ACT Reading Practice Test 2026 – Comprehensive Exam Prep

Comparing is the act of noting how things are similar or different. This is the best choice because it directly describes examining two or more items to identify both their shared features and their distinctions. When you compare, you’re looking for likenesses and contrasts, which is exactly what the prompt asks you to do. Other terms point to different ideas: characterize means describing features of something on its own, not in relation to another thing; cause asks for the reason something happens; assert means to state something as true. In reading, you often compare ideas, evidence, or viewpoints across passages to see how they align or differ.