2026 ATI TEAS Full-Length Comprehensive
Practice Exam Questions with Answers
and Detailed Rationales
1. A researcher studying sleep patterns observes that
participants who consistently sleep fewer than six hours per
night demonstrate reduced performance on tests of attention
and working memory. However, participants who sleep more
than nine hours also show slightly lower scores, although the
effect is less pronounced. The researcher concludes that
moderate sleep duration is associated with the strongest
cognitive performance.
Which statement best represents the author's primary
conclusion?
A. Sleeping fewer than six hours always causes cognitive
impairment.
B. Sleeping more than nine hours causes severe cognitive
impairment.
C. Cognitive performance is unrelated to sleep duration.
D. Moderate sleep duration is associated with better
cognitive performance.
Rationale: The passage emphasizes that both insufficient and
excessive sleep are associated with somewhat poorer
performance, while moderate sleep duration is linked to the
,strongest results. The conclusion is an association rather than
proof of direct causation.
2. A hospital implemented a new electronic medication-
administration system. During the first month, medication
errors increased slightly. By the sixth month, however, errors
had declined substantially compared with the period before
implementation.
Which inference is best supported?
A. Electronic systems always increase medication errors.
B. Staff members immediately mastered the new system.
C. The transition period may have temporarily disrupted
workflow before staff adapted.
D. The hospital should permanently discontinue electronic
medication administration.
Rationale: The initial increase followed by a later decline
suggests that unfamiliarity with the new system may have
contributed to temporary difficulties. The passage does not
support claims that electronic systems always cause errors or
that they should be discontinued.
3.A city council proposes replacing several urban parking lots
with public gardens. Supporters argue that gardens improve
air quality and provide recreational spaces. Opponents
contend that eliminating parking will harm local businesses.
,Which additional evidence would most strongly support the
opponents' argument?
A. Residents enjoy walking through public gardens.
B. Trees can absorb atmospheric pollutants.
C. Businesses located near areas with reduced parking
experienced measurable declines in customer visits.
D. Public gardens can provide habitat for insects.
Rationale: Evidence directly connecting reduced parking with
decreased customer visits would support the opponents'
claim that eliminating parking could negatively affect
businesses. The other choices support benefits of gardens
rather than the opposing argument.
4. A nutrition article states that "correlation should not be
confused with causation." A study found that people who
regularly eat breakfast tend to have healthier body weights.
Which conclusion is most scientifically appropriate?
A. Eating breakfast necessarily causes weight loss.
B. Skipping breakfast necessarily causes obesity.
C. Breakfast has no relationship to body weight.
D. Breakfast consumption is associated with body weight,
but the study does not prove that breakfast itself causes the
difference.
Rationale: Correlation indicates that two variables are related
but does not establish that one directly causes the other.
Other variables, such as physical activity or overall dietary
patterns, could contribute.
, 5. A passage describes how antibiotics revolutionized
medicine but warns that their inappropriate use accelerates
antimicrobial resistance. The author recommends using
antibiotics only when clinically indicated.
What is the author's primary purpose?
A. To argue that antibiotics are ineffective.
B. To discourage all antibiotic use.
C. To explain the benefits of antibiotics while emphasizing
responsible use.
D. To demonstrate that antimicrobial resistance is
unavoidable.
Rationale: The author acknowledges the major benefits of
antibiotics but stresses responsible use to reduce resistance.
The passage does not reject antibiotics or claim resistance is
unavoidable.
6. Difficulty: Hard
A student reads the following statement:
"Although the intervention required substantial initial
funding, its long-term reduction in hospital readmissions
ultimately produced significant cost savings."
Which word best signals a contrast between the initial and
long-term effects?
A. required
B. initial
Practice Exam Questions with Answers
and Detailed Rationales
1. A researcher studying sleep patterns observes that
participants who consistently sleep fewer than six hours per
night demonstrate reduced performance on tests of attention
and working memory. However, participants who sleep more
than nine hours also show slightly lower scores, although the
effect is less pronounced. The researcher concludes that
moderate sleep duration is associated with the strongest
cognitive performance.
Which statement best represents the author's primary
conclusion?
A. Sleeping fewer than six hours always causes cognitive
impairment.
B. Sleeping more than nine hours causes severe cognitive
impairment.
C. Cognitive performance is unrelated to sleep duration.
D. Moderate sleep duration is associated with better
cognitive performance.
Rationale: The passage emphasizes that both insufficient and
excessive sleep are associated with somewhat poorer
performance, while moderate sleep duration is linked to the
,strongest results. The conclusion is an association rather than
proof of direct causation.
2. A hospital implemented a new electronic medication-
administration system. During the first month, medication
errors increased slightly. By the sixth month, however, errors
had declined substantially compared with the period before
implementation.
Which inference is best supported?
A. Electronic systems always increase medication errors.
B. Staff members immediately mastered the new system.
C. The transition period may have temporarily disrupted
workflow before staff adapted.
D. The hospital should permanently discontinue electronic
medication administration.
Rationale: The initial increase followed by a later decline
suggests that unfamiliarity with the new system may have
contributed to temporary difficulties. The passage does not
support claims that electronic systems always cause errors or
that they should be discontinued.
3.A city council proposes replacing several urban parking lots
with public gardens. Supporters argue that gardens improve
air quality and provide recreational spaces. Opponents
contend that eliminating parking will harm local businesses.
,Which additional evidence would most strongly support the
opponents' argument?
A. Residents enjoy walking through public gardens.
B. Trees can absorb atmospheric pollutants.
C. Businesses located near areas with reduced parking
experienced measurable declines in customer visits.
D. Public gardens can provide habitat for insects.
Rationale: Evidence directly connecting reduced parking with
decreased customer visits would support the opponents'
claim that eliminating parking could negatively affect
businesses. The other choices support benefits of gardens
rather than the opposing argument.
4. A nutrition article states that "correlation should not be
confused with causation." A study found that people who
regularly eat breakfast tend to have healthier body weights.
Which conclusion is most scientifically appropriate?
A. Eating breakfast necessarily causes weight loss.
B. Skipping breakfast necessarily causes obesity.
C. Breakfast has no relationship to body weight.
D. Breakfast consumption is associated with body weight,
but the study does not prove that breakfast itself causes the
difference.
Rationale: Correlation indicates that two variables are related
but does not establish that one directly causes the other.
Other variables, such as physical activity or overall dietary
patterns, could contribute.
, 5. A passage describes how antibiotics revolutionized
medicine but warns that their inappropriate use accelerates
antimicrobial resistance. The author recommends using
antibiotics only when clinically indicated.
What is the author's primary purpose?
A. To argue that antibiotics are ineffective.
B. To discourage all antibiotic use.
C. To explain the benefits of antibiotics while emphasizing
responsible use.
D. To demonstrate that antimicrobial resistance is
unavoidable.
Rationale: The author acknowledges the major benefits of
antibiotics but stresses responsible use to reduce resistance.
The passage does not reject antibiotics or claim resistance is
unavoidable.
6. Difficulty: Hard
A student reads the following statement:
"Although the intervention required substantial initial
funding, its long-term reduction in hospital readmissions
ultimately produced significant cost savings."
Which word best signals a contrast between the initial and
long-term effects?
A. required
B. initial
