Reading Comprehension Supporting Details Mock Tests

Read the following passage: "In her memoir, the journalist recounts her time covering conflicts in three different countries. The narrative is striking not for its graphic descriptions of violence, but for its quiet focus on the everyday lives of civilians caught in the crossfire. Each chapter centers on a single individual — a teacher in Syria, a nurse in South Sudan, a shopkeeper in Ukraine — and through these intimate portraits, the reader gains a nuanced understanding of how war disrupts not just infrastructure, but the fabric of human connection." The author of the passage suggests that the memoir is distinctive primarily because it:

Read the following passage: "The practice of crop rotation -- planting different crops in the same field across successive seasons -- has been used for centuries. Ancient Roman farmers rotated between legumes and cereals, observing that fields planted with legumes produced better cereal yields the following year. Modern science has now explained why: legumes host nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules that convert atmospheric nitrogen into forms plants can use, effectively fertilizing the soil for subsequent crops. However, the widespread adoption of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in the twentieth century led many farmers to abandon crop rotation in favor of monoculture -- planting the same crop year after year with chemical inputs. This shift has had unintended consequences: soil degradation, increased pesticide resistance, and higher fertilizer costs. Agricultural researchers are now advocating a return to rotation-based systems, combining the best of traditional knowledge with modern precision agriculture." The passage suggests that the twentieth-century shift to synthetic fertilizers had which of the following unintended consequences?

Read the following passage: "The rise of algorithmic content curation on social media platforms has sparked debate among researchers. Some argue that algorithms, which optimize for user engagement, create "filter bubbles" that expose users only to content aligning with their existing views. However, a 2024 meta-analysis of 47 studies found that while users are indeed exposed more frequently to confirming content, they still encounter disconfirming viewpoints at a rate comparable to non-algorithmic content distribution. The researchers concluded that the filter bubble effect, while real, is significantly overstated in popular discourse and that user agency -- the conscious choices users make in following, liking, and sharing -- plays a larger role than algorithmic design in shaping information diets." According to the passage, the 2024 meta-analysis found which of the following about filter bubbles?

Read the following passage: "Artificial intelligence systems trained on large datasets of scientific literature have begun to make discoveries that human researchers might overlook. In a 2023 study, an AI system analyzing gene expression data from cancer patients identified a previously unrecognized pattern linking specific genetic markers to treatment resistance. The pattern had been present in the data all along, but human researchers, guided by established theories about how cancer cells respond to chemotherapy, had overlooked it. This does not mean that AI will replace human scientists; rather, AI excels at pattern recognition in complex datasets, while humans excel at contextualizing findings within broader theoretical frameworks. The most effective scientific workflow, researchers conclude, combines AI-driven pattern discovery with human hypothesis formation and experimental design." The passage suggests that the AI system identified the genetic pattern because:

Read the following passage: "The concept of "planetary boundaries" proposes that there is a safe operating space for humanity defined by nine Earth system processes. Six of these boundaries -- climate change, biodiversity loss, nitrogen and phosphorus flows, land-system change, freshwater use, and new entities (including plastics and chemicals) -- have already been crossed, according to the most recent assessment. The most critically exceeded boundary is biodiversity loss, which has reached ten times the safe threshold. Climate change, while also exceeded, remains closer to the boundary than biodiversity. Researchers emphasize that these boundaries are interconnected: crossing one increases the likelihood of crossing others, creating cascading effects. For instance, deforestation for agricultural expansion simultaneously drives biodiversity loss, releases stored carbon, and reduces regional rainfall." According to the passage, which of the following statements about the planetary boundaries is true?

Read the following passage: "The widespread adoption of remote work following the global pandemic of 2020-2022 has fundamentally altered commercial real estate markets in major cities. Office vacancy rates in downtown Manhattan, for example, reached 22% in 2024, compared to 8% before the pandemic. This shift has had cascading effects: businesses that serve office workers -- restaurants, dry cleaners, and retail shops -- have reported revenue declines of 30% or more. City governments, which rely heavily on property tax revenue, face budget shortfalls estimated at billions of dollars. Some urban planners are proposing to convert empty office buildings into residential apartments, but this solution is complicated by the fact that many office floors lack the window configurations and plumbing infrastructure needed for residential units. Rather than retrofitting, some cities are exploring "mixed-use zoning" that would allow commercial buildings to house a combination of offices, retail, healthcare facilities, and educational spaces." The passage suggests that converting office buildings to residential apartments is complicated primarily because:

Read the following passage: "The global trade in wildlife has been identified as a major driver of species decline, particularly for exotic pets and traditional medicine. Conservation organizations have called for stricter enforcement of existing international regulations, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. However, enforcement is complicated by the fact that many species are difficult to identify at the border, and corrupt officials in some countries facilitate illegal trafficking. Critics of current approaches argue that enforcement alone is insufficient and that poverty-driven demand in producing countries must also be addressed through economic development." The passage suggests that enforcement of wildlife trade regulations is complicated by which of the following?

Read the following passage: "Microplastics — plastic particles smaller than five millimeters — have been detected in every ecosystem on Earth, from the deepest ocean trenches to the highest mountain peaks. A 2024 global survey found microplastics in 90% of sampled bottled waters and 80% of tap water sources. These particles originate from a variety of sources: the breakdown of larger plastic debris, microfibers released from synthetic clothing during washing, and microbeads once commonly used in personal care products. While the health effects of microplastic exposure in humans remain understudied, researchers have documented significant harm to marine life, including ingestion by filter feeders, entanglement, and the transfer of toxic chemicals up the food chain." According to the passage, which of the following is NOT mentioned as a source of microplastics?