Nationella prov (Sweden) · English Language and Reading

Reading Comprehension, Rhetoric and Text Analysis

38 practice questions, each with the answer and an explanation.

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  1. Read the passage: 'Urban planners increasingly favour fifteen-minute cities, where daily amenities reside within a brief walk. Critics fear commercial stratification, yet pilot studies demonstrate red…
  2. In persuasive writing, which rhetorical appeal is established when an author cites their twenty years of peer-reviewed glaciological research?
  3. Read the excerpt: 'The old locomotive groaned and shuddered, reluctant to surrender its iron grip upon the steel rails.' Which literary device is predominantly featured in this description?
  4. Consider the sentence: 'While electric aviation remains in its infancy, battery energy density improvements suggest short-haul regional flights may become commercially viable within a decade.' What ca…
  5. Which transitional word best indicates a concession in argumentative prose?
  6. Read the sentence: 'The politician claimed the economy was flourishing, while unemployment figures reached an unprecedented ten-year peak.' What tone is reflected in the writer's juxtaposition?
  7. What rhetorical device is exemplified by Neil Armstrong's quote: 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'?
  8. Read the passage: 'Peatlands cover three percent of global land area yet sequester twice as much carbon as all standing forests combined. When drained for agriculture, however, they transform from car…
  9. Identify the unstated assumption in the argument: 'Autonomous vehicles will significantly reduce urban traffic fatalities because human driver error causes over ninety percent of automobile accidents.…
  10. In analytical writing, what does the term 'subtext' refer to?
  11. Read the sentence: 'The researcher conceded that her sample size was limited; nevertheless, she argued that the preliminary trends were statistically significant.' What function does the semicolon and…
  12. Which sentence demonstrates the use of a metaphor?
  13. Read the passage: 'Throughout the nineteenth century, Nordic folklore was meticulously compiled by scholars who feared rapid industrialization would erase oral traditions. Far from being quaint relics…
  14. What is the defining characteristic of an unreliable narrator in prose fiction?
  15. Read the excerpt: 'The policy reform promised sweeping relief; however, bureaucrat after bureaucrat delayed its rollout with endless paperwork.' Which tonal attitude towards the bureaucracy is express…
  16. In evaluating an expository essay, which criterion best measures 'coherence'?
  17. Read the statement: 'The proposal to construct a wind farm offshore was met with fierce resistance from local hoteliers, who argued turbine silhouettes would impair sunset vistas and suppress tourism.…
  18. Identify the rhetorical figure in the sentence: 'He had a photographic memory, which he never developed.'
  19. Read the passage: 'Dendrochronology—the study of annual tree growth rings—provides an exceptionally precise paleoclimatic record. Wide rings typically correlate with warm, moist seasons, whereas narro…
  20. What is the primary function of an introductory thesis statement in an academic essay?
  21. Read the excerpt: 'The minister declared that the reform had succeeded beyond all expectations, pointing to a five percent rise in revenue while ignoring that administrative costs had doubled.' Which…
  22. What effect is created by the use of short, staccato sentences in dramatic narrative prose?
  23. Read the passage: 'Although geothermal power offers reliable baseload energy with minimal surface footprint, high exploratory drilling costs and localized seismic risks present substantial financial h…
  24. In literary analysis, what is the significance of a motif?
  25. Read the excerpt: 'The author opens her essay with a gripping personal anecdote about surviving a flash flood before presenting meteorological climate data.' What is the strategic rhetorical effect of…
  26. Which sentence contains an example of paradox?
  27. Read the sentence: 'The CEO referred to laying off two thousand factory workers as a workforce right-sizing optimization.' What linguistic device is being utilized?
  28. What distinguishes an argumentative essay from a purely informative descriptive report?
  29. Read the excerpt: 'The diplomat spoke with measured caution, knowing that even a misplaced syllable could ignite geopolitical outrage.' What does the word 'measured' imply in this context?
  30. In textual analysis, what is the role of a counterargument in strengthening the author's primary position?
  31. Read the passage: 'The Göta Canal, which links lakes and rivers across southern Sweden, took twenty-two years to build and opened in 1832. Today few cargo boats use it, but thousands of tourists trave…
  32. Read the passage: 'After the town council doubled parking fees in the centre, the number of cars entering the old town fell by a third, while sales at shops on the main street stayed the same. Bus pas…
  33. Read the sentence: 'The committee's report was candid about the project's failures, listing every missed deadline and budget overrun without trying to excuse them.' As used in the sentence, what does…
  34. Read the passage: 'Yet another glossy brochure has arrived promising that the new ring road will end congestion forever. One wonders how many times the same promise can be printed before someone notic…
  35. Read the argument: 'Students at our school read more books this year than last year. The new school library opened in August. Therefore, the new library caused students to read more.' Which statement…
  36. Read the passage: 'Honeybees are often praised as the main pollinators of crops. However, studies of farms across Europe show that wild bees, hoverflies and other insects together pollinate many crops…
  37. Read the passage: 'In 2020 a cycling club had 120 members, 30 of whom were under 18. In 2024 it had 200 members, 60 of whom were under 18.' Which statement is supported by the passage?
  38. Read the passage: 'Many Swedish towns now let residents borrow tools, sports equipment and camping gear free of charge from local lending centres. Supporters say this saves money and reduces waste, si…

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