SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 21

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 lurched forward just as Mira settled into her seat, pressing her forehead against the cool glass. Outside, the Mumbai platform dissolved into a blur of color and noise, vendors calling out their final offers, children weaving (5) through the crowd with practiced agility. She had not been back to Bangalore in three years, not since her brother’s wedding, and the thought of facing her mother’s questions made her stomach tighten. Why had she left the engineering firm? When would she marry? The (10) interrogation was as predictable as the monsoon.     In her bag lay the manuscript, two hundred pages that represented eighteen months of work. Her mother would see only wasted time, but Mira knew the worth of (15) every sentence she had labored over in her tiny flat, writing by lamplight after her shifts at the bookstore ended. The novel was historical fiction, set during the Partition, and she had interviewed a dozen elderly survivors to capture the texture of (20) their memories. Her protagonist was a young widow making the dangerous journey from Lahore to Delhi, and Mira had poured into her all the courage she herself was still searching for.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the landscape visible from a moving train
2. reveal a character’s internal conflict about her life choices
3. explain the historical context of the Partition
4. contrast urban and rural life in modern India
5. criticize traditional family expectations in Indian culture

2. As used in line 8, the word “facing” most nearly means

1. confronting
2. opposing
3. covering
4. directing
5. resembling

3. The details in lines 4–6 (“vendors calling...agility”) primarily serve to

1. establish the chaotic atmosphere of the train platform
2. suggest that Mira is uncomfortable in crowded spaces
3. introduce the major characters who will appear later
4. criticize the lack of safety regulations at railway stations
5. show that Mumbai is more vibrant than Bangalore

4. It can be inferred from the passage that Mira’s mother would most likely view the manuscript as

1. an impressive professional achievement
2. an acceptable hobby to pursue in spare time
3. evidence of poor judgment and misplaced priorities
4. a project that could lead to financial success
5. a tribute to their family’s history

5. The phrase “as predictable as the monsoon” (line 11) suggests that Mira’s mother’s questions are

1. unexpected and unwelcome
2. seasonal and temporary
3. inevitable and recurring
4. violent and destructive
5. necessary and life-giving

6. According to the passage, Mira’s research process included

1. traveling to Lahore to visit historical sites
2. speaking with people who had lived through the Partition
3. working at an engineering firm to gather technical details
4. attending her brother’s wedding in Bangalore
5. reading manuscripts at the bookstore where she worked

7. The final sentence (lines 19–22) suggests that Mira

1. lacks the courage to complete her journey to Bangalore
2. identifies personally with the character she has created
3. plans to become a widow like her protagonist
4. wishes she had lived during the time of Partition
5. believes historical fiction requires less courage to write than memoir

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from a scientific article about animal cognition.

For decades, scientists assumed that tool use was the exclusive province of humans and our closest primate relatives. This comfortable assumption began to crumble in the 1960s when Jane Goodall observed chimpanzees fashioning twigs to fish (5) for termites, but even then, many researchers maintained that such behavior represented the outer limit of animal innovation. Recent studies of New Caledonian crows have shattered this notion entirely.     These remarkable birds, native to a small island (10) in the South Pacific, manufacture and use tools with a sophistication that rivals that of great apes. In controlled experiments, the crows have demonstrated the ability to solve multi-step problems that require planning several moves ahead. In one particularly striking study, a crow named (15) Betty spontaneously bent a straight piece of wire into a hook to retrieve a small basket of food from a vertical tube – a feat she accomplished on her first attempt, with no prior training.     What makes this behavior even more astonishing is that (20) New Caledonian crows appear to understand cause-and-effect relationships. They don’t simply repeat learned behaviors; they modify their tools based on the specific problem at hand and can even create tools to make other tools, a capacity previously thought to be uniquely human.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. Jane Goodall’s research on chimpanzees was groundbreaking
2. New Caledonian crows possess unexpectedly advanced cognitive abilities
3. tool use is less important than previously believed
4. animals should be studied in controlled laboratory settings
5. humans are not as intelligent as other primates

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

1. physically relaxing
2. financially secure
3. conveniently unchallenged
4. emotionally supportive
5. well-padded

10. According to the passage, many researchers in the 1960s believed that

1. no animals other than humans could use tools
2. chimpanzee tool use represented the height of non-human animal capability
3. New Caledonian crows were more intelligent than chimpanzees
4. Jane Goodall’s observations were inaccurate
5. tool use required multi-step planning abilities

11. The author mentions Betty’s wire-bending accomplishment (lines 14–17) primarily to

1. prove that all crows possess identical cognitive abilities
2. illustrate the crows’ capacity for spontaneous problem-solving
3. argue that laboratory experiments are superior to field observations
4. demonstrate that crows can be trained to perform complex tasks
5. show that wire is the preferred material for crow tools

12. The passage suggests that the ability to “create tools to make other tools” (line 23) is significant because it

1. was previously considered a distinctively human trait
2. proves that crows are more intelligent than great apes
3. demonstrates that crows can solve any problem
4. shows that New Caledonia has unique environmental conditions
5. indicates that tool use evolved independently in birds and primates

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

1. skeptical and dismissive
2. enthusiastic and admiring
3. neutral and detached
4. anxious and uncertain
5. amused and condescending

14. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the passage’s argument about crow intelligence?

1. Other species of crows also inhabit the South Pacific region
2. Betty had observed humans using hooks before the experiment
3. Great apes can also bend wire into useful shapes
4. New Caledonian crows live in complex social groups
5. Jane Goodall also studied chimpanzee social behavior

Passage 3

The following is adapted from Chief Joseph’s surrender speech, delivered in 1877 in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana.

Tell General Howard I know his heart. What he told me before, I have it in my heart. I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed; Looking Glass is dead, Too-hul-hul-sote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the (5) young men who say yes or no. He who led on the young men is dead. It is cold, and we have no blankets; the little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no (10) food. No one knows where they are – perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired; my heart is (15) sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.

15. The primary purpose of this speech is to

1. declare victory over General Howard’s forces
2. announce the surrender of Chief Joseph’s people
3. request additional supplies for the coming winter
4. celebrate the bravery of the fallen chiefs
5. negotiate better terms for a peace treaty

16. As used in line 2, the phrase “I have it in my heart” most nearly means

1. I have memorized his exact words
2. I am suffering from emotional pain
3. I remember and value what he said
4. I have a medical condition affecting my heart
5. I feel affection for General Howard

17. Chief Joseph mentions the deaths of Looking Glass and Too-hul-hul-sote (lines 3–4) primarily to

1. assign blame for the military defeat
2. emphasize the devastating losses his people have suffered
3. prove that the young men are better leaders
4. request a proper burial ceremony
5. threaten further violence against General Howard

18. The statement “It is the young men who say yes or no” (lines 4–5) suggests that

1. Chief Joseph has lost his authority over his people
2. young men are more qualified to make decisions than elders
3. the traditional leadership structure has been destroyed by the conflict
4. General Howard should negotiate with the younger generation
5. Chief Joseph disapproves of the decisions made by young men

19. According to the passage, Chief Joseph wants time primarily to

1. plan a military counterattack
2. negotiate with General Howard
3. search for his missing children
4. bury the dead chiefs properly
5. gather blankets and food

20. The tone of the final sentence (lines 14–16) can best be described as

1. angry and defiant
2. hopeful and optimistic
3. weary and mournful
4. confused and uncertain
5. joyful and relieved

■ ■ ■   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) – reveal a character’s internal conflict about her life choices
Explanation: This is a Main Idea/Author’s Purpose question. The passage focuses on Mira’s anxiety about facing her mother’s disapproval of her decision to leave engineering and pursue writing (lines 6–11, lines 12–15), making this clearly about internal conflict over life choices. Choice (A) is too narrow, as the train platform description is only a brief opening detail. Choice (E) is too broad and judgmental; the passage presents the mother’s expectations but doesn’t criticize the entire culture.

2. Ans: (A) – confronting
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 8, Mira dreads “facing her mother’s questions,” meaning she must confront or deal with them directly. Choice (B) “opposing” suggests active resistance rather than simply encountering something. Choice (C) “covering” uses a different meaning of “facing” that doesn’t fit the context of encountering questions.

3. Ans: (A) – establish the chaotic atmosphere of the train platform
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The details of vendors calling out and children weaving through crowds (lines 4–6) create a vivid sense of the bustling, chaotic platform environment. Choice (C) is incorrect because these are anonymous background figures, not characters who appear later in the narrative. Choice (E) makes an unsupported comparison; the passage never describes Bangalore’s atmosphere.

4. Ans: (C) – evidence of poor judgment and misplaced priorities
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that Mira’s mother would see the manuscript as “only wasted time” (lines 12–13), while Mira anticipates critical questions about leaving her engineering job (lines 6–9), indicating her mother views writing as a poor choice. Choice (A) contradicts the “wasted time” statement in line 13. Choice (D) is unsupported; there’s no indication the mother would view it as potentially profitable.

5. Ans: (C) – inevitable and recurring
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context/Figurative Language question. Monsoons are regular, seasonal, and inevitable weather patterns; comparing the mother’s questions to monsoons (line 11) suggests they are predictably recurring and unavoidable. Choice (A) is contradictory because “predictable” means expected, not unexpected. Choice (D) takes the comparison too literally; monsoons may be destructive, but the passage doesn’t suggest the questions are violent.

6. Ans: (B) – speaking with people who had lived through the Partition
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 16–18 explicitly state that Mira “had interviewed a dozen elderly survivors” of Partition to capture their memories. Choice (A) is not mentioned; the passage never states Mira traveled to Lahore. Choice (C) reverses the timeline; she left the engineering firm before writing, and didn’t work there to gather details for the novel.

7. Ans: (B) – identifies personally with the character she has created
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states Mira “had poured into her [protagonist] all the courage she herself was still searching for” (lines 20–22), indicating personal identification with the character. Choice (C) misreads the passage entirely; Mira identifies with the character’s courage, not her marital status. Choice (D) is unsupported; admiring a historical period’s people doesn’t mean wishing to have lived then.

8. Ans: (B) – New Caledonian crows possess unexpectedly advanced cognitive abilities
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The entire passage describes how New Caledonian crows demonstrate sophisticated tool use and problem-solving that challenges previous assumptions about animal intelligence (lines 7–24). Choice (A) is too narrow; Goodall’s research is mentioned only as background context in lines 3–6. Choice (E) contradicts the passage, which never compares human and primate intelligence levels.

9. Ans: (C) – conveniently unchallenged
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The “comfortable assumption” (line 3) refers to a belief that scientists held without being forced to question it; the word suggests intellectual complacency rather than physical comfort. Choice (A) takes the most common meaning of “comfortable” but doesn’t fit the context of describing an assumption. Choice (B) “financially secure” is completely unrelated to the context of scientific assumptions.

10. Ans: (B) – chimpanzee tool use represented the height of non-human animal capability
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 5–7 state that even after Goodall’s observations, “many researchers maintained that such behavior represented the outer limit of animal innovation.” Choice (A) is too extreme; by the 1960s, chimpanzee tool use was acknowledged. Choice (C) is anachronistic; New Caledonian crow research came much later, as indicated by “recent studies” in line 7.

11. Ans: (B) – illustrate the crows’ capacity for spontaneous problem-solving
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Betty’s achievement is described as “spontaneous” with “no prior training” (lines 16–17), exemplifying the crows’ innovative problem-solving abilities. Choice (D) contradicts the passage, which emphasizes Betty had “no prior training” (line 17). Choice (E) focuses on an irrelevant detail; the material is incidental to the cognitive ability demonstrated.

12. Ans: (A) – was previously considered a distinctively human trait
Explanation: This is a Detail/Inference question. The passage explicitly states that creating tools to make other tools is “a capacity previously thought to be uniquely human” (lines 23–24). Choice (B) overstates the comparison; the passage says crows “rival” great apes (line 11), not that they exceed them. Choice (C) is too broad; demonstrating one advanced capacity doesn’t mean crows can solve literally any problem.

13. Ans: (B) – enthusiastic and admiring
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The author uses phrases like “remarkable birds” (line 9), “particularly striking” (line 14), and “even more astonishing” (line 19), showing clear enthusiasm and admiration for the crows’ abilities. Choice (A) is contradictory; the author accepts and celebrates the findings rather than questioning them. Choice (C) is incorrect because words like “remarkable” and “astonishing” show emotion, not detachment.

14. Ans: (B) – Betty had observed humans using hooks before the experiment
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. If Betty had seen hooks being used before, her wire-bending would no longer be “spontaneous” innovation (line 15) but learned behavior, undermining the argument about crow intelligence. Choice (A) is irrelevant to the argument about cognitive abilities. Choice (C) would not weaken the argument since the passage already acknowledges that great apes use tools sophisticatedly (line 11).

15. Ans: (B) – announce the surrender of Chief Joseph’s people
Explanation: This is a Main Idea/Author’s Purpose question. The speech concludes with “I will fight no more forever” (lines 15–16), and the entire speech explains why Chief Joseph is ending the conflict. Choice (A) contradicts the passage entirely; the speech describes defeat, not victory. Choice (E) is incorrect; Chief Joseph is announcing surrender, not negotiating terms.

16. Ans: (C) – I remember and value what he said
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The phrase “I have it in my heart” (line 2) follows “What he told me before,” indicating Chief Joseph remembers and holds General Howard’s earlier words as meaningful. Choice (A) is too narrow; having something “in my heart” suggests emotional significance, not mere memorization. Choice (D) takes the word “heart” literally rather than figuratively.

17. Ans: (B) – emphasize the devastating losses his people have suffered
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Naming specific dead chiefs (lines 3–4), then adding “The old men are all dead” (lines 4–5), emphasizes the magnitude of losses suffered. Choice (C) misreads the passage; the statement about young men (lines 4–5) reflects the destruction of traditional leadership, not a claim that young men are superior. Choice (E) contradicts the surrender message of the entire speech.

18. Ans: (C) – the traditional leadership structure has been destroyed by the conflict
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The statement follows the observation that all the old chiefs are dead (lines 4–5), indicating that traditional elder leadership no longer exists and young men must now make decisions by default. Choice (A) is too narrow; Chief Joseph retains enough authority to make this surrender speech on behalf of his people. Choice (B) makes an evaluative claim unsupported by the text; the passage implies necessity, not superiority.

19. Ans: (C) – search for his missing children
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Chief Joseph explicitly states, “I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find” (lines 11–12). Choice (A) contradicts the surrender message of the entire speech, especially “I will fight no more forever” (lines 15–16). Choice (D) is not mentioned; while chiefs’ deaths are noted, requesting time for burial is not stated.

20. Ans: (C) – weary and mournful
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The final sentence includes “I am tired; my heart is sick and sad” (lines 14–15), directly expressing weariness and sorrow. Choice (A) contradicts the surrender; there is resignation, not defiance. Choice (B) is contradicted by the explicitly stated sadness and the context of defeat and loss throughout the speech.