SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 23

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 Clementine arrived from Charleston, she brought with her a trunk full of silk dresses and a conviction that the Kentucky countryside was unfit for civilized life. My mother met her at the depot, and I watched from (5) the porch as their carriage rolled up the drive, dust rising in clouds behind the wheels. Aunt Clementine descended with the slow deliberation of a queen, one gloved hand resting on the carriage door, the other shielding her face from the July sun.     “Margaret,” she said to my mother, her voice sharp as (10) cut glass, “I cannot fathom why you insist on remaining in this wilderness when Charleston society asks after you constantly.” My mother only smiled, the same patient smile she wore when the hens refused to lay or the well ran low. I understood, even at twelve, that (15) my mother possessed a strength my aunt could never recognize, rooted as it was in soil and seasons rather than ballrooms and calling cards.     For three weeks Aunt Clementine complained about the heat, the insects, the absence of a proper dressmaker within twenty miles. (20) Yet I noticed that each evening she walked farther into the fields, her parasol abandoned on the porch rail, her face turned toward the darkening hills with an expression I had never seen her wear in the parlor.

1. The passage is narrated from the point of view of

1. Aunt Clementine reflecting on her past visits to Kentucky
2. a child observing the arrival and behavior of a relative
3. the mother explaining her decision to leave Charleston
4. an adult looking back on childhood visits to Charleston
5. a third-person narrator with access to all characters’ thoughts

2. The description of Aunt Clementine’s descent from the carriage (lines 5-7) primarily emphasizes her

1. physical frailty and need for assistance
2. sense of superiority and self-importance
3. eagerness to reunite with family members
4. fear of the unfamiliar rural environment
5. exhaustion from the long journey

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

1. measure
2. understand
3. explore
4. tolerate
5. prevent

4. The narrator’s description of the mother’s smile (lines 11-13) suggests that the mother

1. shares her sister’s longing to return to Charleston
2. is accustomed to enduring difficulties without complaint
3. feels amused by her sister’s exaggerated criticisms
4. resents her sister’s interference in family matters
5. conceals her disappointment about the failing farm

5. The narrator contrasts her mother’s strength with Aunt Clementine’s values by comparing

1. rural hardship with urban convenience
2. natural cycles with social rituals
3. family loyalty with personal ambition
4. practical skills with artistic accomplishments
5. physical labor with intellectual pursuits

6. The detail about Aunt Clementine’s evening walks (lines 18-21) suggests that she

1. enjoys exercising in cooler temperatures
2. searches for a means of escape from the farm
3. feels bored by the lack of social activities
4. experiences an unexpected attraction to the landscape
5. wishes to avoid conversations with family members

7. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. contrast two different approaches to life and their underlying values
2. criticize the shallow nature of Southern urban society
3. celebrate the superior virtue of rural life over city dwelling
4. describe the challenges of maintaining a farm in Kentucky
5. trace the narrator’s growing understanding of adult relationships

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about linguistics and cognitive science.

    For decades, linguists assumed that all human languages shared a universal grammar, a set of innate principles hardwired into the brain that constrained the possible structures language could take. This theory, championed most famously by Noam Chomsky, (5) suggested that despite surface differences, languages from Mandarin to Swahili to English operated according to the same fundamental rules. Yet recent research on Pirahã, a language spoken by fewer than a thousand people in the Amazon basin, has challenged this assumption in profound ways.     Pirahã (10) appears to lack several features once considered universal. It has no fixed terms for specific numbers, no grammatical recursion (the embedding of clauses within clauses that allows for infinite sentence complexity), and no creation myths or abstract origin stories. Daniel Everett, the linguist who has studied Pirahã most (15) extensively, argues that these absences reflect not cognitive limitations but cultural priorities. The Pirahã people value immediate experience over abstract speculation, and their language, Everett contends, has evolved to reflect this cultural principle.     Critics of Everett’s interpretation maintain that his claims (20) overstate the implications of Pirahã’s unusual features. They argue that the absence of recursion may be a matter of degree rather than kind, or that Everett has misanalyzed the grammatical structures he observed. The debate remains unresolved, but it has reinvigorated fundamental questions about whether language (25) shapes thought, whether culture constrains grammar, and whether the search for linguistic universals has obscured the remarkable diversity of human communication.

8. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the grammatical structure of an Amazonian language
2. explain how a particular language challenges a longstanding linguistic theory
3. argue that universal grammar has been definitively disproven
4. trace the historical development of Noam Chomsky’s research
5. advocate for the preservation of endangered languages

9. According to the passage, universal grammar theory proposes that

1. all languages will eventually evolve to resemble English
2. human brains contain innate principles that govern language structure
3. children learn language through cultural immersion rather than instinct
4. some languages are more logically constructed than others
5. linguistic diversity has increased dramatically over time

10. As used in line 7, the word “assumption” most nearly means

1. responsibility
2. arrogance
3. premise
4. acquisition
5. hypothesis

11. The passage indicates that Pirahã differs from most languages in its lack of

1. verb tenses and noun cases
2. specific number terms and recursive grammar
3. spoken communication and written forms
4. vowel sounds and consonant clusters
5. speakers willing to teach it to outsiders

12. Daniel Everett attributes the unusual features of Pirahã to

1. the geographic isolation of the Amazon basin
2. cognitive differences between Pirahã speakers and other humans
3. the small population size of the language community
4. cultural values that prioritize immediate experience
5. the influence of neighboring languages on grammatical structure

13. The author’s tone in describing the debate between Everett and his critics (lines 19-23) can best be described as

1. dismissive and condescending
2. neutral and balanced
3. passionate and partisan
4. confused and uncertain
5. humorous and lighthearted

14. The passage suggests that the study of Pirahã has

1. definitively resolved longstanding debates about language origins
2. proven that culture has no influence on grammatical structure
3. renewed fundamental questions about language and thought
4. demonstrated that universal grammar applies to all known languages
5. led to the discovery of other languages lacking recursion

Passage 3

The following passage is excerpted from a 1918 speech by Eugene V. Debs, delivered in Canton, Ohio, before his imprisonment for violation of the Espionage Act.

    Wars throughout history have been waged for conquest and plunder. In the Middle Ages when the feudal lords who inhabited the castles whose towers may still be seen along the Rhine concluded to enlarge their domains, to increase their (5) power, their prestige and their wealth they declared war upon one another. But they themselves did not go to war any more than the modern feudal lords, the barons of Wall Street go to war. The feudal barons of the Middle Ages, the economic predecessors of the capitalists of our day, (10) declared all wars. And their miserable serfs fought all the battles. The poor, ignorant serfs had been taught to revere their masters; to believe that when their masters declared war upon one another, it was their patriotic duty to fall upon one another and to cut one another’s throats for (15) the profit and glory of the lords and barons who held them in contempt. And that is war in a nutshell. The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing (20) to gain and all to lose-especially their lives.

15. The main argument of the passage is that

1. modern warfare requires more sophisticated technology than medieval combat
2. wars have historically served the interests of the powerful at the expense of the powerless
3. feudalism was a more equitable system than modern capitalism
4. patriotic duty requires citizens to support their government during wartime
5. the barons of Wall Street are direct descendants of medieval feudal lords

16. Debs draws a parallel between feudal lords and “the barons of Wall Street” (line 7) in order to suggest that

1. both groups physically fought in the wars they declared
2. economic elites in different eras have exploited workers similarly
3. medieval society was more honest about class divisions than modern society
4. capitalism emerged directly from the feudal system without significant changes
5. Wall Street financiers literally own castles along the Rhine

17. As used in line 12, the word “revere” most nearly means

1. fear
2. honor
3. remember
4. obey
5. imitate

18. According to the passage, serfs were taught that fighting in their masters’ wars was

1. an opportunity to gain wealth and social status
2. a patriotic obligation to their lords
3. a way to demonstrate military prowess
4. preferable to working in the fields
5. required by religious doctrine

19. The phrase “that is war in a nutshell” (line 16) serves to

1. introduce a new argument unrelated to the preceding discussion
2. acknowledge the complexity of military history
3. summarize the essential pattern Debs has just described
4. express uncertainty about the causes of historical conflicts
5. transition from medieval examples to modern ones

20. Debs’ tone throughout the passage can best be described as

1. scholarly and dispassionate
2. bitter and accusatory
3. optimistic and encouraging
4. confused and questioning
5. humorous and satirical

■ ■ ■   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) – a child observing the arrival and behavior of a relative
Explanation: This is a Point of View question. The narrator refers to “my mother” and “I watched” and describes being “twelve” (line 14), clearly establishing a first-person child narrator observing events. Choice (A) is incorrect because Aunt Clementine is not the narrator. Choice (E) is incorrect because the passage uses first-person narration (“I”), not third-person.

2. Ans: (B) – sense of superiority and self-importance
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The description emphasizes her “slow deliberation of a queen” (lines 5-6), suggesting regal self-importance and a sense of superiority over her surroundings. Choice (A) is incorrect because nothing in the description indicates physical frailty. Choice (C) is incorrect because her manner suggests hauteur rather than eagerness.

3. Ans: (B) – understand
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 9, Aunt Clementine says she “cannot fathom why” her sister remains in Kentucky, meaning she cannot understand or comprehend the reason. Choice (A) is a trap answer because “fathom” can mean “measure” in nautical contexts, but that meaning does not fit here. Choice (D) is incorrect because the issue is comprehension, not tolerance.

4. Ans: (B) – is accustomed to enduring difficulties without complaint
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states the mother wore “the same patient smile” when facing frustrations like hens that won’t lay or a low well (lines 11-13), suggesting practiced endurance of hardship. Choice (A) reverses the passage’s meaning, as the mother has chosen to stay in Kentucky. Choice (E) is not supported, as there is no indication the farm is failing.

5. Ans: (B) – natural cycles with social rituals
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The narrator explicitly contrasts the mother’s strength “rooted…in soil and seasons” with Aunt Clementine’s values centered on “ballrooms and calling cards” (lines 15-17), directly opposing natural cycles with social rituals. Choice (C) is too broad and not the specific contrast made. Choice (D) is not mentioned in the passage.

6. Ans: (D) – experiences an unexpected attraction to the landscape
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Despite weeks of complaining, Aunt Clementine walks farther into the fields each evening with “an expression I had never seen her wear in the parlor” (lines 20-21), suggesting a new, unexpected response to the landscape. Choice (A) is too literal and misses the emotional significance indicated. Choice (B) contradicts the detail that she walks “farther into the fields,” not toward escape routes.

7. Ans: (A) – contrast two different approaches to life and their underlying values
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage centers on contrasting Aunt Clementine’s Charleston sophistication with the mother’s Kentucky practicality, and their different value systems rooted in social ritual versus natural cycles (lines 14-17). Choice (B) is too narrow and judgmental; the passage contrasts rather than criticizes. Choice (C) overstates the case, as the passage doesn’t celebrate rural life as superior.

8. Ans: (B) – explain how a particular language challenges a longstanding linguistic theory
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage introduces universal grammar theory (lines 1-6), then explains how Pirahã challenges this theory (lines 9-17), making this the primary purpose. Choice (A) is too narrow, focusing only on description rather than the theoretical challenge. Choice (C) overstates the case; the passage says the debate “remains unresolved” (line 23), not that the theory is disproven.

9. Ans: (B) – human brains contain innate principles that govern language structure
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states that universal grammar theory “suggested…a set of innate principles hardwired into the brain” (lines 2-4). Choice (A) is not stated anywhere in the passage. Choice (D) contradicts the theory, which posits that all languages share fundamental rules.

10. Ans: (C) – premise
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 7, “assumption” refers to the theoretical premise about universal grammar that Pirahã has challenged. Choice (E) “hypothesis” is close but “premise” better captures an underlying foundational belief. Choice (A) uses a different meaning of “assumption” (taking on responsibility) that doesn’t fit the context.

11. Ans: (B) – specific number terms and recursive grammar
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states that Pirahã “has no fixed terms for specific numbers, no grammatical recursion” (lines 10-12). Choice (A) mentions features not discussed in the passage. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage discusses only spoken features, not writing systems.

12. Ans: (D) – cultural values that prioritize immediate experience
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states that Everett argues the language’s features “reflect…cultural priorities” because “the Pirahã people value immediate experience over abstract speculation” (lines 15-17). Choice (B) contradicts Everett’s position; he argues the differences reflect “cultural priorities,” not “cognitive limitations” (line 15). Choice (C) is not mentioned as Everett’s explanation.

13. Ans: (B) – neutral and balanced
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The author presents both Everett’s claims and his critics’ objections without favoring either side, noting the debate “remains unresolved” (line 23), indicating neutrality. Choice (A) is incorrect because the author treats both perspectives respectfully. Choice (C) is wrong because the author takes no partisan position.

14. Ans: (C) – renewed fundamental questions about language and thought
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage concludes that the debate “has reinvigorated fundamental questions about whether language shapes thought, whether culture constrains grammar” (lines 23-25). Choice (A) contradicts the statement that “the debate remains unresolved” (line 23). Choice (B) reverses what the passage suggests about culture’s potential influence on grammar.

15. Ans: (B) – wars have historically served the interests of the powerful at the expense of the powerless
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. Debs argues throughout that “the master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles” (lines 16-18), with masters gaining and subjects losing. Choice (D) reverses Debs’ argument entirely; he criticizes rather than endorses patriotic duty. Choice (A) is not discussed in the passage.

16. Ans: (B) – economic elites in different eras have exploited workers similarly
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Debs calls Wall Street barons “the economic predecessors of the capitalists of our day” (lines 8-9) to draw a parallel showing how elites exploit workers across time periods. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which states feudal lords “did not go to war” (line 6). Choice (E) takes the metaphor literally rather than understanding its figurative purpose.

17. Ans: (B) – honor
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 12, serfs “had been taught to revere their masters,” meaning to honor or deeply respect them. Choice (A) “fear” is related but doesn’t capture the sense of respectful veneration implied by “revere.” Choice (D) “obey” describes an action rather than an attitude of reverence.

18. Ans: (B) – a patriotic obligation to their lords
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states serfs believed “it was their patriotic duty to fall upon one another and to cut one another’s throats” (lines 13-14) when their masters declared war. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which emphasizes that the subject class “had nothing to gain” (lines 19-20). Choice (D) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage.

19. Ans: (C) – summarize the essential pattern Debs has just described
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The phrase introduces Debs’ summation: “The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles” (lines 16-18), distilling the medieval example into its essence. Choice (A) is incorrect because what follows directly relates to what preceded. Choice (E) is wrong because the transition to modern examples occurred earlier with the Wall Street reference.

20. Ans: (B) – bitter and accusatory
Explanation: This is a Tone question. Debs uses harsh language like “miserable serfs,” describes masters holding subjects “in contempt” (line 16), and accuses the master class of exploitation, creating a bitter, accusatory tone throughout. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage is passionate rather than dispassionate. Choice (C) is wrong because there is no optimism or encouragement present in this critical speech.