HESI A2 Examination
PMOC GNIDAER
★ ★
HESI Health Education Systems, Inc. — Elsevier
E V O LV E • A S S E S S • A C H I E V E
ELSEVIER
HESI A2 — Reading Comprehension
PA SS A G E A N A LYS I S , V O C A B U L A R Y I N CO N T E XT & C R I T I C A L I N F E R E N C E
INSTITUTION Elsevier / Health Education Systems, Inc. EXAM CODE HESI A2
(HESI)
PROGRAM Pre-Nursing Admission Assessment (ADN / ACADEMIC YEAR
BSN)
EXAM SECTION Reading Comprehension TOTAL QUESTIONS 55 Questions
CONTENT AREAS Main Idea, Vocabulary, Inference, Author's FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the Single Best
Purpose, Supporting Details Answer
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Read each passage carefully before attempting the questions that follow it.
▸ Questions marked "Choose all that apply" may have more than one correct answer — select ALL correct options.
▸ Vocabulary-in-context questions require you to determine word meaning based on how it is used in the passage.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question for comprehensive review.
▸ Passages cover health, science, history, and general interest topics typical of the HESI A2 Reading Comprehension section.
PASSAGE 1 — FOOD AND HEALTH Questions 1 – 5
REFERENCE PASSAGE
Food and drink are necessary and desirable, but their abuse can cause serious physical and mental problems. Many physicians
believe that overeating is one of the country's main health problems, since it places a great strain on the heart, can lead to
diabetes, and often shortens the individual's life span. To fill an emotional void, people often turn to food when they are bored
or lonely. Another area of concern is alcohol consumption. The results of alcohol abuse are widely publicized. The social drinker
who becomes alcoholic, the drunken driver's contribution to highway death, spousal and child abuse, are all concomitant
problems associated with alcohol abuse.
1. As used in the last sentence of this paragraph, the term "concomitant" most nearly means:
A. Accompanying
B. Quiet
C. Separate
D. Unpredictable
CORRECT ANSWER A — Accompanying
RATIONALE "Concomitant" means naturally accompanying or associated with something. In context, the author lists
problems (alcoholism, drunk driving deaths, spousal/child abuse) that accompany alcohol abuse. "Separate"
(C) is an antonym; "quiet" (B) and "unpredictable" (D) do not match the contextual meaning.
, 2. The information presented in this article is best characterized as:
A. Against eating and drinking entirely
B. Against drinking alcohol
C. Against eating rich foods
D. Unbiased in its approach
CORRECT ANSWER B — Against drinking alcohol
RATIONALE While the passage discusses overeating as a health concern, it specifically targets alcohol abuse with strong
language about its consequences (highway death, spousal/child abuse). The author's position against
drinking alcohol is explicit. The passage does not advocate against all eating and drinking (A), and it is not
unbiased (D)—it takes a clear stance against alcohol.
3. The author's primary motive for writing this paragraph appears to have been to:
A. Entertain with anecdotes about food
B. Urge self-control regarding food and alcohol consumption
C. Promote a specific diet plan
D. Advocate for prohibition laws
CORRECT ANSWER B — Urge self-control regarding food and alcohol consumption
RATIONALE The author frames both overeating and alcohol abuse as problems stemming from lack of moderation. The
opening line establishes that food and drink are "necessary and desirable" but their "abuse" causes problems
—implying the solution is controlled, moderate consumption rather than abstinence or prohibition.
4. What is implied by this paragraph?
A. We should eat and drink in reasonable quantities.
B. Obesity is a more serious problem than alcoholism.
C. Alcohol should be banned.
D. We need stronger laws to control drunk drivers.
CORRECT ANSWER A — We should eat and drink in reasonable quantities.
RATIONALE The implication of moderation is woven throughout: food and drink are "necessary and desirable" but
"abuse" causes problems. The author never states obesity is worse than alcoholism (B), calls for alcohol
prohibition (C), or advocates for stronger laws (D). The logical inference is that reasonable quantities prevent
the described problems.
5. The author's attitude toward alcohol consumption can best be described as:
A. Opposing drinking alcohol
B. Favoring a strict diet
C. Opposing regulation of personal habits
D. Favoring moderation
CORRECT ANSWER A — Opposing drinking alcohol
RATIONALE The author lists exclusively negative outcomes of alcohol consumption (alcoholism, highway death, abuse)
without presenting any positive aspects. This one-sided negative portrayal indicates opposition to alcohol
consumption specifically, rather than a generalized moderation message (D). The author's treatment of
alcohol is distinctly harsher than the treatment of food.
PASSAGE 2 — THE GAME OF BRIDGE Questions 6 – 10
PMOC GNIDAER
★ ★
HESI Health Education Systems, Inc. — Elsevier
E V O LV E • A S S E S S • A C H I E V E
ELSEVIER
HESI A2 — Reading Comprehension
PA SS A G E A N A LYS I S , V O C A B U L A R Y I N CO N T E XT & C R I T I C A L I N F E R E N C E
INSTITUTION Elsevier / Health Education Systems, Inc. EXAM CODE HESI A2
(HESI)
PROGRAM Pre-Nursing Admission Assessment (ADN / ACADEMIC YEAR
BSN)
EXAM SECTION Reading Comprehension TOTAL QUESTIONS 55 Questions
CONTENT AREAS Main Idea, Vocabulary, Inference, Author's FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the Single Best
Purpose, Supporting Details Answer
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Read each passage carefully before attempting the questions that follow it.
▸ Questions marked "Choose all that apply" may have more than one correct answer — select ALL correct options.
▸ Vocabulary-in-context questions require you to determine word meaning based on how it is used in the passage.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question for comprehensive review.
▸ Passages cover health, science, history, and general interest topics typical of the HESI A2 Reading Comprehension section.
PASSAGE 1 — FOOD AND HEALTH Questions 1 – 5
REFERENCE PASSAGE
Food and drink are necessary and desirable, but their abuse can cause serious physical and mental problems. Many physicians
believe that overeating is one of the country's main health problems, since it places a great strain on the heart, can lead to
diabetes, and often shortens the individual's life span. To fill an emotional void, people often turn to food when they are bored
or lonely. Another area of concern is alcohol consumption. The results of alcohol abuse are widely publicized. The social drinker
who becomes alcoholic, the drunken driver's contribution to highway death, spousal and child abuse, are all concomitant
problems associated with alcohol abuse.
1. As used in the last sentence of this paragraph, the term "concomitant" most nearly means:
A. Accompanying
B. Quiet
C. Separate
D. Unpredictable
CORRECT ANSWER A — Accompanying
RATIONALE "Concomitant" means naturally accompanying or associated with something. In context, the author lists
problems (alcoholism, drunk driving deaths, spousal/child abuse) that accompany alcohol abuse. "Separate"
(C) is an antonym; "quiet" (B) and "unpredictable" (D) do not match the contextual meaning.
, 2. The information presented in this article is best characterized as:
A. Against eating and drinking entirely
B. Against drinking alcohol
C. Against eating rich foods
D. Unbiased in its approach
CORRECT ANSWER B — Against drinking alcohol
RATIONALE While the passage discusses overeating as a health concern, it specifically targets alcohol abuse with strong
language about its consequences (highway death, spousal/child abuse). The author's position against
drinking alcohol is explicit. The passage does not advocate against all eating and drinking (A), and it is not
unbiased (D)—it takes a clear stance against alcohol.
3. The author's primary motive for writing this paragraph appears to have been to:
A. Entertain with anecdotes about food
B. Urge self-control regarding food and alcohol consumption
C. Promote a specific diet plan
D. Advocate for prohibition laws
CORRECT ANSWER B — Urge self-control regarding food and alcohol consumption
RATIONALE The author frames both overeating and alcohol abuse as problems stemming from lack of moderation. The
opening line establishes that food and drink are "necessary and desirable" but their "abuse" causes problems
—implying the solution is controlled, moderate consumption rather than abstinence or prohibition.
4. What is implied by this paragraph?
A. We should eat and drink in reasonable quantities.
B. Obesity is a more serious problem than alcoholism.
C. Alcohol should be banned.
D. We need stronger laws to control drunk drivers.
CORRECT ANSWER A — We should eat and drink in reasonable quantities.
RATIONALE The implication of moderation is woven throughout: food and drink are "necessary and desirable" but
"abuse" causes problems. The author never states obesity is worse than alcoholism (B), calls for alcohol
prohibition (C), or advocates for stronger laws (D). The logical inference is that reasonable quantities prevent
the described problems.
5. The author's attitude toward alcohol consumption can best be described as:
A. Opposing drinking alcohol
B. Favoring a strict diet
C. Opposing regulation of personal habits
D. Favoring moderation
CORRECT ANSWER A — Opposing drinking alcohol
RATIONALE The author lists exclusively negative outcomes of alcohol consumption (alcoholism, highway death, abuse)
without presenting any positive aspects. This one-sided negative portrayal indicates opposition to alcohol
consumption specifically, rather than a generalized moderation message (D). The author's treatment of
alcohol is distinctly harsher than the treatment of food.
PASSAGE 2 — THE GAME OF BRIDGE Questions 6 – 10
