SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 36

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 afternoon sun broke through the canopy in shafts of amber light, casting long shadows across the forest floor where Kenji knelt beside the stream. He had been tracking the injured doe for nearly two hours, following the faint trail of disturbed leaves and (5) occasional spots of blood that marked her passage through the underbrush. His grandfather would have found her in half the time, he thought bitterly, but his grandfather was three years in the ground now, and Kenji was left to learn these skills through trial and costly error.     The doe (10) had stumbled into a poacher’s snare at the forest’s edge, a cruel wire trap that had torn into her foreleg before she’d wrenched herself free. Kenji had discovered the trap that morning while checking the boundary markers his family had maintained for (15) four generations. The sight of it had filled him with a cold fury he rarely allowed himself to feel. This forest was not open land, not free territory for anyone with a length of wire and disregard for the law.     Now, crouched beside the water, he could see where she had paused to drink, (20) her tracks uneven and hesitant in the soft mud. She was weakening, he knew, and if he didn’t find her soon, the wound would fester and the forest would claim her slowly, cruelly. He stood and wiped his palms on his trousers, then continued upstream toward the dense thicket where he suspected she had taken shelter.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the beauty of a forest ecosystem
2. portray a young man’s attempt to track an injured animal
3. criticize illegal hunting practices in protected areas
4. compare modern and traditional tracking methods
5. explain how wildlife survives in harsh conditions

2. As used in line 6, the word “costly” most nearly means

1. expensive
2. difficult
3. valuable
4. painful
5. frequent

3. The passage suggests that Kenji’s grandfather was

1. a professional hunter who taught Kenji his trade
2. an experienced tracker more skilled than Kenji
3. opposed to Kenji’s interest in the forest
4. responsible for setting the boundary markers
5. killed by poachers in the same forest

4. According to the passage, Kenji discovered the poacher’s snare while he was

1. tracking the injured doe
2. checking boundary markers
3. following his grandfather’s instructions
4. hunting for food
5. teaching himself tracking skills

5. The detail that Kenji’s family had maintained the boundary markers “for four generations” (lines 14-15) primarily serves to

1. establish how long poaching has been a problem
2. explain why Kenji feels responsible for the forest
3. suggest that the forest is very large
4. indicate that Kenji comes from a wealthy family
5. prove that Kenji has legal authority over the land

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

1. celebratory and joyful
2. detached and objective
3. anxious and uncertain
4. determined and somber
5. angry and vengeful

7. It can be inferred from the passage that if Kenji does not find the doe soon, she will most likely

1. return to the poacher’s snare
2. attack Kenji in self-defense
3. die from infection
4. be found by Kenji’s family
5. lead Kenji to other injured animals

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about archaeology and cultural history.

    In 2019, a team of archaeologists working in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile unearthed a discovery that would challenge prevailing assumptions about pre-Columbian trade networks. Buried beneath three meters of sand and volcanic ash, they found a cache of over two hundred (5) obsidian tools, each carved with remarkable precision, alongside fragments of pottery bearing distinctive geometric patterns previously associated only with cultures living more than fifteen hundred kilometers to the north.     Obsidian, a volcanic glass prized for its sharpness, had long been known to circulate among (10) ancient Andean societies, but the extent and sophistication of these exchange systems had remained poorly understood. The traditional view held that such trade occurred sporadically, driven by occasional contact between neighboring groups. The Chilean find, however, suggested something far more deliberate and sustained.     Chemical analysis of the (15) obsidian revealed that the raw material originated from a volcanic source in what is now central Peru, a region separated from the burial site by some of the most forbidding terrain in South America. The presence of the northern pottery styles, meanwhile, indicated that the tools had likely passed through (20) multiple intermediary communities before reaching their final destination. Taken together, the evidence points to a complex web of exchange relationships, maintained over generations, in which valued goods traveled distances that would have required weeks or even months of difficult travel.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. the Atacama Desert contains many undiscovered archaeological sites
2. obsidian was the most valuable trade good in pre-Columbian South America
3. a recent discovery suggests ancient Andean trade networks were more extensive than previously believed
4. volcanic ash preserves artifacts better than other types of soil
5. pottery styles can be used to determine the age of archaeological finds

9. According to the passage, the obsidian tools were discovered

1. in central Peru
2. alongside volcanic glass fragments
3. beneath sand and volcanic ash
4. in 2020
5. by chemical analysis

10. As used in line 11, the word “sporadically” most nearly means

1. violently
2. secretly
3. irregularly
4. rapidly
5. illegally

11. The “traditional view” mentioned in line 11 held that ancient Andean trade was

1. more extensive than the new evidence suggests
2. based primarily on obsidian exchange
3. occasional rather than systematic
4. limited to coastal regions
5. conducted only between neighboring groups in Peru

12. The author mentions “some of the most forbidding terrain in South America” (lines 18-19) in order to

1. explain why the obsidian tools were so valuable
2. emphasize the difficulty of the trade journeys
3. describe the landscape of the Atacama Desert
4. suggest that the tools could not have come from Peru
5. argue that chemical analysis may be inaccurate

13. The passage indicates that the pottery fragments found with the obsidian tools

1. were made from volcanic materials
2. had geometric patterns associated with northern cultures
3. were more valuable than the obsidian
4. proved the tools were made in Chile
5. were discovered in central Peru

14. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

1. The archaeologists were specifically searching for obsidian tools.
2. Pre-Columbian peoples valued obsidian primarily for decorative purposes.
3. The trade networks involved multiple communities across large distances.
4. Volcanic eruptions frequently disrupted ancient trade routes.
5. The tools were buried intentionally as part of a ritual.

Passage 3

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

    How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? Every part of this earth is sacred (5) 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 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 (10) birth when they go to walk among the stars. Our dead never forget this beautiful earth, for it is the mother of the red 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 (15) crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man – all belong to the same family.     So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us. The Great Chief sends word he will reserve us a place so that we can live comfortably (20) to ourselves. He will be our father and we will be his children. So we will consider your offer to buy our land. But it will not be easy. For this land is sacred to us.

15. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. accept the government’s offer to purchase the land
2. express a spiritual view of the land and the difficulty of selling it
3. describe the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest
4. reject entirely the possibility of negotiation
5. explain the religious practices of Chief Seattle’s people

16. As used in line 4, the word “sacred” most nearly means

1. valuable
2. beautiful
3. holy
4. useful
5. mysterious

17. According to the passage, the white man’s dead differ from the speaker’s dead in that they

1. are buried in different locations
2. forget their homeland after death
3. do not believe in an afterlife
4. are more respected by their people
5. walk among the stars more quickly

18. The phrase “all belong to the same family” (line 16) primarily emphasizes

1. the genetic similarity between humans and animals
2. the interconnection between all living and natural things
3. the importance of tribal kinship structures
4. the superiority of nature over human civilization
5. the need to protect endangered species

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

1. angry and confrontational
2. indifferent and detached
3. reverent and sorrowful
4. optimistic and cheerful
5. uncertain and confused

20. The passage suggests that Chief Seattle views the offer to buy the land as

1. a generous opportunity for his people
2. a reasonable business transaction
3. a request that is difficult to reconcile with his beliefs
4. an insulting proposal that should be immediately rejected
5. a chance to become wealthy and powerful

■ ■ ■   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 young man’s attempt to track an injured animal
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses throughout on Kenji’s efforts to track and find the injured doe, from following her trail (lines 3-6) to examining her tracks by the stream (lines 19-21). Choice (A) is too narrow, as the forest setting is backdrop rather than focus. Choice (C) is too broad, as while poaching is mentioned, the passage centers on Kenji’s tracking effort rather than on criticizing the practice.

2. Ans: (D) – painful
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 6, Kenji reflects that he is learning skills “through trial and costly error,” in the context of his grandfather being dead and Kenji feeling bitter about his own slower progress. The errors are costly in an emotional or painful sense, not a financial one. Choice (A) uses the most common meaning of “costly” but does not fit the context. Choice (B) is tempting but “difficult” does not capture the emotional weight of the word in context.

3. Ans: (B) – an experienced tracker more skilled than Kenji
Explanation: This is an Inference question. In lines 5-6, Kenji thinks bitterly that his grandfather “would have found her in half the time,” directly indicating the grandfather’s superior tracking skill. Choice (A) is not supported; while the grandfather had tracking skills, there is no evidence he was a professional hunter. Choice (E) is completely unsupported and contradicts the passage, which states the grandfather died three years ago with no mention of poachers.

4. Ans: (B) – checking boundary markers
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 12-14 state explicitly that “Kenji had discovered the trap that morning while checking the boundary markers his family had maintained for four generations.” Choice (A) reverses the sequence: he discovered the trap first, then began tracking the doe. Choice (C) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage.

5. Ans: (B) – explain why Kenji feels responsible for the forest
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The detail about four generations of family stewardship (lines 14-15) contextualizes Kenji’s “cold fury” (line 15) at finding the illegal trap and helps explain his sense of duty toward the forest. Choice (A) is not supported; the passage does not indicate how long poaching has occurred. Choice (D) is not supported; maintaining boundary markers does not indicate wealth.

6. Ans: (D) – determined and somber
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The passage conveys Kenji’s serious purpose in tracking the doe and his sober reflections on his grandfather’s death and the cruelty of the poacher’s trap (lines 15-16), combined with his persistent effort. Choice (A) is contradicted by the serious, even grim mood throughout. Choice (E) is too extreme; while Kenji feels “cold fury,” the overall tone is more quietly determined than vengeful.

7. Ans: (C) – die from infection
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 21-23 state that if Kenji doesn’t find the doe soon, “the wound would fester and the forest would claim her slowly, cruelly,” clearly indicating death from an infected wound. Choice (A) is illogical; the doe escaped the snare and would not return to it. Choice (B) contradicts the passage, which portrays the doe as weakening and unlikely to attack.

8. Ans: (C) – a recent discovery suggests ancient Andean trade networks were more extensive than previously believed
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage opens by stating the discovery “would challenge prevailing assumptions about pre-Columbian trade networks” (lines 2-3) and concludes that the evidence “points to a complex web of exchange relationships” (lines 21-22), contrasting with the traditional view of sporadic trade. Choice (A) is too broad; the passage focuses on one discovery and its implications, not on the desert’s general archaeological potential. Choice (B) distorts the passage; obsidian is discussed as one trade good, but the passage does not claim it was the most valuable.

9. Ans: (C) – beneath sand and volcanic ash
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 3-4 state explicitly that the cache was found “buried beneath three meters of sand and volcanic ash.” Choice (A) is wrong; central Peru is where the obsidian originated, not where the tools were discovered. Choice (D) gives the wrong year; the passage states 2019 (line 1).

10. Ans: (C) – irregularly
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In lines 11-12, the passage contrasts sporadic trade with “something far more deliberate and sustained,” indicating that “sporadically” means occasionally or irregularly. Choice (A) is unrelated to the meaning of the word. Choice (D) is actually opposite in meaning; sporadic means infrequent, not rapid.

11. Ans: (C) – occasional rather than systematic
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 11-12 state that “the traditional view held that such trade occurred sporadically, driven by occasional contact between neighboring groups,” contrasting with the new evidence of sustained, complex networks. Choice (A) reverses the relationship; the traditional view held trade was less extensive than the new evidence suggests. Choice (E) is too narrow; while neighboring groups are mentioned, the passage does not limit the traditional view to Peru only.

12. Ans: (B) – emphasize the difficulty of the trade journeys
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The phrase about forbidding terrain (lines 18-19) appears in a sentence discussing the distance between the obsidian source and burial site, emphasizing how remarkable it is that trade occurred across such difficult geography. Choice (D) contradicts the passage; the author uses this detail to underscore how impressive the trade network was, not to cast doubt on it. Choice (C) is incorrect; the forbidding terrain is between Peru and Chile, not a description of the Atacama Desert itself.

13. Ans: (B) – had geometric patterns associated with northern cultures
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 6-8 describe “fragments of pottery bearing distinctive geometric patterns previously associated only with cultures living more than fifteen hundred kilometers to the north.” Choice (A) is not stated in the passage. Choice (D) contradicts the passage; the northern pottery styles suggest the tools passed through multiple communities (lines 18-20), not that they were made in Chile.

14. Ans: (C) – The trade networks involved multiple communities across large distances.
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 18-23 indicate that the tools “had likely passed through multiple intermediary communities” over distances requiring “weeks or even months of difficult travel,” supporting this inference. Choice (A) is not supported; the passage states the discovery was made by archaeologists working in the desert, but does not indicate they were specifically searching for obsidian. Choice (E) is not supported; the passage does not discuss the reason for burial.

15. Ans: (B) – express a spiritual view of the land and the difficulty of selling it
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. Throughout the passage, Chief Seattle articulates his people’s sacred relationship with the land (lines 4-8, 10-16) and concludes by saying the offer “will not be easy” because “this land is sacred to us” (lines 21-23). Choice (A) is too narrow; while he says “we will consider your offer” (line 21), the passage emphasizes the difficulty and spiritual conflict, not acceptance. Choice (D) is too extreme; he states they will consider the offer, not reject it entirely.

16. Ans: (C) – holy
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 4, “sacred” is used in the phrase “Every part of this earth is sacred to my people,” followed by descriptions of elements being “holy in the memory and experience” (lines 6-7), making “holy” the best synonym. Choice (A) is a distortion; while sacred things may be valuable, the spiritual meaning of “holy” is more precise. Choice (B) is related but not synonymous; beauty is mentioned separately in the passage.

17. Ans: (B) – forget their homeland after death
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 9-11 explicitly state: “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.” Choice (C) is not stated; both groups are described as having an afterlife (“walk among the stars”). Choice (D) is not supported anywhere in the passage.

18. Ans: (B) – the interconnection between all living and natural things
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Lines 11-16 list flowers, deer, horses, eagles, rocky crests, meadows, and ponies as sisters, brothers, and family, emphasizing the unity of all elements of nature with humanity. Choice (A) is too literal and scientific; the passage makes a spiritual point, not a biological one. Choice (D) distorts the passage; the emphasis is on connection and equality, not superiority.

19. Ans: (C) – reverent and sorrowful
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The passage conveys deep reverence for the land throughout (lines 4-16) combined with sorrow at the request to sell it (lines 21-23: “it will not be easy”). Choice (A) is too extreme; while there is implicit protest, the tone is not angry or confrontational. Choice (D) is contradicted by the sorrowful difficulty expressed in the final paragraph.

20. Ans: (C) – a request that is difficult to reconcile with his beliefs
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage opens with the question “How can you buy or sell the sky?” indicating conceptual difficulty (lines 1-3), and concludes that the offer “will not be easy” because “this land is sacred” (lines 21-23). Choice (A) contradicts the tone of difficulty and spiritual conflict throughout. Choice (D) is too strong; he says they will “consider” the offer, not reject it immediately.