SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 20

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 Aunt Cecily arrived from Singapore, she brought with her not only the expected trunk of silk garments and carved sandalwood boxes but also a small, irate monkey named Theodore. My mother stood in the doorway of our Philadelphia townhouse, her face a careful (5) mask of politeness, while Theodore chattered and pulled at his leather lead. I was eleven years old and thought the whole situation marvelous.     “It seemed cruel to leave him,” Cecily explained, breezing past my mother into the foyer. She wore a dress of peacock blue that whispered as she moved, and her hair, shot through with (10) silver, was pinned in an arrangement I had never seen before. “The ship’s captain said he had never transported a better-behaved primate.”     My mother’s silence suggested she doubted this claim. She had not seen her sister in seven years, not since Cecily had followed her botanist husband to the Far East and sent back (15) only occasional letters filled with descriptions of monsoons and unfamiliar fruits. Now widowed, Cecily had returned, and it was clear from the set of my mother’s shoulders that she expected trouble.     For my part, I studied Theodore, who studied me back with bright, intelligent eyes that seemed to hold both curiosity and judgment. (20)

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the physical appearance of an exotic animal
2. introduce a character whose arrival disrupts a household
3. explain the reasons why someone would travel from Asia to America
4. compare two sisters who have different attitudes toward adventure
5. criticize the practice of keeping primates as pets

2. The narrator’s attitude toward Aunt Cecily’s arrival can best be described as

1. fearful and suspicious
2. indifferent and bored
3. enthusiastic and delighted
4. confused and overwhelmed
5. resentful and jealous

3. As used in line 4, the word “careful” most nearly means

1. cautious
2. deliberate
3. thorough
4. anxious
5. meticulous

4. The description of Cecily’s dress as “whispered as she moved” (line 9) suggests that

1. the dress was poorly made and needed repair
2. Cecily was trying to move quietly through the house
3. the fabric was fine and made soft sounds
4. the narrator could barely hear Cecily speaking
5. Cecily was telling secrets to the narrator’s mother

5. The mother’s reaction to Cecily’s claim about the ship’s captain (lines 10-11) suggests that she

1. admires her sister’s ability to train animals
2. is skeptical about Theodore’s behavior
3. has met the ship’s captain personally
4. wants to send Theodore back to Singapore immediately
5. believes monkeys make excellent pets

6. According to the passage, Cecily had been living in the Far East because

1. she needed to escape from family conflicts
2. she had accompanied her husband there
3. she wanted to study tropical plants herself
4. the climate was better for her health
5. she had been hired as a ship’s navigator

7. The final paragraph suggests that Theodore is

1. frightened of unfamiliar people and places
2. interested in exploring the Philadelphia townhouse
3. capable of forming opinions about those he observes
4. too old to adapt to a new environment
5. trained to perform tricks for audiences

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about cartography and navigation.

    The portolan charts of the medieval Mediterranean represent one of history’s most significant yet enigmatic achievements in cartography. Unlike the symbolic, often fantastical maps produced by monastic scriptoria, these sailing charts depicted coastlines with startling accuracy, crisscrossed by networks of intersecting lines (5) radiating from compass roses. Mariners relied on them to navigate the complex waters between Genoa, Venice, Alexandria, and the ports of North Africa.     What makes portolan charts remarkable is not merely their precision but the mystery of their origin. No documentary evidence records their invention, and the earliest surviving examples, dating from (10) the late thirteenth century, appear fully formed, with no apparent precursors. Scholars have proposed that the charts evolved from accumulated sailor knowledge, with each generation refining coastal outlines based on direct observation and measurement. The rhumb lines that characterize these charts correspond to the thirty-two points of the mariner’s compass and allowed (15) sailors to plot courses across open water by following a constant bearing.     Recent analysis using geographic information systems has confirmed that portolan charts achieve positional accuracy rivaling that of some Renaissance maps produced centuries later with more sophisticated instruments. This precision likely resulted from the medieval practice of estimating distances by (20) dead reckoning-calculating position based on speed, time, and direction rather than astronomical observation.

8. The main idea of the passage is that portolan charts

1. were less accurate than maps made by monks in monasteries
2. represent an impressive but poorly understood cartographic development
3. could only be used for navigation in the Mediterranean Sea
4. were invented in the late thirteenth century by Venetian sailors
5. required astronomical instruments to create properly

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

1. excellent
2. imaginative
3. detailed
4. colorful
5. enormous

10. According to the passage, portolan charts were distinguished by

1. illustrations of sea monsters and mythological creatures
2. astronomical calculations of latitude and longitude
3. networks of lines radiating from compass roses
4. religious symbols placed at important ports
5. text written in multiple languages

11. The passage suggests that the earliest portolan charts are enigmatic because

1. they were drawn on materials that have not survived
2. they contain symbols that modern scholars cannot decode
3. they appeared suddenly without evidence of gradual development
4. no one knows which ports they were intended to connect
5. they were kept secret by merchant guilds

12. The author mentions geographic information systems (line 17) in order to

1. demonstrate that modern technology has surpassed medieval methods
2. provide evidence supporting claims about the charts’ accuracy
3. explain how portolan charts were originally created
4. argue that scholars have misunderstood these maps
5. suggest that the charts should be digitally preserved

13. According to the passage, dead reckoning involves calculating position based on

1. the positions of stars and planets
2. measurements taken from coastal landmarks
3. speed, time, and direction of travel
4. the depth of water beneath the ship
5. the angle of the sun at noon

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

1. skeptical and dismissive
2. informative and admiring
3. nostalgic and sentimental
4. urgent and persuasive
5. technical and inaccessible

Passage 3

The following is excerpted from a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband John Adams in March 1776.

    I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and (5) favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice (10) or representation.     That your sex are naturally tyrannical is a truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute; but such of you as wish to be happy willingly give up the harsh title of master for the more tender and endearing one of friend. Why, then, not put it out of the (15) power of the vicious and the lawless to use us with cruelty and indignity with impunity? Men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the vassals of your sex. Regard us then as beings placed by Providence under your protection, and in imitation of the Supreme Being make use of that (20) power only for our happiness.

15. The primary purpose of this letter is to

1. request legal protections and consideration for women
2. express support for American independence from Britain
3. criticize her husband for neglecting his family
4. describe the daily hardships faced by colonial women
5. argue that women should serve in the Continental Congress

16. As used in line 8, the word “foment” most nearly means

1. prevent
2. document
3. incite
4. forgive
5. observe

17. Adams’s statement that “all men would be tyrants if they could” (lines 6-7) suggests that she believes

1. only evil men desire power over others
2. power tends to corrupt those who possess it
3. her husband has already become tyrannical
4. men are incapable of governing themselves
5. American independence will create new tyrants

18. The phrase “no voice or representation” (lines 9-10) most directly connects the situation of women to

1. the plight of enslaved people in the colonies
2. the colonial grievance against British rule
3. the role of children in eighteenth-century families
4. the position of servants in wealthy households
5. the status of Native American tribes

19. Adams’s tone in the passage can best be described as

1. bitter and vengeful
2. timid and apologetic
3. playful yet serious
4. formal and detached
5. confused and uncertain

20. In the second paragraph, Adams argues that enlightened men should

1. renounce all forms of authority over their families
2. use their power to protect rather than dominate women
3. grant women the right to vote in all elections
4. abolish marriage as a legal institution
5. treat women exactly as they treat other men

■ ■ ■   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) – introduce a character whose arrival disrupts a household
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage centers on Aunt Cecily’s return from Singapore with her monkey, and the narrator describes how this arrival affects the household, particularly through the mother’s tension and the narrator’s excitement (lines 1-20). Choice (A) is too narrow, focusing only on Theodore rather than Cecily’s overall impact. Choice (D) is too broad and not the primary focus of this brief passage.

2. Ans: (C) – enthusiastic and delighted
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The narrator states “I was eleven years old and thought the whole situation marvelous” (lines 5-6), directly expressing delight. Choice (B) contradicts the narrator’s explicit statement of finding the situation marvelous. Choice (A) has no support in the passage, as the narrator shows no fear.

3. Ans: (B) – deliberate
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The phrase “careful mask of politeness” (lines 4-5) suggests the mother is consciously, deliberately controlling her expression to hide her true feelings. Choice (A) “cautious” suggests wariness rather than conscious control. Choice (E) “meticulous” suggests attention to detail rather than intentional emotional concealment.

4. Ans: (C) – the fabric was fine and made soft sounds
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The description uses figurative language to suggest the dress made soft, subtle sounds as Cecily moved, indicating high-quality, probably silk fabric (lines 8-9). Choice (A) reverses the meaning, as whispering fabric suggests quality, not poor construction. Choice (B) distorts the passage, as “whispered” describes the dress, not Cecily’s intentions.

5. Ans: (B) – is skeptical about Theodore’s behavior
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states “My mother’s silence suggested she doubted this claim” (line 12), directly indicating skepticism about the captain’s assessment of Theodore. Choice (A) contradicts the mother’s doubtful silence. Choice (E) is contradicted by her overall negative reaction to Theodore’s arrival.

6. Ans: (B) – she had accompanied her husband there
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states Cecily “had followed her botanist husband to the Far East” (line 14). Choice (C) distorts the passage-her husband was the botanist, not Cecily herself. Choice (A) is not stated anywhere in the passage.

7. Ans: (C) – capable of forming opinions about those he observes
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The narrator describes Theodore’s eyes as holding “both curiosity and judgment” (line 20), suggesting intelligence and the ability to evaluate people. Choice (A) contradicts the description of Theodore studying the narrator with curiosity. Choice (D) is not supported anywhere in the passage.

8. Ans: (B) – represent an impressive but poorly understood cartographic development
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage emphasizes both the “startling accuracy” of the charts (line 4) and the “mystery of their origin” (line 9), making them both impressive and enigmatic. Choice (A) reverses the passage’s meaning, as portolan charts were more accurate than monastic maps (lines 2-4). Choice (D) is too narrow and states a specific claim not made in the passage.

9. Ans: (B) – imaginative
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage contrasts realistic portolan charts with “symbolic, often fantastical maps” produced by monks (lines 2-3), suggesting these earlier maps included imaginative or unrealistic elements. Choice (A) “excellent” is a different meaning of “fantastic” that doesn’t fit this context. Choice (C) “detailed” contradicts the contrast with the precise portolan charts.

10. Ans: (C) – networks of lines radiating from compass roses
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states the charts were “crisscrossed by networks of intersecting lines radiating from compass roses” (lines 4-5). Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which distinguishes portolan charts from “fantastical maps” that would include such illustrations. Choice (B) contradicts the passage’s statement that the charts used dead reckoning rather than astronomical observation (lines 19-21).

11. Ans: (C) – they appeared suddenly without evidence of gradual development
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that the earliest examples “appear fully formed, with no apparent precursors” (lines 10-11), making their sudden appearance mysterious. Choice (D) contradicts the passage, which lists specific ports these charts connected (lines 5-6). Choice (E) is not stated in the passage.

12. Ans: (B) – provide evidence supporting claims about the charts’ accuracy
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The author uses GIS analysis to confirm that portolan charts “achieve positional accuracy rivaling that of some Renaissance maps” (lines 17-18), providing modern scientific support for historical accuracy claims. Choice (A) distorts the passage, which emphasizes how medieval charts matched later Renaissance accuracy. Choice (C) misrepresents the purpose-GIS was used to analyze, not explain creation of, the charts.

13. Ans: (C) – speed, time, and direction of travel
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly defines dead reckoning as “calculating position based on speed, time, and direction” (lines 20-21). Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which contrasts dead reckoning with “astronomical observation” (line 21). Choice (B) is not mentioned as part of dead reckoning.

14. Ans: (B) – informative and admiring
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The author presents factual information while using words like “remarkable” (line 8) and “startling accuracy” (line 4) that convey admiration for the charts. Choice (A) contradicts the passage’s respectful, appreciative treatment of the subject. Choice (E) is incorrect because the passage remains accessible to general readers despite technical content.

15. Ans: (A) – request legal protections and consideration for women
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. Adams asks her husband to “remember the ladies” in the new laws and not give unlimited power to husbands (lines 3-7), directly requesting legal consideration. Choice (B) is too narrow-while she mentions independence, it is not the primary purpose of the letter. Choice (D) is not accurate, as she does not describe daily hardships.

16. Ans: (C) – incite
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Adams threatens that women “are determined to foment a rebellion” (lines 7-8), meaning to stir up or incite resistance. Choice (A) “prevent” is the opposite of the intended meaning. Choice (B) “document” makes no sense in this context about starting a rebellion.

17. Ans: (B) – power tends to corrupt those who possess it
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The statement suggests that given the opportunity, any man (not just evil ones) would become tyrannical, implying that power itself is corrupting (lines 6-7). Choice (A) is too narrow-Adams says “all men,” not just evil ones. Choice (C) is not suggested anywhere in the passage.

18. Ans: (B) – the colonial grievance against British rule
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The phrase “no voice or representation” (lines 9-10) echoes the colonial complaint of “taxation without representation” against Britain, drawing a parallel between women’s legal status and colonial subordination. Choice (C) is not supported by the passage’s focus on legal and political rights. Choice (A), while possibly true historically, is not the connection Adams makes in this letter.

19. Ans: (C) – playful yet serious
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Adams uses wit and even threatens “rebellion” (line 8) in a somewhat playful manner, but her underlying request for legal protection is genuinely serious throughout the letter. Choice (B) contradicts the confident, even bold nature of her arguments. Choice (A) is too extreme-she is firm but not vengeful.

20. Ans: (B) – use their power to protect rather than dominate women
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Adams asks men to act as “friend” rather than “master” (line 13) and to use power “only for our happiness” (line 21), advocating protective rather than tyrannical use of male authority. Choice (A) is too extreme-she asks for benevolent use of power, not its renunciation. Choice (C) is not mentioned in this passage.