Practice Test: Reading Comprehension

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1 Introduction to the OAR

About the OAR Who Takes the OAR and Why Study Plan and Test-Day Strategy

2 Math Skills Test (MST)

Arithmetic Fundamentals Fractions, Ratios, and Proportions Percentages and Real-World Applications Algebra Essentials Geometry Foundations Word Problems, Statistics, and Data Interpretation

3 Reading Comprehension Test (RCT)

RCT Overview and Core Strategies Main Idea and Purpose Questions Detail, Fact, and Inference Questions Vocabulary in Context and Author Tone Advanced Reading Strategies and Passage Types RCT Practice Passages and Questions

4 Mechanical Comprehension Test (MCT)

Forces and Newton's Laws of Motion Energy, Work, and Power Simple Machines and Mechanical Advantage Gears, Belts, and Rotational Motion Fluids, Pressure, and Hydraulics Electricity, Circuits, and Magnetism Motion, Heat, and Thermodynamics MCT Practice Problems and Review

5 Full Practice Tests and Final Review

Practice Test: Math Skills Practice Test: Reading Comprehension Practice Test: Mechanical Comprehension Final Review and Test-Day Preparation

Practice Test: Reading Comprehension

Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI

This practice set includes 10 passage-based questions simulating the OAR Reading Comprehension Test.

Time yourself at approximately 90 seconds per question to build pacing habits.

Always find the supporting evidence in the passage before selecting your answer.

Pay close attention to qualifier words that distinguish correct from incorrect answers.

After completing, identify which question types (main idea, detail, inference, vocabulary, tone) you find most challenging.

Last updated: March 2026

Read each passage carefully and answer the questions based solely on the information provided. Time yourself at approximately 90 seconds per question.

Passage A

The U.S. Navy's nuclear submarine program, which began in the 1950s under Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, has proven to be one of the most consequential military technology investments of the modern era. Nuclear propulsion eliminated the need for submarines to surface regularly for air and fuel, allowing them to remain submerged for months at a time. This capability transformed submarines from coastal defense platforms into strategic weapons capable of operating anywhere in the world's oceans. The nuclear submarine fleet now serves as one leg of the nation's strategic nuclear triad, alongside land-based missiles and strategic bombers.

Passage B

*Coral reefs, often called the rainforests of the sea, support approximately 25% of all marine species despite occupying less than 1% of the ocean floor. The foundation of a reef is built by tiny animals called coral polyps, which secrete calcium carbonate to form hard skeletons. Over thousands of years, these skeletons accumulate to create massive reef structures. However, coral reefs face unprecedented threats from rising ocean temperatures, which cause coral bleaching — a process in which stressed corals expel the symbiotic algae that provide them with food and color.

Without these algae, the corals turn white and, if conditions do not improve, eventually die.*
Passage C

*The concept of triage, now fundamental to emergency medicine and military medical practice, originated during the Napoleonic Wars. French surgeon Dominique Jean Larrey developed a system for categorizing wounded soldiers based on the severity of their injuries and the likelihood of survival with treatment. Rather than treating soldiers in order of rank — the previous practice — Larrey prioritized those who would benefit most from immediate medical attention.

This revolutionary approach meant that some severely wounded soldiers who could not be saved were made comfortable but not treated first, while those with survivable injuries received prompt care. Modern triage systems, while more sophisticated, still operate on Larrey's fundamental principle: allocate limited medical resources where they will do the most good.*