TSI ASSESSMENT EXAM SCRIPT 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
◉ In 2010, talk show host Oprah Winfrey and novelist Jonathan Franzen
kissed and made up after a nine-year feud. In 2001, Franzen was
disinvited from appearing on Winfrey's TV show to pitch his novel The
Corrections after he made it clear that he was unhappy about the book's
being chosen for the Oprah Book Club. Describing his work as
"in the high-art literary tradition," Franzen said he didn't want to be
associated with the Club, which he accused of occasionally choosing
"schmaltzy, one-dimensional" novels. But Winfrey is apparently able to
forgive and forget: she chose Franzen's next novel, Freedom, for her
book club and said of it, "Now you haven't heard me say this word often,
but this book is a masterpiece."
(The passage implies that Franzen's criticism of the Oprah Book Club
was motivated primarily by...)
A. pride
B. anger
C. insensitivity
D. ignorance . Answer: Choice (A) is correct. The author of the passage
states that Franzen refers to his own work as belonging to a "high-art
literary tradition" and to Oprah's book club choices as being
"schmaltzy," or overly sentimental, and "one-dimensional." These details
suggest that Franzen felt that his own book is of higher quality than
other books chosen for the book club. In other words, Franzen's criticism
, of the Oprah Book Club was motivated by his pride, or his sense of self-
importance. Choices (B) and (C) are incorrect because there is no
indication in the passage that Franzen felt any anger or was trying to be
insensitive. Choice (D) is incorrect because there is no indication that
Franzen's comments about Oprah's choices were ignorant or uninformed.
◉ Long thought to be a case of mistaken identity, the discovery of the
Bornean rainbow toad by European explorers in 1924 was recently
verified by scientists. The explorers had made a black-and-white sketch
of an unusual toad they had found in the jungles of Southeast Asia,
christening it the Bornean rainbow toad. Skeptical but curious, scientists
recently went to look for the toad—and ended up finding three
specimens.
(The passage implies which of the following about the Bornean rainbow
toad?...)
A. Some people doubted the existence of the toad.
B. Scientists were confident that they would find the toad.
C. The surviving toads have been relocated to Europe.
D. No human being had seen the toad since 1924. . Answer: Choice (A)
is correct. The author suggests that some people doubted the existence of
the Bornean rainbow toad: they "thought [it] to be a case of mistaken
identity" and were "skeptical." In other words, some people thought the
"European explorers" were documenting another, already known kind of
toad, and had not discovered a new toad. This is supported by the fact
that the discovery was not "verified" for many years. Choices (B), (C),
and (D) are incorrect: the author suggests
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
◉ In 2010, talk show host Oprah Winfrey and novelist Jonathan Franzen
kissed and made up after a nine-year feud. In 2001, Franzen was
disinvited from appearing on Winfrey's TV show to pitch his novel The
Corrections after he made it clear that he was unhappy about the book's
being chosen for the Oprah Book Club. Describing his work as
"in the high-art literary tradition," Franzen said he didn't want to be
associated with the Club, which he accused of occasionally choosing
"schmaltzy, one-dimensional" novels. But Winfrey is apparently able to
forgive and forget: she chose Franzen's next novel, Freedom, for her
book club and said of it, "Now you haven't heard me say this word often,
but this book is a masterpiece."
(The passage implies that Franzen's criticism of the Oprah Book Club
was motivated primarily by...)
A. pride
B. anger
C. insensitivity
D. ignorance . Answer: Choice (A) is correct. The author of the passage
states that Franzen refers to his own work as belonging to a "high-art
literary tradition" and to Oprah's book club choices as being
"schmaltzy," or overly sentimental, and "one-dimensional." These details
suggest that Franzen felt that his own book is of higher quality than
other books chosen for the book club. In other words, Franzen's criticism
, of the Oprah Book Club was motivated by his pride, or his sense of self-
importance. Choices (B) and (C) are incorrect because there is no
indication in the passage that Franzen felt any anger or was trying to be
insensitive. Choice (D) is incorrect because there is no indication that
Franzen's comments about Oprah's choices were ignorant or uninformed.
◉ Long thought to be a case of mistaken identity, the discovery of the
Bornean rainbow toad by European explorers in 1924 was recently
verified by scientists. The explorers had made a black-and-white sketch
of an unusual toad they had found in the jungles of Southeast Asia,
christening it the Bornean rainbow toad. Skeptical but curious, scientists
recently went to look for the toad—and ended up finding three
specimens.
(The passage implies which of the following about the Bornean rainbow
toad?...)
A. Some people doubted the existence of the toad.
B. Scientists were confident that they would find the toad.
C. The surviving toads have been relocated to Europe.
D. No human being had seen the toad since 1924. . Answer: Choice (A)
is correct. The author suggests that some people doubted the existence of
the Bornean rainbow toad: they "thought [it] to be a case of mistaken
identity" and were "skeptical." In other words, some people thought the
"European explorers" were documenting another, already known kind of
toad, and had not discovered a new toad. This is supported by the fact
that the discovery was not "verified" for many years. Choices (B), (C),
and (D) are incorrect: the author suggests
