SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 37

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 rain had been falling for three days when Kenji finally decided to walk down to the harbor. His father had forbidden it, of course, but his father was at the cannery and would not return until nightfall. The wooden steps that descended from their hillside house were slick with moss, and Kenji had to grip the railing (5) with both hands as he made his way down toward the docks. Below him, the town of Astoria spread out along the Columbia River like a gray quilt, the fishing boats bobbing at their moorings in the pewter-colored water.     He had overheard his parents arguing the night before, their voices rising and falling in the next room like (10) the tide. His mother had wanted to leave, to go inland where her sister lived in Portland, away from the uncertainty that had gripped the coastal towns since the war began. But his father had insisted they stay. This was their home, he had said, and they had done nothing wrong. Kenji pulled his jacket tighter against the wind. He was twelve, old enough to understand (15) that his father’s certainty might be misplaced, but not old enough to know what should be done about it.     At the bottom of the hill, he passed the shuttered grocery store that had belonged to the Nakamuras. A sign hung crookedly in the window, but Kenji did not need to read it to know what it said. He had seen others like it (20) all week. The harbor itself was quieter than he had ever known it, with only a few boats moving slowly through the mist.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the economic effects of war on a fishing community
2. portray a young boy’s growing awareness of his family’s precarious situation
3. explain why Japanese-American families were forced to relocate during wartime
4. contrast the narrator’s perspective with his father’s more optimistic view
5. celebrate the resilience of immigrant communities in the face of discrimination

2. As used in line 7, the word “pewter-colored” most nearly means

1. shimmering and bright
2. dull grayish metal-like
3. deeply blue and clear
4. transparent and calm
5. greenish and murky

3. The detail that Kenji “had to grip the railing with both hands” (lines 4-5) primarily serves to

1. emphasize the dangerous nature of the descent
2. suggest that Kenji is younger and weaker than other boys his age
3. foreshadow a later accident that will occur on the steps
4. illustrate the poor construction of the family’s home
5. demonstrate Kenji’s fear of disobeying his father

4. It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that Kenji’s mother wants to leave Astoria primarily because she

1. dislikes the constant rain and fog of the coastal climate
2. fears the consequences of anti-Japanese sentiment during wartime
3. misses her sister and wants to reunite with extended family
4. believes the fishing industry will collapse due to the war
5. has found employment opportunities in Portland

5. The narrator’s statement that he was “old enough to understand that his father’s certainty might be misplaced, but not old enough to know what should be done about it” (lines 14-16) suggests that Kenji

1. completely agrees with his mother’s desire to move to Portland
2. recognizes danger but feels powerless to influence his family’s decisions
3. has more knowledge of the political situation than either of his parents
4. believes his father is intentionally deceiving the family about their safety
5. plans to run away from home to escape the uncertainty

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

1. bitter and resentful
2. anxious and foreboding
3. nostalgic and wistful
4. detached and clinical
5. triumphant and celebratory

7. The passage suggests that the shuttered Nakamura grocery store (lines 17-19) is significant because it

1. was the only source of food for Japanese families in the area
2. represents the broader persecution affecting the Japanese community
3. had been owned by Kenji’s extended family members
4. was destroyed during a riot by anti-Japanese protesters
5. serves as a meeting place for families planning to leave town

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about behavioral ecology.

Among the most striking examples of interspecies cooperation in nature is the relationship between the honey badger and the greater honeyguide, a small bird native to sub-Saharan Africa. The honeyguide possesses a remarkable ability: it can digest beeswax, a feat achieved by few other vertebrates. However, the bird lacks the physical strength to break open bee colonies (5) housed in tree hollows or underground nests. The honey badger, by contrast, has powerful claws and a thick hide that renders it largely impervious to bee stings, but it cannot easily locate hidden hives. The two species have therefore evolved a mutually beneficial partnership that has fascinated naturalists for centuries.     The interaction begins when a honeyguide spots a potential (10) human or honey badger in its territory. The bird produces a distinctive chattering call and performs a characteristic flight pattern, moving from tree to tree in the direction of the hive. The honey badger follows, and upon reaching the colony, tears it open with its claws. After the badger consumes the honey and larvae, it departs, leaving behind the wax-filled (15) comb for the honeyguide to eat. This cooperative behavior appears to be learned rather than purely instinctual; young honeyguides must observe experienced adults before they can successfully lead mammals to hives.     Recent field studies have revealed unexpected complexity in this relationship. Researchers have found that honeyguides can distinguish between different potential partners and appear to (20) modify their guiding behavior based on the species they encounter. The birds lead human honey-hunters with a different call than they use for honey badgers, suggesting a level of behavioral flexibility previously unrecognized in avian cognition.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. honey badgers are among the few mammals capable of digesting beeswax
2. the honeyguide and honey badger demonstrate sophisticated interspecies cooperation
3. most examples of mutualism in nature are based on learned rather than instinctual behavior
4. recent research has disproven long-held beliefs about honeyguide behavior
5. avian species in sub-Saharan Africa have evolved unique digestive systems

9. According to the passage, the honey badger’s contribution to the partnership includes

1. locating bee colonies hidden in tree hollows
2. producing calls that attract honeyguides to hive locations
3. using physical strength to break open bee colonies
4. consuming the wax that honeyguides cannot digest
5. protecting honeyguides from bee stings during raids

10. As used in line 6, the word “impervious” most nearly means

1. vulnerable
2. resistant
3. oblivious
4. sensitive
5. opposed

11. The passage indicates that the honeyguide’s behavior is “learned rather than purely instinctual” (line 16) based on the observation that

1. honeyguides use different calls for different species
2. adult honeyguides can locate hives more quickly than younger birds
3. young honeyguides must observe experienced adults before successfully guiding mammals
4. honeyguides have evolved the ability to digest beeswax over many generations
5. the relationship between honeyguides and honey badgers has existed for centuries

12. The author’s purpose in the final paragraph is primarily to

1. contradict earlier claims about the simplicity of honeyguide behavior
2. introduce new research findings that add nuance to the understanding of the relationship
3. argue that honeyguide intelligence has been overestimated by previous researchers
4. explain why honey badgers are less intelligent than previously believed
5. describe the methodology used by field researchers studying avian cognition

13. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about beeswax?

1. It is toxic to most vertebrate species that attempt to consume it.
2. It provides nutritional value but is difficult for most animals to digest.
3. It can only be accessed by animals with thick hides.
4. It attracts honey badgers more strongly than honey does.
5. It comprises the majority of a honeyguide’s diet throughout the year.

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

1. a chronological account of how the honeyguide-honey badger relationship evolved
2. a presentation of a natural phenomenon followed by evidence of its unexpected complexity
3. an argument against traditional interpretations of animal cooperation
4. a comparison of different types of mutualistic relationships in African ecosystems
5. a detailed analysis of the digestive systems of honeyguides and honey badgers

Passage 3

The following is excerpted from an address delivered by Chief Seattle of the Suquamish tribe in 1854, in response to an offer from the U.S. government to purchase tribal lands.

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 to my people. Every shining pine needle, every (5) 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 birth when they go to walk among the stars. Our dead never forget this beautiful earth, for it (10) 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 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 (15) 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 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 Chief Seattle’s speech is to

1. accept the U.S. government’s offer to purchase tribal lands
2. express the fundamental difference between Native and European concepts of land ownership
3. threaten military resistance if the government attempts to seize the land
4. request better financial terms for the sale of Suquamish territory
5. describe the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest landscape

16. As used in line 7, the word “courses” most nearly means

1. educates
2. directs
3. flows
4. races
5. programs

17. Chief Seattle contrasts Native American dead with “the white man’s dead” (line 8) in order to

1. suggest that European burial practices are disrespectful
2. illustrate the deep spiritual connection his people have to their ancestral land
3. argue that Native Americans have a longer historical presence in the region
4. criticize the white man’s religious beliefs about the afterlife
5. explain why the land has greater monetary value to Native peoples

18. The tone of the speech can best be described as

1. angry and confrontational
2. fearful and pleading
3. solemn and reverent
4. optimistic and cheerful
5. indifferent and detached

19. Chief Seattle’s reference to “Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods” (lines 4-5) primarily serves to

1. catalog the natural resources that would be included in the land sale
2. emphasize the comprehensive sacredness his people attribute to all elements of the earth
3. demonstrate his skill as an orator through poetic language
4. prove that his people have greater knowledge of the local environment than white settlers
5. list the specific geographic features that his tribe wishes to retain

20. When Chief Seattle says “it will not be easy” (lines 18-19), he most likely means that

1. the negotiation process will require many months to complete
2. the tribe will demand a very high price for their land
3. agreeing to sell land they view as sacred will be emotionally and spiritually difficult
4. the geography of the region makes it challenging to establish clear boundaries
5. tribal elders will refuse to participate in any discussions with the government

■ ■ ■   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 boy’s growing awareness of his family’s precarious situation
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Kenji’s perspective as he observes the signs of danger around him – the argument between his parents (lines 9-14), the shuttered store (lines 17-19), and his own recognition that his father’s certainty “might be misplaced” (line 15). Choice (A) is too narrow, as the economic effects are merely context for Kenji’s personal awareness. Choice (C) is too broad and explanatory; the passage depicts a specific moment rather than explaining historical events.

2. Ans: ((B)) – dull grayish metal-like
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Pewter is a gray metal alloy, and in line 7 it describes the water’s color as resembling this metal – dull and gray. Choice (A) contradicts the description, as pewter is not shimmering or bright. Choice (C) is incorrect because pewter-colored specifically suggests gray, not blue.

3. Ans: ((A)) – emphasize the dangerous nature of the descent
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The detail that the steps were “slick with moss” (line 4) and required gripping with both hands emphasizes how treacherous the descent was. Choice (C) is incorrect because nothing in the passage foreshadows an accident. Choice (E) is wrong because the detail relates to physical conditions, not Kenji’s emotional state about disobedience.

4. Ans: ((B)) – fears the consequences of anti-Japanese sentiment during wartime
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The mother wants to go “away from the uncertainty that had gripped the coastal towns since the war began” (lines 11-12), and the context of shuttered Japanese-owned businesses (lines 17-19) suggests anti-Japanese persecution. Choice (C) is too narrow; while her sister lives in Portland, the passage emphasizes fleeing “uncertainty” rather than family reunion. Choice (D) distorts the economic concerns; the mother’s fear is about persecution, not industry collapse.

5. Ans: ((B)) – recognizes danger but feels powerless to influence his family’s decisions
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Kenji’s statement in lines 14-16 directly indicates he understands the problem (his father may be wrong) but doesn’t know “what should be done about it,” showing awareness without agency. Choice (A) is too strong; the passage doesn’t indicate he completely agrees with his mother. Choice (D) reverses the meaning; Kenji thinks his father is mistaken, not intentionally deceptive.

6. Ans: ((B)) – anxious and foreboding
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage is pervaded by worry about what will happen to the family, evidenced by the parents’ argument (lines 9-13), the father’s “misplaced” certainty (line 15), and the shuttered stores (lines 17-19). Choice (C) is incorrect because nostalgic suggests fondness for the past, which is not the dominant emotion here. Choice (A) is too strong; while there is anxiety, the passage doesn’t express bitterness or resentment.

7. Ans: ((B)) – represents the broader persecution affecting the Japanese community
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The shuttered Nakamura store with its sign (lines 17-19) serves as a concrete example of the “uncertainty” mentioned in line 12 and the anti-Japanese measures affecting the community. Choice (D) is not supported by the passage; there is no mention of a riot. Choice (A) is too extreme; the passage doesn’t claim it was the “only” food source.

8. Ans: ((B)) – the honeyguide and honey badger demonstrate sophisticated interspecies cooperation
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage describes the partnership between these two species throughout, emphasizing its mutual benefits, learned aspects, and behavioral complexity revealed by recent research (lines 18-23). Choice (A) reverses the facts; the passage states honeyguides, not honey badgers, can digest beeswax (lines 3-4). Choice (C) is too broad; the passage focuses on one specific example, not “most examples” of mutualism.

9. Ans: ((C)) – using physical strength to break open bee colonies
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 12-13 explicitly state that “upon reaching the colony, [the honey badger] tears it open with its claws.” Choice (A) is incorrect because the honeyguide, not the badger, locates the hives (lines 9-11). Choice (D) reverses the facts; the badger consumes honey and larvae while leaving wax for the honeyguide (lines 13-15).

10. Ans: ((B)) – resistant
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 6, “impervious to bee stings” means the honey badger’s thick hide makes it resistant to or protected from stings. Choice (A) means the opposite of impervious. Choice (C), “oblivious,” relates to awareness rather than physical resistance.

11. Ans: ((C)) – young honeyguides must observe experienced adults before successfully guiding mammals
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 16-17 state that “young honeyguides must observe experienced adults before they can successfully lead mammals to hives,” which directly supports the claim that the behavior is learned. Choice (A) is mentioned in the passage (lines 19-22) but as evidence of behavioral flexibility, not learned behavior. Choice (D) confuses evolution (instinct) with learning.

12. Ans: ((B)) – introduce new research findings that add nuance to the understanding of the relationship
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The final paragraph begins with “Recent field studies have revealed unexpected complexity” (line 18) and describes how honeyguides modify their behavior based on species (lines 19-23), adding depth to the earlier description. Choice (A) is too strong; the paragraph adds complexity rather than contradicting earlier claims. Choice (C) reverses the meaning; the research suggests greater, not lesser, intelligence.

13. Ans: ((B)) – It provides nutritional value but is difficult for most animals to digest.
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that honeyguides can digest beeswax, “a feat achieved by few other vertebrates” (lines 3-4), implying it has value but is difficult to digest. Choice (A) is too extreme; “difficult to digest” does not mean toxic. Choice (E) goes beyond what can be inferred; the passage doesn’t discuss what percentage of the bird’s diet is wax.

14. Ans: ((B)) – a presentation of a natural phenomenon followed by evidence of its unexpected complexity
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The first two paragraphs describe the basic honeyguide-honey badger relationship, while the third paragraph reveals “unexpected complexity” (line 18) through recent research. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage doesn’t trace evolutionary history chronologically. Choice (D) is wrong because only one mutualistic relationship is discussed, with no comparisons to others.

15. Ans: ((B)) – express the fundamental difference between Native and European concepts of land ownership
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. Chief Seattle’s opening question “How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land?” (lines 1-2) and his explanation that “Every part of this earth is sacred” (line 3) establish the central contrast between worldviews. Choice (A) is incorrect because he says only that they “will consider” the offer (line 17), not that they accept it. Choice (D) is not supported; he makes no requests for better financial terms.

16. Ans: ((C)) – flows
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 7, “the sap which courses through the trees” describes liquid moving through the tree, meaning flows. Choice (D), “races,” suggests excessive speed not implied in the context. Choice (A), “educates,” relates to a different meaning of “course” (as in a class).

17. Ans: ((B)) – illustrate the deep spiritual connection his people have to their ancestral land
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The statement that Native American dead “never forget this beautiful earth” (lines 9-10) because “it is the mother of the red man” (line 10) emphasizes an eternal bond to the land. Choice (A) is not supported; the passage doesn’t criticize burial practices. Choice (E) contradicts the passage’s message; the connection is spiritual, not monetary.

18. Ans: ((C)) – solemn and reverent
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The speech treats the land as “sacred” (lines 3, 19) and describes natural elements as “holy” (line 5), creating a solemn, reverent tone throughout. Choice (A) is incorrect because while serious, the speech is not angry or confrontational. Choice (D) is the opposite of the actual tone; there is nothing cheerful about the situation described.

19. Ans: ((B)) – emphasize the comprehensive sacredness his people attribute to all elements of the earth
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The detailed catalog of natural elements in lines 4-5 illustrates that “Every part of this earth is sacred” (line 3), showing the all-encompassing nature of this belief. Choice (A) distorts the purpose; these elements illustrate spiritual values, not itemize resources for sale. Choice (E) is incorrect; he is not listing features to retain but explaining why all land is sacred.

20. Ans: ((C)) – agreeing to sell land they view as sacred will be emotionally and spiritually difficult
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Given the entire speech’s emphasis on the land’s sacredness (lines 3-7, 10-14, 19), the difficulty in lines 18-19 clearly refers to the spiritual and emotional challenge of selling sacred land. Choice (A) is too literal and practical; “not easy” in context refers to emotional difficulty, not logistical complexity. Choice (B) distorts the meaning; the passage doesn’t suggest financial bargaining.