Grade 12 Reading comprehension worksheet

What is on the worksheet

1. The threshold in the model A river model issued a warning when a predicted level exceeded a fixed threshold. During testing, one prediction fell just below the threshold and another just above it, even though the difference was smaller than the model's usual uncertainty. The analyst kept the operational threshold but added a review zone around it. Cases in that zone received closer attention instead of being described as completely different levels of certainty. The threshold still supported action, but the report explained that a sharp decision boundary did not make the underlying measurements equally sharp. Why keep the threshold at all if predictions are uncertain?

2. Reading and literary analysis: which term fits this description? The part of a narrative in which central conflicts are settled or brought to a stopping point.

   1. Unreliable narrator
   2. Resolution
   3. Irony
   4. Antagonist

3. The revised conclusion After analysing a small data set, Jo wrote that a new method always improved performance. A peer reviewer noted the short study period, uncertain measurement and absence of a comparison group. Jo did not erase the results. Instead, Jo narrowed the conclusion, described the limitations and proposed a more informative follow-up study. Write a revised conclusion appropriate to the information given.

4. Two cities report different rates using different case definitions. Why is direct comparison uncertain?

5. Reading and literary analysis: which term fits this description? A concise account of the essential points of a text.

   1. Foreshadowing
   2. Hyperbole
   3. Summary
   4. Narrator

6. A score without a guarantee A school trial used software to flag possible missing steps in worked solutions. The tool correctly flagged several incomplete examples but also flagged a concise valid method it had not been designed to recognize. The teacher kept the software as a prompt for review rather than an automatic marking authority. Pupils could explain their reasoning, and final decisions considered the actual mathematics. In the report, the team separated the number of flags from the number of confirmed errors. A warning was useful evidence to inspect, not proof of a mistake. What role did the teacher retain?

   1. hiding valid alternatives
   2. final judgement based on the actual reasoning
   3. accepting every flag unchanged
   4. only counting software messages

7. Reading and literary analysis: which term fits this description? An underlying idea explored through a text, rather than just its topic.

   1. Theme
   2. Imagery
   3. Symbol
   4. Metaphor

8. Assumptions in a model A model predicted that a tank would empty at a constant rate. Its graph was a straight line. In the real experiment, the water level fell quickly at first and more slowly later. The team retained the model as a rough approximation over a short interval, but documented that it did not describe the entire process accurately. Which assumption differs from the observed behaviour?

9. The threshold in the model A river model issued a warning when a predicted level exceeded a fixed threshold. During testing, one prediction fell just below the threshold and another just above it, even though the difference was smaller than the model's usual uncertainty. The analyst kept the operational threshold but added a review zone around it. Cases in that zone received closer attention instead of being described as completely different levels of certainty. The threshold still supported action, but the report explained that a sharp decision boundary did not make the underlying measurements equally sharp. Suggest information a user should see alongside a model warning.

10. A score without a guarantee A school trial used software to flag possible missing steps in worked solutions. The tool correctly flagged several incomplete examples but also flagged a concise valid method it had not been designed to recognize. The teacher kept the software as a prompt for review rather than an automatic marking authority. Pupils could explain their reasoning, and final decisions considered the actual mathematics. In the report, the team separated the number of flags from the number of confirmed errors. A warning was useful evidence to inspect, not proof of a mistake. Which case showed a false positive?

    1. The tool flagged a concise but valid method.
    2. Pupils explained their work.
    3. It flagged an incomplete example.
    4. The teacher reviewed a solution.

11. Voices in an archive Two accounts described the opening of a factory. An owner called it a source of progress; a worker described long hours and uncertain pay. Neither account represented every person in the town. A historian treated the disagreement as evidence about different experiences and interests, then sought wage records, council minutes and later testimony. Explain what wage records could add to this enquiry.

12. The translator's note A class compared two translations of a short historical speech. One used the word duty, while the other used obligation. The surrounding sentences were similar, but the class noticed different tones. Their teacher explained that a word in the original language could cover meanings that did not map neatly onto a single modern English term. Instead of deciding that one translator must be careless, the pupils examined context and read the translators' notes. Their analysis described how the choices shaped interpretation and identified points that remained uncertain without deeper knowledge of the original. Which difference prompted the class discussion?

    1. the colour of the paper
    2. the choice between duty and obligation
    3. the date of the lesson
    4. the number of desks

13. A score without a guarantee A school trial used software to flag possible missing steps in worked solutions. The tool correctly flagged several incomplete examples but also flagged a concise valid method it had not been designed to recognize. The teacher kept the software as a prompt for review rather than an automatic marking authority. Pupils could explain their reasoning, and final decisions considered the actual mathematics. In the report, the team separated the number of flags from the number of confirmed errors. A warning was useful evidence to inspect, not proof of a mistake. Why were flags and confirmed errors counted separately?

14. The translator's note A class compared two translations of a short historical speech. One used the word duty, while the other used obligation. The surrounding sentences were similar, but the class noticed different tones. Their teacher explained that a word in the original language could cover meanings that did not map neatly onto a single modern English term. Instead of deciding that one translator must be careless, the pupils examined context and read the translators' notes. Their analysis described how the choices shaped interpretation and identified points that remained uncertain without deeper knowledge of the original. What additional material did the class consult?

    1. only a popularity poll
    2. an unrelated advertisement
    3. a weather chart
    4. the translators' notes

15. The right formula, the wrong model A learner correctly substitutes numbers into a constant-acceleration formula to estimate a vehicle’s travel distance. The recorded velocity data, however, show that acceleration changes sharply during the journey. The arithmetic is sound, but the model’s condition is not satisfied. The teacher asks the learner to use smaller intervals or another method consistent with the data rather than merely rechecking multiplication. Why might smaller intervals help?

16. A score without a guarantee A school trial used software to flag possible missing steps in worked solutions. The tool correctly flagged several incomplete examples but also flagged a concise valid method it had not been designed to recognize. The teacher kept the software as a prompt for review rather than an automatic marking authority. Pupils could explain their reasoning, and final decisions considered the actual mathematics. In the report, the team separated the number of flags from the number of confirmed errors. A warning was useful evidence to inspect, not proof of a mistake. How did allowing pupils to explain their method improve the process?

17. Beyond the tested range A cooling model is fitted to measurements from 20 to 60 minutes after an object is removed from a warm enclosure. Its predictions match the observed interval closely. A report then uses the same formula to estimate the object’s temperature days later without checking environmental changes or the model’s assumptions. The analyst distinguishes interpolation within the fitted interval from extrapolation far beyond it. Name one assumption that should be checked before the long-range prediction.

18. The cheaper proposal A headline said that Proposal B would cost 20% less than Proposal A. The detailed table showed that A included equipment, installation and five years of maintenance, while B listed equipment and installation only. Both arithmetic totals were correctly added, but they covered different things. The review group requested a common five-year cost comparison and kept uncertain maintenance estimates visible. After the missing category was included, B still appeared cheaper, though by a much smaller margin. The headline had been numerically neat but incomplete. What common basis did the review group request?

    1. five-year costs including comparable categories
    2. only equipment colour
    3. only the proposal titles
    4. the number of pages

19. A score without a guarantee A school trial used software to flag possible missing steps in worked solutions. The tool correctly flagged several incomplete examples but also flagged a concise valid method it had not been designed to recognize. The teacher kept the software as a prompt for review rather than an automatic marking authority. Pupils could explain their reasoning, and final decisions considered the actual mathematics. In the report, the team separated the number of flags from the number of confirmed errors. A warning was useful evidence to inspect, not proof of a mistake. Which statement best matches the report?

    1. A warning identifies something to inspect, not a guaranteed error.
    2. No automated tool can ever help.
    3. Concise methods are always invalid.
    4. Every flag proves wrongdoing.

20. Beyond the tested range A cooling model is fitted to measurements from 20 to 60 minutes after an object is removed from a warm enclosure. Its predictions match the observed interval closely. A report then uses the same formula to estimate the object’s temperature days later without checking environmental changes or the model’s assumptions. The analyst distinguishes interpolation within the fitted interval from extrapolation far beyond it. Why does a close fit within the interval not guarantee accuracy days later?