SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 7

Read each passage carefully and then answer the questions about it. For each question, decide on the basis of the passage which one of the choices best answers the question.

Passage 1

The following passage is adapted from a work of narrative fiction.

    The train rattled through the Berkshire hills, and Clara pressed her forehead against the cool glass, watching the maple trees blur into streaks of crimson and gold. She had not been back to Lenox in twelve years, not since (5) the summer her father sold the cottage to pay his debts. The telegram sat folded in her coat pocket, its words already committed to memory: “Your aunt Margaret passed Tuesday night. Funeral Friday. Please come if you can.”     Margaret had raised her after her mother died, teaching her to identify birdsong (10) and to bake bread that rose in perfect golden domes. The old woman had never left Massachusetts, never expressed any wish to see the wider world Clara had fled to in New York. Yet in every letter, Margaret’s handwriting – slanted and deliberate – carried a kind of contentment (15) that Clara, even in her Brooklyn apartment with its view of the bridge, had never managed to feel.     The conductor called out the station, and Clara gathered her things. Through the window, she could see the white spire of the Congregational church, unchanged, and beyond it the rolling fields where she (20) had spent childhood afternoons hunting for wild strawberries.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the landscape of the Berkshire hills in autumn
2. explain why Clara left Massachusetts for New York
3. portray a character returning to a significant place from her past
4. criticize Clara’s decision to abandon her family
5. celebrate the virtues of rural life over urban existence

2. As used in line 7, the word “committed” most nearly means

1. dedicated
2. entrusted
3. memorized
4. confined
5. pledged

3. The passage suggests that Clara’s father sold the cottage because

1. he wanted to move to New York with Clara
2. he was experiencing financial difficulties
3. Margaret had asked him to sell it
4. the property had become too difficult to maintain
5. he wished to invest in a different property

4. The description of Margaret’s handwriting as “slanted and deliberate” (line 14) primarily serves to

1. suggest that Margaret was elderly and frail
2. indicate that Margaret wrote her letters carelessly
3. reflect the careful and intentional quality of Margaret’s character
4. show that Clara had difficulty reading her aunt’s letters
5. prove that Margaret had received formal training in penmanship

5. The passage indicates that Clara feels

1. resentful toward Margaret for never visiting New York
2. eager to sell the cottage and return to Brooklyn
3. less content in her city life than Margaret was in hers
4. indifferent about attending the funeral
5. relieved to have escaped the constraints of small-town life

6. The tone of the passage can best be described as

1. bitter and accusatory
2. nostalgic and reflective
3. joyful and celebratory
4. anxious and uncertain
5. detached and clinical

7. The detail about “wild strawberries” (line 20) primarily functions to

1. illustrate the agricultural economy of the Berkshires
2. emphasize the poverty of Clara’s childhood
3. evoke a specific memory tied to the landscape
4. contrast with the urban environment of Brooklyn
5. suggest that Clara plans to resume farming

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article on the psychology of decision-making.

    When faced with an array of choices, most people assume that having more options will lead to greater satisfaction. Yet research in behavioral economics suggests the opposite may be true. Psychologist Barry Schwartz has termed this phenomenon the “paradox (5) of choice,” arguing that an overabundance of alternatives can produce anxiety, paralysis, and ultimately regret.     In a now-famous study conducted in a California supermarket, researchers set up a tasting booth for jam. On some days, the booth displayed six varieties; on others, twenty-four. While the larger selection attracted more initial interest, (10) customers who encountered it were one-tenth as likely to make a purchase as those presented with the limited selection. The abundance of options, it seemed, transformed a simple decision into an overwhelming task.     This effect extends beyond consumer behavior. Students choosing among numerous college courses report lower satisfaction than those (15) with fewer options. Medical patients given extensive treatment choices experience higher stress levels than those offered a focused set of alternatives. The proliferation of choices, rather than liberating us, may impose what Schwartz calls a “tyranny of freedom.”     The mechanism underlying this paradox appears to involve opportunity cost (20) and counterfactual thinking. Each unchosen option represents a lost possibility, and the more options we reject, the greater our potential for regret. When choices are limited, we more readily accept our decisions as inevitable and satisfactory.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. consumers prefer to shop in stores with limited inventory
2. having too many choices can decrease satisfaction and increase anxiety
3. psychologists have solved the problem of consumer paralysis
4. people should avoid making important decisions
5. supermarkets deliberately overwhelm shoppers with options

9. As used in line 5, the word “paralysis” most nearly means

1. physical disability
2. inability to act
3. medical condition
4. neurological disorder
5. complete exhaustion

10. According to the passage, the jam study demonstrated that customers who saw twenty-four varieties were

1. more likely to purchase jam than those who saw six varieties
2. equally likely to purchase jam as those who saw six varieties
3. much less likely to purchase jam than those who saw six varieties
4. more satisfied with their purchases than other customers
5. unable to distinguish between different flavors

11. The passage suggests that the “tyranny of freedom” (line 18) refers to

1. government restrictions on consumer choice
2. the burden imposed by having too many options
3. the benefits of a free-market economy
4. political oppression disguised as liberty
5. mandatory decision-making in educational settings

12. The author includes the examples of college students and medical patients (lines 14-17) in order to

1. prove that the paradox of choice only affects shopping behavior
2. demonstrate that the phenomenon applies to domains beyond consumer purchases
3. argue that students and patients make worse decisions than shoppers
4. suggest that education and healthcare should offer fewer options
5. contrast rational decision-making with emotional responses

13. According to the passage, “counterfactual thinking” (line 21) contributes to dissatisfaction by

1. preventing people from making any decisions
2. causing people to imagine better outcomes from rejected options
3. eliminating the possibility of regret
4. forcing people to choose the worst available option
5. reducing the number of choices available

14. The passage is primarily organized by

1. presenting a theory, providing supporting evidence, and explaining the underlying mechanism
2. describing a problem and proposing multiple solutions
3. comparing two competing psychological theories
4. narrating a series of historical events in chronological order
5. arguing against a commonly held belief without offering evidence

Passage 3

The following is excerpted from Chief Seattle’s speech to Isaac Stevens, Governor of Washington Territory, in 1854.

    Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon my people for centuries untold, and which to us appears changeless and eternal, may change. Today is fair. Tomorrow it may be overcast with clouds. My words are like the stars that (5) never change. Whatever Seattle says, the great chief at Washington can rely upon with as much certainty as he can upon the return of the sun or the seasons.     The White Chief says that Big Chief at Washington sends us greetings of friendship and goodwill. This is kind of him for we know he has little (10) need of our friendship in return. His people are many. They are like the grass that covers vast prairies. My people are few. They resemble the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain. I will not dwell on, nor mourn over, our untimely decay, nor reproach my paleface brothers (15) with hastening it, as we too may have been somewhat to blame.     Your God is not our God! Your God loves your people and hates mine! He folds his strong protecting arms lovingly about the paleface and leads him by the hand as a father leads an infant son. But He has forsaken (20) His red children, if they really are His. Our God, the Great Spirit, seems also to have forsaken us.

15. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. declare war on the United States government
2. request immediate financial assistance for Native peoples
3. express the perspective of a Native leader addressing representatives of an encroaching power
4. celebrate the friendship between Native Americans and white settlers
5. describe the religious practices of the speaker’s people

16. As used in line 14, the word “reproach” most nearly means

1. approach again
2. blame
3. retreat from
4. admire
5. forgive

17. Chief Seattle compares his words to “the stars that never change” (lines 4-5) in order to

1. demonstrate his knowledge of astronomy
2. emphasize the reliability and permanence of his statements
3. suggest that his people worship celestial bodies
4. indicate that he speaks only at night
5. prove that nature is superior to human civilization

18. The passage suggests that Chief Seattle views the relationship between his people and white settlers as one characterized by

1. perfect equality and mutual respect
2. temporary conflict that will soon be resolved
3. vast disparity in power and numbers
4. shared religious beliefs and values
5. complete isolation with no contact

19. The statement “we too may have been somewhat to blame” (line 16) suggests that Chief Seattle

1. accepts complete responsibility for his people’s decline
2. acknowledges a degree of shared culpability while not excusing the settlers
3. believes his people provoked the conflict intentionally
4. refuses to admit any wrongdoing on the part of Native peoples
5. thinks the settlers are entirely innocent

20. The tone of the final paragraph (lines 17-22) can best be described as

1. optimistic and hopeful
2. indifferent and detached
3. bitter and accusatory
4. confused and uncertain
5. celebratory and joyful

■ ■ ■   STOP   ■ ■ ■

IF YOU FINISH BEFORE TIME IS CALLED, YOU MAY CHECK YOUR WORK ON THIS SECTION ONLY. DO NOT TURN TO ANY OTHER SECTION OF THE TEST.

Answer Key

1. Ans: (C) – portray a character returning to a significant place from her past
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Clara’s train journey back to Lenox after twelve years away, following her aunt’s death, and her reflections on the place and people she left behind (lines 1-20). Choice (A) is too narrow, as landscape description is a detail but not the primary purpose. Choice (E) is wrong because the passage does not argue for the superiority of rural over urban life, but rather explores Clara’s complex feelings about both.

2. Ans: (C) – memorized
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The phrase “committed to memory” (line 7) is a common idiom meaning that Clara has memorized the telegram’s words. Choice (A) is incorrect because “dedicated” refers to devotion rather than memorization. Choice (D) is wrong because “confined” suggests physical restriction, which does not fit the context of remembering words.

3. Ans: (B) – he was experiencing financial difficulties
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states that Clara’s father “sold the cottage to pay his debts” (lines 5-6), indicating financial problems. Choice (A) is wrong because there is no mention of the father moving to New York. Choice (C) is incorrect because Margaret is never said to have requested the sale.

4. Ans: (C) – reflect the careful and intentional quality of Margaret’s character
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The description of Margaret’s handwriting as “slanted and deliberate” (line 14) mirrors the characterization of Margaret herself as someone who lived with contentment and taught Clara meaningful skills like baking and identifying birdsong (lines 9-15). Choice (A) is incorrect because the description suggests care, not frailty. Choice (B) directly contradicts the word “deliberate,” which implies care rather than carelessness.

5. Ans: (C) – less content in her city life than Margaret was in hers
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that Margaret’s letters “carried a kind of contentment that Clara, even in her Brooklyn apartment with its view of the bridge, had never managed to feel” (lines 14-16). Choice (A) is wrong because Clara shows no resentment; she reflects on Margaret with affection. Choice (D) contradicts Clara’s immediate response to the telegram and her journey to the funeral.

6. Ans: (B) – nostalgic and reflective
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The passage’s focus on Clara’s memories of her childhood, her aunt, and the unchanged landscape she observes through the train window (lines 1-20) creates a nostalgic, reflective mood. Choice (A) is incorrect because there is no bitterness or accusation in Clara’s recollections. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage centers on loss and return, not joy or celebration.

7. Ans: (C) – evoke a specific memory tied to the landscape
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The mention of “wild strawberries” (line 20) is presented as part of Clara’s childhood experience in “the rolling fields where she had spent childhood afternoons hunting” for them, evoking a concrete sensory memory. Choice (A) is wrong because the detail serves a literary rather than economic purpose. Choice (B) is incorrect because hunting for wild strawberries suggests play and exploration, not poverty.

8. Ans: (B) – having too many choices can decrease satisfaction and increase anxiety
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage introduces the “paradox of choice” (lines 4-5) and supports it with evidence that “an overabundance of alternatives can produce anxiety, paralysis, and ultimately regret” (lines 5-6). Choice (A) is too narrow, focusing only on shopping rather than the broader phenomenon. Choice (E) is wrong because the passage does not suggest deliberate manipulation by supermarkets.

9. Ans: (B) – inability to act
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In the context of decision-making, “paralysis” (line 5) refers to being unable to make a choice or take action due to being overwhelmed. Choice (A) is incorrect because it refers to the literal medical meaning, not the metaphorical usage here. Choice (C) is similarly wrong because it also invokes the medical rather than figurative sense.

10. Ans: (C) – much less likely to purchase jam than those who saw six varieties
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states that customers who encountered twenty-four varieties “were one-tenth as likely to make a purchase as those presented with the limited selection” (lines 10-11). Choice (A) directly contradicts this statement. Choice (D) is wrong because the passage does not discuss the satisfaction levels of those who actually made purchases.

11. Ans: (B) – the burden imposed by having too many options
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The phrase “tyranny of freedom” (line 18) appears in a discussion of how “the proliferation of choices, rather than liberating us,” creates problems, suggesting that freedom itself can become oppressive when choices are excessive (lines 17-18). Choice (A) is wrong because the passage discusses abundance of choice, not restriction. Choice (D) misinterprets the phrase as referring to political rather than psychological freedom.

12. Ans: (B) – demonstrate that the phenomenon applies to domains beyond consumer purchases
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. After discussing the jam study, the passage states “This effect extends beyond consumer behavior” (line 13) and then provides examples from education and healthcare (lines 14-17). Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which explicitly states the effect extends beyond shopping. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage makes no comparative judgment about decision quality across groups.

13. Ans: (B) – causing people to imagine better outcomes from rejected options
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explains that “each unchosen option represents a lost possibility, and the more options we reject, the greater our potential for regret” (lines 20-22), indicating that counterfactual thinking involves imagining what might have been. Choice (A) is too extreme; the passage discusses difficulty deciding, not complete inability. Choice (C) reverses the relationship, as counterfactual thinking increases rather than eliminates regret.

14. Ans: (A) – presenting a theory, providing supporting evidence, and explaining the underlying mechanism
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The passage introduces the paradox of choice theory (lines 1-6), provides evidence through the jam study and other examples (lines 7-18), and explains the psychological mechanism involving opportunity cost and counterfactual thinking (lines 19-22). Choice (B) is wrong because the passage does not propose solutions. Choice (C) is incorrect because only one theory is presented, not two competing theories.

15. Ans: (C) – express the perspective of a Native leader addressing representatives of an encroaching power
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The speech is delivered by Chief Seattle to Governor Stevens in 1854, at a time when white settlement was expanding into Native territories, and the chief addresses the imbalance of power and cultural differences (lines 1-22). Choice (A) is wrong because the speech, while critical, does not declare war. Choice (D) contradicts the tone and content, which acknowledge disparity rather than celebrate friendship.

16. Ans: (B) – blame
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Chief Seattle says he will not “reproach my paleface brothers with hastening” his people’s decline (lines 14-15), meaning he will not blame them for it. Choice (A) confuses the word with the similar-sounding “approach.” Choice (D) is the opposite of the correct meaning.

17. Ans: (B) – emphasize the reliability and permanence of his statements
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Chief Seattle states, “My words are like the stars that never change. Whatever Seattle says, the great chief at Washington can rely upon” (lines 4-6), directly linking the unchanging nature of stars to the trustworthiness of his word. Choice (A) is too literal and misses the metaphorical purpose. Choice (D) is factually unsupported and absurd.

18. Ans: (C) – vast disparity in power and numbers
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Chief Seattle states that the white chief “has little need of our friendship in return. His people are many. They are like the grass that covers vast prairies. My people are few” (lines 9-12), explicitly contrasting the populations and implying a power imbalance. Choice (A) contradicts the entire passage. Choice (D) is directly refuted by the statement “Your God is not our God” (line 17).

19. Ans: (B) – acknowledges a degree of shared culpability while not excusing the settlers
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The phrase “we too may have been somewhat to blame” (line 16) follows his statement that he will not reproach the settlers for hastening his people’s decline, suggesting nuanced acknowledgment without absolving the settlers of responsibility (lines 13-16). Choice (A) is too extreme; he says “somewhat to blame,” not completely responsible. Choice (D) contradicts the statement, which does admit some degree of fault.

20. Ans: (C) – bitter and accusatory
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The final paragraph contrasts how “Your God loves your people and hates mine” and describes how God “folds his strong protecting arms lovingly about the paleface” but “has forsaken His red children” (lines 17-20), expressing bitterness about perceived divine abandonment and unequal treatment. Choice (A) is contradicted by the theme of abandonment. Choice (B) is wrong because the passage conveys strong emotion rather than detachment.