Studies show that one concrete measure of readiness for college and careers is students’ ability to read and comprehend complex text independently. Many students who do not encounter sufficiently challenging texts in high school struggle upon entering college. In the twenty-first century, students may change jobs often; they must therefore be able to read a range of complex texts to be ready for an ever-evolving workplace. While no sampling can do justice to the numerous ways in which different authors craft engaging and complex prose, the four selections below exemplify the kinds of passages students need to grapple with in.
