This study hypothesized that items in the one-question-per-passage format would be less easily answered when administered without their associated contexts than conventional reading comprehension items. A total of 256 seventh and eighth grade students were administered both Forms 3A and 3B of the Sequential Tests of Educational Progress (STEP 11). Context present and context absent scores were obtained for 15 items on the Hanna-Oaster Approach forms. The statistics for the two experimental forms and six tests of Tuinman are presented. Overall, this comparison supports the hypothesis and reflects positively upon the one-question-per-passage items as measures of comprehension. Ostensibly this format is an economical as well as effective means of dealing with the threat of item interrelatedness. The conclusion that this format is a useful means of constructing context dependent multiple-choice tests of reading comprehension must be evaluated in view of the influence that exclusive use of this format would have on content validity. If such an influence is neutral or positive, then the format may be a practical means of dealing with the threat of item interrelatedness to context dependence. If the format negatively influences content validity, then its use would merely substitute one source of invalidity for another. (Author/PN)