A good classroom library is chosen, not collected. Fifty books that children fight over are worth more than five hundred that sit untouched. The teacher who weeds out torn, dated and unloved titles each June is not shrinking the library. She is making room for the books that will be read. Question: How does the author regard removing books from a classroom library?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: recognizing the author's attitude or viewpoint
Attendance at four family nights, from a bar graph in a school report. Math Night: 45 families. Science Night: 60 families. Reading Night: 90 families. Art Night: 75 families. Question: A reader says the graph proves families care more about reading than about any other subject. What is the best challenge?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: challenging a statement in the text
The district's new report card replaces letter grades with four phrases, from "beginning" to "extending." Supporters call it kinder. Perhaps it is. But a parent who reads "developing" in March cannot tell whether her son is slightly behind or badly behind, and she will not find out from a phrase chosen to offend no one. Clarity is also a kindness. Question: What is the author's view of the new report card?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: recognizing the author's attitude or viewpoint
Show all 50 questions (47 more)
Critical analysis and evaluation, continued
The district's new report card replaces letter grades with four phrases, from "beginning" to "extending." Supporters call it kinder. Perhaps it is. But a parent who reads "developing" in March cannot tell whether her son is slightly behind or badly behind, and she will not find out from a phrase chosen to offend no one. Clarity is also a kindness. Question: Which statement from the passage is a fact rather than an opinion?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: telling fact from opinion
The district's new report card replaces letter grades with four phrases, from "beginning" to "extending." Supporters call it kinder. Perhaps it is. But a parent who reads "developing" in March cannot tell whether her son is slightly behind or badly behind, and she will not find out from a phrase chosen to offend no one. Clarity is also a kindness. Question: Which statement, if true, would best challenge the author's claim?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: challenging a statement in the text
Flyer: "The Book Fair runs Monday through Friday in the gym. Every book is half price on Friday." Newsletter: "The Book Fair will be in the library this year, Monday through Thursday. Friday is reserved for packing up. Volunteers are needed each morning." Question: On which point do the two notices agree?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: comparing ideas from different parts of a text or different sources
Flyer: "The Book Fair runs Monday through Friday in the gym. Every book is half price on Friday." Newsletter: "The Book Fair will be in the library this year, Monday through Thursday. Friday is reserved for packing up. Volunteers are needed each morning." Question: On which points do the flyer and the newsletter disagree?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: finding differences in points of view
Join the Maple Street Chess Club! We meet Thursdays at 3:15 in Room 12. Chess is the best game ever invented, and everyone who plays becomes a better student. Last year our club had 14 members and won the county team trophy. No experience is needed, and boards are provided. Question: What technique does "everyone who plays becomes a better student" use?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: recognizing persuasive techniques
Join the Maple Street Chess Club! We meet Thursdays at 3:15 in Room 12. Chess is the best game ever invented, and everyone who plays becomes a better student. Last year our club had 14 members and won the county team trophy. No experience is needed, and boards are provided. Question: Which claim in the notice is least supported by the notice itself?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: challenging a statement in the text
Join the Maple Street Chess Club! We meet Thursdays at 3:15 in Room 12. Chess is the best game ever invented, and everyone who plays becomes a better student. Last year our club had 14 members and won the county team trophy. No experience is needed, and boards are provided. Question: Which statement in the notice is an opinion?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: telling fact from opinion
Join the Maple Street Chess Club! We meet Thursdays at 3:15 in Room 12. Chess is the best game ever invented, and everyone who plays becomes a better student. Last year our club had 14 members and won the county team trophy. No experience is needed, and boards are provided. Question: Who is the notice written for?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: recognizing the audience a text addresses
Mr. Abara had taught the same poem for nineteen years and could recite it in his sleep. This year a girl in the back row raised her hand and asked why the speaker never names the river. He opened his mouth and found he had no answer. That night he read the poem again, slowly, as if it were someone else's. Question: What is Mr. Abara most likely to do in class the next day?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: predicting an outcome from the text
Our school should keep the twenty-minute morning recess. Teachers on the second-grade team report that students settle to work faster after time outside. Cutting recess would add only one hundred minutes of lessons a week, and tired children do not use extra minutes well. Anyone who has watched a seven-year-old try to sit still at 10 a.m. knows this already. Question: How does the last sentence try to persuade the reader?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: recognizing persuasive techniques
Our school should keep the twenty-minute morning recess. Teachers on the second-grade team report that students settle to work faster after time outside. Cutting recess would add only one hundred minutes of lessons a week, and tired children do not use extra minutes well. Anyone who has watched a seven-year-old try to sit still at 10 a.m. knows this already. Question: The writer assumes that the extra lesson minutes gained by cutting recess would beCBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: finding the assumption behind an argument
Our school should keep the twenty-minute morning recess. Teachers on the second-grade team report that students settle to work faster after time outside. Cutting recess would add only one hundred minutes of lessons a week, and tired children do not use extra minutes well. Anyone who has watched a seven-year-old try to sit still at 10 a.m. knows this already. Question: Which detail supports the claim that recess should be kept?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: finding the details that support the main idea
Our school should keep the twenty-minute morning recess. Teachers on the second-grade team report that students settle to work faster after time outside. Cutting recess would add only one hundred minutes of lessons a week, and tired children do not use extra minutes well. Anyone who has watched a seven-year-old try to sit still at 10 a.m. knows this already. Question: Which statement, if true, would most weaken the argument?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: recognizing what strengthens or weakens an argument
The school board should add a second bus to the Ridge Road route. The single bus now carries 61 students, though it has seats for 54. The first pickup is at 6:20 a.m., and the last riders reach school eight minutes after the bell. A second bus would cost money, but so does a route that makes children stand in the aisle and miss the start of class. Question: The argument assumes that a second bus wouldCBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: finding the assumption behind an argument
The school board should add a second bus to the Ridge Road route. The single bus now carries 61 students, though it has seats for 54. The first pickup is at 6:20 a.m., and the last riders reach school eight minutes after the bell. A second bus would cost money, but so does a route that makes children stand in the aisle and miss the start of class. Question: Which details does the writer use to show the route has a problem?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: finding the details that support the main idea
The school board should add a second bus to the Ridge Road route. The single bus now carries 61 students, though it has seats for 54. The first pickup is at 6:20 a.m., and the last riders reach school eight minutes after the bell. A second bus would cost money, but so does a route that makes children stand in the aisle and miss the start of class. Question: Which fact, if added, would be least relevant to the argument?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: judging whether a fact is relevant to an argument
When the alarm sounds, stop work at once. Line up at the door in silence while the teacher takes the attendance folder. Walk, do not run, to the marked spot on the blacktop. Once there, face the building and answer when your name is called. Return to class only after the all-clear bell. Question: For whom are these directions written?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Critical Analysis and Evaluation; skill: recognizing the audience a text addresses
Comprehension and research skills 30
A good classroom library is chosen, not collected. Fifty books that children fight over are worth more than five hundred that sit untouched. The teacher who weeds out torn, dated and unloved titles each June is not shrinking the library. She is making room for the books that will be read. Question: How does the first sentence relate to the rest of the passage?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: relating general and specific ideas
A good classroom library is chosen, not collected. Fifty books that children fight over are worth more than five hundred that sit untouched. The teacher who weeds out torn, dated and unloved titles each June is not shrinking the library. She is making room for the books that will be read. Question: What does "weeds out" mean in this passage?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: seeing how context changes meaning
A good classroom library is chosen, not collected. Fifty books that children fight over are worth more than five hundred that sit untouched. The teacher who weeds out torn, dated and unloved titles each June is not shrinking the library. She is making room for the books that will be read. Question: Which is the best paraphrase of the second sentence?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: choosing an accurate paraphrase or summary
Attendance at four family nights, from a bar graph in a school report. Math Night: 45 families. Science Night: 60 families. Reading Night: 90 families. Art Night: 75 families. Question: Which list orders the nights from fewest families to most?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: drawing a conclusion from a table or graph
Attendance at four family nights, from a bar graph in a school report. Math Night: 45 families. Science Night: 60 families. Reading Night: 90 families. Art Night: 75 families. Question: Which statement does the graph support?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: drawing a conclusion from a table or graph
Contents of a handbook for parent volunteers. Part One, Getting Started: Signing In, page 2; Badges and Safety, page 4. Part Two, In the Classroom: Reading With Small Groups, page 8; Helping at Centers, page 13. Part Three, Outside the Classroom: Field Trips, page 19; Lunch and Recess Duty, page 24. Question: A volunteer will help supervise a class visit to a museum. Which page should she read?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: using a table of contents or an index to locate information
Contents of a handbook for parent volunteers. Part One, Getting Started: Signing In, page 2; Badges and Safety, page 4. Part Two, In the Classroom: Reading With Small Groups, page 8; Helping at Centers, page 13. Part Three, Outside the Classroom: Field Trips, page 19; Lunch and Recess Duty, page 24. Question: How is the handbook organized?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: understanding how a text is organized
Contents of a handbook for parent volunteers. Part One, Getting Started: Signing In, page 2; Badges and Safety, page 4. Part Two, In the Classroom: Reading With Small Groups, page 8; Helping at Centers, page 13. Part Three, Outside the Classroom: Field Trips, page 19; Lunch and Recess Duty, page 24. Question: In an outline of the handbook, under which heading does "Helping at Centers" belong?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: arranging ideas into an outline
The district's new report card replaces letter grades with four phrases, from "beginning" to "extending." Supporters call it kinder. Perhaps it is. But a parent who reads "developing" in March cannot tell whether her son is slightly behind or badly behind, and she will not find out from a phrase chosen to offend no one. Clarity is also a kindness. Question: What does the author mean by "Clarity is also a kindness"?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: seeing how context changes meaning
Flyer: "The Book Fair runs Monday through Friday in the gym. Every book is half price on Friday." Newsletter: "The Book Fair will be in the library this year, Monday through Thursday. Friday is reserved for packing up. Volunteers are needed each morning." Question: According to the newsletter, what happens on Friday?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: finding facts and details
From the index of a school gardening book: Compost, 30–37; bins, 32; worms in, 35. Frost dates, 14. Planting calendar, 12–18. Seeds, 20–28; saving, 26; starting indoors, 22–24. Tools, 5–9. Watering, 40–46; see also Mulch. Mulch, 47–49. Question: On which pages would a reader find how to start seeds indoors?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: using a table of contents or an index to locate information
From the index of a school gardening book: Compost, 30–37; bins, 32; worms in, 35. Frost dates, 14. Planting calendar, 12–18. Seeds, 20–28; saving, 26; starting indoors, 22–24. Tools, 5–9. Watering, 40–46; see also Mulch. Mulch, 47–49. Question: What does "see also Mulch" tell a reader of the Watering entry?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: using a table of contents or an index to locate information
From the index of a school gardening book: Compost, 30–37; bins, 32; worms in, 35. Frost dates, 14. Planting calendar, 12–18. Seeds, 20–28; saving, 26; starting indoors, 22–24. Tools, 5–9. Watering, 40–46; see also Mulch. Mulch, 47–49. Question: Which page is the best place to look for the date of the last frost?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: using a table of contents or an index to locate information
Join the Maple Street Chess Club! We meet Thursdays at 3:15 in Room 12. Chess is the best game ever invented, and everyone who plays becomes a better student. Last year our club had 14 members and won the county team trophy. No experience is needed, and boards are provided. Question: What does the notice say about equipment?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: finding facts and details
Minutes read at home in one week, from four students' reading logs. Ana: Monday 20, Tuesday 25, Wednesday 30, Thursday 35. Ben: Monday 30, Tuesday 30, Wednesday 30, Thursday 30. Cruz: Monday 40, Tuesday 30, Wednesday 20, Thursday 10. Dee: Monday 15, Tuesday 45, Wednesday 15, Thursday 45. Question: Which statement about Cruz does the table support?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: drawing a conclusion from a table or graph
Minutes read at home in one week, from four students' reading logs. Ana: Monday 20, Tuesday 25, Wednesday 30, Thursday 35. Ben: Monday 30, Tuesday 30, Wednesday 30, Thursday 30. Cruz: Monday 40, Tuesday 30, Wednesday 20, Thursday 10. Dee: Monday 15, Tuesday 45, Wednesday 15, Thursday 45. Question: Which two students read for the same total time?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: drawing a conclusion from a table or graph
Minutes read at home in one week, from four students' reading logs. Ana: Monday 20, Tuesday 25, Wednesday 30, Thursday 35. Ben: Monday 30, Tuesday 30, Wednesday 30, Thursday 30. Cruz: Monday 40, Tuesday 30, Wednesday 20, Thursday 10. Dee: Monday 15, Tuesday 45, Wednesday 15, Thursday 45. Question: Whose reading time increased every day?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: drawing a conclusion from a table or graph
Mr. Abara had taught the same poem for nineteen years and could recite it in his sleep. This year a girl in the back row raised her hand and asked why the speaker never names the river. He opened his mouth and found he had no answer. That night he read the poem again, slowly, as if it were someone else's. Question: What can be inferred from Mr. Abara's rereading of the poem?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: making an inference
Mr. Abara had taught the same poem for nineteen years and could recite it in his sleep. This year a girl in the back row raised her hand and asked why the speaker never names the river. He opened his mouth and found he had no answer. That night he read the poem again, slowly, as if it were someone else's. Question: What does "could recite it in his sleep" mean?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: reading figurative or colloquial language
The new schedule is meant to be flexible, not immutable. If Tuesday assemblies prove disruptive, they can move; if the longer lunch helps, it can stay. The committee asks only that staff give each change a month before judging it, since first impressions of any timetable are notoriously unreliable. Question: As used in the passage, what does "immutable" most nearly mean?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: using context and word parts for an unknown word
The new schedule is meant to be flexible, not immutable. If Tuesday assemblies prove disruptive, they can move; if the longer lunch helps, it can stay. The committee asks only that staff give each change a month before judging it, since first impressions of any timetable are notoriously unreliable. Question: What does the committee's request imply about early reactions to a schedule?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: making an inference
The new schedule is meant to be flexible, not immutable. If Tuesday assemblies prove disruptive, they can move; if the longer lunch helps, it can stay. The committee asks only that staff give each change a month before judging it, since first impressions of any timetable are notoriously unreliable. Question: What is the main purpose of the passage?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: recognizing the main idea or purpose
The school board should add a second bus to the Ridge Road route. The single bus now carries 61 students, though it has seats for 54. The first pickup is at 6:20 a.m., and the last riders reach school eight minutes after the bell. A second bus would cost money, but so does a route that makes children stand in the aisle and miss the start of class. Question: What is the main point of the passage?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: recognizing the main idea or purpose
The school board should add a second bus to the Ridge Road route. The single bus now carries 61 students, though it has seats for 54. The first pickup is at 6:20 a.m., and the last riders reach school eight minutes after the bell. A second bus would cost money, but so does a route that makes children stand in the aisle and miss the start of class. Question: Which conclusion do the figures in the passage support?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: drawing a conclusion from the text
There are two common ways to seat a class. Rows face every student toward the board, which suits lectures and tests; by contrast, clusters of four desks turn students toward one another, which suits group projects. Rows make it easy to see who is off task. Clusters, on the other hand, make it easy for students to share materials. In short, neither plan is best for every lesson. Question: How is the passage organized?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: understanding how a text is organized
There are two common ways to seat a class. Rows face every student toward the board, which suits lectures and tests; by contrast, clusters of four desks turn students toward one another, which suits group projects. Rows make it easy to see who is off task. Clusters, on the other hand, make it easy for students to share materials. In short, neither plan is best for every lesson. Question: What does "by contrast" signal in the passage?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: understanding transition words
There are two common ways to seat a class. Rows face every student toward the board, which suits lectures and tests; by contrast, clusters of four desks turn students toward one another, which suits group projects. Rows make it easy to see who is off task. Clusters, on the other hand, make it easy for students to share materials. In short, neither plan is best for every lesson. Question: What does "In short" introduce?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: understanding transition words
There are two common ways to seat a class. Rows face every student toward the board, which suits lectures and tests; by contrast, clusters of four desks turn students toward one another, which suits group projects. Rows make it easy to see who is off task. Clusters, on the other hand, make it easy for students to share materials. In short, neither plan is best for every lesson. Question: Which sentence best summarizes the passage?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: choosing an accurate paraphrase or summary
When the alarm sounds, stop work at once. Line up at the door in silence while the teacher takes the attendance folder. Walk, do not run, to the marked spot on the blacktop. Once there, face the building and answer when your name is called. Return to class only after the all-clear bell. Question: What do students do right after they reach the marked spot?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: following the order of events or steps
When the alarm sounds, stop work at once. Line up at the door in silence while the teacher takes the attendance folder. Walk, do not run, to the marked spot on the blacktop. Once there, face the building and answer when your name is called. Return to class only after the all-clear bell. Question: Why does the teacher most likely take the attendance folder?CBEST Test Specifications, Reading: Comprehension and Research Skills; skill: making an inference
How this list was compiled: Our own texts and questions, written to the Reading part of the CBEST Test Specifications of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CBESTUpdatedTestSpecs.pdf, read 2026-10-06), whose two skill areas are named on the exam's CBEST page (https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/TestView.aspx?f=HTML_FRAG/CA_CBEST_TestPage.html, read 2026-10-06) with their shares: critical analysis and evaluation about 40%, comprehension and research skills about 60%; 50 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour 30 minutes. The bank holds 20 and 30, on 14 texts: passages, tables, an index and a table of contents. Every text was written for this page, names no real person, place or event, and holds the answer to its questions. The real section's selections vary in length; these are short. Licence: Questions, choices, texts and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
Each question on this CBEST reading practice test prints its own short text, and the answer is always in that text. It is unofficial and not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing or Pearson.
Read the full guide
What the Reading section tests
The CBEST test specifications and the exam's own page, both read October 6, 2026, name two skill areas. Critical analysis and evaluation, about 40 percent of questions, covers arguments, evidence, viewpoint and tone. Comprehension and research skills, about 60 percent, covers main ideas, word meanings and looking things up in an index, a table of contents, a table or a graph. This bank holds 20 and 30.
What is different here
Our texts run a few sentences so they fit a phone screen. The real selections are excerpts from a book, chapter, article or report, the specifications say.
Find the line that proves your choice. If no line does, the choice is probably a trap.
For an index or a table of contents, read the question first: you are looking something up, not reading through.
Questions and answers
Do CBEST reading questions need outside knowledge?
No. The exam's CBEST page says no question requires outside knowledge and each can be answered from the information in its passage.
How many questions are on the CBEST reading test?
50 multiple-choice questions, in a session of 1 hour 30 minutes plus 15 minutes for a nondisclosure agreement and a tutorial.
Is this the 2018 CBEST reading practice test?
No year's test is copied here. The texts and questions are our own CBEST reading practice, written to the specifications posted on the exam's site as of October 6, 2026, whose copyright line is dated 2007.
What is a passing score for CBEST reading?
41 on a scale from 20 to 80. A Reading score as low as 37 can still pass if it and your Mathematics and Writing scores add up to at least 123.