Claim & Evidence
Excerpt from Standardized Mess By William
Standardized testing is used in the United
States education system in order to gauge
what a student has learned and to predict
their college readiness. Standardized tests
such as the ACT and the SAT are important
steps in the path toward college. These tests
are essential factors in the admissions
process and indirectly to the working world.
However, standardized tests have been
criticized for being an unfair estimate of a
students intelligence and applicable skills.
Additionally, students have different
opportunities to prepare and study for
standardized tests based on economic and
social factors. Standardized tests as a whole
only test how a student can answer
meaningless questions on a single day with
different levels of readiness. They do not
show a student's actual academic ability.
13
A Too much emphasis is placed on
standardized testing.
B The United States should get rid of standardized
testing.
C Testing is the only way to gauge what students have
learned.
What is the author's main claim in the
passage?
D Standardized testing is a poor predictor of college
readiness.
What inference can be made about standardized
testing based on the passage?
A Students will get a better job in the working world.
B Students are better prepared for college.
C Students with less money are at a disadvantage.
D Students are frustrated and looking for help.
Short Answer: What text evidence supports the author's
