HESI A2 READING COMPREHENSION REVIEW
SHEET 2026 PRACTICE SET PASSAGE
ANALYSIS AND SOLUTIONS HIGH SCORE A+
◉ Tesla. Answer: Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla is often called
the "scientist". Although he invented the alternating current (AC)
motor and developed an AC electricity generation system, he never
received historical credit for many of his achievements, unlike one of
his first employer and eventual nemesis, inventor Thomas Edison
Tesla made the first sketches of his idea for a brushless of his idea
for a brushless AC motor while he was a student at the University of
Prague in 1882. His interest in electricity generation led him to Paris
where he was employed by the Continental Edison Company later
that year to
repair Edison's direct current (DC) power plants.
Two years later, Tesla immigrated to New York City and acquired a
job as an engineer at Thomas Edison's headquarters in Manhattan.
Edison was impressed with Tesla's work ethic and ingenuity. He
challenged the young scientist to develop an improved design for his
DC
generators for $50,000. Tesla experimented for months, finally
presenting Edison with the solution he needed. Edison reneged on
the deal, telling Tesla that he didn't understand American humor.
, Tesla soon left Edison in order to begin his own electric light
company
Tesla filed and was granted more than 30 patents for his inventions
in 1887 and 1888. He soon had financial backing for his ideas from
one of Edison's main competitors, Westinghouse. In the 1890's Tesla
experimented with x-rays, developed a high-voltage electrical
transformer call the Tesla coil, and demonstrated the propagation of
radio waves two years before the "Father of Radio" Guglielmo
Marconi. He was also the first to harness the mammoth potential
energy of Niagara Falls. He worked with General Electric to install AC
generators with turbines driven by the falling waters of the Niagara
River, creating the first modern power plant although a bril
◉ 1. What did Tesla accomplish while attending the University of
Prague?. Answer: Made designs for a brushless alternating current
motor.
◉ 2. What is the meaning of the word "mammoth" as it is used in the
fourth paragraph?. Answer: Massive
◉ 3. What is the meaning of the word "astute" in the last paragraph?.
Answer: Shrewd
◉ 4. What is the meaning of the word obscurity as it is used in the
last paragraph?. Answer: Insignificance
SHEET 2026 PRACTICE SET PASSAGE
ANALYSIS AND SOLUTIONS HIGH SCORE A+
◉ Tesla. Answer: Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla is often called
the "scientist". Although he invented the alternating current (AC)
motor and developed an AC electricity generation system, he never
received historical credit for many of his achievements, unlike one of
his first employer and eventual nemesis, inventor Thomas Edison
Tesla made the first sketches of his idea for a brushless of his idea
for a brushless AC motor while he was a student at the University of
Prague in 1882. His interest in electricity generation led him to Paris
where he was employed by the Continental Edison Company later
that year to
repair Edison's direct current (DC) power plants.
Two years later, Tesla immigrated to New York City and acquired a
job as an engineer at Thomas Edison's headquarters in Manhattan.
Edison was impressed with Tesla's work ethic and ingenuity. He
challenged the young scientist to develop an improved design for his
DC
generators for $50,000. Tesla experimented for months, finally
presenting Edison with the solution he needed. Edison reneged on
the deal, telling Tesla that he didn't understand American humor.
, Tesla soon left Edison in order to begin his own electric light
company
Tesla filed and was granted more than 30 patents for his inventions
in 1887 and 1888. He soon had financial backing for his ideas from
one of Edison's main competitors, Westinghouse. In the 1890's Tesla
experimented with x-rays, developed a high-voltage electrical
transformer call the Tesla coil, and demonstrated the propagation of
radio waves two years before the "Father of Radio" Guglielmo
Marconi. He was also the first to harness the mammoth potential
energy of Niagara Falls. He worked with General Electric to install AC
generators with turbines driven by the falling waters of the Niagara
River, creating the first modern power plant although a bril
◉ 1. What did Tesla accomplish while attending the University of
Prague?. Answer: Made designs for a brushless alternating current
motor.
◉ 2. What is the meaning of the word "mammoth" as it is used in the
fourth paragraph?. Answer: Massive
◉ 3. What is the meaning of the word "astute" in the last paragraph?.
Answer: Shrewd
◉ 4. What is the meaning of the word obscurity as it is used in the
last paragraph?. Answer: Insignificance
