HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Practice Questions: 25 Questions With Answers
Reading comprehension involves more than reading a passage quickly. You need to identify the main idea, distinguish facts from opinions, understand unfamiliar words in context, and draw conclusions supported by the text. The practice passages below are original Naxles learning materials. Read each passage carefully before answering its questions.
Passage 1: Hydration and health
Water supports several essential processes in the human body. It helps regulate temperature, transport nutrients, and remove certain waste products. The amount of water a person needs varies with activity level, climate, diet, and health. People who exercise in hot weather may require more fluids than people who spend the day in a cool environment. Rather than relying on a single amount that suits everyone, individuals should consider their circumstances and follow appropriate medical advice when they have conditions affecting fluid balance.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
- A. Everyone needs exactly the same amount of water.
- B. Water supports essential body functions, and hydration needs vary.
- C. Water is only necessary during exercise.
- D. Climate has no effect on hydration.
Answer: B. The passage explains the functions of water and the factors that influence individual hydration needs.
2. Which factor may increase a person's fluid needs?
- A. Exercising in hot weather
- B. Reading indoors
- C. Sleeping in a cool room
- D. Eating at a fixed time
Answer: A. Exercise and heat can increase fluid losses.
3. What can be inferred from the passage?
- A. Medical advice is never necessary.
- B. Hydration requirements may differ between individuals.
- C. Every person should drink the same amount.
- D. Water has no role in temperature regulation.
Answer: B. The passage directly supports the conclusion that needs vary.
4. What does regulate most nearly mean in the passage?
- A. Control
- B. Remove completely
- C. Ignore
- D. Complicate
Answer: A. Regulate means to control or maintain within appropriate limits.
5. Why does the author mention hot weather?
- A. To give an example of a circumstance affecting fluid needs
- B. To argue that exercise is unhealthy
- C. To show that water causes illness
- D. To introduce an unrelated topic
Answer: A. Hot weather illustrates why fluid needs are not identical for everyone.
Passage 2: Patient communication
Clear communication is an important part of patient care. When healthcare professionals explain instructions in understandable language, patients are better positioned to ask questions and participate in decisions. However, communication can fail when explanations contain unfamiliar terminology or when a patient feels uncomfortable expressing concerns. Asking patients to explain instructions in their own words can help reveal misunderstandings before they lead to problems.
6. What is the central idea?
- A. Patients should never ask questions.
- B. Clear communication helps patients understand and participate in care.
- C. Medical terminology should be used in every conversation.
- D. Healthcare professionals should avoid giving instructions.
Answer: B. The passage emphasizes understandable explanations and patient participation.
7. Which strategy does the passage recommend?
- A. Asking patients to repeat instructions in their own words
- B. Giving every patient identical instructions regardless of need
- C. Avoiding questions
- D. Speaking as quickly as possible
Answer: A. This method can reveal misunderstandings.
8. What does participate mean in context?
- A. Take part
- B. Withdraw
- C. Observe silently
- D. Disagree automatically
Answer: A. Patients participate by engaging in discussions and decisions about their care.
9. What can be inferred about unfamiliar medical terminology?
- A. It always improves understanding.
- B. It may create confusion.
- C. It should replace plain language.
- D. It is understood by every patient.
Answer: B. The passage identifies unfamiliar terminology as a potential barrier.
10. What is the author's likely purpose?
- A. To explain why clear communication matters
- B. To criticize every healthcare professional
- C. To describe the history of hospitals
- D. To compare different medical careers
Answer: A. The passage explains the importance and practical value of communication.
Passage 3: Study habits
Students often believe that studying for many consecutive hours is the best way to prepare for an examination. Yet long sessions can become less productive when attention declines. Dividing study time into shorter sessions, testing oneself, and revisiting difficult material can make learning more manageable. A student who identifies weaknesses early can direct more time toward them instead of repeatedly reviewing material already understood.
11. What is the main point?
- A. Longer study sessions are always superior.
- B. Strategic study habits can make preparation more effective.
- C. Students should avoid practice tests.
- D. Reviewing familiar material is always the best use of time.
Answer: B. The passage recommends focused sessions and targeted review.
12. Why should students test themselves?
- A. To identify what they understand and what needs further review
- B. To avoid studying difficult topics
- C. To replace every form of reading
- D. To guarantee a perfect score
Answer: A. Self-testing reveals knowledge gaps.
13. What does consecutive mean?
- A. Occurring one after another
- B. Happening once a year
- C. Unrelated
- D. Randomly selected
Answer: A. Consecutive hours follow one another without a break in the sequence.
14. What can be inferred about repeated review of already mastered material?
- A. It is always harmful.
- B. It may be less useful than addressing weaknesses.
- C. It guarantees better results.
- D. It eliminates the need for practice.
Answer: B. The passage recommends allocating more time to material that needs improvement.
15. Which title best fits the passage?
- A. The History of Examinations
- B. Making Study Time More Effective
- C. Why Students Should Stop Reading
- D. The Cost of School Supplies
Answer: B. It summarizes the passage's focus on effective preparation.
Passage 4: Community sanitation
Community sanitation programs can reduce exposure to harmful waste and improve the cleanliness of shared spaces. Their success often depends on more than providing bins or collection services. Residents need to understand how to dispose of waste correctly, and local authorities need reliable collection systems. If either part is missing, rubbish may accumulate despite the presence of equipment. Long-term improvements therefore require both practical infrastructure and community participation.
16. What is the passage mainly about?
- A. Why community sanitation needs infrastructure and public participation
- B. Why waste should be left in public spaces
- C. Why bins are never useful
- D. Why sanitation only matters in cities
Answer: A. The passage describes two connected requirements for lasting improvements.
17. What might happen if waste collection is unreliable?
- A. Waste may accumulate.
- B. All waste disappears automatically.
- C. Public awareness becomes unnecessary.
- D. Sanitation equipment stops being useful in every situation.
Answer: A. The passage explicitly identifies accumulation as a possible result.
18. What does infrastructure most nearly mean?
- A. Basic systems and facilities needed for a service
- B. Individual opinions
- C. Temporary rumours
- D. A type of household food
Answer: A. Infrastructure includes facilities and systems that support activities such as waste collection.
19. What can be inferred about public education?
- A. It can complement sanitation services.
- B. It can replace all collection systems.
- C. It is unrelated to waste disposal.
- D. It guarantees immediate success.
Answer: A. Education helps residents use sanitation services appropriately.
20. Which statement best reflects the author's view?
- A. Lasting sanitation improvements require coordinated efforts.
- B. Equipment alone solves every sanitation problem.
- C. Residents should have no role in sanitation.
- D. Waste collection is unnecessary.
Answer: A. The passage argues for cooperation between infrastructure and the community.
Passage 5: Preventive healthcare
Preventive healthcare aims to reduce the likelihood or impact of illness before serious problems develop. Depending on a person's age, medical history, and circumstances, prevention may include vaccination, screening, physical activity, and regular health consultations. Screening tests do not diagnose every condition with certainty, but they can identify signs that require further evaluation. The purpose of preventive care is not to promise perfect health; it is to support earlier intervention and informed decisions.
21. What is the main idea?
- A. Preventive healthcare can help identify or reduce health risks.
- B. Screening guarantees that no illness will develop.
- C. Vaccination is the only form of prevention.
- D. Medical consultations are never useful.
Answer: A. The passage describes multiple preventive measures and their purpose.
22. What is one possible benefit of screening?
- A. Identifying signs that need further evaluation
- B. Guaranteeing a diagnosis in every case
- C. Replacing all medical consultations
- D. Eliminating every health risk
Answer: A. Screening may identify findings that require additional testing.
23. What does intervention most nearly mean here?
- A. An action taken to address a problem
- B. A decision to ignore symptoms
- C. A type of exercise equipment
- D. A routine meal
Answer: A. Intervention refers to action intended to manage or address a health issue.
24. Which statement is supported by the passage?
- A. Preventive care is identical for everyone.
- B. Prevention may depend on individual circumstances.
- C. Screening is always conclusive.
- D. Preventive healthcare promises perfect health.
Answer: B. Age, medical history, and circumstances influence appropriate prevention.
25. What is the author's purpose?
- A. To explain the role and limitations of preventive healthcare
- B. To discourage all screening
- C. To compare hospital prices
- D. To describe the structure of the heart
Answer: A. The passage explains both benefits and limitations.
Reading comprehension tips
- Read the question carefully before selecting an answer.
- Return to the passage for supporting evidence.
- Distinguish what the passage states from what you assume.
- For inference questions, choose the conclusion most strongly supported by the text.
- For vocabulary questions, use surrounding sentences to determine meaning.
Practicing with different passage types can help you recognize the main idea, supporting details, and the author's purpose more quickly.
