SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 8

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 morning the telegram arrived, Mei was in the garden cutting roses for the dining room table. She heard her mother’s footsteps on the gravel path before she saw her, and something in the uneven rhythm made her look up sharply. Her mother’s face was (5) pale, and she held a small yellow envelope in both hands as though it might dissolve.     “It’s your brother,” she said, and Mei felt the pruning shears slip from her fingers. The roses fell too, scattering across the stones like drops of blood.     Later, Mei would remember (10) very little of that day. She would remember the peculiar brightness of the sky, how it seemed an affront. She would remember her father sitting motionless in his study, the telegram spread flat on his desk, his reading glasses still perched on his nose though his eyes were (15) closed. But mostly she would remember the silence – the great, terrible silence that filled the house like flood water, drowning out everything that had come before.     In the weeks that followed, neighbors came with casseroles and condolences. They spoke in (20) hushed voices about sacrifice and honor, about duty and the greater good. Mei listened politely, nodded at the appropriate moments, but inside she felt only a growing coldness, as if something vital had been extinguished and would never be rekindled.

1. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. describe the physical layout of Mei’s family home and garden
2. portray a family’s immediate reaction to devastating news
3. explain the historical context of a wartime telegram
4. celebrate the heroism of Mei’s brother in battle
5. criticize the neighbors for offering inadequate comfort

2. The detail that Mei’s mother held the envelope “in both hands as though it might dissolve” (lines 5-6) suggests that she

1. was afraid the telegram would be damaged by moisture
2. wanted to hide the contents from Mei as long as possible
3. was treating the telegram with extreme care and trepidation
4. believed the message might not be real or permanent
5. was planning to destroy the telegram immediately

3. As used in line 9, the word “affront” most nearly means

1. warning
2. insult
3. challenge
4. blessing
5. mystery

4. The passage suggests that Mei’s father’s glasses remained “perched on his nose though his eyes were closed” (lines 14-15) because he

1. had fallen asleep while reading the telegram
2. was so overwhelmed that he became motionless
3. was deliberately ignoring the telegram’s contents
4. had poor vision and needed the glasses to see
5. was waiting for other family members to arrive

5. The narrator compares the silence in the house to “flood water” (line 17) primarily to emphasize its

1. cleansing and purifying effect on the family
2. temporary and passing nature
3. overwhelming and all-consuming quality
4. unexpected and sudden arrival
5. similarity to other natural disasters

6. The passage indicates that the neighbors spoke about all of the following EXCEPT

1. sacrifice
2. honor
3. duty
4. revenge
5. the greater good

7. The final paragraph suggests that Mei’s response to the neighbors’ words was characterized by

1. genuine gratitude and emotional relief
2. outward courtesy masking inner detachment
3. angry rejection of their consoling remarks
4. confusion about the meaning of their statements
5. agreement with their views on sacrifice and duty

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about musicology and human development.

    For decades, researchers have debated whether musical training confers cognitive advantages beyond the realm of music itself. The “Mozart effect” – the notion that listening to classical music temporarily boosts spatial reasoning – has been largely (5) discredited, but more rigorous studies suggest that active music instruction may yield lasting benefits. A 2013 study by Nina Kraus at Northwestern University found that children who received regular music lessons showed enhanced neural processing of speech sounds compared to peers who did not study music. The (10) musicians demonstrated faster and more accurate brainstem responses to syllables, suggesting that musical training sharpens the brain’s ability to distinguish subtle acoustic differences.     These findings align with what neuroscientists call “neural plasticity” – the brain’s capacity to reorganize itself in response to (15) experience. Learning to play an instrument requires the integration of multiple sensory and motor systems: reading notation, coordinating finger movements, listening critically to pitch and rhythm, and often performing in synchrony with others. This multisensory demand appears to strengthen connections between brain regions, particularly (20) in areas responsible for auditory processing, motor control, and executive function. Interestingly, the benefits seem most pronounced when training begins early, though adult learners also show measurable gains. The implications extend beyond individual development; some educators now advocate for music programs as essential (25) components of academic curricula, arguing that they cultivate skills – focus, discipline, pattern recognition – that transfer to other domains of learning.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. the Mozart effect has been proven to enhance spatial reasoning in children
2. active musical training may produce cognitive benefits beyond music
3. all children should begin learning instruments before age five
4. neural plasticity only occurs in young children, not adults
5. music programs are more important than other academic subjects

9. According to the passage, the “Mozart effect” refers to

1. the idea that listening to classical music temporarily improves spatial reasoning
2. the benefits of active music instruction on speech processing
3. the brain’s capacity to reorganize itself through experience
4. the integration of sensory and motor systems during music performance
5. Nina Kraus’s research on brainstem responses to syllables

10. As used in line 6, the word “confers” most nearly means

1. discusses
2. grants
3. removes
4. compares
5. questions

11. The passage indicates that children who received music lessons in the Northwestern University study exhibited

1. improved performance in mathematics and science classes
2. faster and more accurate brainstem responses to syllables
3. better spatial reasoning than children who listened to Mozart
4. stronger motor control but weaker auditory processing
5. no measurable differences compared to children without lessons

12. The author’s tone in discussing music education can best be described as

1. skeptical and dismissive
2. enthusiastic but uncritical
3. balanced and informative
4. emotional and personal
5. confused and uncertain

13. The passage suggests that learning an instrument strengthens brain connections primarily because it

1. requires listening to classical composers like Mozart
2. involves integrating multiple sensory and motor systems
3. can only be done effectively during early childhood
4. eliminates the need for other forms of academic study
5. focuses exclusively on auditory processing skills

14. The author mentions that benefits of music training “seem most pronounced when training begins early” (line 22) but also notes that

1. adult learners show no benefits whatsoever from music instruction
2. neural plasticity does not exist in adults
3. adult learners also show measurable gains
4. early training always guarantees superior cognitive abilities
5. children who start late can never catch up to early starters

Passage 3

The following is excerpted from Chief Seattle’s 1854 speech upon the signing of a treaty transferring Native American land to the U.S. government.

    Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead (5) as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and (10) our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch. Our departed braves, fond mothers, glad, happy-hearted maidens, and even the little children who lived here and rejoiced here for a brief season, will love these somber solitudes and at eventide they greet shadowy returning (15) spirits. And when the last Red Man shall have perished, and the memory of my tribe shall have become a myth among the White Men, these shores will swarm with the invisible dead of my tribe, and when your children’s children think themselves alone in the field, the store, the (20) shop, upon the highway, or in the silence of the pathless woods, they will not be alone. In all the earth there is no place dedicated to solitude. At night when the streets of your cities and villages are silent and you think them deserted, they will throng with the returning hosts that once (25) filled them and still love this beautiful land.

15. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. describe the geographical features of the Pacific Northwest
2. express the deep spiritual connection between his people and the land
3. persuade the government to cancel the treaty immediately
4. provide historical documentation of specific tribal events
5. celebrate the arrival of White settlers to the region

16. As used in line 3, the word “hallowed” most nearly means

1. emptied
2. made sacred
3. destroyed
4. discovered
5. forgotten

17. Chief Seattle describes the rocks as appearing “dumb and dead” (lines 4-5) in order to

1. emphasize that they actually hold deep memories and significance
2. argue that geological formations have no importance to his people
3. suggest that the natural world is lifeless and unresponsive
4. criticize White settlers for ignoring the landscape
5. prove that rocks cannot contain human history

18. According to the passage, the dust responds “more lovingly” (line 8) to the footsteps of Chief Seattle’s people than to those of others because

1. the soil has better texture in certain regions
2. White settlers wear heavy boots that damage the ground
3. it is enriched with the blood of their ancestors
4. Native Americans walk more quietly and carefully
5. the dust contains special minerals found nowhere else

19. The passage suggests that even after the “last Red Man shall have perished” (line 15), the land will

1. become completely empty and devoid of any presence
2. be filled with the spirits of Chief Seattle’s people
3. belong entirely to White settlers without any complications
4. lose all connection to its historical past
5. be returned to the Native American tribes

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

1. angry and threatening
2. mournful yet spiritually resolute
3. cheerful and optimistic
4. detached and scientific
5. confused and uncertain

■ ■ ■   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: (B) – portray a family’s immediate reaction to devastating news
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses primarily on how Mei and her family respond in the moments and weeks following the telegram about her brother, with detailed descriptions of their emotional and physical reactions (lines 4-23). Choice (A) is too narrow, as the garden setting is merely the opening context, not the primary focus. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage never celebrates the brother’s heroism; instead, it focuses on the family’s grief.

2. Ans: (D) – believed the message might not be real or permanent
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The simile “as though it might dissolve” (lines 5-6) suggests the mother’s sense that the news is so terrible it seems unreal or impermanent, as if it might vanish. Choice (C) is partially true but misses the deeper implication of the specific verb “dissolve,” which suggests disappearance rather than merely careful handling. Choice (A) is wrong because there is no indication of concern about physical damage from moisture.

3. Ans: (B) – insult
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 9, Mei perceives the bright sky as an “affront” – something offensive or insulting in the context of her grief, as if nature’s beauty is inappropriate given the tragedy. Choice (A) is incorrect because “warning” does not fit the emotional context of the passage. Choice (D) is wrong because a “blessing” would be positive, which contradicts Mei’s negative perception of the brightness.

4. Ans: (B) – was so overwhelmed that he became motionless
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The detail that the father sat “motionless” with his glasses still on but his eyes closed (lines 12-15) suggests he was frozen in shock and grief. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage indicates deliberate stillness in response to grief, not sleep. Choice (C) is wrong because closing his eyes while the telegram remains “spread flat on his desk” suggests he has already read it, not that he is ignoring it.

5. Ans: (C) – overwhelming and all-consuming quality
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The comparison to “flood water” that fills the house and drowns “everything that had come before” (lines 16-17) emphasizes how completely the silence dominates the space and experience. Choice (B) is incorrect because flood water is not typically temporary in its effects; the metaphor emphasizes destruction, not brevity. Choice (A) is wrong because floods are destructive, not cleansing, and nothing in the passage suggests purification.

6. Ans: (D) – revenge
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that neighbors spoke about “sacrifice and honor, about duty and the greater good” (lines 19-21), but never mentions revenge. Choices (A), (B), (C), and (E) are all directly stated in lines 19-21. This question requires careful reading of the specific list provided in the passage.

7. Ans: (B) – outward courtesy masking inner detachment
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states Mei “listened politely, nodded at the appropriate moments, but inside she felt only a growing coldness” (lines 20-22), indicating a disconnect between her external behavior and internal feelings. Choice (A) is incorrect because she felt “coldness,” not gratitude or relief. Choice (C) is wrong because while she felt detached internally, she did not outwardly reject the neighbors’ remarks – she remained polite.

8. Ans: (B) – active musical training may produce cognitive benefits beyond music
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage discusses research showing that music instruction yields benefits in areas like speech processing and executive function (lines 6-26), not just musical ability. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage explicitly states the Mozart effect “has been largely discredited” (lines 4-5). Choice (D) is wrong because the passage clearly states that “adult learners also show measurable gains” (line 23), contradicting the claim that plasticity only occurs in children.

9. Ans: (A) – the idea that listening to classical music temporarily improves spatial reasoning
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage defines the Mozart effect as “the notion that listening to classical music temporarily boosts spatial reasoning” (lines 3-4). Choice (B) describes Kraus’s research findings, not the Mozart effect. Choice (C) defines neural plasticity (lines 13-15), which is a different concept discussed later in the passage.

10. Ans: (B) – grants
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 6, “confers” is used in the phrase “confers cognitive advantages,” meaning to grant or bestow benefits. Choice (A) is incorrect because “discusses” does not fit the context of giving or providing advantages. Choice (C) is wrong because “removes” is the opposite of the intended meaning.

11. Ans: (B) – faster and more accurate brainstem responses to syllables
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that children with music lessons “demonstrated faster and more accurate brainstem responses to syllables” (lines 10-11). Choice (A) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage. Choice (E) directly contradicts the study’s findings described in lines 8-12.

12. Ans: (C) – balanced and informative
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The author presents research findings objectively, acknowledges limitations (“largely discredited,” line 5; “seems most pronounced,” line 22), and provides measured conclusions throughout. Choice (A) is incorrect because the author presents positive findings about music education, not skeptical dismissal. Choice (B) is wrong because the author maintains critical distance by noting qualifications and avoiding absolute claims.

13. Ans: (B) – involves integrating multiple sensory and motor systems
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage explains that playing an instrument “requires the integration of multiple sensory and motor systems” and that “this multisensory demand appears to strengthen connections between brain regions” (lines 15-20). Choice (A) is incorrect because listening to Mozart is associated with the discredited Mozart effect, not with the integration of systems. Choice (E) is wrong because the passage mentions motor control and executive function in addition to auditory processing (lines 20-21).

14. Ans: (C) – adult learners also show measurable gains
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states benefits “seem most pronounced when training begins early, though adult learners also show measurable gains” (lines 22-23). Choice (A) directly contradicts this statement. Choice (B) is incorrect because the passage indicates neural plasticity occurs in response to experience generally (lines 13-15), and adults show “measurable gains,” implying their brains also reorganize.

15. Ans: (B) – express the deep spiritual connection between his people and the land
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Throughout the passage, Chief Seattle describes how every part of the land is “sacred” (line 1) and filled with ancestral spirits (lines 10-25), emphasizing spiritual bonds. Choice (A) is too narrow, as geographical description is not the primary purpose but rather a vehicle for expressing spiritual meaning. Choice (C) is incorrect because the speech does not call for canceling the treaty; rather, it speaks to what will remain after the treaty takes effect.

16. Ans: (B) – made sacred
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 3, “hallowed” describes how places have been made sacred “by some sad or happy event,” fitting the passage’s theme of spiritual significance. Choice (A) is incorrect because “emptied” contradicts the idea that the places are filled with meaning and memory. Choice (E) is wrong because the passage emphasizes that these places are remembered, not forgotten.

17. Ans: (A) – emphasize that they actually hold deep memories and significance
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. Chief Seattle describes how the rocks appear lifeless but actually “thrill with memories of stirring events” (lines 5-6), using contrast to emphasize hidden spiritual depth. Choice (B) is incorrect because it reverses the passage’s meaning – the rocks do have importance. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage argues the opposite: that the natural world is alive with memory and spirit.

18. Ans: (C) – it is enriched with the blood of their ancestors
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states the dust “responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors” (lines 7-9). Choice (B) is not mentioned in the passage. Choice (D) distorts the passage’s meaning – the difference is spiritual and ancestral, not based on walking technique.

19. Ans: (B) – be filled with the spirits of Chief Seattle’s people
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Chief Seattle states that after his people perish, “these shores will swarm with the invisible dead of my tribe” and the spirits “will throng” the streets (lines 16-24). Choice (A) contradicts this vision of continuing spiritual presence. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage suggests the land will never belong entirely to settlers, as it will remain spiritually inhabited.

20. Ans: (B) – mournful yet spiritually resolute
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage expresses sorrow over the loss of his people (“when the last Red Man shall have perished,” line 15) while maintaining spiritual certainty about their enduring presence (lines 15-25). Choice (A) is incorrect because while there is sadness, there are no threats, and the tone is more elegiac than angry. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage addresses loss and displacement, not cheerful optimism.