TSI Reading Practice Test

TSI Reading Practice Test (updated 2026)

The ELAR section of the TSI tests your foundational reading and writing abilities, focusing on reading comprehension, reading analysis, and text editing and revision. To help you prepare for this section of the TSI, this page contains everything you need to know, including what topics are covered, how many questions there are, and how you can study effectively.

Click “Start Test” above to take a free TSI ELAR practice test!

What’s on the TSI ELAR Assessment?

TSI ELAR Practice Questions

One of the best ways to check your understanding is by taking a practice test. Try the five practice questions below to test your reading skills!

After each question, review the answer explanation, whether you answered correctly or not. This will help you reinforce the concept and identify anything you may need to review.

Whether these questions felt easy or showed you where you need more practice, be sure to take the full practice test to get a better sense of how prepared you really are!

1. Read the passage below before answering the question:

Read Passage

The Amazon rainforest is one of the most important ecosystems in the world. However, it is slowly being destroyed. Areas of the rainforest are being cleared for farms and roads, and much of the wood is also being harvested and sold.

There are several compelling reasons to protect this area. First, a significant number of pharmaceuticals are made from plants that have been discovered in the rainforest, and it’s quite possible there are still important plants that have not yet been discovered. Secondly, the rainforest provides a significant portion of the world’s oxygen and also absorbs great amounts of carbon dioxide. Without rainforests, global warming could accelerate.

What is the main purpose of this passage?

A. To present the major reasons why the Amazon rainforest is being destroyed B.  To explain why the Amazon rainforest should be protected C.  To argue that rainforest destruction is a major cause of global warming D.  To discuss how the rainforest has helped in the development of medications Submit

The concepts in answer choices A and C are mentioned only briefly. The idea shown in choice D is discussed, but it is one of two subpoints that serve the main purpose, which is to discuss why the Amazon rainforest is a valuable area that should be protected.

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2. Read the passage below before answering the question:

Read Passage

One of the earliest known fabrics is cotton. Remnants have been found dating to 6,000 BC in South America, and use of cotton in the Middle East and India also dates back millennia. Cotton reached Europe later but quickly became a popular trade item. The industrial revolutions of the US and Britain, particularly Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin, allowed production of cloth to increase enormously. In the southern US, plantations produced mass quantities of cotton, relying heavily on slave labor to grow and harvest the crops.

Cotton tended to be “king” in the south, even after the Civil War, until boll weevils were introduced in the late nineteenth century. These insects wreaked havoc on cotton fields for decades until pesticides and other control methods were developed to manage the problem. Cotton continues to be manufactured in huge quantities today, in both genetically modified and organic forms.

Which of the following resulted from the invention of the cotton gin?

A. It slowed the production of cotton. B.  It allowed the US to produce cloth independently. C.  It solved the problem of the boll weevil. D.  It aided increased production of cotton. Submit

The fourth sentence of the passage states that the cotton gin led to increased production of cotton. Answer choice A states the opposite. There is no mention of US independence (B) in the passage. While the passage mentions finding solutions to the boll weevil problem (C), these solutions did not result from the invention of the cotton gin.

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3. Read the passage below before answering the question:

Read Passage

Feudalism was a social system that existed in parts of Europe during the Middle Ages. Essentially, there were several different classes within a feudal society. The king controlled all of the land in his jurisdiction. He divided this among a few barons. The barons then divided up the land they were given and distributed it to knights. It was then split up again and distributed to serfs, the lowest members of feudal society. They were permitted to farm small sections of land but had to give a portion of their food to the knights in exchange for this privilege. They also had to give free labor to the knights in exchange for using their land. Serfs had very few rights; they couldn’t even leave their land without permission from the knight who controlled it. The system of feudalism ended when money began to be used as currency instead of land.

What can be concluded from this passage?

A. Serfs were in a better position when the economy changed to a money-based one. B.  There were more knights in a typical feudal society than barons. C.  The knights did not have to do anything for the barons in exchange for land. D.  Most feudal societies in Europe were ruled by more than one king. Submit

The passage states, “The king controlled all of the land in his jurisdiction. He divided this among a few barons. The barons then divided up the land they were given and distributed it to knights.” If the barons divided up their lands, it would stand to reason that each baron would distribute his land to more than one knight. Therefore, there would have to be more knights than barons.

Choice A seems to be suggested by the last sentence and could be a point made later in the work, but it cannot be concluded from this excerpt alone. Whether knights had any duties to perform in exchange for their land (C) is never made clear. Choice D directly contradicts the passage.

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Here’s what you’ll find in the TSI course:

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By Lauren Stewart

Lauren graduated from Lamar University with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and spent many years in education, primarily teaching math. Lauren recognizes the common struggle with math and has a passion for helping others feel confident in their math abilities. She uses her background in education to help develop K-12 products and create instructional content, practice questions, and videos.

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