Mixed Practice Set
Apply all your reading skills together by working through different question types, just like on a real test!
Learn
Put It All Together
Real tests mix all question types together. Practicing with mixed sets builds your ability to quickly identify what each question is asking.
Quick Review: Question Types
Main Idea
What is the passage mostly about?
Detail
Find specific information in the text.
Inference
What can you conclude from the evidence?
Vocabulary
What does this word mean in context?
Strategy for Mixed Sets
- Step 1: Read the passage carefully first
- Step 2: For each question, identify the TYPE before answering
- Step 3: Use the right strategy for that question type
- Step 4: Find evidence in the passage to support your answer
Passage and Questions
Passage: The Amazing Octopus
The octopus is one of the most fascinating creatures in the ocean. With eight flexible arms and a soft body, it can squeeze through incredibly small spaces. Scientists have discovered that octopuses are surprisingly intelligent. In laboratory tests, they have learned to open jars, solve puzzles, and even recognize individual human faces.
Perhaps most remarkable is the octopus's ability to change color. Special cells in their skin called chromatophores allow them to shift colors in less than a second. They use this ability for camouflage, hiding from predators by blending into rocks, coral, or sand. Some species can even change their skin texture to match their surroundings.
Despite their amazing abilities, octopuses have very short lifespans. Most species live only one to two years. After laying eggs, female octopuses stop eating and die shortly after their eggs hatch. This brief life makes their intelligence and adaptability even more impressive.
Practice
Answer these questions about the passage above. Identify the question type first!
What is the main idea of this passage?
According to the passage, what allows octopuses to change color?
Based on the passage, why would an octopus change its skin to match a coral reef?
In paragraph 3, what does "adaptability" most likely mean?
Check Your Understanding
Complete this 10-question mixed quiz covering all question types!
Mixed Reading Quiz
Quiz Complete!
Next Steps
Key Takeaways
- Identify the question type FIRST before answering
- Main idea questions need an answer that covers the WHOLE passage
- Detail questions require finding specific information in the text
- Inference questions need evidence to support your conclusion
- Vocabulary questions depend on HOW the word is used in context
- Review any question types that challenged you
- Practice identifying question types in your regular reading
- Move on to the next unit to continue building your skills