TSIA2 Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0

Read the passage. A community college noticed that students who attended an orientation session were more likely to register before the payment deadline. The college then added evening and online sessions so working students could participate. What is the main idea of the passage?

• AOrientation sessions were moved entirely online.
• BThe college adjusted orientation access to support student registration.
• CWorking students should not have to attend orientation.
• DPayment deadlines are usually difficult to understand.

In the sentence "The advisor helped Maya allocate her study hours among reading, algebra, and essay practice," the word "allocate" most nearly means

• Acancel
• Bmeasure exactly
• Cset aside for a purpose
• Dcomplete quickly

Read the passage. The city first installed rain gardens beside the library as a test project. After several heavy storms, the area had fewer puddles than the untreated sidewalk across the street. Which inference is best supported by the passage?

• AThe rain gardens likely helped manage stormwater near the library.
• BThe untreated sidewalk was built after the rain gardens.
• CThe city will replace every sidewalk with a rain garden.
• DThe library had never flooded before the project.

Read the sentence. Although the lab report included careful measurements, its conclusion was weak because it did not explain how the measurements supported the claim. What relationship does the word "Although" signal?

• AAddition
• BCause only
• CContrast
• DSequence

Read the passage. Some people describe public transit as a convenience for riders who do not own cars. That description is incomplete. Reliable buses also reduce traffic for drivers, connect employers with workers, and make downtown events easier to attend. What is the author's purpose?

• ATo argue that public transit has broader community benefits
• BTo explain how bus engines operate
• CTo criticize all people who drive cars
• DTo list the history of downtown events

Read the passage. The tutoring center extended its hours during final exams. Attendance increased, but the director noted that the extra hours worked best when instructors were available for specific subjects rather than general check-in help. Which detail best supports the director's conclusion?

• AThe center was open later during final exams.
• BStudents came to the center more often.
• CSubject-specific instructor availability made the extended hours more useful.
• DFinal exams occur near the end of a term.

Read the passage. The author describes the new park as "small but carefully designed," noting its shaded benches, water fountain, and path that circles the playground. The author's tone toward the park is best described as

• Adismissive
• Bappreciative
• Cconfused
• Dhostile

Read the passage. A local bakery posts its bread schedule each morning because the most popular loaves sell out quickly. Customers who arrive late sometimes leave with a different loaf than they planned to buy. Which statement is directly stated in the passage?

• AThe bakery sells only bread.
• BPopular loaves can sell out quickly.
• CCustomers dislike all unfamiliar loaves.
• DThe bakery opens before sunrise.

Read the paired statements. Statement 1: Community gardens improve neighborhoods because they provide fresh food and shared outdoor space. Statement 2: Community gardens require reliable volunteers, water access, and long-term maintenance plans. How do the statements relate?

• AStatement 2 gives practical conditions that qualify Statement 1's positive claim.
• BStatement 2 completely disproves Statement 1.
• CStatement 1 explains the cost of Statement 2.
• DStatement 1 and Statement 2 make unrelated claims.

Read the passage. The researcher did not claim that short naps improve memory for everyone. She reported that, in one study of college students, participants who napped after a vocabulary lesson recalled more words than those who stayed awake. Which choice best describes the limitation of the finding?

• AThe study involved one group and one learning task.
• BThe study proves that naps replace regular sleep.
• CThe study compared adults with children.
• DThe study measured physical strength.

Read the sentence. The committee's proposal was pragmatic: instead of designing a new system, it improved the form students already used. As used in the sentence, "pragmatic" most nearly means

• Apractical
• Bexpensive
• Cimpatient
• Dsecret

Read the passage. The city's bike-share program began with only two stations. The first year brought modest use, but a third station near the train stop doubled daily rentals. Which sentence best explains the significance of the third station?

• AIt made the program more connected to existing transportation.
• BIt proved that bicycles are faster than trains.
• CIt showed that two stations were illegal.
• DIt caused all residents to stop driving.

Read the passage. Before voting on the proposal, the board reviewed survey results, budget estimates, and letters from nearby residents. The final vote was delayed so staff could collect one more month of traffic data. Which choice best describes the board's approach?

• AImpulsive
• BEvidence-seeking
• CUninterested
• DPurely ceremonial

Read the passage. The article begins with a student's struggle to find affordable textbooks, then gives campus bookstore price data, and finally describes an open textbook program. Why does the author most likely begin with the student's experience?

• ATo introduce the issue through a concrete example
• BTo prove that all textbooks are unnecessary
• CTo avoid discussing evidence
• DTo show that price data cannot be trusted

Read the passage. Both articles discuss remote work. Article A emphasizes that remote work can reduce commute time and expand hiring. Article B warns that remote work can weaken informal mentoring for new employees. Which statement best synthesizes the two articles?

• ARemote work has potential benefits, but organizations must plan for employee development.
• BRemote work is always better than office work.
• CArticle B proves that Article A is false.
• DNeither article discusses employment.

Read the sentence. The report's recommendation is tentative because the sample size was small and the results have not yet been replicated. Which phrase best explains "tentative"?

• APresented with caution
• BSupported by many repeated studies
• CUnrelated to the evidence
• DWritten in a confusing style

Read the passage. The author notes that the new recycling bins are brightly colored and placed near exits, but adds that signs explaining what belongs in each bin are still needed. Which choice best states the author's evaluation?

• AThe bins are useless until they are removed.
• BThe design has useful features but needs clearer guidance.
• CThe exits should be closed to improve recycling.
• DThe author opposes all recycling programs.

Read the passage. When the clinic began texting appointment reminders, missed visits decreased. However, the clinic also changed its cancellation policy during the same month. Which conclusion is most reasonable?

• AText reminders may have helped, but another change could also have affected missed visits.
• BText reminders were the only possible cause of the decrease.
• CThe cancellation policy had no relationship to attendance.
• DMissed visits increased after the reminders began.

Read the passage. The paragraph about composting first defines compost, then describes what materials can be composted, and finally explains how finished compost improves soil. Which organizational pattern does the paragraph use?

• ADefinition followed by examples and effects
• BChronological biography
• CProblem followed by no solution
• DComparison of two opposing laws

Read the passage. The editorial claims that the city should preserve the old train depot. It cites the depot's role in local history and estimates that restoration would cost less than building a new visitor center. Which evidence would most strengthen the editorial's argument?

• AA preservation architect's estimate confirming the restoration cost
• BA list of unrelated buildings in nearby cities
• CA comment that trains are louder than buses
• DA photo of a modern airport terminal

Read the passage. The speaker says, "If our club wants more members, we should stop treating meetings like closed conversations. New students need a clear invitation and a role they can try immediately." What assumption underlies the speaker's argument?

• ASome potential members are discouraged when they do not feel included.
• BThe club already has too many members.
• CNew students cannot learn new roles.
• DMeetings should be canceled completely.

Read the passage. The historian argues that the mill changed the town's economy, but she cautions that employment records alone cannot show how workers felt about the change. Which statement best reflects the historian's point?

• AEconomic records can show some effects but not every human experience.
• BEmployment records are always fictional.
• CThe mill had no effect on the town.
• DWorkers' feelings are easier to measure than employment.

Read the two claims. Claim 1: The school should start later because adolescents benefit from more morning sleep. Claim 2: A later start could create transportation conflicts with elementary bus routes. Which revision best integrates both claims into one nuanced position?

• AThe school should study a later start time while planning transportation changes that wou…
• BThe school should start later and ignore transportation concerns.
• CBus routes matter, so student sleep can never be considered.
• DThe school should keep its schedule because all changes are harmful.

Read the passage. The scientist compared the island's bird counts from 1990, 2005, and 2020. She warned, however, that changes in counting methods could make the years difficult to compare directly. What is the most important caution when using this evidence?

• AThe trend may be affected by differences in data collection methods.
• BBird counts are never useful in environmental studies.
• COnly the 1990 count can be trusted.
• DThe island did not have birds in 2005.

Which sentence best introduces a paragraph arguing that students should use office hours early in the semester?

• AProfessors usually list their office hours on a syllabus.
• BUsing office hours early helps students clarify expectations before small problems become…
• CSome office doors are located near department mailboxes.
• DThe semester has several weeks before final exams.

A student writes, "Campus bike lanes improve safety." Which detail best supports the claim?

• AThe lanes are painted a bright color that separates cyclists from vehicle traffic.
• BMany students own backpacks with reflective strips.
• CThe campus bookstore sells water bottles.
• DSome students prefer walking in the morning.

In a paragraph about the benefits of peer study groups, which sentence should be deleted because it is least relevant?

• AStudy groups let students compare notes after difficult lectures.
• BExplaining a concept to another student can reveal gaps in understanding.
• CThe campus cafeteria serves breakfast until 10 a.m.
• DRegular meetings can help students keep a study schedule.

Which transition best completes the sentence? The new software saves time on routine forms; _____, staff members still need training before the system can work smoothly.

• Atherefore
• Bhowever
• Cfor example
• Dsimilarly

Which revision is most concise and clear? The reason the meeting was postponed was because several members were unable to attend.

• AThe meeting was postponed because several members were unable to attend.
• BThe reason that the meeting was postponed was due to the fact that several members were u…
• CSeveral members were unable to attend, and this was the postponement reason for the meeti…
• DPostponed was the meeting because the attendance of several members was unable.

Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct.

• AEach of the lab partners have a copy of the instructions.
• BEach of the lab partners has a copy of the instructions.
• CEach of the lab partners having a copy of the instructions.
• DEach of the lab partners were having a copy of the instructions.

Which sentence uses punctuation correctly?

• AThe class needs three supplies, notebooks, pencils, and folders.
• BThe class needs three supplies: notebooks, pencils, and folders.
• CThe class needs three supplies; notebooks, pencils, and folders.
• DThe class needs: three supplies, notebooks, pencils, and folders.

Which sentence best combines the ideas without changing their meaning? The lab closes at 6 p.m. Students must submit samples before then.

• ABecause the lab closes at 6 p.m., students must submit samples before then.
• BThe lab closes at 6 p.m., but students must submit samples before then.
• CStudents must submit samples after 6 p.m. because the lab closes.
• DThe lab closes at 6 p.m. unless students submit samples before then.

A writer wants to revise this sentence for more precise language: The experiment had a big effect on the plant. Which revision is most precise?

• AThe experiment did a lot of stuff to the plant.
• BThe fertilizer increased the plant's height by four centimeters.
• CThe plant was affected in a very big way by the experiment.
• DThe experiment and the plant had a thing happen.

Which choice best corrects the sentence? Walking across campus, the rain began suddenly.

• AWalking across campus, the rain began suddenly.
• BWhile I was walking across campus, the rain began suddenly.
• CThe rain, walking across campus, began suddenly.
• DWalking across campus suddenly the rain began.

Where should this sentence be placed in the paragraph? Sentence to add: "For that reason, several departments now post short video demonstrations before registration opens." Paragraph: (1) Some courses require specialized software that students may not have used before. (2) A written description of the software can help, but it often does not show how the tools work. (3) Students who see the tools in action can make more informed schedule choices. (4) Registration usually lasts for two weeks.

• ABefore sentence 1
• BAfter sentence 1
• CAfter sentence 3
• DAfter sentence 4