SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 39

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 ferry lurched away from the dock at precisely six o’clock, and Marianne felt the distance between herself and the island lengthen with each churn of the propeller. She had spent the entire summer on Blackwell’s Point, ostensibly cataloging her late uncle’s botanical specimens, but in truth she had done little more than (5) wander the salt marshes and avoid the letters that arrived weekly from Boston. Her mother’s handwriting had grown increasingly sharp, the loops and serifs tightening with impatience.     Now, as the island receded into the September haze, Marianne gripped the railing and watched the lighthouse blink its measured farewell. She had thought solitude would clarify things, that the rhythm of (10) tides and the calls of ospreys would somehow reveal what she ought to do about the teaching position waiting for her, about Edward’s proposal, about the future that seemed to narrow like a telescope pointing at a single predetermined star. Instead, the summer had simply passed, day folding into day, and she had collected nothing but (15) a handful of pressed flowers and a deeper sense of her own cowardice.     A gull landed on the deck beside her, cocked its head, and fixed her with one yellow eye. Marianne laughed despite herself. Even the birds seemed to be judging her now. She reached into her pocket and found the small piece of (20) sea glass she had picked up that morning – green, smooth, its sharp edges long since worn away by the patient work of sand and water.

1. The passage is primarily concerned with

1. Marianne’s scientific research on botanical specimens
2. the natural beauty of Blackwell’s Point
3. Marianne’s inner conflict about decisions she must make
4. the relationship between Marianne and her uncle
5. the process of cataloging a scientific collection

2. As used in line 3, the word “ostensibly” most nearly means

1. apparently
2. enthusiastically
3. reluctantly
4. scientifically
5. thoroughly

3. The description of Marianne’s mother’s handwriting in lines 5-7 suggests that her mother is

1. developing a medical condition affecting her writing
2. becoming increasingly frustrated with Marianne
3. learning a new style of penmanship
4. too busy to write careful letters
5. excited about Marianne’s return to Boston

4. The passage suggests that Marianne went to the island hoping to

1. escape her mother’s interference
2. complete her uncle’s unfinished research
3. gain clarity about her future
4. study the migration patterns of ospreys
5. end her engagement to Edward

5. The image of the future as “a telescope pointing at a single predetermined star” (lines 12-13) conveys

1. Marianne’s interest in astronomy
2. the scientific nature of her work
3. the narrowness and inevitability of her expected path
4. the beauty and wonder of her prospects
5. her uncle’s influence on her education

6. Marianne’s characterization of herself as cowardly (line 15) is based on her

1. fear of sailing back to Boston
2. failure to complete the cataloging work
3. inability to make decisions about her future
4. reluctance to confront the gull on the deck
5. avoidance of her uncle’s letters

7. The sea glass in the final paragraph most likely symbolizes

1. the passage of time and the softening of difficulties
2. Marianne’s incomplete botanical collection
3. her mother’s angry letters from Boston
4. the teaching position awaiting her return
5. her uncle’s legacy to her

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about the psychology of decision-making.

    When confronted with an abundance of choices, consumers often experience what psychologist Barry Schwartz termed “the paradox of choice” – the counterintuitive finding that more options can lead to less satisfaction and greater anxiety. This phenomenon has been documented across contexts ranging from (5) jam selections in supermarkets to retirement fund allocations, and its implications extend far beyond the commercial realm into questions of human well-being and social policy.     The classic experiment demonstrating this effect was conducted by psychologists Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper in 2000. In an upscale grocery store, researchers set up a tasting booth that (10) displayed either six or twenty-four varieties of gourmet jam. While the extensive display attracted more initial interest, customers who encountered the limited selection were nearly ten times more likely to actually purchase jam. The researchers attributed this disparity to decision paralysis: when faced with too many options, people become overwhelmed and either (15) defer the decision entirely or make a choice they later regret.     Subsequent research has revealed that the paradox operates through several psychological mechanisms. An overabundance of options raises expectations, leading people to imagine that a perfect choice exists somewhere in the array. This escalation of standards means that whatever option is ultimately selected (20) feels disappointing by comparison to the idealized alternative. Additionally, extensive choice sets increase the opportunity cost of any single decision – selecting one jam means forgoing twenty-three others – which amplifies post-decision regret. Finally, the cognitive labor required to evaluate numerous options depletes mental resources, a phenomenon (25) psychologists call decision fatigue. Like a muscle exhausted by overuse, the decision-making faculty becomes less effective as it processes increasing quantities of information, leading to poorer choices or complete avoidance of choice altogether.

8. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe an experimental methodology used in psychological research
2. explain a psychological phenomenon and the mechanisms behind it
3. argue that consumers should have fewer product choices
4. compare different theories of human decision-making
5. criticize the marketing strategies of upscale grocery stores

9. As used in line 4, the word “contexts” most nearly means

1. sentences
2. backgrounds
3. situations
4. textbooks
5. cultures

10. According to the passage, the Iyengar and Lepper experiment found that

1. customers preferred gourmet jam to regular varieties
2. more jam varieties led to more purchases
3. extensive displays attracted fewer customers initially
4. limited selections resulted in higher purchase rates
5. upscale stores should carry twenty-four jam varieties

11. The passage suggests that “decision paralysis” (line 14) occurs when people

1. become physically unable to move in a grocery store
2. feel overwhelmed and avoid making a choice
3. make decisions too quickly without thinking
4. prefer to have others make decisions for them
5. regret decisions they made in the past

12. According to the passage, an overabundance of options can lead to disappointment because

1. people imagine a perfect choice exists and find reality lacking
2. stores deliberately stock low-quality products
3. consumers have unrealistic expectations about prices
4. too many choices always result in poor decisions
5. decision fatigue causes physical exhaustion

13. The comparison of the decision-making faculty to “a muscle exhausted by overuse” (line 25) serves to

1. illustrate the physical nature of shopping
2. emphasize that decision-making requires physical strength
3. clarify how mental resources can become depleted
4. suggest that people should exercise more regularly
5. demonstrate that muscles and brains are identical

14. Based on the passage, which of the following would most likely reduce the negative effects of the paradox of choice?

1. Increasing the number of available options
2. Making all decisions simultaneously
3. Limiting the number of alternatives to consider
4. Avoiding all purchasing decisions
5. Raising expectations about product quality

Passage 3

The following is excerpted from Chief Joseph’s surrender speech, delivered in 1877 at the conclusion of the Nez Perce War.

    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 young men who say yes or no. He who (5) 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 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 (10) the dead. Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.

15. The primary purpose of Chief Joseph’s speech is to

1. negotiate better terms of surrender
2. announce his decision to end the fighting
3. criticize General Howard’s actions
4. celebrate the bravery of his warriors
5. request additional supplies for his people

16. Chief Joseph’s statement “I know his heart” (line 1) suggests that he

1. has medical knowledge of General Howard
2. understands General Howard’s character and intentions
3. plans to continue fighting against General Howard
4. distrusts everything General Howard has said
5. believes General Howard is physically weak

17. The repetition of “is dead” in lines 2-4 serves to emphasize

1. the military victories of the Nez Perce
2. the extent of the losses suffered by his people
3. Chief Joseph’s own fear of death
4. the cowardice of the young men
5. the superior weapons of the U.S. Army

18. As used in line 10, the word “chiefs” most nearly means

1. leaders
2. enemies
3. children
4. warriors
5. ancestors

19. Chief Joseph’s concern for “the little children” (line 6) and his desire to “look for my children” (line 9) reveals his

1. intention to resume fighting in the future
2. prioritization of his people’s welfare over continued resistance
3. lack of knowledge about military strategy
4. refusal to accept the terms of surrender
5. anger at General Howard’s treatment of prisoners

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

1. defiant and threatening
2. joyful and celebratory
3. weary and sorrowful
4. angry and vengeful
5. indifferent and detached

■ ■ ■   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) – Marianne’s inner conflict about decisions she must make
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Marianne’s struggle with decisions about her teaching position, Edward’s proposal, and her future (lines 10-13), and concludes with her reflecting on her “cowardice” in avoiding these choices (line 15). Choice (A) is wrong because she did little actual cataloging, as stated in lines 3-5. Choice (E) is wrong because scientific work is mentioned only as a pretext, not the passage’s focus.

2. Ans: (A) – apparently
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. “Ostensibly” in line 3 introduces what Marianne claimed to be doing, contrasted with “but in truth” showing what she actually did, indicating the word means “apparently” or “seemingly.” Choice (B) is wrong because nothing suggests enthusiasm. Choice (D) is wrong because it confuses the botanical context with the word’s actual meaning.

3. Ans: (B) – becoming increasingly frustrated with Marianne
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The “loops and serifs tightening with impatience” (lines 6-7) indicates growing frustration through the physical manifestation in handwriting. Choice (A) is wrong because the changes reflect emotional state, not a medical condition. Choice (E) is wrong because it contradicts the impatience described.

4. Ans: (C) – gain clarity about her future
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 8-10 state that “she had thought solitude would clarify things,” revealing her original hope for the summer. Choice (A) is too narrow, as escape alone was not her goal. Choice (B) is wrong because lines 3-5 indicate she did little cataloging work.

5. Ans: (C) – the narrowness and inevitability of her expected path
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The metaphor describes a future that “seemed to narrow like a telescope pointing at a single predetermined star” (lines 12-13), emphasizing constriction and predetermination. Choice (A) is wrong because it takes the telescope literally rather than figuratively. Choice (D) reverses the meaning, as the image conveys constraint, not beauty.

6. Ans: (C) – inability to make decisions about her future
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Line 15 places “cowardice” in the context of having “collected nothing” meaningful during a summer meant for clarity about her decisions. Choice (B) is too narrow, focusing only on the cataloging rather than the larger decisions. Choice (E) is wrong because the letters came from her mother, not her uncle.

7. Ans: (A) – the passage of time and the softening of difficulties
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The sea glass is described as having “sharp edges long since worn away by the patient work of sand and water” (lines 20-21), symbolizing transformation through time. Choice (B) is wrong because it literalizes an object that functions symbolically. Choice (C) is wrong because the sea glass is smooth and worn, unlike the sharp letters.

8. Ans: (B) – explain a psychological phenomenon and the mechanisms behind it
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage introduces the paradox of choice (lines 1-6), describes experimental evidence (lines 7-15), and explains the psychological mechanisms (lines 16-27). Choice (C) is wrong because the passage explains rather than argues for policy changes. Choice (E) is wrong because the grocery store is merely the experimental setting, not the subject of criticism.

9. Ans: (C) – situations
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. “Contexts” in line 4 refers to different settings or situations where the phenomenon has been observed, from supermarkets to retirement funds. Choice (A) is wrong because it uses a different meaning of “context” related to language. Choice (D) is wrong because textbooks are not mentioned in the passage.

10. Ans: (D) – limited selections resulted in higher purchase rates
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 11-13 state that customers encountering the six-jam display “were nearly ten times more likely to actually purchase jam.” Choice (B) reverses the finding. Choice (C) contradicts lines 10-11, which state the extensive display “attracted more initial interest.”

11. Ans: (B) – feel overwhelmed and avoid making a choice
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 13-15 define decision paralysis as occurring “when faced with too many options” when people “either defer the decision entirely or make a choice they later regret.” Choice (A) takes “paralysis” literally rather than figuratively. Choice (C) contradicts the concept of paralysis, which involves difficulty deciding, not speed.

12. Ans: (A) – people imagine a perfect choice exists and find reality lacking
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 17-20 explain that overabundance “raises expectations, leading people to imagine that a perfect choice exists,” making the actual selection “feel disappointing by comparison.” Choice (D) is too broad, as the passage describes a tendency, not an absolute. Choice (E) confuses decision fatigue with the disappointment mechanism.

13. Ans: (C) – clarify how mental resources can become depleted
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The comparison in line 25 illustrates the concept of decision fatigue by comparing mental depletion to physical muscle exhaustion. Choice (B) is wrong because the comparison is metaphorical, not literal about physical strength. Choice (E) is wrong because the passage compares function, not identity.

14. Ans: (C) – Limiting the number of alternatives to consider
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. Since the paradox arises from too many options (lines 1-6, 13-15), limiting alternatives would logically reduce negative effects. Choice (A) contradicts the passage’s findings entirely. Choice (E) is wrong because lines 17-19 show that raised expectations contribute to the problem.

15. Ans: (B) – announce his decision to end the fighting
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The speech builds to the declaration “I will fight no more forever” (lines 11-12), announcing surrender. Choice (A) is wrong because Chief Joseph states his decision rather than negotiating terms. Choice (D) is wrong because the speech emphasizes loss and weariness, not celebration.

16. Ans: (B) – understands General Howard’s character and intentions
Explanation: This is an Inference question. “I know his heart” (line 1) is an expression meaning understanding someone’s true nature or intentions. Choice (A) takes “heart” literally in a medical sense. Choice (D) contradicts the statement of understanding and trust implied.

17. Ans: (B) – the extent of the losses suffered by his people
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The repetition of “is dead” in lines 2-4, listing multiple chiefs and leaders, emphasizes the devastating casualties. Choice (A) reverses the meaning, as these deaths represent defeat, not victory. Choice (D) is wrong because the young men’s role is mentioned neutrally, not critically.

18. Ans: (A) – leaders
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Chief Joseph addresses “my chiefs” (line 10) as he makes his final statement, referring to his fellow leaders. Choice (B) is wrong because he is addressing his own people, not enemies. Choice (C) is wrong because he distinguishes between chiefs and children earlier in the passage.

19. Ans: (B) – prioritization of his people’s welfare over continued resistance
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Chief Joseph’s repeated concern for children and their suffering (lines 6-10) motivates his surrender, showing he values their survival over fighting. Choice (A) contradicts his explicit statement to “fight no more forever” (lines 11-12). Choice (D) is wrong because the speech is itself an acceptance of surrender.

20. Ans: (C) – weary and sorrowful
Explanation: This is a Tone question. Phrases like “I am tired of fighting” (line 2), “I am tired; my heart is sick and sad” (lines 10-11), and references to freezing children and dead leaders create a tone of exhaustion and grief. Choice (A) is wrong because the speech expresses surrender, not defiance. Choice (D) is wrong because the tone is mournful rather than vengeful.