SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 25

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 Father announced we would leave Lahore, I was crouched beside the courtyard fountain, watching a gecko hunt insects along the cracked tiles. He stood in the doorway, his shadow stretching across the water, and spoke as if he were (5) reading from a newspaper rather than dismantling our lives. Mother did not look up from her embroidery. Only her needle paused, suspended above the silk like a hawk considering whether to dive.     I had never seen the sea. Father described it as an endlessness, a horizon (10) that devoured the sky, but his voice carried no wonder, only the flatness of someone reciting facts he no longer believed. We would take the train to Karachi, then a ship to England, where he had accepted a position at a hospital whose name I immediately forgot. The gecko (15) darted behind a pot of jasmine, and I envied its ability to vanish.     That evening, I climbed to the roof and looked across the city, the minarets dark against the amber sky, the calls to prayer echoing from a dozen different mosques. Everything I knew existed within (20) these sounds, these smells of cardamom and diesel smoke, this light that turned the dust itself golden. England, I imagined, would have a different kind of light altogether-one that left no shadows, revealed everything, forgave nothing.

1. The narrator’s description of the gecko in lines 2–3 primarily serves to

1. establish the setting as a tropical environment
2. introduce a symbol of the narrator’s wish to escape
3. provide a contrast to the father’s momentous announcement
4. suggest the narrator’s interest in natural history
5. foreshadow the family’s journey across the sea

2. The father’s manner of speaking in lines 3–5 suggests that he

1. is uncertain about the decision to leave
2. wants to minimize the emotional impact of his news
3. is angry at his family for their lack of enthusiasm
4. has not yet told the mother about the move
5. regrets accepting the position in England

3. The detail that the mother’s needle was “suspended above the silk like a hawk considering whether to dive” (lines 7–8) implies that she

1. is skilled at embroidery and works with precision
2. is momentarily shocked but concealing her reaction
3. is preparing to argue against the father’s decision
4. has known about the move for some time
5. is indifferent to the news her husband has announced

4. As used in line 10, the word “devoured” most nearly means

1. consumed
2. merged with
3. destroyed
4. overlooked
5. illuminated

5. The narrator’s statement that he “immediately forgot” the hospital’s name (line 14) suggests

1. he has a poor memory for details
2. he is too young to understand the significance of the move
3. he is unwilling to accept the reality of leaving
4. the hospital is unimportant to the family’s future
5. his father did not pronounce the name clearly

6. The narrator envies the gecko’s ability to vanish (lines 14–16) primarily because

1. he wishes he could hide from his father’s announcement
2. he admires the creature’s hunting skills
3. he wants to explore the courtyard unseen
4. he fears the journey to England will be dangerous
5. he prefers solitude to family gatherings

7. The tone of the final paragraph (lines 17–23) can best be described as

1. optimistic and adventurous
2. melancholy and apprehensive
3. angry and resentful
4. detached and analytical
5. joyful and nostalgic

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article on archaeology and linguistics.

    The decipherment of Linear B stands as one of the twentieth century’s most remarkable intellectual achievements, yet the story of its solution remains largely unknown outside scholarly circles. Linear B, a script found on clay tablets (5) excavated from Bronze Age sites across Crete and mainland Greece, had defied interpretation for half a century after Sir Arthur Evans first unearthed examples at Knossos in 1900. Unlike Linear A, its predecessor script which remains undeciphered to this day, Linear B offered tantalizing hints of structure: (10) repeated symbols, apparent word divisions, and numerical notations that suggested administrative record-keeping.     The breakthrough came not from a seasoned classicist but from Michael Ventris, a thirty-year-old British architect with no formal training in philology. Ventris treated the problem as an architectural one, constructing elaborate grids that mapped (15) the relationships between signs based on their frequency and position. His insight was to test the hypothesis that Linear B might encode an early form of Greek-a theory most scholars had dismissed, since Greek invaders were thought to have arrived in the region only after the script had (20) fallen out of use. When Ventris substituted Greek phonetic values for certain symbols, words began to emerge: “ti-ri-po-de” for tripod, “ko-wa” for girl. The tablets were inventories, mundane lists of goods and personnel that nonetheless proved the Greek language had flourished in the Aegean centuries earlier than previously believed.

8. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. argue that amateurs often make better scholars than professionals
2. describe the solution to a significant archaeological mystery
3. compare Linear A and Linear B writing systems
4. explain why Michael Ventris became an architect
5. prove that Greek civilization was more advanced than previously thought

9. According to the passage, Linear B differed from Linear A in that Linear B

1. was discovered at Knossos by Sir Arthur Evans
2. contained symbols suggesting organized record-keeping
3. has been successfully deciphered by scholars
4. was used exclusively on mainland Greece
5. was invented by Greek invaders

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

1. frustrating
2. tempting
3. confusing
4. obvious
5. deceptive

11. The passage suggests that most scholars initially rejected the hypothesis that Linear B encoded Greek because

1. the script looked nothing like the Greek alphabet
2. they believed Greeks arrived in the region after the script was no longer used
3. Michael Ventris lacked formal training in linguistics
4. the tablets contained only mundane inventory lists
5. Linear A had already been proven to be a non-Greek language

12. Ventris’s approach to deciphering Linear B can best be characterized as

1. relying on traditional philological methods
2. applying principles from his own professional field
3. randomly substituting different phonetic values
4. collaborating closely with experienced classicists
5. focusing exclusively on numerical notations

13. The author includes the examples “ti-ri-po-de” and “ko-wa” (lines 21–22) in order to

1. demonstrate the complexity of the Linear B script
2. prove that Bronze Age Greeks used tripods
3. provide concrete evidence of Ventris’s successful decipherment
4. show that the tablets recorded important historical events
5. illustrate how different ancient Greek was from modern Greek

14. Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage?

1. A problem is presented, then a solution and its significance are explained
2. Two competing theories are compared and one is proven superior
3. A historical figure is introduced and his entire career is summarized
4. A scientific method is described and then criticized
5. An archaeological discovery is announced and its contents are listed

Passage 3

The following is adapted from Chief Seattle’s speech delivered in 1854 in response to the United States government’s proposal to purchase tribal lands in the Pacific Northwest.

    The President in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. But how can you buy or sell the sky? The land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the (5) freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?     Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of (10) my people. The sap which courses through the trees carries the memories of the red man.     The white man’s dead forget the country of their birth when they go to walk among the stars. Our dead never forget this beautiful earth, for it is the mother of the red (15) man. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters; the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man-all belong to the same family.

15. Chief Seattle’s opening question, “But how can you buy or sell the sky?” (lines 2–3) primarily serves to

1. request information about the government’s purchasing procedures
2. express confusion about the mechanics of land transactions
3. emphasize the fundamental difference between two worldviews
4. suggest that the President’s offer is financially insufficient
5. introduce a discussion of property ownership laws

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

1. religious
2. valuable
3. mysterious
4. deserving reverence
5. belonging to priests

17. Chief Seattle’s statement that “The sap which courses through the trees carries the memories of the red man” (lines 10–11) suggests that

1. his people have marked the trees with carvings
2. the natural world and his people’s history are inseparably connected
3. trees have the ability to remember past events
4. sap was an important resource in his culture
5. his ancestors planted all the trees in the region

18. The contrast between the white man’s dead and Chief Seattle’s dead (lines 12–15) implies that

1. white people do not honor their ancestors properly
2. Chief Seattle’s people have a stronger spiritual connection to the land
3. white people believe in an afterlife among the stars
4. Chief Seattle’s people do not believe in any form of afterlife
5. the two groups practice different burial customs

19. Chief Seattle’s description of flowers, deer, horses, and eagles as “sisters” and “brothers” (lines 16–17) is primarily meant to convey

1. his people’s belief in reincarnation as animals
2. the importance of animals in tribal ceremonies
3. a view of nature as family rather than property
4. his people’s practice of naming children after animals
5. the biological relationship between humans and other species

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

1. bitter and confrontational
2. analytical and detached
3. reverent and earnest
4. resigned and defeated
5. celebratory and optimistic

■ ■ ■   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) – establish the setting as a tropical environment
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The gecko detail immediately precedes the father’s announcement, creating a sharp juxtaposition between the narrator’s absorbed attention to a small creature and the life-changing news about to be delivered (lines 2–5). Choice (B) is incorrect because the narrator does not envy the gecko until much later in the passage (line 15). Choice (E) is incorrect because geckos have no symbolic connection to sea journeys.

2. Ans: (B) – wants to minimize the emotional impact of his news
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The father speaks “as if he were reading from a newspaper rather than dismantling our lives” (lines 4–5), suggesting deliberate emotional restraint. Choice (A) is incorrect because nothing in his delivery suggests uncertainty about the decision itself. Choice (D) is incorrect because the mother is present and clearly hearing the news for the first time.

3. Ans: (B) – is momentarily shocked but concealing her reaction
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The mother “did not look up” but her needle paused in a poised, predatory manner (lines 6–8), suggesting controlled response to surprising news. Choice (A) is incorrect because the detail emphasizes her reaction, not her skill level. Choice (E) is incorrect because pausing her needle indicates she is affected by the news, not indifferent.

4. Ans: (B) – merged with
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The father describes the sea as “a horizon that devoured the sky” (lines 9–10), meaning the horizon line where sea and sky meet and become indistinguishable. Choice (A) is incorrect because “consumed” suggests destruction rather than visual blending. Choice (C) is incorrect because the sea does not literally destroy the sky.

5. Ans: (C) – he is unwilling to accept the reality of leaving
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The narrator’s immediate forgetting (line 14) suggests psychological resistance to information about the move. Choice (B) is incorrect because the narrator demonstrates sophisticated understanding throughout the passage. Choice (D) is incorrect because the hospital represents the family’s future, making it quite important.

6. Ans: (A) – he wishes he could hide from his father’s announcement
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The gecko vanishes just as the father describes England (lines 14–16), and the narrator expresses envy of this ability, suggesting a desire to escape the situation. Choice (B) is incorrect because the passage mentions the gecko hunting but the narrator’s envy is specifically about vanishing. Choice (C) is incorrect because exploration is never mentioned as a motivation.

7. Ans: (B) – melancholy and apprehensive
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The narrator describes beloved sights and sounds while imagining England’s unforgiving light (lines 17–23), combining sadness about leaving with anxiety about the future. Choice (A) is incorrect because the narrator expresses no optimism or sense of adventure. Choice (D) is incorrect because the emotional language about “everything I knew” and fearful imagery are not detached.

8. Ans: (B) – describe the solution to a significant archaeological mystery
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage presents Linear B as a mystery (lines 1–10) and then explains how Ventris solved it (lines 11–23). Choice (A) is incorrect because while Ventris was an amateur, the passage does not make a general argument about amateurs versus professionals. Choice (C) is incorrect because comparing the two scripts is a minor detail, not the primary purpose.

9. Ans: (C) – has been successfully deciphered by scholars
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states that Linear A “remains undeciphered to this day” (line 8) while Linear B was deciphered by Ventris. Choice (B) is incorrect because both scripts showed hints of structure (lines 7–10). Choice (D) is incorrect because Linear B was found on both Crete and mainland Greece (lines 4–6).

10. Ans: (B) – tempting
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Linear B offered “tantalizing hints” (line 7) that attracted scholars’ interest but did not yield immediate answers, meaning enticingly promising. Choice (A) is incorrect because while the script was frustrating, “tantalizing” emphasizes attraction rather than frustration. Choice (C) is incorrect because tantalizing suggests intriguing patterns, not confusion.

11. Ans: (B) – they believed Greeks arrived in the region after the script was no longer used
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states scholars dismissed the Greek hypothesis “since Greek invaders were thought to have arrived in the region only after the script had fallen out of use” (lines 17–20). Choice (C) is incorrect because Ventris’s credentials affected his credibility, not why the hypothesis was rejected. Choice (E) is incorrect because Linear A’s language remains unknown.

12. Ans: (B) – applying principles from his own professional field
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Ventris “treated the problem as an architectural one” (line 13), using methods from his profession as an architect. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage emphasizes he had “no formal training in philology” (line 13). Choice (C) is incorrect because he used systematic grids mapping relationships, not random substitution.

13. Ans: (C) – provide concrete evidence of Ventris’s successful decipherment
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The examples show recognizable Greek words emerging from the symbols (lines 21–22), proving the decipherment worked. Choice (B) is incorrect because proving Greeks used tripods is incidental, not the author’s purpose in including the examples. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage states the tablets were “mundane lists,” not important historical events (line 22).

14. Ans: (A) – A problem is presented, then a solution and its significance are explained
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The first paragraph presents the undeciphered script as a problem (lines 1–10), the second explains Ventris’s solution and its historical significance (lines 11–23). Choice (B) is incorrect because no competing theories are systematically compared. Choice (C) is incorrect because only Ventris’s work on Linear B is discussed, not his entire career.

15. Ans: (C) – emphasize the fundamental difference between two worldviews
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The rhetorical question highlights that Chief Seattle’s people consider the sky and land unsellable (lines 2–5), contrasting sharply with the government’s proposal to purchase land. Choice (A) is incorrect because this is a rhetorical question expressing philosophical opposition, not a request for procedural information. Choice (D) is incorrect because Chief Seattle questions the entire concept of selling land, not the offered price.

16. Ans: (D) – deserving reverence
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Chief Seattle calls every part of earth “sacred” and then describes elements as “holy in the memory and experience of my people” (lines 8–10), indicating worthy of deep respect. Choice (A) is too narrow because sacred here extends beyond formal religious practice. Choice (B) is incorrect because valuable emphasizes utility rather than reverence.

17. Ans: (B) – the natural world and his people’s history are inseparably connected
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The metaphor of sap carrying memories (lines 10–11) suggests trees and tribal history are unified. Choice (A) is incorrect because the statement is metaphorical about memory, not literal about carvings. Choice (C) is incorrect because Chief Seattle is speaking metaphorically about connection, not claiming trees literally remember.

18. Ans: (B) – Chief Seattle’s people have a stronger spiritual connection to the land
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Chief Seattle states his people’s dead “never forget this beautiful earth” while white people’s dead “forget the country of their birth” (lines 12–15), implying deeper attachment to place. Choice (C) is a trap because while the passage mentions stars, this is not the implied point of the contrast. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage indicates his people believe the dead remain connected to earth.

19. Ans: (C) – a view of nature as family rather than property
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Calling animals “sisters” and “brothers” (lines 16’17) directly precedes stating “all belong to the same family” (line 19), presenting nature as kin relationships rather than possessions. Choice (A) is incorrect because familial language indicates relationship, not literal reincarnation. Choice (E) is incorrect because the passage emphasizes spiritual kinship, not biological evolution.

20. Ans: (C) – reverent and earnest
Explanation: This is a Tone question. Chief Seattle speaks with deep respect about the earth as sacred and expresses sincere philosophical beliefs about connection to the land (lines 8–19). Choice (A) is incorrect because while he disagrees with the proposal, his tone remains respectful rather than bitter. Choice (D) is incorrect because he expresses strong conviction about his beliefs, not resignation or defeat.