Sentence Relationships – Exercises
Below you will find five sentence relationships exercises, which are in the same format as those on part 4 of the Accuplacer classic reading exam.
Questions on this part of the test cover sentence relationships.
Instructions: Look at the pairs of sentences provided, and then choose the response that best indicates the relationship between the sentences.
1. Interviewing for a new job can be an extremely stressful event.
Many job candidates become anxious about having to respond to certain interview questions, especially those that ask them to prove their competence.
How are the two sentences related?
A. They repeat the same idea.
B. They give a problem and a solution.
C. They make a comparison.
D. They provide a general claim and specific example.
2. The pain associated with certain medical conditions can be alleviated by listening to classical music on a regular basis.
A great deal of American hospitals have established music therapy programs to help reduce the suffering of their terminally-ill patents.
What does the second sentence do?
A. It supports the claim made in the first sentence.
B. It gives the reason for the result mentioned in the first sentence.
C. It contradicts the evidence given in the first sentence.
D. It draws a conclusion about what is stated in the first sentence.
3. The tornado caused wide-spread devastation to property in the local area.
Property insurance is much more expensive now than it was before the storm.
What does the second sentence do?
A. It states the effect.
B. It gives an example.
C. It offers a solution.
D. It makes a contrast.
4. The city has been trying to reduce the amount of litter dropped by pedestrians.
The municipal government has recently introduced fines for littering.
How are the two sentences related?
A. They repeat the same idea.
B. They provide a general rule and a specific example.
C. They state a problem and a solution.
D. They offer a theory and an explanation.
5. According to the law of gravity, objects dropped from above the surface of the earth fall to the earth’s surface.
Apples that fall from apple trees land on the ground.
What does the second sentence do?
A. It refutes the claim made in the first sentence.
B. It draws a conclusion about what is stated in the first sentence.
C. It applies the theory mentioned in the first sentence.
D. It contradicts the evidence given in the first sentence.
Sentence Relationships – Answers
1. The correct answer is D. Notice the words “certain” and “especially” in the second sentence, which indicate that a specific example is being provided.
2. The correct answer is A. The words “can be” in the first sentence indicate that a claim is being made.
3. The correct answer is A. Insurance prices have increased because of the tornado damage. So, the price increase is the effect of the storm.
4. The correct answer is C. The fines have been introduced in order to deter people from littering. Therefore, the fines are a solution.
5. The correct answer is C. We know that the first sentence is describing a theory because of the word “law.” The second sentence applies the general theory to an apple, which is a specific object.
NOTE: The questions on this page are for the classic version of the test, which was retired in January 2019.
More Test Help
For information on the format of the reading test and more free exercises, click on the links below:
Reading Comprehension Test Format and Exercises
Sentence Relationships Test Information and Sample Questions
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