the passage as a treatment. The correct answer includes more direct and specific remedies.
The old wives' tale of "Lightning never strikes twice" has been proven untrue time and time again. Lightning forms from negative and positive charges within clouds and from the earth below. When these charges react with each other, the air between the cloud and the earth ionizes, which produces a lightning flash. Lightning is actually a series of multiple events consisting of a leader stroke of lightning, followed by as many as 40 smaller strokes of lightning. Being just split seconds apart, these strokes of lightning often reflect off the lining of the clouds.
Lightning rods that extend from above the roof to the ground protect buildings by forming a low resistance path for the lightning so that the lightning does not enter the building, but rather defuses as it penetrates the ground.
Some myths about lightning need to be explained. Lightning does strike tall buildings often, and during a particularly violent storm, a tall building may be hit by lightning several times. The safest place during a thunder and lightning storm is in a metal car or lying flat, face down, in the open, not under a tree as the myth suggests.
Many people believe that thunder and lightning are connected; however, this proves to be true only about 50% of the time, so if you're waiting for the clap of thunder, you're missing out on some exciting strokes of lightning!
Lightning causes injuries, deaths, and forest fires each year. However, some scientists reveal the positive aspects of lightning because it releases nitrogen into the atmosphere which the raindrops then deliver to earth to fertilize our soil.
From the passage, the reader can conclude that lightning:
- never strikes twice.
- is always detrimental to the earth.
- consists of a main stroke and several smaller strokes.
- and thunder are always connected.
Explanation
The passage explains that lightning is “a series of multiple events consisting of a leader stroke of lightning, followed by as many as 40 smaller strokes.” These strokes occur within split seconds of each other, forming what we see as a single lightning flash. This directly supports option C and makes it the only conclusion clearly stated in the text.
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?
- The government randomly assigns electoral votes to states.
- Candidates only campaign in states where they think they can win.
- The Electoral College is a college in Washington D.C.
- 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.
I wonder who first discovered glass. This commodity has been a part of civilization from the very beginning. Imagine a world without glass! How dark and dismal it would be. No windows, corrective lenses, telescopes, microscopes, cameras, sparkly drinking containers or mirrors. Life would not be the same without this wonderful discovery. Thank you, whoever found glass!
Glass is not an element, but a combination of several elements. It is a hard, brittle, transparent solid material composed mainly of silica, with additives to change the character of the glass. Common additives are soda, lime, lead, and boron. Each additive changes the properties of the final product. Soda and lime are the most common additives, accounting for about 90% of glass production. Adding lead increases reflectivity, causing the glass to "sparkle." The addition of boron changes the thermal and electrical properties of glass, allowing cookware that can be used in the oven without shattering.
What is the definition of "Brittle" as used in the second paragraph?
- Resilient.
- Easily broken.
- See-through.
- Flexible.
Explanation
In the context of describing glass as a “hard, brittle, transparent solid,” the word “brittle” refers to a material that breaks or shatters easily when struck or stressed. Glass does not bend or flex; instead, it fractures quickly, which matches the definition of “easily broken.”
The author seems to believe that
Voice
What effect does your voice have on others? Does it persuade or irritate, attract or repel? One of the worst qualities is harshness. If you ever get the feeling that people are uncomfortable when you speak, it may be that your harsh tones are jarring their eardrums. Your voice will sound unpleasant if it is shrill, grating, hard, piercing, brassy, too loud, or too nasal. Harsh voice qualities usually come from too much tension in the throat and jaw. Tension tightens muscles and blocks the relaxed voice tones essential to a pleasing impression. Because tension occurs in higher pitched voices, women tend to have shriller voices than men, which usually makes them less desirable public speakers, newscasters, or political candidates.
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One’s voice defines one’s ability to deliver a sound message.
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Women are less suited for public speaking careers than men.
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More careers in broadcasting should be open to women.
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Voice tones are irrelevant if the subject matter is interesting.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
One’s voice defines one’s ability to deliver a sound message.
Explanation:
The author emphasizes that vocal tone—particularly harshness—can influence how a message is received. The quality of the voice affects whether a speaker persuades, irritates, or repels others, highlighting the voice's role in communication effectiveness.
Why Other Options are Wrong:
Women are less suited for public speaking careers than men:
While the passage discusses how vocal pitch can affect perception, it doesn't claim that women are inherently less suited.
More careers in broadcasting should be open to women:
This is not discussed or implied.
Voice tones are irrelevant if the subject matter is interesting:
The opposite is suggested. Tone is presented as critical, even more than content in some cases.
What statement is a fact rather than an opinion?
The Rainforest
The Amazon River Basin is home to the largest rainforest on Earth. The basin—roughly the size of the forty-eight contiguous United States—covers some 40% of the South American continent, and portions of eight countries. The basin is drained by the Amazon River, the world's largest river in terms of discharge, and the second longest river in the world after the Nile.
Deforestation is mainly due to land clearing for pasture land by commercial and speculative interests, misguided government policies, and commercial exploitation of forest resources.
Deforestation of the rainforest has long-term implications. The loss of habitat for many creatures ensures their extinction. The loss of vegetation depletes the oxygen in the atmosphere, which some say causes global warming.
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South American countries must stop deforestation of the rainforest immediately.
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A vast amount of square mileage of Amazon rainforest has been destroyed since 1970.
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The rainforest is essential to life on Earth.
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Deforestation causes global warming.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
A vast amount of square mileage of Amazon rainforest has been destroyed since 1970.
Explanation:
This is a measurable, documented historical fact. Numerous scientific and environmental reports have confirmed the large-scale destruction of the Amazon rainforest beginning in the 1970s. It can be supported with satellite data and environmental research.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
South American countries must stop deforestation of the rainforest immediately:
This is an opinion. The use of the word “must” implies a judgment or recommendation rather than stating a verifiable fact.
The rainforest is essential to life on Earth:
While many scientists support the idea that rainforests play a critical role in Earth's ecosystems, the word “essential” introduces subjectivity and generalization, making this more of an opinion.
Deforestation causes global warming:
This is a debated claim. While many agree that deforestation contributes to climate change, the passage itself softens it by stating “which some say causes global warming,” showing it's not universally accepted as fact.
Insomnia affects intellectual abilities because it
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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Causes an increased appetite so you gain unwanted weight.
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Causes you to fall asleep at work.
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Causes a deficit in memory, concentration, and attention.
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Alters your verbal communication abilities.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
Causes a deficit in memory, concentration, and attention.
Explanation:
The passage clearly states that insomnia affects performance at work or school “by causing a deficit in memory, attention, and concentration.” These are all intellectual abilities, and the sentence directly supports this answer without interpretation or assumption.
Why Other Options are Wrong:
Causes an increased appetite so you gain unwanted weight:
Nowhere in the passage is appetite or weight gain mentioned. This is unrelated to the topic discussed.
Causes you to fall asleep at work:
Although sleep deprivation may make a person tired, the passage does not mention falling asleep at work. Instead, it focuses on impaired cognitive performance.
Alters your verbal communication abilities:
The passage makes no reference to verbal skills or communication. It specifically highlights memory, concentration, and attention as being affected.
In the above passage, the word "subjective" refers to test questions that
Exams
Subjective exams measure your ability in several areas. Besides recall information, you must be able to organize content logically and intelligently express yourself in a clearly understood manner. Subjective tests provide a greater opportunity for students to show their broad knowledge of a subject area. Answers may be in the form of paragraphs or lengthy essays.
When you review for an essay exam, concentrate on main ideas rather than details. Since essay tests are limited to a few questions, they are likely to deal with more important ideas of a subject. Prepare a list of questions that you think might be asked. Write an answer to each of your questions. Rather than writing complete sentences, jot down your thoughts in outline form. Doing so will help you organize the information so that you can express yourself clearly.
When you take the test, read through all the questions before you start to write. Allot time for each question, allowing more time for questions worth the most points. Read each question carefully to determine exactly what is being asked. Pay attention to words such as define, illustrate, explain, list, compare, and contrast. Each word requires a different type of response. Write a brief outline of your answer on scrap paper or the back of the test page. Make sure you include all the important ideas that are within the limits of the question. In other words, do not give more than is asked for each answer. When you write your answer, keep it as specific and as brief as possible. In the introductory sentence it is often helpful to make a general statement that includes important points addressed in the question. Such a topic sentence serves as a framework for your answer. Then use your outline to develop the key points and subtopics. Add substance to your answer by including as many facts as possible to support your answer.
Check your paper before you submit it. Look for mistakes in grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation. Unless you are certain an answer is wrong, do not change it. Your answer is an educated guess and is usually your best chance of answering correctly.
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Allow you to choose an answer.
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Are matching.
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Are true or false.
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Require you to write your own answer.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
Require you to write your own answer.
Explanation:
The passage defines subjective exams as those that require students to “organize content” and “express yourself in a clearly understood manner.” It also mentions that answers are written in paragraphs or essays. This indicates that students are expected to generate their own responses, rather than selecting from predetermined choices.
Why Other Options are Wrong:
Allow you to choose an answer:
This describes objective tests, like multiple-choice questions, not subjective ones.
Are matching:
Matching exercises are also a feature of objective tests. They do not require written explanation or personal reasoning.
Are true or false:
True-false questions have a set answer and do not require elaboration, which makes them objective, not subjective.
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.
Why is making counterfeit copies of the one dollar bill difficult?
Facts about the One Dollar Bill
As Americans, we should all know some statistics about our currency.
The one dollar bill is a fascinating document with a varied historical beginning. Consisting of a cotton and linen blend with minute red and blue silk fibers woven through it, the one dollar bill debuted in 1957. Due to the fact that the bill is constructed of material, laundering it does not cause any permanent harm. A special blend of ink created from a secret formula is used to write on the dollar bill, which acts as a deterrent to counterfeiters.
By sharing these important facts with others, a common understanding and appreciation of the one dollar bill is established.
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The formula for the ink used is kept a secret.
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The paper used is a special blend of materials.
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Americans don’t know enough about the one dollar bill.
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The intricate designs on the seals are hard to copy.
Explanation
Correct Answer:
The formula for the ink used is kept a secret.
Explanation:
The passage clearly states: “A special blend of ink created from a secret formula is used to write on the dollar bill, which acts as a deterrent to counterfeiters.” This makes it evident that the secrecy of the ink formula is a major security feature that prevents counterfeiting.
Why Other Options are Wrong:
The paper used is a special blend of materials:
While the bill is made of a cotton and linen blend with silk fibers, the passage does not say this makes counterfeiting difficult. The ink is the specific element mentioned as a deterrent.
Americans don’t know enough about the one dollar bill:
This is irrelevant to the question. Public knowledge has no impact on a counterfeiter’s ability to replicate a bill.
The intricate designs on the seals are hard to copy:
This may be true in general for currency, but the passage does not mention designs or seals as obstacles to counterfeiting.
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