Answer :
Aptitude tests like the SAT and ACT are tools used to predict a person's potential for success in education and professional fields, measuring verbal, mathematical, and general reasoning abilities.
Aptitude tests are designed to predict a person's future accomplishments and potential in various fields.
Well-known examples like the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) and ACT (American College Test) measure verbal and mathematical abilities and are used by colleges and universities to select students.
These tests are thought to predict success, especially in the first year of programs, and include a measure of intelligence. They are based on the premise that knowledge and abilities gained in high school are indicative of future performance.
Furthermore, these tests can also help guide individuals in their choice of profession by providing insight into their special talents.
Tests and their purpose:
- "Tests have been designed since 1920 to measure aptitudes for such fields as mechanics, music, and art."
- "Variations that occur among individuals in mental ability and in physical characteristics, such as height and weight, have long been recognized."
- "More recently, individual differences in special talents have been recognized, measured, and given consideration in many schools."
Specific aptitudes and their indicators:
- "An aptitude for mechanical tasks is considered to be indicated when one possesses manual dexterity, hand and eye coordination, and orientation in spatial relations."
- "These elements are measured by such tests as tapping, tracing, copying designs, and recognizing physical relationships of objects."
- "Musical aptitude is indicated by the capacity of the individual to discriminate between variations in pitch, tone, consonance, intensity, and rhythm."
- "An aptitude for artistic expression in the graphic arts is thought to consist of specific capacities, such as the recognition of proportion, analysis of perspective, and recognition of color combinations, including tints and shades."
Importance of aptitude versus other factors:
- "Little doubt exists that the possession of a special aptitude for any one of these fields does not necessarily ensure success."
- "While compensations can be made for the lack of aptitude for a specific endeavor, and skills can be acquired or modified through education and training, satisfactory accomplishment depends also on interest, effort, perseverance, and circumstances peculiar to each situation."
Practical applications of aptitude measurements:
- "The results of aptitude measurements have practical applications, particularly when considered in the choice of a profession."
- "For example, a dentist, surgeon, or jeweler must possess an unusual degree of eye-hand coordination as well as technical information and professional knowledge."
- "The additional information made available by the use of aptitude tests can serve to help the student become oriented to whatever special talents he may possess and to assist the counselor in offering better guidance."
The highlighted sections cover the key points of the passage:
- Purpose and History: The opening sentences provide context about the history and purpose of aptitude tests, explaining that they have been used since 1920 to measure various talents and abilities.
- Indicators of Specific Aptitudes: Detailed descriptions of what indicates aptitudes in mechanics, music, and art are essential for understanding how these talents are assessed.
- Factors Beyond Aptitude: This part emphasizes that having an aptitude does not guarantee success, and other factors like interest, effort, and perseverance are also crucial.
- Practical Applications: The final section discusses how aptitude tests are practically applied, especially in guiding students toward suitable professions based on their talents.
The complete question is shown below:
Tests have been designed since 1920 to measure aptitudes for such fields as mechanics, music, and art. Variations that occur among individuals in mental ability and in physical characteristics, such as height and weight, have long been recognized. More recently, individual differences in special talents have been recognized, measured, and given consideration in many schools.
An aptitude for mechanical tasks is considered to be indicated when one possesses manual dexterity, hand and eye coordination, and orientation in spatial relations. These elements are measured by such tests as tapping, tracing, copying designs, and recognizing physical relationships of objects. Musical aptitude is indicated by the capacity of the individual to discriminate between variations in pitch, tone, consonance, intensity, and rhythm. An aptitude for artistic expression in the graphic arts is thought to consist of specific capacities, such as the recognition of proportion, analysis of perspective, and recognition of color combinations, including tints and shades.
Little doubt exists that the possession of a special aptitude for any one of these fields does not necessarily ensure success. While compensations can be made for the lack of aptitude for a specific endeavor, and skills can be acquired or modified through education and training, satisfactory accomplishment depends also on interest, effort, perseverance, and circumstances peculiar to each situation.
The results of aptitude measurements have practical applications, particularly when considered in the choice of a profession. For example, a dentist, surgeon, or jeweler must possess an unusual degree of eye-hand coordination as well as technical information and professional knowledge. The additional information made available by the use of aptitude tests can serve to help the student become oriented to whatever special talents he may possess and to assist the counselor in offering better guidance.
What should I highlight in this passage?
