READTHEORY

TEACHING STUDENTS TO READ AND THINK CRITICALLY

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"Asking Questions"
Reading Comprehension Assessment

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© Copyright Read Theory LLC, 2012. All rights reserved.

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 READTHEORY Passage and Questions

Name________________
Date________________
• Reading Comprehension Assessment
Directions: Read the passage. Then answer the questions below.

Asking Questions
Ever hear that John F. Kennedy was assassinated by
someone other than Lee Harvey Oswald? Or how about the fact that
the United States government has been harboring extraterrestrials and
their advanced technology at Area 51? Or—my favorite for its sheer
lunacy—that the moon landing was staged in Hollywood? You might
laugh at these theories, or like millions of Americans, you might believe
them wholeheartedly. Regardless of their veracity, they exist and
proliferate each day, and the Internet has only helped to promulgate
them.
So where do they come from? Well, in a literal sense, they
come from people asking questions and seeking answers. But in a
more figurative sense, they come from the experience of not knowing, the great void created by a dearth
of certainty. There are several questions about the Kennedy assassination, enough so that several
government panels (most notably the Warren Commission) have investigated it; there have been several
thousands of reports of UFO encounters (not to mention an equally absurd number of television shows
about aliens); and there are aspects of the moon landing that seem too good to be true. But none of these
questions necessarily hint at something nefarious or sinister. Rather, they demonstrate that these events
are all too real. Nothing in life is certain, and nothing completely adds up. Sure, we’d all prefer major
historic events to have the certainty of a sunrise, but there’s the rub: most of us do not really
know why the sun rises or even, with certainty, that it will rise tomorrow. But a sane person does not
question the sunrise, though that same person will wonder about the trajectory of a bullet in Dallas.
None of this is to say that one should not ask questions. Rather, one should ask questions of
everything! We should know who shot JFK, whether there are aliens, and whether the Illuminati control
everything. Yet, this is impossible. We can no more know these things than we can know who specifically
invented the wheel. So, rather than making up theories to explain away the lacuna of facts, we should
simply accept the fact that we will never know absolutely everything about anything. Continue asking
questions, but don’t make up ridiculous answers for them. Because the ultimate problem with conspiracy
theories is that they don’t answer any questions; they merely explain away gaps of knowledge with
pseudoscience.
Put differently, no one is really sure why cats purr, but that doesn’t mean that cats do not purr.
There does not need to be a why for every what.

1) Based on its use in paragraph 1, it can be inferred that veracity belongs to which of the following
word groups?

A. ridiculousness, preposterousness, absurdity

B. artifice, bias, prejudice
C. fallacy, misconception, delusion
D. authenticity, genuineness, truth
E. appeal, intrigue, allure

2) As used in paragraph 2, the word nefarious most nearly means

A. indifferent
B. secret
C. evil

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 READTHEORY Questions

D. vague
E. reckless

3) In this passage, the author makes use of which of the following literary devices?

A. Rhetorical question, characterized by a question posed for effect rather than one that expects a
reply
B. Satire, characterized by the use of ridicule to expose a vice, weakness, or flaw
C. Repetition, characterized by repeating the same phrase multiple times for emphasis in order to
produce a grander effect
D. Paradox, characterized by the use of contradictory concepts or ideas that, when placed together,
bear a deep significance or possible truth
E. Hyperbole, characterized by the use of specific words and phrases that exaggerate and
overemphasize the core of the statement in order to produce a grander, more noticeable effect

4) The main purpose of this passage is to

A. provide information about the history of conspiracy theories in the twentieth century
B. argue that conspiracy theories are harmful to those who ask questions
C. suggest that conspiracy theories have no merit in a democratic society
D. refute the notion that conspiracy theories have no benefit in answering unknowable questions
E. argue that conspiracy theories arise from normal questions

5) Which of the following pieces of information, if added to the passage, would most strengthen the
author’s argument?

A. proof that Lee Harvey Oswald did not assassinate John F. Kennedy
B. scientific theories explaining why cats purr, why the sun will rise, and whether aliens exist
C. examples of ancient theories explaining the sunrise and interactions with aliens
D. a survey suggesting that very few Americans actually believe in conspiracy theories
E. examples of gaps in certainty about the Kennedy assassination, aliens, and the moon landing

6) As used in paragraph 3, lacuna most nearly means

A. a body of water
B. a gap
C. an abundance
D. a fallacy
E. a truth

7) Which of the following best describes the function of the third paragraph in the context of the rest of
the passage?

A. It redirects the passage and furthers the author’s main argument.

B. It refutes the argument made earlier in the passage and provides a new one.
C. It introduces several hypothetical conspiracies for the purpose of providing evidence for an earlier
point.
D. It states the author’s main thesis and restates the evidence the author uses to make his or her
argument.
E. It restates the author’s thesis and provides a conclusion for the entire argument.

8) In the final paragraph, the author most likely uses the example of why cats purr to suggest that some
things

A. are unknowable
B. should simply be accepted as fact

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 READTHEORY Questions

C. are scientific truths

D. are better left to conspiracy theorists
E. should be seen as pseudoscience

9) Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as a possible conspiracy theory?

A. The moon landing was staged.

B. The government has hidden aliens for years.
C. Kennedy was not assassinated by a lone gunman.
D. The wheel was not invented by one person.
E. The Illuminati control everything in the world.

10) Are there any conspiracy theories that you actually find plausible? If so, which ones? If not, why do
you dismiss the conspiracy theories you know of? Give specific examples where possible.

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11) How do you usually react when confronted with a gap in your own knowledge? In other words, what
do you do when you realize you do not know something? Do you seek out factual evidence? Do you
try to reason through an explanation on your own? Does it depend on the situation? Explain.

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 READTHEORY Questions

12) One of the most outrageous conspiracy theories in existence is that the world is actually controlled by
a race of subterranean lizard people. Imagine you met someone who believed this theory. What
would you say to this person? Would you try to convince him or her to abandon this belief? Why?
How?

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13) Do you agree with the author’s argument that “we should simply accept the fact that we will never
know absolutely everything”? Why or why not?

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© Copyright Read Theory LLC, 2012. All rights reserved.

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 READTHEORY Answers and Explanations

1) D
Question Type: Vocabulary
veracity (noun): conformity to truth or fact; truthfulness; accuracy.
The first paragraph of the passage concerns conspiracy theories that readers may have heard. These theories might be ridiculed or
they might be believed, but the author suggests throughout the passage that they are not provable. In the penultimate paragraph, he
or she even suggests that conspiracy theories are “ridiculous answers” to logical questions, implying that they are not valid beliefs.
Yet, despite their invalidity, they continue to “proliferate.” The passage states that this proliferation occurs “regardless of [the
conspiracy theories’] veracity,” so veracity must mean something similar to truth or validity. In fact, veracity is conformity to facts,
truth, or accuracy, so choice (D) is correct. The author does seem to support the notion that conspiracy theories are ridiculous,
preposterous or absurd. However, he or she states that the proliferation of the theories continues “regardless of their veracity”
immediately after suggesting that some people “might believe them wholeheartedly.” This implies that veracity has more to do with
believability than it does with “absurdity.” Thus, choice (A) is not correct. The author does not imply at any point that conspiracy
theories relate to bias or prejudice. Artifice is the use of clever devices to trick others. The author does not imply that conspiracy
theories are in any way deceitful. Rather, he or she suggests that conspiracy theories are “ridiculous answers” to logical questions,
not that they are biased or slanted opinions. Therefore, choice (B) is not correct. The author does seem to support the notion that
conspiracy theories are not rooted in reality. However, he or she states that the proliferation of the theories continues “regardless of
their veracity” immediately after suggesting that some people “might believe them wholeheartedly.” This implies that veracity has
more to do with believability than it does with a delusion or misconception. A fallacy is a mistaken belief, but the author does not
imply that conspiracy theories are mistaken beliefs. Instead, he or she simply suggests that that they “ridiculous answers” to normal
questions. Thus, choice (C) is not correct. For veracity to belong to a word group, the other words would have to be able to replace
veracity in the sentence. However, it would not make sense for the author to state that, “regardless of their appeal, intrigue, or allure,
conspiracy theories proliferate,” as something would only continue to be spread or believed if it had at least some appeal, intrigue,
or allure. Thus, something that proliferates has appeal. Therefore, choice (E) is not correct.

2) C
Question Type: Vocabulary
nefarious (noun): extremely wicked or villainous.
In the second paragraph, the author writes that “none of these questions necessarily hint at something nefarious or sinister.” Since
sinister is used in conjunction with nefarious, the words must have similar meanings. Further, the very idea of a conspiracy (which is
defined as a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful) itself implies something sinister. Thus, the correct answer
is (C), since “evil” is a near synonym of sinister. In the second paragraph, the author writes that “none of these questions necessarily
hint at something nefarious or sinister.” Since sinister is used in conjunction with nefarious, the words must have similar meanings.
However, indifferent would imply that something is neither good nor bad, though sinister implies something is very bad. Therefore,
choice (A) is not correct. A conspiracy is usually secret, but the word nefarious does not necessarily mean secret in context. In the
second paragraph, the author writes that “none of these questions necessarily hint at something nefarious or sinister.” Since sinister
is used in conjunction with nefarious, the words must have similar meanings, but sinister does not mean secret. Therefore, choice
(B) is not correct. In the second paragraph, the author writes that “none of these questions necessarily hint at something nefarious
or sinister.” Since sinister is used in conjunction with nefarious, the words must have similar meanings. Sinister is not the same
as vague, though, since vague means unclear or uncertain. Therefore, choice (D) is not correct. In the second paragraph, the author
writes that “none of these questions necessarily hint at something nefarious or sinister.” Since sinister is used in conjunction with
nefarious, the words must have similar meanings. However, reckless is not related to sinister. Reckless means careless or
incautious, not sinister or bad. Therefore, choice (E) is not correct.

3) A
Question Type: Global
The author makes repeated use of rhetorical questioning in the passage, opening with three such questions and using another as a
transition into the second paragraph. Therefore, choice (A) is correct. The author never uses satire in the passage, so choice (B) is
not correct. The author opens the passage with three questions, but each uses a different phrasing, involves a different conspiracy,
and contains a different structure. Thus, repetition is not used by the author, so choice (C) is not correct. The author never makes a
contradictory statement or statements, meaning he or she does not use a paradox. Thus, choice (D) is not correct. The author of
this passage never exaggerates anything, meaning hyperbole is not used. Thus, choice (E) is not correct.

4) E
Question Type: Global
The author’s main argument is succinctly stated in the last sentence of the penultimate paragraph: “Because the ultimate problem
with conspiracy theories is that they don’t answer any questions; they merely explain away gaps of knowledge with pseudoscience.”
Before making this point, the author suggests that conspiracy theories “come from the experience of not knowing” and the types of
normal questions people might ask. The main purpose of this passage is to make that argument. Thus, choice (E) is correct, as it
alone suggests that the purpose of the passage is to argue that conspiracy theories arise from typical questions. The entire passage
is about conspiracy theories and where they come from, and the author does provide several examples of conspiracy theories from
the past century. However, the passage does not give a history of conspiracy theories in the past century, as the author never
traces the historical origins of conspiracy theories nor their development over time. Therefore, choice (A) is incorrect. The author
suggests that conspiracy theories “come from the experience of not knowing” and the types of normal questions people might ask.
However, he or she never suggests that there are any harmful effects of conspiracy theories. The only thing the author suggests
about conspiracy theories is that “they merely explain away gaps of knowledge with pseudoscience.” This does not imply that they
are necessarily harmful, though. Therefore, choice (B) is incorrect. The passage never discusses democratic societies, and the
author never suggests that conspiracy theories have no merit. Rather, the author suggests that conspiracy theories “come from the
experience of not knowing” and the types of normal questions people might ask. This implies that the author understands why
conspiracy theories exist, not that he or she is completely against them. Therefore, choice (C) is incorrect. The author is not
completely opposed to conspiracy theories, as his or her purpose seems to be to explain why conspiracy theories exist. That is not

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 READTHEORY Answers and Explanations

to say, however, that the author is in favor of conspiracy theories or believes they can answer unknowable questions. Rather, the
author states that “there does not need to be a why for every what,” meaning there are some things that cannot be explained away.
Therefore, choice (D) is incorrect.

5) E
Question Type: Global
The author’s main argument is summed up in the last sentence of the penultimate paragraph: “Because the ultimate problem with
conspiracy theories is that they don’t answer any questions; they merely explain away gaps of knowledge with pseudoscience.” In
the passage, the author alleges that “there are several questions about the Kennedy assassination… UFO encounters… and the
moon landing.” These questions are, apparently, the origins for conspiracy theories about these events. Thus, the author’s argument
could be strengthened by providing specific information about these questions and the types of information gaps people have.
Therefore, choice (E) is correct. The author never suggests that any specific conspiracy theory is truthful or has any veracity. Nor
does he or she suggest that any specific conspiracy theory is necessarily wrong. Instead, the author merely argues that conspiracy
theories arise from uncertainty. Information that proves a specific conspiracy theory is false would not strengthen (nor necessarily
weaken) the argument made by the author. Choice (A) is, therefore, not correct, as it suggests that Oswald killed Kennedy,
disproving only conspiracy theories about Kennedy. The author never suggests that any specific conspiracy theory is truthful or has
any veracity. Nor does he or she suggest that any specific conspiracy theory is necessarily wrong. Instead, the author merely
argues that conspiracy theories arise from uncertainty. Adding scientific theories about why various things happen or exist, thus,
would not help the author make his or argument, even if those things are used in the passage as examples of unknowable things.
Therefore, choice (B) is incorrect. The author argues that conspiracy theories arise from uncertainties or things people cannot
completely know or understand. Throughout the passage, the author references several well-known conspiracy theories, but his or
her argument would not be improved or strengthened by adding older theories or explanations for unexplainable phenomena. Thus,
choice (C) is incorrect, as it would imply that ancient theories could strengthen an argument about modern-day conspiracy theories
arising from similar uncertainty. The author argues that conspiracy theories arise from uncertainties or things people cannot
completely know or understand. He or she does not argue that conspiracy theories are generally accepted or generally unaccepted,
though. Thus, evidence that proves that most Americans do not believe in conspiracy theories would have no bearing on the
strength of this argument. Therefore, choice (D) is not correct.

6) B
Question Type: Vocabulary
lacuna (noun): a gap or missing part.
In the third paragraph, the author suggests that people should not make up “theories to explain away the lacuna of facts” and
should, instead, “accept the fact that we will never know absolutely everything about anything.” Since we cannot know everything,
there must be some missing facts. Additionally, later in the paragraph, the author states that conspiracy theories “merely explain
away gaps of knowledge with pseudoscience.” This sentence mirrors the one that contains lacuna, suggesting that lacuna likewise
means a gap. Therefore, choice (B) is correct. Though lacuna sounds similar to lagoon, a lacuna actually has no relationship to it.
The passage never discusses a body of water, so lacuna cannot logically mean a body of water. Thus, choice (A) is incorrect. In the
third paragraph, the author suggests that people should not make up “theories to explain away the lacuna of facts” and should,
instead, “accept the fact that we will never know absolutely everything about anything.” Since we cannot know everything, there
must be some missing facts. Thus, it would not make sense for a lacuna to be an abundance, as a lacuna must, in fact, mean quite
the opposite. Therefore, choice (C) is incorrect. In the third paragraph, the author suggests that people should not make up “theories
to explain away the lacuna of facts” and should, instead, “accept the fact that we will never know absolutely everything about
anything.” Since we cannot know everything, there must be some missing facts. However, while the author alleges that conspiracy
theories are fallacies (or at least “pseudoscience”), he or she uses lacuna to refer to the facts, or lack thereof, that create conspiracy
theories. Thus, a lacuna cannot logically mean a fallacy, making choice (D) incorrect. Though the author refers to “a lacuna of facts,”
a lacuna does not refer to truth. Facts are true, but the author suggests that there are “gaps of knowledge” and that “we will never
know absolutely everything about anything.” This implies that lacuna refers to an absence of facts, not to the facts themselves being
true. Therefore, choice (E) is incorrect.

7) A
Question Type: Global
The third paragraph of the passage opens with a qualification: “None of this is to say that one should not ask questions.” In doing so,
it redirects the passage from a discussion about the origins of conspiracy theories (the second paragraph discuses where “they
come from”) to one about the need to ask questions. However, the author does not change directions too much, as he or she ends
the passage by returning to the problems with conspiracy theories, namely that “they don’t answer any questions” and instead
“explain away gaps of knowledge with pseudoscience.” This is a restatement of the author’s main argument that conspiracy theories
come from “the experience of not knowing” but do not themselves provide certainty. Choice (A) is, therefore, correct, as it explains
exactly what the third paragraph does: It redirects the passage slightly before restating or furthering the author’s argument. The third
paragraph never refutes an argument made earlier in the passage. It does, however, qualify the argument. The author makes it
clear that he or she is not suggesting questions should not be asked but is, rather, stating that conspiracy theories cannot answer
unanswerable questions. Therefore, choice (B) is not correct. The author only introduces one additional conspiracy theory in the
third paragraph, writing that we should know “whether the Illuminati control everything.” The other conspiracies mentioned are ones
discussed at earlier points in the essay. Additionally, the main function of the third paragraph is not to merely list potential
conspiracy theories. Therefore, choice (C) is not correct. Though the third paragraph does restate the author’s main argument, it
does not restate the evidence or reasoning the author uses to make said argument. The third paragraph does not serve the role of a
conclusion. Thus, choice (D) is not correct. Though the third paragraph does restate the author’s main argument, it does not restate
the evidence or reasoning the author uses to make said argument. The third paragraph does not serve the role of a conclusion. The
final paragraph actually concludes the passage. Thus, choice (E) is not correct.

8) B

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 READTHEORY Answers and Explanations

Question Type: Inference

The author concludes the entire passage with the example of why cats purr. He or she writes that “there does not need to be a why
for every what,” implying that some things simply are, regardless of if they can be explained. Earlier in the passage, the author
states that “we should simply accept the fact that we will never know absolutely everything about anything.” Together, these
statements imply that the author believes some things should be accepted as fact, even if they cannot be totally understood. Thus,
choice (B) is correct. The author does suggest that many things are unknowable, but he or she goes further in the cat example,
writing that “there does not need to be a why for every what.” In stating that, the author seems to suggest that everything is
knowable, but not everything is explainable. We know that cats purr; that is a knowable fact. However, we do not know why they
purr; that is not explainable. Therefore, choice (A) is incorrect. The author does not suggest that some things are scientific truths in
stating that cats purr. Rather, he or she suggests that we cannot know why cats purr, though we can know that they purr. At no
point, though, does he or she imply that the fact that cats purr is a scientific truth or fact. Therefore, choice (C) is incorrect. The
author does not suggest that anything should be left to conspiracy theorists. Rather, he or she makes it clear that conspiracy
theorists only attempt to “explain away gaps of knowledge with pseudoscience.” This suggests that the author is not a fan of
conspiracy theories, making choice (D) incorrect. Though the author suggests that conspiracy theories are largely “pseudoscience,”
he or she does not suggest that why cats purr is a conspiracy theory. Thus, he or she does not suggest that cats purring should be
seen as pseudoscience. Therefore, choice (E) is incorrect.

9) D
Question Type: Detail
The author references all the other answer choices as potential conspiracy theories except the origins of the wheel. The wheel’s
origins are, instead, mentioned in the third paragraph as something we cannot completely know. Therefore, choice (D) is correct. In
the first paragraph, the author suggests that one might have heard “that the moon landing was staged in Hollywood.” Therefore,
choice (A) is incorrect. In the first paragraph, the author suggests that one might have heard “that the United States government has
been harboring extraterrestrials and their advanced technology at Area 51.” Therefore, choice (B) is incorrect. In the first paragraph,
the author suggests that one might have heard “that John F. Kennedy was assassinated by someone other than Lee Harvey
Oswald.” Oswald would be a lone gunman, so choice (C) is incorrect. In the third paragraph, the author writes that “we should
know… whether Illuminati control everything,” making it clear that this is a conspiracy theory. Therefore, choice (E) is incorrect.

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