HSPT Language Skills : Analyzing Relevance to Topic
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Language Skills
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Analyzing Relevance To Topic
Which of the following sentences would make sense in an article titled “Digital and Traditional Writing Methods: Which is Better?”
Calligraphy, the art of decorative handwriting, is becoming a popular hobby, and all you need to get started is paper and a special type of pen.
Writing on a computer has many advantages that are missing when you write with pen and paper: you can save multiple versions of your work, check it for spelling errors, and use features like copy, cut, and paste to reorganize large sections of text.
The ancient Egyptians wrote on scrolls of papyrus, some of which were preserved well enough that they can still be read today. They wrote using a system of hieroglyphics.
For many people, journaling allows them to keep a record of their thoughts and experiences while their memories and emotions are still fresh. Many famous people throughout history have kept personal journals that have become valuable sources of their particular perspective on major events.
Writing on a computer has many advantages that are missing when you write with pen and paper: you can save multiple versions of your work, check it for spelling errors, and use features like copy, cut, and paste to reorganize large sections of text.
The sentence that is most relevant to the topic is "Writing on a computer has many advantages that are missing when you write with pen and paper: you can save multiple versions of your work, check it for spelling errors, and use features like copy, cut, and paste to reorganize large sections of text." This sentence directly compares the process of writing on a computer with the process of writing using a pen and paper. The title of the article, "Digital and Traditional Writing Methods: Which is Better?" implicitly calls for these two methods to be compared. In order to figure out which one is better, it is necessary to compare them. The sentences about ancient Egyptian writing methods, journaling, and calligraphy are off-topic and do not mention both digital and traditional writing methods.
Example Question #8 : Relevance And Scope
Which of the following sentences would make sense in an article titled "Deciphering Recyclable Materials”?
Most major cities in the United States have some sort of recycling program, and many smaller towns participate in programs as well.
Some cities have started to ban or tax various materials that are difficult or impossible to recycle, like takeout containers and plastic bags.
Currently, the task of separating paper from plastic most often falls on the individual recycler, though such sorting is occasionally performed at a plant after materials have been collected.
You may see recyclable materials labeled with one of several different acronyms: "PET" or "PETE," both of which mean "post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate," or "HDPE," which indicates "high-density polyethylene."
You may see recyclable materials labeled with one of several different acronyms: "PET" or "PETE," both of which mean "post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate," or "HDPE," which indicates "high-density polyethylene."
First, let's take a look at the topic of the (hypothetical) article that the correct answer choice will make sense under: "Deciphering Recyclable Materials." "Deciphering" means decoding or translating from a code into something someone can understand, and "recyclable materials" are things that can be recycled. With that in mind, let's look at the answer choices.
Each of these answer choices has to do with recycling, so we'll need to focus on what differentiates them. Only two of them focus on recyclable materials as opposed to the process of recycling:
"Currently, the task of separating paper from plastic most often falls on the individual recycler, though such sorting is occasionally performed at a plant after materials have been collected."
"You may see recyclable materials labeled with one of several different acronyms: 'PET' or 'PETE,' both of which mean "post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate," or 'HDPE,' which means 'high-density polyethylene.'"
Now we need to pick out the answer choice that makes the most sense in an article about "deciphering" these materials. The answer choice here listed first talks about the process of separating recyclable materials, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with "deciphering" anything. The answer choice here listed second, on the other hand, conveys information about what different acronym labels one might find on recyclable materials each mean. In this way, the sentence connects the topic of "deciphering" with recyclable materials, and this makes it the best answer choice.
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