SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 53

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 telegram arrived on a Thursday, slipped under the door of our apartment while Mother was at the mill and I was supposed to be minding my younger brother. Joseph had wandered down to the courtyard, (5) though, and I was alone when I saw the yellow envelope on the floorboards. I knew what it meant before I opened it. Everyone in our building knew what those envelopes meant in the summer of 1918.     I held it for a long time, feeling (10) the weight of the paper, which was somehow both impossibly light and crushingly heavy. Through the window I could see the smokestacks of the textile factory where Mother worked, black columns against a white sky. A train whistle (15) sounded in the distance, and I thought of Father, who had kissed my forehead exactly four months ago before boarding a transport ship in Boston Harbor. He had pressed a silver dollar into my palm and told me I was (20) the man of the house now.     When I finally opened the envelope, the words swam before my eyes: regret to inform you, killed in action, Belleau Wood, France. I read the lines again and again, as if repetition might rearrange the letters into a different message.

1. The narrator’s observation that the telegram envelope was “both impossibly light and crushingly heavy” (lines 10–11) primarily suggests

1. the envelope was made of unusually dense paper
2. the narrator was physically weak from hunger
3. the message inside carried great emotional weight
4. the narrator was uncertain about opening the telegram
5. the postal service used poor quality materials during wartime

2. As used in line 8, the word “meant” most nearly means

1. intended
2. signified
3. required
4. calculated
5. destined

3. The narrator’s mention of “everyone in our building” (line 7) serves to

1. emphasize that death notices were a common occurrence in the community
2. suggest that the narrator lived in an overcrowded tenement
3. indicate that many residents worked at the textile mill
4. prove that the narrator had many friends and neighbors
5. show that gossip spread quickly in the apartment building

4. The detail that the narrator was “supposed to be minding” his younger brother (lines 3–4) suggests that

1. Joseph was a difficult child who often disobeyed
2. the narrator had failed in his responsibility to watch Joseph
3. the mother did not trust the narrator with important tasks
4. Joseph had deliberately run away from home
5. the narrator was older than most children who received such duties

5. The passage indicates that the narrator’s father left home

1. to find work in a different city
2. after a family argument
3. to serve in a war
4. to escape financial difficulties
5. following his wife’s illness

6. The narrator’s statement that he read the telegram lines “again and again, as if repetition might rearrange the letters into a different message” (lines 24–26) primarily conveys

1. confusion about the telegram’s complicated language
2. difficulty reading the handwriting on the form
3. an inability to accept the painful news
4. hope that a second telegram might arrive with better news
5. anger at the military officials who sent the notice

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

1. bitter and resentful
2. solemn and reflective
3. anxious and paranoid
4. joyful and nostalgic
5. detached and clinical

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about architectural history and urban planning.

    The radical redesign of Paris during the mid-nineteenth century stands as one of history’s most ambitious urban transformations. Between 1853 and 1870, Emperor Napoleon III and his prefect Georges-Eugène Haussmann (5) demolished much of medieval Paris, replacing narrow, tangled streets with wide boulevards, parks, and grand public buildings. While the aesthetic results are celebrated today, the motivations behind Haussmann’s renovations were as much political as artistic.     The (10) old street plan had proven problematic for the government. Narrow alleyways could be easily barricaded during uprisings, as had occurred repeatedly since the Revolution of 1789. Wide boulevards, by contrast, permitted rapid troop deployment and (15) made barricade construction nearly impossible. The new avenues also connected railway stations directly to government buildings and military barracks, creating efficient lines of control across the city.     Yet the transformation served economic purposes as well. The construction (20) projects employed thousands of workers, stimulating the economy and reducing unemployment. The improved infrastructure attracted investment and tourism. However, these benefits came at tremendous human cost: the demolitions displaced approximately 350,000 (25) working-class residents, who were forced into crowded suburbs beyond the city limits. The renovations effectively segregated Paris by class, concentrating wealth in the renovated center while pushing poverty to the periphery.

8. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the architectural beauty of nineteenth-century Parisian boulevards
2. explain the multiple motivations behind a major urban redesign project
3. argue that Haussmann’s renovations were morally unjustifiable
4. trace the complete history of French urban planning
5. compare Parisian architecture to that of other European capitals

9. According to the passage, the old Parisian street plan was “problematic for the government” (line 11) because

1. it made tourist navigation difficult
2. it facilitated citizen resistance during political unrest
3. it prevented economic development
4. it was designed during the medieval period
5. it connected railway stations inefficiently

10. As used in line 15, the word “deployment” most nearly means

1. employment
2. dismissal
3. positioning
4. recruitment
5. training

11. The passage suggests that the wide boulevards served a military purpose by

1. providing space for military parades and ceremonies
2. allowing soldiers to travel quickly and preventing street barricades
3. creating housing for military families near barracks
4. displaying the military power of France to foreign visitors
5. improving soldiers’ morale through beautiful surroundings

12. The author mentions that “these benefits came at tremendous human cost” (lines 23–24) in order to

1. celebrate the sacrifices made by Parisian workers
2. contrast the economic gains with the social harm caused by displacement
3. prove that all urban planning projects harm poor people
4. suggest that the renovations should never have been undertaken
5. explain why the construction projects took seventeen years to complete

13. According to the passage, approximately how many working-class residents were displaced by the renovations?

1. 350
2. 3,500
3. 35,000
4. 350,000
5. 3,500,000

14. The passage indicates that the renovations resulted in

1. decreased tourism to Paris
2. economic integration of social classes
3. spatial separation of wealthy and poor residents
4. reduced government control over the population
5. increased revolutionary activity in the city center

Passage 3

The following is adapted from Chief Seattle’s speech delivered in 1854 in response to a proposed treaty in which Northwest Indian tribes would sell their land to the United States government.

    The Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. The Great Chief also sends us words of friendship and good will. This is kind of him, since we know he has little need of our (5) friendship in return. But we will consider your offer, for we know that if we do not sell, the white man may come with guns and take our land.     How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to (10) 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 sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and (15) 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.     So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of (20) us. This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth.

15. The speaker’s statement that the Great Chief “has little need of our friendship in return” (lines 4–5) implies that

1. the white government is already powerful enough not to require Native American alliances
2. Chief Seattle personally dislikes the Great Chief in Washington
3. Native American tribes have no interest in befriending white settlers
4. the Great Chief has many other friends throughout the country
5. friendship between different cultures is impossible to achieve

16. As used in line 9, the word “strange” most nearly means

1. unusual
2. foreign
3. incomprehensible
4. suspicious
5. dangerous

17. The speaker’s questions “How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land?” (lines 8–9) primarily serve to

1. request specific information about the proposed treaty terms
2. express confusion about the English language
3. emphasize a fundamental difference in worldviews regarding land ownership
4. suggest that the price offered for the land is too low
5. indicate that the speaker does not understand economics

18. The detailed imagery of “shining pine needle,” “sandy shore,” and “humming insect” (lines 13–15) primarily serves to

1. demonstrate the speaker’s knowledge of nature
2. illustrate the variety of resources the land contains
3. convey the sacred relationship between the people and every element of the land
4. prove that the land is valuable and should command a high price
5. compare the beauty of Native American lands to those of white settlers

19. The statement “the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth” (lines 21–22) suggests that

1. human beings are inferior to nature
2. people are part of the natural world rather than owners of it
3. the land sale should be cancelled immediately
4. white settlers misunderstand basic property laws
5. Native Americans refuse to leave their ancestral lands

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

1. angry and defiant
2. resigned but dignified
3. cheerful and optimistic
4. confused and uncertain
5. indifferent and casual

■ ■ ■   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) – the message inside carried great emotional weight
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The paradoxical description reflects the contrast between the telegram’s physical lightness and its devastating emotional impact, as the narrator knows it contains news of death (lines 6–8). Choice (A) is wrong because the passage describes emotional, not physical, weight. Choice (E) is wrong because wartime materials are never discussed in the passage.

2. Ans: (B) – signified
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 8, “meant” refers to what the yellow envelopes indicated or represented to the community. Choice (A) is wrong because “intended” relates to purpose rather than symbolic meaning. Choice (D) is wrong because “calculated” refers to mathematical computation, which does not fit the context.

3. Ans: (A) – emphasize that death notices were a common occurrence in the community
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The phrase suggests that telegrams announcing deaths had become familiar to many residents during wartime (lines 7–8). Choice (B) is wrong because overcrowding is never mentioned in the passage. Choice (E) is wrong because the passage discusses shared knowledge, not gossip.

4. Ans: (B) – the narrator had failed in his responsibility to watch Joseph
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The phrase “supposed to be” followed by the observation that “Joseph had wandered down” (lines 3–4) indicates the narrator was not fulfilling his duty. Choice (A) is wrong because nothing in the passage characterizes Joseph as difficult or disobedient. Choice (D) is wrong because “wandered” suggests casual movement, not deliberate escape.

5. Ans: (C) – to serve in a war
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states the father boarded a transport ship (line 19) and was later killed in action at Belleau Wood, France (line 23), clearly indicating military service. Choice (A) is wrong because the father went to war, not to find work. Choice (B) is wrong because no family argument is mentioned.

6. Ans: (C) – an inability to accept the painful news
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The narrator’s desperate hope that repeated reading might change the message reveals his psychological denial of his father’s death (lines 24–26). Choice (A) is wrong because the passage never suggests confusion about the language. Choice (D) is wrong because the narrator hopes the current message will change, not that a new telegram will arrive.

7. Ans: (B) – solemn and reflective
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The narrator’s measured, thoughtful recollection of receiving devastating news creates a serious, contemplative tone throughout the passage (lines 1–26). Choice (A) is wrong because the narrator shows sadness, not bitterness or resentment. Choice (D) is wrong because the passage concerns a father’s death, which cannot be described as joyful.

8. Ans: (B) – explain the multiple motivations behind a major urban redesign project
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage systematically examines political (lines 10–17), economic (lines 18–23), and social (lines 23–28) factors behind Haussmann’s renovations. Choice (A) is too narrow because aesthetic description is not the primary focus. Choice (D) is too broad because the passage focuses on one specific project, not all French urban planning.

9. Ans: (B) – it facilitated citizen resistance during political unrest
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states that narrow alleyways “could be easily barricaded during uprisings” (lines 12–13). Choice (A) is wrong because tourism is mentioned later as a benefit of renovation, not a problem with the old plan. Choice (E) reverses the passage’s logic; the new plan connected stations efficiently, implying the old one did not, but this is not stated as the reason it was problematic for government.

10. Ans: (C) – positioning
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 15, “deployment” refers to moving and positioning troops rapidly through the boulevards. Choice (A) is wrong because “employment” means hiring for work, not troop movement. Choice (D) is wrong because “recruitment” means enlisting new soldiers, not moving existing ones.

11. Ans: (B) – allowing soldiers to travel quickly and preventing street barricades
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states wide boulevards “permitted rapid troop deployment” and “made barricade construction nearly impossible” (lines 14–16). Choice (A) is wrong because military parades are never mentioned. Choice (C) is wrong because housing is discussed only in relation to displaced working-class residents (lines 23–27), not military families.

12. Ans: (B) – contrast the economic gains with the social harm caused by displacement
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The phrase introduces a discussion of how 350,000 people were displaced (lines 24–25), contrasting with the economic benefits described immediately before. Choice (C) is too broad because the passage discusses only this specific project, not all urban planning. Choice (D) is wrong because the author presents multiple perspectives without making an absolute judgment.

13. Ans: (D) – 350,000
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states “approximately 350,000 working-class residents” were displaced (lines 24–25). Choice (C) is wrong because 35,000 is off by a factor of ten. Choice (E) is wrong because 3,500,000 is far larger than the figure stated in the passage.

14. Ans: (C) – spatial separation of wealthy and poor residents
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states the renovations “effectively segregated Paris by class, concentrating wealth in the renovated center while pushing poverty to the periphery” (lines 26–28). Choice (B) contradicts the passage, which describes segregation, not integration. Choice (D) contradicts the passage; the renovations increased government control by facilitating troop movement (lines 14–17).

15. Ans: (A) – the white government is already powerful enough not to require Native American alliances
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The speaker recognizes the imbalance of power, noting the Great Chief can take the land by force if necessary (lines 5–7), making Native American friendship unnecessary. Choice (B) is wrong because the speaker shows respect, not personal dislike. Choice (C) reverses the statement; the speaker discusses the Great Chief’s lack of need, not Native American lack of interest.

16. Ans: (C) – incomprehensible
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 9, “strange” describes an idea so foreign to the speaker’s worldview that it cannot be understood, as the following questions and explanation make clear (lines 8–17). Choice (A) is too weak because the speaker finds the idea not merely unusual but fundamentally alien to his culture’s beliefs. Choice (D) is wrong because the speaker questions the concept philosophically, not with suspicion.

17. Ans: (C) – emphasize a fundamental difference in worldviews regarding land ownership
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The rhetorical questions highlight the incompatibility between Native American beliefs about sacred land and European concepts of property ownership (lines 8–13). Choice (A) is wrong because these are rhetorical questions making a philosophical point, not literal requests for information. Choice (D) is wrong because the speaker questions the entire concept of selling land, not the price offered.

18. Ans: (C) – convey the sacred relationship between the people and every element of the land
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The specific, varied details illustrate how “every part of this earth is sacred” (lines 11–12) to the speaker’s people. Choice (B) is wrong because the focus is on spiritual connection, not economic resources. Choice (D) contradicts the passage’s argument that land cannot and should not be priced or sold.

19. Ans: (B) – people are part of the natural world rather than owners of it
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The statement reverses the ownership relationship, suggesting humans exist within nature rather than possessing it (lines 21–22). Choice (A) is wrong because the statement describes relationship and belonging, not hierarchy or inferiority. Choice (E) is wrong because the speaker says “we will consider your offer” (line 6), not that they refuse to leave.

20. Ans: (B) – resigned but dignified
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The speaker acknowledges the likely outcome (“if we do not sell, the white man may come with guns,” lines 6–7) while maintaining philosophical eloquence and cultural pride throughout. Choice (A) is wrong because the speaker shows acceptance of circumstances, not anger or defiance. Choice (C) is wrong because the speech concerns loss of land and way of life, which cannot be cheerful.