The Boundaries of a Study on Digital Reading
About this practice test
An academic research report examines a small study comparing sustained reading on screens and paper, explaining its methods, findings, limitations, and practical implications for choosing reading media.
What you’ll practice
Finding detail
Locate specific information and evidence.
Interpreting ideas
Connect main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
12 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- C1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- Fill in the blank (dropdown)
How to approach this practice
Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.
The Boundaries of a Study on Digital Reading
When Lena Ortiz first noticed how often students in the community college library read lecture notes on their phones, she began to suspect that the real question was not whether screens were good or bad, but what kind of reading they supported. She and her colleague Ben Hall were not trying to start a campaign for or against tablets. They wanted a small, careful classroom study that would show where digital reading seemed reliable, where it seemed useful, and where it seemed weak. Their purpose was modest, and they said so from the beginning. They defined digital reading narrowly. It meant sustained reading on e-readers, tablets, or phones, not browsing with hyperlinks or watching mixed media. Each participant read three kinds of text: a short essay, a dense policy memo, and a page of figures in a table. The mix was chosen on purpose so the team could compare text types rather than simply praise one device. Lena said she wanted to see how a screen coped with linear reading, not with the shifting habits of the wider internet, where readers jump from one link to another and rarely stay with a single passage for long. Forty-eight volunteers came from first-year seminars. To keep the comparison fair, the team matched students by self-reported device familiarity and kept the devices on airplane mode to reduce alerts. They also removed note-taking, highlighting, and multitasking. That choice made the task cleaner, and it allowed the researchers to compare reading conditions more directly, but it also made the task less like the way students actually study late at night, with messages arriving and tabs open in the background. In that sense, the study improved control while losing some everyday realism. After each text, the participants wrote an immediate summary and later completed a 24-hour recall task. Half read on paper first and half on screens first, then they switched to a different text so that the order would not favour one medium. The researchers asked both factual questions and inference questions. On straightforward factual items, the difference between the groups was small. On inference items, the screen readers were slightly slower and less accurate, especially with the policy memo. Even so, the authors resisted turning that result into a blanket claim about all digital reading. The article therefore avoided a simple verdict. It did not claim that digital reading was worse overall, because for quick searches, annotations, and comparing headings, screens helped. The same device that invited distraction in one setting could save time in another. For sustained concentration on dense text, print still held a modest advantage, but the authors were careful not to turn that into a universal rule. Instead, they treated the findings as a set of conditions: under some purposes and with some kinds of text, screens worked well; under others, they did not. The caution was necessary because the evidence was bounded in obvious ways. The sample came from one campus, one language, and one academic term, and most of the volunteers were already comfortable with screens. The team could not say how older adults, multilingual readers, or low-income learners would respond. Nor could it assume that the same pattern would appear in a different institution with different reading habits or stronger distractions. The point was not universality, but disciplined caution. In other words, the study described a pattern inside a narrow frame, not a law that would travel unchanged to every classroom. In discussion, Lena contrasted useful questions with useless ones. "Is digital reading good?" was too broad to guide a teacher. Better questions asked which texts, which devices, how long the reading would last, and whether the reader would be searching, annotating, or remembering details. She argued that teachers often need this narrower language when they choose materials, because the choice is always linked to purpose. If the aim is rapid comparison, one tool may be best; if the aim is deep comprehension of a dense argument, another may serve better. The value of the study, she said, was not simplicity but precision. The conclusion described the study as a map of boundaries, not a verdict. That distinction mattered to the team: if research names the conditions clearly, it becomes more practical even when it stays modest. Readers were left with a framework for deciding when screens support learning and when they do not, which was exactly the sort of answer Lena had hoped to offer. She did not want a slogan. She wanted a usable account of limits, strengths, and context, because those details are what help teachers and students decide.
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Question 1 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
By defining digital reading narrowly, the researchers were trying to isolate its ___ rather than all online activity.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- reading-specific strengths and limits
- technical glitches
- social-media habits
- entertainment value
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- reading-specific strengths and limits
Reading-specific strengths and limits is correct because the passage says the team wanted to see where digital reading was reliable, useful, or weak, while excluding browsing and mixed media. The other options describe broader internet behavior or irrelevant features, which the study deliberately set aside.
They defined digital reading narrowly. It meant sustained reading on e-readers, tablets, or phones, not browsing with hyperlinks or watching mixed media
They wanted a small, careful classroom study that would show where digital reading seemed reliable, where it seemed useful, and where it seemed weak
reading-specific strengths and limits: Correct: this captures the study's narrow aim.
technical glitches: Incorrect: the passage is about reading conditions, not device faults.
social-media habits: Incorrect: the study excludes the wider online habits of browsing and linking.
entertainment value: Incorrect: the researchers were not measuring whether screens were fun.
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Question 2 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Using an essay, a memo and a table was meant to test how screens handled different ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- study schedules
- text demands
- brand loyalties
- keyboard settings
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- text demands
Text demands is correct because the mix was chosen to compare how the same medium performed across different kinds of reading, not to praise one device. The other options do not reflect the purpose of varying the text types.
Each participant read three kinds of text: a short essay, a dense policy memo, and a page of figures in a table
The mix was chosen on purpose so the team could compare text types rather than simply praise one device
study schedules: Incorrect: the passage is about text type, not timing.
text demands: Correct: the different texts were chosen to vary the demands on the reader.
brand loyalties: Incorrect: the researchers were not testing preference for device brands.
keyboard settings: Incorrect: the task is about reading, not typing configurations.
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Question 3 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Removing note-taking and multitasking improved control but reduced the study's ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- reading speed
- sample size
- statistical significance
- ecological validity
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- ecological validity
Ecological validity is correct because the passage explicitly contrasts cleaner control with less everyday realism. The other options are related to research, but they do not capture the trade-off between control and real-life resemblance.
That choice made the task cleaner, and it allowed the researchers to compare reading conditions more directly, but it also made the task less like the way students actually study late at night, with messages arriving and tabs open in the background
In that sense, the study improved control while losing some everyday realism
reading speed: Incorrect: the issue is realism, not speed.
sample size: Incorrect: the sample size is discussed elsewhere, not here.
statistical significance: Incorrect: the passage does not say the manipulation changed significance.
ecological validity: Correct: the task became less like ordinary studying.
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Question 4 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
The counterbalanced reading order was designed to prevent ___ from shaping the comparison.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- language differences
- alert distractions
- memory of alerts
- sequence effects
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- sequence effects
Sequence effects is correct because the order was arranged so that one medium would not benefit from reading first. The other options are plausible distractions, but the passage specifically focuses on order bias.
then they switched to a different text so that the order would not favour one medium
language differences: Incorrect: the groups were not compared on language here.
alert distractions: Incorrect: alerts were controlled, but the key issue here is the reading order, not alert distraction.
memory of alerts: Incorrect: alerts were reduced, but memory of them is not the issue.
sequence effects: Correct: the researchers wanted to stop order from biasing the comparison.
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Question 5 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
The small gap on factual questions suggests that screens did not seriously hinder ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- device familiarity
- academic confidence
- long-term motivation
- direct recall of explicit information
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- direct recall of explicit information
Direct recall of explicit information is correct because the passage says the difference on straightforward factual items was small. The other options are not what the factual questions measure, so they are not supported by that result.
On straightforward factual items, the difference between the groups was small
device familiarity: Incorrect: familiarity was controlled for earlier, not measured by factual questions.
academic confidence: Incorrect: the passage does not link factual questions to confidence.
long-term motivation: Incorrect: motivation is not discussed in connection with factual items.
direct recall of explicit information: Correct: this is what the small factual difference implies.
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Question 6 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
The weaker performance on inference items suggests that screens can be less effective when readers must ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- infer beyond what is stated
- copy exact sentences
- ignore headings
- read faster than paper
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- infer beyond what is stated
Infer beyond what is stated is correct because the passage says screen readers were slower and less accurate on inference items. The other choices describe different activities that the passage does not connect to the weaker result.
On inference items, the screen readers were slightly slower and less accurate, especially with the policy memo
infer beyond what is stated: Correct: the weaker result appeared on inference questions.
copy exact sentences: Incorrect: copying is not the skill being tested here.
ignore headings: Incorrect: headings are mentioned as helpful, not as the problem.
read faster than paper: Incorrect: speed alone is not the explanation offered.
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Question 7 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
The article's refusal to give a single verdict shows that the authors saw digital reading as ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- uniformly harmful
- universally superior
- context-dependent
- a matter of fashion
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- context-dependent
Context-dependent is correct because the article says the findings should be treated as a set of conditions, not a universal rule. The other options are too absolute or too casual and conflict with the cautious stance of the passage.
The article therefore avoided a simple verdict
Instead, they treated the findings as a set of conditions: under some purposes and with some kinds of text, screens worked well; under others, they did not
uniformly harmful: Incorrect: the passage explicitly says screens helped in some cases.
universally superior: Incorrect: the article rejects any universal rule.
context-dependent: Correct: the study's value changes with purpose and text type.
a matter of fashion: Incorrect: the passage is about evidence, not trends.
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Question 8 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
By linking usefulness to searches, annotations and comparisons, the writers show that screens are best judged by ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- the task at hand
- screen brightness
- the number of volunteers
- reader's age alone
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- the task at hand
The task at hand is correct because the passage repeatedly ties screen usefulness to what the reader is trying to do. The other options are irrelevant or far too narrow, and they ignore the passage's emphasis on purpose.
for quick searches, annotations, and comparing headings, screens helped
the choice is always linked to purpose
the task at hand: Correct: the passage says usefulness depends on purpose and activity.
screen brightness: Incorrect: brightness is never presented as the key criterion.
the number of volunteers: Incorrect: sample size is not what determines usefulness here.
reader's age alone: Incorrect: age is not used as the main basis for judgment.
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Question 9 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
The sample description mainly warns readers that the findings may not ___ other groups or settings.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- summarise
- generalize to
- eliminate
- replace
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- generalize to
Generalize to is correct because the passage stresses that the sample was narrow and the results should not be assumed to travel unchanged. The other options do not describe the kind of limitation the authors are discussing.
The sample came from one campus, one language, and one academic term, and most of the volunteers were already comfortable with screens
The point was not universality, but disciplined caution
summarise: Incorrect: the issue is scope, not summarising ability.
generalize to: Correct: the narrow sample limits how far the findings can be extended.
eliminate: Incorrect: the sample does not eliminate other groups or settings.
replace: Incorrect: the findings are not meant to replace other groups or settings.
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Question 10 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Calling the conclusion a map of boundaries means the study was meant to ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- give a final verdict
- define the best medium in every case
- identify where its claims stop
- settle the debate
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- identify where its claims stop
Identify where its claims stop is correct because the metaphor highlights scope and limits rather than a verdict. The other options contradict the passage, which explicitly says the conclusion was not a final judgment.
The conclusion described the study as a map of boundaries, not a verdict
if research names the conditions clearly, it becomes more practical even when it stays modest
give a final verdict: Incorrect: the passage explicitly contrasts boundaries with a verdict.
define the best medium in every case: Incorrect: the passage rejects any universal ruling and focuses on conditions.
identify where its claims stop: Correct: the boundary metaphor points to scope and limits.
settle the debate: Incorrect: the passage says the study is cautious, not decisive.
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Question 11 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Lena's preferred questions matter because they turn a broad debate into a set of ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- practical criteria
- marketing slogans
- random preferences
- emotional reactions
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- practical criteria
Practical criteria is correct because Lena replaces the broad question of whether digital reading is good with narrower questions about text, device, time and purpose. The other options miss this move from general opinion to usable decision-making.
Better questions asked which texts, which devices, how long the reading would last, and whether the reader would be searching, annotating, or remembering details
She argued that teachers often need this narrower language when they choose materials, because the choice is always linked to purpose
practical criteria: Correct: Lena turns the debate into usable conditions for choice.
marketing slogans: Incorrect: the passage rejects slogans and prefers analysis.
random preferences: Incorrect: the passage emphasizes purpose, not randomness.
emotional reactions: Incorrect: Lena is not asking for feelings, but for decision factors.
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Question 12 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
The study is described as useful even though it is modest because clear limits make the findings more ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- controversial
- actionable
- widely generalizable
- speculative
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- actionable
Actionable is correct because the conclusion says naming the conditions clearly makes the research more practical. The other options fail to capture the idea that limited findings can still guide decisions.
if research names the conditions clearly, it becomes more practical even when it stays modest
Readers were left with a framework for deciding when screens support learning and when they do not
controversial: Incorrect: the passage values usefulness, not controversy.
actionable: Correct: clear boundaries make the findings more useful for decisions.
widely generalizable: Incorrect: the passage stresses that the study stays modest and bounded, not broadly generalizable.
speculative: Incorrect: clear limits reduce speculation rather than increase it.
What to review next
Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.
Before you practise: a worked example
Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.
The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?
The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.
This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.