Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure

(MTEL

)
MTEL: Communication and Literacy Skills (01)
Practice Test
BOOKLET 1
Reading Subtest
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Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1
Purpose of the Practice Test .............................................................................................................1
Taking the Practice Test ...................................................................................................................1
Incorporating the Practice Test in Your Study Plan.........................................................................1
Communication and Literacy Skills 01 Practice Test: Reading Subtest .........................................3
General Test Directions .............................................................................................................4
Multiple-Choice Answer Sheet..................................................................................................5
Directions for the Multiple-Choice Section of the Reading Subtest..........................................6
Multiple-Choice Questions ........................................................................................................7
Directions for the Vocabulary Section of the Reading Subtest................................................24
Vocabulary Questions and Response Sheet .............................................................................25
Practice Test Results ......................................................................................................................26
Practice Test Results Overview...............................................................................................27
Multiple-Choice Question and Vocabulary Section Answer Key Worksheet .........................28
Vocabulary Section Sample Responses ...................................................................................30
Multiple-Choice Question and Vocabulary Section Practice Test Evaluation Chart...............33
Practice Test Score Calculation ...............................................................................................34
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
1
INTRODUCTION
This document is a printable version of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Online Practice Test.
The MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills test consists of a reading subtest and a writing subtest. To pass
the Communication and Literacy Skills test, you must pass both the reading and writing subtests.
The reading subtest consists of multiple-choice questions and word meaning (vocabulary) assignments. The
writing subtest includes multiple-choice questions, short-answer items, and open-response items, and is composed
of four parts: written mechanics, grammar and usage, a written summary exercise, and a written composition
exercise. Areas tested on the MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills (01) test include the comprehension and
analysis of readings; development of ideas in essay form on specific topics; outlining and summarizing;
interpretation of tables and graphs; and mastery of vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics.
To assist you in recording and evaluating your responses on the reading section of the Practice Test, a Multiple-
Choice Answer Sheet, a Vocabulary Questions and Response Sheet, an Answer Key Worksheet, and an
Evaluation Chart by test objective are included for the multiple-choice and vocabulary items. Sample Responses
are also provided for the vocabulary questions. Lastly, there is a Practice Test Score Calculation Worksheet.
PURPOSE OF THE PRACTICE TEST
The practice test is designed to provide an additional resource to help you effectively prepare for the MTEL
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) test. The primary purpose of the practice test is to help you become
familiar with the structure and content of the test. It is also intended to help you identify areas in which to focus
your studies. Education faculty and administrators of teacher preparation programs may also find this practice
test useful as they help students prepare for the official test.
TAKING THE PRACTICE TEST
In order to maximize the benefits of the practice test, it is recommended that you take this test under conditions
similar to the conditions under which the official MTEL tests are administered. Try to take the practice test in a
quiet atmosphere with few interruptions and limit yourself to the four-hour time period* allotted for the official
test administration. You will find your results to be more useful if you refer to the answer key only after you have
completed the practice test.
INCORPORATING THE PRACTICE TEST IN YOUR STUDY PLAN
Although the primary means of preparing for the MTEL is your college education, adequate preparation prior to
taking or retaking the MTEL test is strongly recommended. How much preparation and study you need depends
on how comfortable and knowledgeable you are with the content of the test.
The first step in preparing to take the MTEL is to identify what information the test will address by reviewing the
objectives for your field. A complete, up-to-date list of the Test Objectives is included in the Test Information
Booklet for each test field. The test objectives are the core of the testing program and a helpful study tool.
Before taking or retaking the official test, focus your study time on those objectives for which you wish to
strengthen your knowledge.
* For the Communication and Literacy Skills test, candidates may take one or both subtests during the four-hour
session.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
2
This practice test may be used as one indicator of potential strengths and weaknesses in your knowledge of the
content on the official test. However, because of potential differences in format and difficulty between the
practice test and an official MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills (01) test, it is not possible to predict
precisely how you might score on an official MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills (01) test. Refer to the
Test Information Booklet for additional information about how to prepare for the test.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
3
COMMUNICATION AND LITERACY SKILLS 01
PRACTICE TEST
READING SUBTEST
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
4
GENERAL TEST DIRECTIONS
This practice test consists of two subtests: reading (booklet 1) and writing (booklet 2). Each multiple-choice
question on the practice test has four answer choices. Read each question carefully and choose the ONE best
answer. Record each answer on the answer sheet provided.
Sample Question: 1. What is the capital of Massachusetts?
A. Worcester
B. New Bedford
C. Boston
D. Springfield
The correct answer to this question is C. You would indicate that on the answer sheet.
The vocabulary and open-response items on this practice test require written responses. Directions for the open-
response items appear immediately before those assignments.
You may work on the multiple-choice questions and open-response items in any order that you choose. You may
wish to monitor how long it takes you to complete the practice test. When taking the actual MTEL
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) test, you will have one four-hour test session in which to complete the
test.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
5
MULTIPLE-CHOICE ANSWER SHEET
Reading Subtest
Question
Number
Your
Response
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
6
DIRECTIONS FOR THE MULTIPLE-CHOICE SECTION
OF THE READING SUBTEST
The multiple-choice section of the reading subtest consists of six reading selections. Each reading selection is
followed by several multiple-choice questions related to the selection. Read each question carefully and choose
the ONE best answer based on the information contained in the selection you have just read. You may refer back
to the selection to answer the questions.
There are a total of 30 multiple-choice questions in this section of the reading subtest, numbered 1 to 30. Record
your answer to each question on the Answer Sheet provided in this booklet.
In the multiple-choice section of the reading subtest, the order of information requested by the questions does not
necessarily correspond to the order of information in a given selection.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
7
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
Read the passage below, written in the style of a magazine of ideas and opinion.
Then answer the five questions that follow.
A Native American Heritage
1 By the beginning of the twentieth century,
the Native Americans who lived in New
England were far fewer than had lived in the
region three centuries earlier. Many of these
people lived in small groups on portions of
lands that their ancestors had long occupied.
Though fewer in number, they honored their
tribal identities, cherished their ancestral
homelands, and wanted to keep what they
had. To help insure their heritage, Native
Americans eventually turned to the U.S. legal
system.
2 Leading the way were two Maine tribes,
the Penobscots and the Passamaquoddies,
whose history differed little from that of most
Native Americans of the region. Like other
tribes, their populations had decreased
markedly over the centuries; so had the
amount of land they controlled. After the
American Revolution, state governments had
imposed treaties that transferred much of the
Native Americans' land to state and private
ownership. With the loss of their land base
and its resources, tribal populations tended to
disperse as individuals sought opportunities
elsewhere. In Maine, by the early twentieth
century, the Penobscots and Passamaquoddies
held only two small reservations.
3 Thus matters stood for the next half-
century. Then, in 1957, a federal program
designed to encourage the assimilation of
Native American peoples threatened to
terminate the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy
tribal governments. Tribal leaders resisted.
With the help of other Native American
activists, they thwarted the attempt and in the
process strengthened tribal authority. It was a
small victory, but one that encouraged them to
seek other ways of asserting their rights.
4 As the changing social and political
climate of the 1960s and 1970s prompted
many Native American groups to insist that
the federal government live up to treaty
commitments, Penobscot and Passamaquoddy
leaders saw their opportunity. The tribes had
fought for the Americans in the Revolution
and in return had been promised protection of
their hunting grounds by the Continental
Congress. By the twentieth century, those
vast tracts had become extremely valuable.
So the two tribes decided to sue the federal
government for the return of about two-thirds
of the state of Maine.
5 The land, they claimed, had been taken
illegally, first by Massachusetts (of which
Maine formed a part until 1820) and then by
Maine. They based their case on the Indian
Trade and Intercourse Act of 1790. That law,
which made the federal government a trustee
for Native American property, declared that no
transfers of Indian land were valid unless
approved by Congress. Since the tribes could
demonstrate that state treaties involving more
than 1,200,000 acres of land taken from them
had never been submitted to Congress, they
had a strong case. Much to the surprise and
chagrin of many observers, the suit proved
successful. In 1980, the Maine Indian
Settlement Act awarded the tribes a substantial
monetary settlement that enabled them to buy
land, develop tribal businesses, and provide
employment for tribal members.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
8
6 In winning the case, the Penobscots and
Passamaquoddies established an important
legal precedent that other New England tribes
would soon use to assert their rights and to
reassert the full dimensions of the cultural
heritages their forbears had bequeathed to
them.

1. Which of the following statements from
the first paragraph of the selection best
expresses the main idea of that paragraph?
A. By the beginning of the twentieth
century, the Native Americans who
lived in New England were far
fewer than had lived in the region
three centuries earlier.
B. Many of these people lived in small
groups on portions of lands that
their ancestors had long occupied.
C. Though fewer in number, they
honored their tribal identities,
cherished their ancestral homelands,
and wanted to keep what they had.
D. To help insure their heritage, Native
Americans eventually turned to the
U.S. legal system.
2. Which of the following best expresses the
author's point of view?
A. The author has tremendous respect
for the basic fairness of the U.S.
legal system.
B. The author is surprised that the
Native Americans of New England
took so long to assert their rights.
C. The author admires the
accomplishments of the Native
Americans discussed in the
selection.
D. The author believes that the legal
suits discussed in the selection had
little merit.
3. According to information presented in the
selection, which of the following most
influenced Penobscot and Passamaquoddy
leaders to sue the federal government for
the return of about two-thirds of the state
of Maine?
A. their continuing opposition to
federal efforts during the 1960s and
1970s to encourage the assimilation
of Native American groups
B. changes in the federal law
governing the transfer of Native
American land
C. demands by other Native American
groups during the 1960s and 1970s
that the government honor its treaty
commitments
D. the tribes' contributions to the
patriot cause during the American
Revolution
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
9
4. Which of the following provides the best
evaluation of the author's credibility?
A. The author's misconceptions about
Native American history strongly
detract from the credibility of the
selection.
B. Despite some misunderstanding
of how the legal system works,
the author presents an informed
account of the suits discussed in
the selection.
C. The author's bias against the federal
government strongly detracts from
the credibility of the selection.
D. Although clearly sympathetic to
Native Americans, the author
presents a balanced account of
their efforts to assert their rights.
5. Which of the following best summarizes
the main points of the selection?
A. After centuries of population decline
and land loss, Native Americans of
New England employed the legal
system to assert their rights and
strengthen the economic bases of
their communities.
B. The 1960s and 1970s marked an
important turning point in Native
American history, particularly in
New England, where major tribes
reclaimed lands they had lost
centuries earlier.
C. Even though the Penobscots and
Passamaquoddies had been reduced
to two small reservations by the
early twentieth century, they
assumed an important leadership
role among the Native American
tribes of New England.
D. The legal initiatives of the
Penobscots and Passamaquoddies
made the state of Maine a leading
center of Native American activism
throughout the closing decades of
the twentieth century.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
10
Read the passage below, written in the style of a college history textbook.
Then answer the five questions that follow.
A Bill of Rights
1 As members of the Constitutional
Convention completed their work in
Philadelphia during the fall of 1787, they had
good reason to be proud of what they had
accomplished. Despite serious divisions over
questions of representation and related issues,
they had managed to fashion a new form of
governmentone that would enable the
United States to become the great nation
they believed it to be. This achievement
notwithstanding, they knew they could not
become complacent, for one task still
remained. The new government had to be
ratified by at least nine of the thirteen states,
and not everyone outside the Philadelphia
convention hall shared the founders' positive
view of their creation.
2 The main opponents of the new
government formed a group known as the
Anti-Federalists. Unlike proponents of the
Constitution, most of whom hailed from urban
centers and prosperous rural areas, the bulk
of Anti-Federalist support came from small
farmers who had a deep fear of centralized
power. As they saw it, the new government
represented a betrayal of revolutionary ideals
and posed as grave a threat to American
liberty as the British monarchy once had. In
making their case against the Constitution,
Anti-Federalist orators drew numerous
parallels between the Loyalists who had
backed Great Britain in 1776 and the political
leaders now calling for a stronger federal
government. In each case, they claimed, one
could detect the plots and intrigues of self-
interested individuals who had no qualms
about submerging "every worthy principle
beneath the shrine of ambition."
3 Apart from these general objections, the
Anti-Federalists found several features of the
Constitution particularly troubling. One was
the power of Congress to raise standing armies
during peacetime. This, they feared, would
result in the formation of a mercenary army
whose only loyalty was to the powerful
officials who had created it. Another set of
objections centered on the taxing power of the
new government. Given the broad grant of
authority made to Congress, they asked, why
should it act any differently in this regard than
Parliament had? As Patrick Henry observed,
nothing in the Constitution prevented
government officials from exploiting the
taxpaying public. The Virginia orator then
went on to sketch a frightening picture of
an all-powerful president "supported in
extravagant magnificence" by corrupt
legislators capable of "laying what taxes
they please, giving themselves what salaries
they please, and suspending our laws at their
pleasure."
4 The Anti-Federalists were also concerned
about the place of the states in the new system
of government. According to traditional
political theory, sovereignty was indivisible.
This meant that lesser governmental bodies
could not effectively share power with a
central authority. Anti-Federalists feared that
individual states would have insufficient
power to order their own affairs under the new
frame of government. They further noted that
the Constitution did not contain a bill of rights.
This, they believed, was no oversight on the
part of the framers, but reflected their general
disdain for the liberties of American citizens.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
11
5 This was a powerful critique. To meet
these attacks and secure ratification of the
Constitution, its supporters had to do much
more than simply demonstrate that the new
government corrected the deficiencies of the
government it was replacing. They also had to
show that it could meet the nation's needs
without threatening the liberties of American
citizens. Doing so proved more difficult than
expected, largely because so many people
were troubled by the new government's lack of
a bill of rights. It was not until June 1788 that
the Constitution became the law of the land.
That the first Congress elected under the new
charter wasted little time adding a bill of rights
to the Constitution was a tribute to the force of
the Anti-Federalists' arguments.

6. Which of the following statements best
expresses the main idea of the selection?
A. Memories of the recent struggle
against Great Britain heightened
Anti-Federalist concerns about
governmental corruption and
excessive taxation.
B. Being for the most part small
farmers, the Anti-Federalists were
fearful of the formation of a mer-
cenary standing army that would
have no loyalty to the people.
C. The framers of the Constitution
were surprised that so many people
agreed with the Anti-Federalist
critique of the new government
created by the document.
D. Although Anti-Federalist opposi-
tion to the Constitution did not
prevent ratification, it did force the
Constitution's framers to address
potential threats to individual
liberties.
7. The author's main purpose in this selection
is to:
A. describe Anti-Federalist objections
to the Constitution.
B. narrate the process by which the
Constitution was drafted and
ratified.
C. evaluate the advantages and
disadvantages of the Constitution.
D. analyze the motives of the framers
of the Constitution.
8. According to information presented in the
selection, a major difference between the
Anti-Federalists and supporters of the
Constitution was that the Anti-Federalists:
A. were more concerned about the
threat of governmental tyranny.
B. did not believe government served
any useful purpose.
C. were more concerned about future
developments than past events.
D. believed Great Britain still
threatened American liberties.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
12
9. Which of the following assumptions most
influenced the author's account in the final
paragraph of the selection?
A. Proponents of the Constitution
lacked the political skills of the
Anti-Federalists.
B. Anti-Federalist criticism strongly
influenced the debate over the
Constitution.
C. Proponents of the Constitution
lacked the organizational unity of
the Anti-Federalists.
D. A large majority of Americans
agreed with the Anti-Federalist
critique of the Constitution.
10. Which of the following best outlines the
main topics addressed in this selection?
A. The work of the Constitutional
Convention
The Anti-Federalist campaign
against the Constitution
The ratification of the
Constitution
B. Accomplishments of the framers
of the Constitution
Arguments of leading Anti-
Federalists against the
Constitution
Addition of a bill of rights to the
Constitution
C. Anti-Federalist fears of
centralized authority
Anti-Federalist views on
standing armies and taxation
Anti-Federalist views on
relations between states and the
federal government
D. Comparison of Anti-Federalists
and proponents of the
Constitution
Comparison of Loyalists and
advocates of the Constitution
The political influence of the
Anti-Federalists
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
13
Read the passage below, written in the style of a college journalism textbook.
Then answer the five questions that follow.
Nellie Bly
1 When Nellie Bly (18671922) landed
her first job as a reporter for the Pittsburgh
Dispatch in 1885, investigative journalism
was not widely practiced. But over the next
thirty-five years, Bly's reportorial ingenuity,
allied with her focus on issues of social
justice, brought investigative reporting to new
prominence and helped transform journalism
in the United States.
2 As a reporter for the Dispatch, Bly quickly
demonstrated the resourcefulness that would
later make her famous. Entering the city's
most impoverished areas, she conducted
interviews with working women and other
residents that provided the basis for a series
of stories on underreported topics such as
poverty, divorce, and factory work. Bly's
reputation was enhanced by an 18861887 trip
to Mexico, where she investigated political
corruption and the problems of the nation's
poor. But it was not until she went to work
for Joseph Pulitzer's New York World that she
began filing the stories that would make her a
household name.
3 Pulitzer, who had recently moved to New
York from St. Louis, was a major figure in
U.S. journalism. Although mainly interested
in selling newspapers, he understood how the
power of the press could be employed to
create support for social reform. And the late
nineteenth century was a time when much
needed to be reformed. This was especially so
in large urban centers such as New York City,
where poorly paid working peoplemany of
them recent immigrants from southern and
eastern Europeoften lived in filthy, crowded
tenements without any of the social services
available today. As publisher of the World,
Pulitzer promised to use his newspaper to
"expose all fraud and sham, fight all public
evils and abuses, and do battle for the people."
4 Bly would help him carry out that promise
through her pioneering undercover work for
the World. Her first assignment, an expos of
the notorious New York City Lunatic Asylum
on Blackwell's Island, provides a particularly
good example. Feigning mental illness, Bly
had herself committed for ten days in order to
experience the conditions from an inmate's
point of view. The resulting story caused a
sensation that, in addition to selling countless
newspapers, prompted urgently needed
changes in the treatment of patients.
5 Bly was soon filing a new story every
week as a crusading "stunt" reporter, a
journalistic approach that was a forerunner of
the investigative reporting of a later period.
On one occasion, she posed as a maid for a
story on employment agencies that took
advantage of poor, uneducated women. On
another occasion, she posed as an unwed
mother for a story on trafficking in newborn
babies that revealed they could be purchased
from brokers for as little as ten dollars without
any questions being asked. She also went
undercover to investigate bribery in the New
York State Legislature, where she exposed the
illegal operations of political lobbyists, at least
one of whom was forced to leave the state.
6 Not all of Bly's stories advanced the
crusade against injustice and corruption. In
addition, she did her share of lightweight
reporting. Indeed, the story for which she is
best known was a pure publicity stunt. In
November 1889 she traveled around the world
in an attempt to beat the fictional record set in
Jules Verne's novel Around the World in
Eighty Days; she made it in seventy-twoto
the accompaniment of two and a half months
of hyperbolic coverage in Pulitzer's paper.
Nevertheless, championing the cause of poor
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
14
working women was a prominent theme in
Bly's reporting. Along the way, she brought
significant changes to her profession. In
addition to her groundbreaking work as an
investigative reporter, she helped remove
barriers to women's employment as journalists
and served as a model for other women
seeking work in the field.

11. Which of the following statements best
expresses the main idea of this selection?
A. Despite the sensation Bly's exposure
of the New York City Lunatic
Asylum caused, she is best
remembered for her trip around
the world.
B. Bly's reporting not only contributed
to the development of innovative
journalistic techniques but also
helped effect important social
changes.
C. Although readers thought highly of
the investigative reporting Bly did
for the Pittsburgh Dispatch, she was
most celebrated for the stories she
published in the New York World.
D. During her thirty-five years as
a crusading reporter, Bly filed
numerous stories that exposed the
exploitation of working women and
the poor.
12. Which of the following best describes the
author's main reason for writing about
Bly's "resourcefulness" in the second
paragraph of the selection?
A. to inform readers about Bly's level
of education
B. to help readers understand the
difficulties that women journalists
faced in the late nineteenth century
C. to stress the importance of
objectivity in journalism
D. to emphasize the intelligence and
imagination that Bly brought to
her work
13. Information presented in the selection
best supports which of the following
conclusions?
A. Bly had little respect for the
ordinary journalism of her day.
B. Bly's concerns about social injustice
declined after she left the Pittsburgh
Dispatch.
C. Bly exhibited considerable courage
and adaptability as a reporter.
D. Bly's reporting made Joseph Pulitzer
a leading personality in U.S.
journalism.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
15
14. Which of the following statements from
the selection best expresses an opinion
rather than a fact?
A. The late nineteenth century was
a time when much needed to be
reformed.
B. On one occasion, Bly posed as a
maid for a story on employment
agencies that took advantage of
poor, uneducated women.
C. Not all of Bly's stories advanced
the crusade against injustice and
corruption.
D. Nevertheless, championing the
cause of poor working women was a
prominent theme in Bly's reporting.
15. Which of the following best outlines the
main topics addressed in this selection?
A. Reporting for the Pittsburgh
Dispatch
Joseph Pulitzer and U.S.
journalism
Bly's most widely read story
B. Establishing a reputation as a
resourceful reporter
Bly's undercover work for the
New York World
Assessment of Bly's journalistic
contributions
C. From Pittsburgh to Mexico
Exposing the New York City
Lunatic Asylum
Bly's work as a "stunt" reporter
D. Obtaining a position with the
New York World
Late nineteenth-century urban
problems
How Bly helped Pulitzer
promote social reform
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
16
Read the passage below, written in the style of a popular magazine.
Then answer the five questions that follow.
Rainbows
1 Does a rainbow point the way to a pot of
buried gold, as stated in popular folklore? Or
is it the multicolored serpent some people in
Asia, Australia, and Brazil see streaking
across the sky? Others see a rainbow as a
heavenly bridge connecting this world and the
world beyond. Among Arabs and some Bantu
in central Africa, it is the bow for God's arrow;
to early Christians, it was the throne of Christ;
and among the Nandi, Masai, and California
Yuki, it is the robe of God. To twenty-first-
century scientists, it is something quite
different. For them, the band of soft colors
that arcs across the sky simply shows the
spectrum of the colors in sunlight spread out
by raindrops.
2 How does it happen? Perhaps the best
place to begin is by noting that sunlight is
white light. Although white light contains
colors, they are blended together; no color is
visible until the light strikes an object. When
that occurs, the object struck reflects one or
more colors in the light while absorbing or
refracting the others. The reflected light is the
color the object appears to be when viewed
with the human eye. Whereas solid objects
send unabsorbed colors back to the eye,
transparent objects such as glass or water bend
the light as it passes through them. This
bending is called refraction. A rainbow is
caused by drops of water that both refract and
reflect the light rays that enter them.
3 Of the two processes, refraction plays a
particularly important role in the formation of
rainbows. This is so because when light is
refracted, each color is bent at a slightly
different angle. As a result, the colors in the
light separate, and it is then that the eye sees
the spectrum of light we call a rainbow. In the
spectrum, red light bends the least and violet
light bends the most. Orange, yellow, green,
and bluealways in that orderrange
between them. Hence, a rainbow is red across
the top and violet on the inner side of the arc.
And in every rainbow, whether caused by
sunlight striking raindrops high in the sky or
water dripping from a garden hose in the
backyard, the colors will appear in the same
order.
4 Rainbows in the sky appear only when the
viewer is between the sun and the moist air.
So they are most often seen early or late in the
day when the sun is low and there is rain in
the area of the sky toward which the sun is
shining. Each point on a rainbow is caused by
the interaction of sunlight with a different drop
of water. Sometimes only a short length of
color is visible, which means that no drops of
water are in other areas of the sky.
5 As to the pot of gold, even if such a
treasure were buried at the end of a rainbow, it
could never be found. Any effort to discover
this treasure is doomed to failure because
whenever a viewer moves underneath the
drops that form a rainbow, it disappears.
Rainbows exist only when the positions
between the light rays, the raindrops, and the
observer's vision align in the proper angles.
When the angles change, the spectrum of
visible colors vanishes.

Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
17
16. Which of the following statements from
the second paragraph of the selection best
expresses the main idea of that paragraph?
A. Although white light contains
colors, they are blended together; no
color is visible until the light strikes
an object.
B. The reflected light is the color the
object appears to be when viewed
with the human eye.
C. Whereas solid objects send
unabsorbed colors back to the eye,
transparent objects such as glass or
water bend the light as it passes
through them.
D. A rainbow is caused by drops of
water that both refract and reflect
the light rays that enter them.
17. Which of the following best describes the
author's main purpose in the selection?
A. to explore the significance of
rainbows in various cultures
B. to analyze a popular fable about
rainbows
C. to describe how rainbows are
formed and appear to the human eye
D. to examine the spectrum of colors in
rainbows
18. According to information presented in the
selection, all rainbows are red across the
top because the color red:
A. is more visible to the eye than other
colors in a rainbow.
B. is refracted less than other colors in
a rainbow.
C. is both refracted and reflected by the
water in a rainbow.
D. is the brightest of the different
colors in a rainbow.
19. Which of the following facts from the
selection best supports the author's
contention that even if a pot of gold were
buried at the end of a rainbow, it could
never be found?
A. When light is refracted, each of
the colors in the light is bent at
a slightly different angle.
B. Regardless of where a rainbow
appears, its range of colors will
always be in the same order.
C. Whenever a viewer moves under-
neath the raindrops that form a
rainbow, it disappears.
D. Each of the points on a rainbow is
formed by the interaction of sunlight
with a different drop of water.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
18
20. Which of the following best outlines the
main topics addressed in this selection?
A. The folklore of rainbows
The formation and arrangement
of the colors in a rainbow
When rainbows appear
The reason why one can never
see the end of a rainbow
B. The fable of the pot of gold
buried at the end of a rainbow
Conditions under which
reflected and refracted light are
visible to the eye
Rainbows and the interaction of
sunlight and drops of water
C. The scientific definition of a
rainbow
The different colors in white
light
The different colors in a
rainbow
When rainbows are most visible
D. Pots of gold and multicolored
serpents
The bending of light as it passes
through transparent objects
The different colors in a
rainbow
Looking at rainbows from
different perspectives
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
19
Read the passage below, written in the style of a college course assignment.
Then answer the five questions that follow.
Sociology 110: The Research Project
1 The major assignment for this semester is
to conduct a sociological research project.
The research subject will be one of your
own choosing. Your research method must,
however, be based on the established research
protocols that we began to employ last term.
The main steps in that procedure are outlined
below.
2 The best way to begin is by asking, What
do I want to learn more about? Doing so
will enable you to identify the topic of your
research. Once you have done that, you need
to define the problem you will be studying.
This requires developing a researchable
question. You may, for example, be interested
in the problems associated with aging in
contemporary society. Your primary aim at
this point in your research is to determine
what specific problem you want to look at and
the question you want to answer about that
topic.
3 While narrowing the focus of your
research, it is important that you consult the
existing literature on the topic you will be
examining, particularly recent work in the
area. Reading these studies will provide
helpful background information on what other
scholars have discovered concerning your
research topic and will reduce the likelihood
that you will duplicate their efforts; with so
much to be done, you want to add to what we
already know and not be reinventing the
wheel. Your review of the literature should
also suggest useful questions to ask in your
own research.
4 The next step is to formulate a hypothesis.
This is a testable statement that predicts what
you expect your findings will demonstrate.
You also need to include a discussion of the
way in which you plan to test your hypothesis.
5 Once that has been accomplished, you
should be ready to develop a research design.
First, determine the most appropriate method
for collecting and analyzing data. Then
prepare a detailed research proposal outlining
the data collection techniques you will be
employing, the questions you will be asking of
the data, and the approach you will be using to
analyze your findings.
6 You can now begin collecting the data.
Be careful to avoid error and bias. Remember
that you are not trying to prove a point but to
test the hypothesis you have proposed. All
data must be recorded, not just information
that supports the hypothesis.
7 Once your research is completed, you
need to analyze the data. Your aim here is to
construct generalizations that relate your
findings to your hypothesis. You should do
so in a way that leaves no doubt about your
position. Your readers deserve as clear a
statement as possible indicating your position.
Don't disappoint them. An equivocal analysis
is like a cup of warm water on a hot day.
8 The final step is to prepare the research
report. In it, you should describe the nature of
the project, review pertinent elements of the
literature, state your hypothesis, discuss the
research design, and detail your findings.
You should also include a discussion of any
problems that you encountered and how you
resolved them. In stating your conclusions, be
sure to explain how your findings support,
disprove, or modify the theories you employed
to examine the problem that was the focus of
your research.

Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
20
21. Which of the following statements best
expresses the main idea of the selection?
A. The most important task in con-
ducting sociological research is to
find a topic that one wants to learn
more about.
B. When conducting sociological
research, it is absolutely necessary
to read the existing literature on the
topic.
C. The most important task in con-
ducting sociological research is to
state your findings clearly.
D. When conducting sociological
research, it is absolutely necessary
to follow standard research
procedures.
22. In paragraph 3, the author cautions
students about not "reinventing the
wheel." The most likely reason the
author does so is to warn them about
the danger of:
A. focusing on an insignificant
problem.
B. posing questions for which there
are no clear answers.
C. redoing the work of others.
D. making the task more complex than
it needs to be.
23. According to information presented in the
selection, which of the following steps in
the sociological research process should
come first?
A. examining studies of the research
topic by other sociologists
B. formulating a testable hypothesis
C. preparing a detailed research
proposal
D. selecting a data collection method
24. In paragraph 7, the author compares an
"equivocal analysis" to "a cup of warm
water on a hot day." The author uses this
analogy to illustrate the idea that readers
are likely to find an equivocal analysis:
A. confusing.
B. inappropriate.
C. irrelevant.
D. unsatisfying.
25. According to information presented in the
selection, researchers must be most careful
about distorting the validity of their
analysis when:
A. developing a research design.
B. collecting and recording data.
C. reviewing the existing literature.
D. formulating a hypothesis.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
21
Read the passage below, written in the style of a college science textbook.
Then answer the five questions that follow.
Wind Chill
1 Life in a cold climate gets considerably
colder whenever the wind blows. Even a light
wind can take the pleasure out of a walk on a
sunny winter day. At such moments, the wind
seems to blow away all the sun's warmth.
Known as wind chill, this cooling sensation
makes the air feel more frigid than it actually
is. The reason for this phenomenon is that
the wind is blowing away body heat, thereby
creating an effective temperature that is indeed
colder for living organisms than what the
thermometer reads.
2 On a calm day, the human body
can partially insulate itself from cooler
temperatures around it by warming up a
layer of air next to the skin. This is called
the boundary layer. When the wind blows,
it pulls the "boundary layer" away from the
body; it also evaporates any moisture on the
skin, which draws additional heat from the
body. In warm weather, this can bring
welcome, if temporary, relief from the heat.
But on a cold day, wind chill can cause
extreme discomfort and might even become
dangerous if one's body temperature drops
too low.
3 The speed of the wind is the main
determinant of the chill's intensity. When
combined with air temperature and the amount
of heat lost by one square meter of skin in an
hour, wind speed can be used to calculate the
"wind chill factor." This is the effective
temperature that a person feels on a windy
day. As data presented in the accompanying
chart illustrate, the faster the wind blows, the
colder the air will feel striking the bare skin of
people exposed to it.
4 It must be emphasized that wind changes a
person's "sensible temperature," not the actual
temperature of the air. An individual standing
in wind feels colder than a person protected
from the wind because the person in the
wind loses body heat more rapidly. It is the
sensation caused by the loss of body heat that
is the wind chill. Thus, only living beings
that generate and lose body heat experience
wind chill. A car or a lamppost outdoors on
a cold, windy day will cool only to the actual
temperature indicated by the thermometer, and
not to the temperature created by the wind
chill.
5 In a cold climate, it is very important
that people know the wind chill factor when
planning to be outdoors for any length of time.
The wind chill speeds up the rate at which the
body loses heat; heat loss, in turn, can result
in life-threatening conditions such as
hypothermia and frostbite. A howling wind
on a frigid day can be especially dangerous for
tall, slim people, who lose heat much more
rapidly than shorter, heavier people do. But
everyone should be aware of the risks and take
appropriate steps to guard against the effects
of extreme wind chill. This means dressing
warmly in clothing designed to protect the
boundary layer and keep in the heat.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
22
Temperature (F)
35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
MPH Equivalent Temperature of Wind Chill Index (F)
calm 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
5 33 27 21 16 12 7 1 6 11 15 20 26 31 35 41
10 21 16 9 2 2 9 15 22 27 31 38 45 52 58 64
15 16 11 1 6 11 18 25 33 40 45 51 60 65 70 78
20 12 3 4 9 17 24 32 40 46 52 60 68 76 81 88
25 7 0 7 15 22 29 37 45 52 58 67 75 83 89 96
30 5 2 11 18 26 33 41 49 56 63 70 78 87 94 101
35 3 4 13 20 27 35 43 52 60 67 72 83 90 98 105
40 1 4 15 22 29 36 45 54 62 69 76 87 94 101 107
45 1 6 17 24 31 38 46 54 63 70 78 87 94 101 108
50 0 7 17 24 31 38 47 56 63 70 79 88 96 103 110

26. Which of the following statements best
expresses the main idea of the second
paragraph?
A. When the wind draws the boundary
layer away from the body on a
warm day, it creates a pleasant
cooling sensation.
B. The body's boundary layer functions
differently in cold weather than it
does in warm weather.
C. When the wind draws the boundary
layer away from the body on a cold
day, it causes discomfort and is
potentially harmful.
D. The body's boundary layer provides
greater protection in warm weather
than in cold weather.
27. Which of the following best describes
the author's reason for using the term
"effective temperature" in the first and
third paragraphs of the selection?
A. to indicate to readers that the author
is discussing the temperature people
actually experience on a windy day
B. to help readers understand how the
wind chill factor is calculated
C. to indicate to readers that the author
is discussing the cooling sensation
caused by the wind on a cold day
D. to help readers appreciate the effects
of prolonged exposure to the cold on
a windy day
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
23
28. People living in a cold climate could best
use the information presented in the chart
to help determine:
A. how long cold, windy conditions are
likely to persist.
B. how high to set the thermostat in
their home on a cold, windy day.
C. what time of day it is likely to be
coldest.
D. what type of clothes to wear outside
on a cold, windy day.
29. If the author wished to make the selection
more concise without sacrificing
important information, he or she could
best do so by deleting which of the
following paragraphs?
A. the second paragraph
B. the third paragraph
C. the fourth paragraph
D. the fifth paragraph
30. According to information presented in the
chart, what would the wind chill factor be
on a day when the temperature is 20F and
the wind is blowing at 30 miles per hour?
A. 3
B. 18
C. 78
D. 81
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
24
DIRECTIONS FOR THE VOCABULARY SECTION
OF THE READING SUBTEST
The vocabulary section of the reading subtest consists of six questions. Each question asks you to define the
underlined word.
Write or print your responses on the Response Sheet provided in this booklet.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
25
VOCABULARY QUESTIONS AND RESPONSE SHEET
31. Define the word abstain.


32. Define the word candid.


33. Define the word deprive.


34. Define the word allegiance.


35. Define the word transient.


36. Define the word infringe.


Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
26
PRACTICE TEST RESULTS
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
27
PRACTICE TEST RESULTS OVERVIEW
The practice test provides valuable information regarding your preparedness for the MTEL Communication and
Literacy Skills (01): Reading subtest. In this section, you will find information and tools to help you determine
your preparedness on the various sections of the test.
Multiple-Choice Questions and Vocabulary Section
A Multiple-Choice Question and Vocabulary Section Answer Key Worksheet is provided to assist you in
evaluating your multiple-choice and vocabulary responses. Sample Responses are also provided for the
vocabulary questions. The first column of the worksheet indicates the multiple-choice question or vocabulary
question number, the second column indicates the objective to which the test question was written, and the third
column indicates, for multiple-choice questions, the correct response. The remaining columns are for your use in
calculating the number of multiple-choice and vocabulary questions you answered correctly or incorrectly.
An Evaluation Chart for the multiple-choice questions and vocabulary questions is also provided to help you
assess which content covered by the test objectives may require additional study.
Total Test
Practice Test Score Calculation information is provided to help you estimate your score on the practice test.
Although you cannot use this practice test to precisely predict how you might score on an official MTEL
Communication and Literacy Skills: Reading subtest, you may be able to determine your degree of readiness to
take an MTEL test at an operational administration. No passing score has been determined for the practice test.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
28
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTION AND VOCABULARY SECTION
ANSWER KEY WORKSHEET
Multiple-Choice Section
Your Response Question
Number
Objective
Number
Correct
Response
Correct? Incorrect?
1 0002 C
2 0003 C
3 0004 C
4 0005 D
5 0006 A
6 0002 D
7 0003 A
8 0004 A
9 0005 B
10 0006 B
11 0002 B
12 0003 D
13 0004 C
14 0005 A
15 0006 B
16 0002 D
17 0003 C
18 0004 B
19 0005 C
20 0006 A
21 0002 D
22 0003 C
23 0004 A
24 0005 D
25 0006 B
26 0002 C
27 0003 A
28 0004 D
29 0005 C
30 0006 B
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
29
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTION AND VOCABULARY SECTION
ANSWER KEY WORKSHEET (continued)
Vocabulary Section
Refer to the Vocabulary Section Sample Responses that follow for examples of
correct and incorrect responses.
Your Response Question
Number
Objective
Number
Correct? Incorrect?
31 0001
32 0001
33 0001
34 0001
35 0001
36 0001
Count the number of multiple-choice questions you answered correctly: ____
Count the number of vocabulary questions you answer correctly: ____
Total multiple-choice and vocabulary questions you answered correctly: ____
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
30
VOCABULARY SECTION SAMPLE RESPONSES
Vocabulary Question #31:
Define the word abstain.
Sample Incorrect Response:
to forget, or to remember something incorrectly
Sample Correct Response:
to hold back from doing something, like casting a vote
Vocabulary Question #32:
Define the word candid.
Sample Incorrect Response:
a word meaning expecting to be heard
Sample Correct Response:
frank and to the point
Vocabulary Question #33:
Define the word deprive.
Sample Incorrect Response:
to grow and prosper, often in an unknown place
Sample Correct Response:
to not let someone have something that they want or need
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
31
Vocabulary Question #34:
Define the word allegiance.
Sample Incorrect Response:
an allegiance is a sign, or to sign using a method of codes, such as taps,
smoke, or flags
Sample Correct Response:
loyalty; for example, "I pledge allegiance to the flag" means being loyal to
the government the flag represents
Vocabulary Question #35:
Define the word transient.
Sample Incorrect Response:
to go against what is considered normal, but in a bad way
Sample Correct Response:
happening for only a brief period
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
32
Vocabulary Question #36:
Define the word infringe.
Sample Incorrect Response:
infringe means to put a border around something, it could be a piece of
fabric or a country
Sample Correct Response:
to violate or go over the line. for example: The authorities infringed on our
right to demonstrate peacefully outside the building when they ordered police
to move us along.
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
33
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTION AND VOCABULARY SECTION
PRACTICE TEST EVALUATION CHART
In the evaluation chart that follows, the multiple-choice questions are arranged in numerical order and by test
objective. Check your responses against the correct responses provided to determine how many questions within
each test objective you answered correctly.
Vocabulary Section
Objective 0001: Determine the meaning of words and phrases.
31_____ 32_____ 33_____ 34_____ 35_____ 36_____ _____/6
Multiple-Choice Section
Objective 0002: Understand the main idea and supporting details in written material.
1C_____ 6D_____ 11B_____ 16D_____ 21D_____ 26C_____ _____/6
Objective 0003: Identify a writer's purpose, point of view, and intended meaning.
2C_____ 7A_____ 12D_____ 17C_____ 22C_____ 27A_____ _____/6
Objective 0004: Analyze the relationship among ideas in written material.
3C_____ 8A_____ 13C_____ 18B_____ 23A_____ 28D_____ _____/6
Objective 0005: Use critical reasoning skills to evaluate written material.
4D_____ 9B_____ 14A_____ 19C_____ 24D_____ 29C_____ _____/6
Objective 0006: Apply skills for outlining and summarizing written materials and
interpreting information presented in graphic form.
5A_____ 10B_____ 15B_____ 20A_____ 25B_____ 30B_____ _____/6
Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading
34
PRACTICE TEST SCORE CALCULATION
The practice test score calculation is provided so that you may better gauge your performance and degree of
readiness to take an MTEL test at an operational administration. Although the results of this practice test may be
used as one indicator of potential strengths and weaknesses in your knowledge of the content on the official test, it
is not possible to predict precisely how you might score on an official MTEL test.
How to Calculate Your Practice Test Score
Review the directions in the sample below and then use the blank practice test score calculation worksheet below
to calculate your estimated score.
SAMPLE
Total Practice Test Score (Estimated MTEL Score)
Enter the total number of multiple-choice and vocabulary questions you 21
answered correctly:
Use Table 1 below to convert that number to the score and write your score in Box A A: 126
to estimate your MTEL score:
Practice Test Score Calculation Worksheet: Communication and Literacy Skills: Reading
Table 1
Number of
Multiple-Choice
and Vocabulary
Questions Correct
Estimated
MTEL
Score
Number of
Multiple-Choice
and Vocabulary
Questions Correct
Estimated
MTEL
Score
0 to 18 100 27 to 28 198
19 to 20 102 29 to 30 222
21 to 22 126 31 to 32 246
23 to 24 150 33 to 34 270
25 to 26 174 35 to 36 294
YOUR SCORE
Use the form below to calculate your estimated practice test score.
Total Practice Test Score (Estimated MTEL Score)
Enter the total number of multiple-choice and vocabulary questions you answered
correctly:
Use Table 1 above to convert that number to the score and write your score in Box A A:
to estimate your MTEL score: