SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 52

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 Clara arrived from Havana, the entire house seemed to tilt toward her presence. She swept through the doorway with three leather suitcases and a birdcage containing a green parrot that squawked phrases in Spanish I didn’t understand. My mother, normally (5) so composed, fluttered about the kitchen like a nervous sparrow, rearranging flowers and checking the roast every five minutes. My father retreated to his study with the newspaper, though I noticed he wasn’t turning the pages.     Aunt Clara spoke English with an accent that turned (10) ordinary words into music. She held herself with a kind of careless elegance, as though she had never considered the possibility of being awkward or out of place. When she looked at me, really looked, I felt simultaneously visible and transparent, the way (15) you might feel standing in a beam of afternoon light.     “You have your grandmother’s eyes,” she announced, touching my chin with cool fingers. I had never met my grandmother, who had died before I was born in a country I had only seen (20) in photographs. That evening, Aunt Clara taught me to dance the bolero in our cramped living room while the parrot screamed encouragement from its perch.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the narrator’s conflicted feelings about a family visitor
2. introduce a character who disrupts the household’s usual patterns
3. explain the cultural differences between the narrator and Aunt Clara
4. criticize the narrator’s parents for their anxious behavior
5. illustrate the difficulties of communicating across language barriers

2. As used in line 5, the word “composed” most nearly means

1. constructed
2. written
3. calm
4. musical
5. artificial

3. The detail that the father “wasn’t turning the pages” (line 8) suggests that he is

1. deeply absorbed in a particular article
2. distracted by Aunt Clara’s arrival
3. too tired to concentrate on reading
4. waiting for someone to bring him coffee
5. disappointed by the news in the paper

4. The narrator’s description of feeling “simultaneously visible and transparent” (lines 14-15) primarily conveys a sense of

1. confusion about her own identity
2. being both seen and understood deeply
3. embarrassment at being the center of attention
4. fear that Aunt Clara will reveal family secrets
5. invisibility within her own family

5. The passage suggests that the narrator’s relationship with her Cuban heritage has been

1. actively rejected by her parents
2. a source of pride throughout her childhood
3. largely indirect and based on secondhand sources
4. strengthened through frequent visits to Havana
5. nonexistent until Aunt Clara’s arrival

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

1. nostalgic and affectionate
2. anxious and fearful
3. critical and disapproving
4. humorous and lighthearted
5. melancholy and regretful

7. The image of the house seeming to “tilt toward her presence” (lines 1-2) primarily emphasizes Aunt Clara’s

1. physical weight and the number of suitcases she brought
2. ability to command attention and alter the household atmosphere
3. tendency to criticize the family’s way of living
4. difficulty adjusting to life in a new country
5. resemblance to the narrator’s deceased grandmother

Passage 2

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

    For decades, ecologists dismissed cities as biological deserts, zones where human activity had effectively extinguished meaningful ecological processes. This view is now undergoing a radical revision. Far from being sterile environments, cities are emerging as (5) laboratories for studying evolution in real time. Urban ecosystems exert intense selective pressures on the organisms that inhabit them: extremes of temperature radiating from asphalt and concrete, novel food sources ranging from discarded pizza to ornamental plants, and fragmented habitats separated by impassable (10) barriers of traffic and buildings.     These pressures are driving measurable evolutionary changes at speeds that would have astonished Darwin. In Puerto Rico, urban populations of the crested anole lizard have evolved larger toe pads with more scales, adaptations that allow (15) them to grip smooth artificial surfaces like walls and windows. In Paris, a population of European blackbirds has split into two distinct groups: those that remain year-round in the city, feeding on human refuse, and those that maintain the traditional migratory pattern. The urban residents (20) now differ genetically from their migrant cousins and have shorter, more rounded wings – better suited for darting between buildings than for long-distance flight.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. cities have destroyed most natural habitats for wildlife
2. urban environments are causing rapid evolutionary adaptations in animal populations
3. ecologists have always understood the importance of studying urban wildlife
4. climate change is affecting animals in cities more than in rural areas
5. Darwin’s theories of evolution cannot explain modern urban ecosystems

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

1. put out
2. eliminated
3. darkened
4. discouraged
5. cooled

10. According to the passage, urban crested anole lizards have developed larger toe pads in order to

1. compete more effectively for food sources
2. migrate more easily between fragmented habitats
3. maintain grip on smooth artificial surfaces
4. regulate their body temperature on hot asphalt
5. distinguish themselves from rural populations

11. The passage suggests that the earlier view of cities as “biological deserts” (line 2) was

1. based on extensive field research in urban environments
2. completely accurate for cities but not for suburbs
3. an oversimplification that missed important ecological activity
4. deliberately promoted by urban planners
5. focused primarily on plant life rather than animal life

12. The author’s primary purpose in mentioning Darwin (line 13) is to

1. credit him with predicting urban evolution
2. emphasize the unprecedented speed of the evolutionary changes described
3. contrast his theories with modern ecological understanding
4. suggest that his work is no longer relevant to contemporary biology
5. introduce a discussion of nineteenth-century urban environments

13. The passage indicates that the wing differences between urban and migrant European blackbirds reflect

1. random genetic variation unrelated to their environments
2. adaptations to different flight requirements
3. the effects of pollution on feather development
4. deliberate selection by human bird-watchers
5. differences that existed before urbanization began

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

1. presenting a traditional view, then providing evidence that challenges it
2. describing a problem and proposing multiple solutions
3. comparing two competing scientific theories
4. narrating the chronological history of urban ecology
5. explaining a process through step-by-step analysis

Passage 3

The following passage is excerpted from a letter written by Abigail Adams to her son John Quincy Adams in 1780.

    These are times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. Great necessities call out (5) great virtues. When a mind is raised, and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant, wake into life and form the character of the hero and the statesman. War, tyranny, and desolation are the scourges of the Almighty, and ought no doubt to be (10) deprecated. Yet it is your lot, my son, to be an eyewitness of these calamities in your own native land, and at the same time to owe your existence among a people who have made a glorious defence of their invaded liberties, and who, aided by a generous and powerful ally, (15) with the blessing of Heaven, will transmit this inheritance to ages yet unborn. Nor ought it to be one of the least of your incitements towards exerting every power and faculty of your mind, that you have a parent who has taken so large a share in this contest, and discharged the trust reposed (20) in him with so much satisfaction as to be honored with the important embassy which at present calls him abroad.

15. The primary purpose of this letter is to

1. discourage John Quincy Adams from pursuing a military career
2. inspire her son to view challenging times as opportunities for personal growth
3. criticize the violence and destruction caused by the Revolutionary War
4. request that her son return home from his travels abroad
5. describe the political situation in America during the Revolution

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

1. sleeping
2. inactive
3. dead
4. hidden
5. peaceful

17. According to the passage, “great virtues” (lines 4-5) emerge when

1. people live in peaceful and stable societies
2. individuals are confronted with significant challenges
3. nations form alliances with powerful countries
4. children receive excellent education from their parents
5. leaders are appointed to important diplomatic positions

18. Abigail Adams’ attitude toward war can best be characterized as

1. enthusiastically supportive of military conflict
2. completely opposed under all circumstances
3. viewing it as terrible but potentially character-building
4. indifferent to its effects on individuals and nations
5. uncertain about its role in American independence

19. The passage suggests that John Quincy Adams should feel motivated by the fact that

1. his father is serving in an important diplomatic role
2. America has already won the Revolutionary War
3. he will inherit great wealth from his family
4. other nations envy America’s military strength
5. he has been chosen for a special embassy position

20. The tone of the letter is best described as

1. angry and accusatory
2. solemn and encouraging
3. casual and lighthearted
4. pessimistic and despairing
5. detached and analytical

■ ■ ■   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) – introduce a character who disrupts the household’s usual patterns
Explanation: This is a Main Idea/Author’s Purpose question. The passage focuses on how Aunt Clara’s arrival changes the household dynamics, with the mother becoming nervous, the father retreating, and the house seeming to “tilt toward her presence” (lines 1-2). Choice (A) is incorrect because the narrator does not express conflicted feelings but rather seems fascinated by Aunt Clara. Choice (E) is too narrow, as language barriers are only briefly mentioned with the parrot and are not the primary focus.

2. Ans: (C) – calm
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The mother is described as “normally so composed” in contrast to how she “fluttered about the kitchen like a nervous sparrow” (lines 5-6), indicating that “composed” means calm or self-controlled in this context. Choice (A) is incorrect because “constructed” is a different meaning of “composed” that doesn’t fit the context of describing someone’s demeanor. Choice (B) similarly refers to the wrong meaning of the word, relating to writing or composition.

3. Ans: (B) – distracted by Aunt Clara’s arrival
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The father’s failure to turn pages while holding a newspaper (line 8) suggests he is preoccupied and not actually reading, in the context of Aunt Clara’s disruptive arrival. Choice (A) is incorrect because someone deeply absorbed would be turning pages, not staring at the same one. Choice (C) is unsupported, as there is no mention of the father being tired.

4. Ans: (B) – being both seen and understood deeply
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The paradox of feeling “simultaneously visible and transparent” (lines 14-15) occurs when Aunt Clara “really looked” at the narrator, suggesting a penetrating gaze that both notices and sees through to something deeper. Choice (A) is incorrect because the narrator is describing how Aunt Clara sees her, not confusion about her own identity. Choice (E) reverses the meaning, as the narrator feels especially visible, not invisible.

5. Ans: (C) – largely indirect and based on secondhand sources
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The narrator has never met her Cuban grandmother (lines 18-19) and has only seen the grandmother’s country “in photographs” (lines 19-20), suggesting limited direct connection to this heritage. Choice (D) is contradicted by the passage, as there is no mention of any visits to Havana. Choice (E) is too extreme, as the narrator clearly has some awareness of her heritage through photographs and family connections.

6. Ans: (A) – nostalgic and affectionate
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The narrator recalls Aunt Clara’s visit with warm, vivid details and positive language like describing her accent as turning “ordinary words into music” (lines 9-10), suggesting fond remembrance. Choice (B) is incorrect because while the parents show anxiety, the narrator’s perspective is not anxious or fearful. Choice (C) is wrong because there is no criticism or disapproval in the narrator’s description of Aunt Clara.

7. Ans: (B) – ability to command attention and alter the household atmosphere
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The metaphor of the house tilting (lines 1-2) introduces how Aunt Clara’s presence causes everyone to react and behave differently, as shown by the mother’s nervousness and the father’s retreat. Choice (A) is incorrect because it takes the figurative language literally, misunderstanding the metaphorical nature of “tilt.” Choice (C) is unsupported, as Aunt Clara is never shown criticizing the family.

8. Ans: (B) – urban environments are causing rapid evolutionary adaptations in animal populations
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage argues that cities are not biological deserts but rather sites where “intense selective pressures” (line 6) are “driving measurable evolutionary changes at speeds that would have astonished Darwin” (lines 12-13), supporting this as the central claim. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which refutes the idea that cities are biologically sterile. Choice (E) is incorrect because the passage suggests Darwin would be astonished by the speed, not that his theories are invalid.

9. Ans: (B) – eliminated
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage describes the old view that “human activity had effectively extinguished meaningful ecological processes” (lines 3-4), meaning eliminated or destroyed them entirely. Choice (A) uses a common meaning of “extinguished” related to fire, but that literal meaning doesn’t fit the context of ecological processes. Choice (C) is completely unrelated to any meaning of “extinguished.”

10. Ans: (C) – maintain grip on smooth artificial surfaces
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that the larger toe pads with more scales are “adaptations that allow them to grip smooth artificial surfaces like walls and windows” (lines 14-16). Choice (A) is not mentioned in relation to the toe pad adaptation. Choice (B) confuses toe pads with the wing adaptations discussed later in relation to European blackbirds.

11. Ans: (C) – an oversimplification that missed important ecological activity
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states this view “is now undergoing a radical revision” (line 4) because cities are actually “laboratories for studying evolution” (lines 4-5), indicating the earlier view was incomplete or wrong. Choice (A) is contradicted because ecologists “dismissed” (line 1) cities, suggesting they didn’t conduct extensive research there. Choice (E) is too narrow, as the passage discusses animal adaptations rather than distinguishing between plant and animal life.

12. Ans: (B) – emphasize the unprecedented speed of the evolutionary changes described
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Darwin is invoked to emphasize that the evolutionary “speeds…would have astonished” (line 13) even the founder of evolutionary theory, highlighting how remarkably fast these changes are. Choice (A) is incorrect because Darwin is not credited with predictions about urban evolution. Choice (D) misrepresents the reference, which uses Darwin to emphasize the significance of current findings, not to dismiss his work.

13. Ans: (B) – adaptations to different flight requirements
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states urban blackbirds have “shorter, more rounded wings – better suited for darting between buildings than for long-distance flight” (lines 21-23), directly connecting wing shape to flight needs. Choice (A) is contradicted because the passage explicitly links the wing differences to environmental adaptations, not random variation. Choice (E) reverses the causation, as the passage indicates these differences evolved after urbanization.

14. Ans: (A) – presenting a traditional view, then providing evidence that challenges it
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The passage opens with the traditional view of cities as “biological deserts” (line 2), then states “This view is now undergoing a radical revision” (lines 3-4) before presenting evidence of urban evolution. Choice (B) is incorrect because the passage does not present a problem requiring solutions. Choice (C) is wrong because only one view is ultimately supported, not two competing theories.

15. Ans: (B) – inspire her son to view challenging times as opportunities for personal growth
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Abigail Adams writes that “great characters are formed” through “contending with difficulties” (lines 3-4) and that “Great necessities call out great virtues” (lines 4-5), framing the Revolutionary War era as formative for her son. Choice (A) is incorrect because there is no mention of military career at all. Choice (C) is wrong because although she calls war a “scourge,” criticism is not her primary purpose.

16. Ans: (B) – inactive
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Adams writes that challenging scenes cause qualities “which would otherwise lay dormant” to “wake into life” (lines 7-8), indicating that “dormant” means inactive or not yet activated. Choice (A) uses a related but too-literal meaning, as “dormant” here is metaphorical, not referring to actual sleep. Choice (C) is too extreme, as “dormant” implies potential for activation, whereas “dead” suggests no such possibility.

17. Ans: (B) – individuals are confronted with significant challenges
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Adams explicitly states that “Great necessities call out great virtues” (lines 4-5), directly connecting major challenges with the emergence of virtue. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which states that great characters are not formed “in the still calm of life” (line 2). Choice (C) confuses the mention of “a generous and powerful ally” (line 14) with the conditions that produce virtue.

18. Ans: (C) – viewing it as terrible but potentially character-building
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Adams calls war one of “the scourges of the Almighty” that “ought no doubt to be deprecated” (lines 8-10), yet she also argues it creates conditions for forming “great characters” (line 3), showing mixed but realistic perspective. Choice (A) is incorrect because she explicitly states war should be “deprecated,” not enthusiastically supported. Choice (B) is too extreme, as she acknowledges war’s role in her son’s character development.

19. Ans: (A) – his father is serving in an important diplomatic role
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Adams writes that John Quincy should be motivated by having “a parent…honored with the important embassy which at present calls him abroad” (lines 18-21), directly referring to his father’s diplomatic service. Choice (B) distorts the passage, which describes an ongoing war, not a completed victory. Choice (E) reverses the relationship, as it is the father, not John Quincy, who holds the embassy position.

20. Ans: (B) – solemn and encouraging
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Adams addresses serious subjects like war and character formation with gravity, while consistently framing challenges as opportunities for her son to develop “great virtues” (line 5) and become a “hero and statesman” (line 8), creating an encouraging tone. Choice (A) is incorrect because there is no anger or accusation in the letter. Choice (D) is wrong because Adams expresses optimism about American independence being “transmit[ted] to ages yet unborn” (line 16), not despair.