SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 60

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 my father brought home the cello, I was sitting at the kitchen table shelling peas into a ceramic bowl, listening to the rain hammer against the tin roof of our farmhouse. He came through the door sideways, the instrument’s neck poking out from under a wool blanket like the prow (5) of a ship. My mother looked up from the stove, her wooden spoon suspended in midair, and said nothing. The silence between them had a weight to it, the kind that accumulates over years of small disappointments.     “It was my grandfather’s,” my father said, though no one had asked. He unwrapped it carefully, (10) reverently, as if it were made of glass rather than wood and steel. The varnish had darkened to the color of burnt honey, and there was a crack along the body that someone had mended with glue that had itself yellowed with age. My father ran his hand along the crack the way you might touch a scar on (15) someone you loved.     I had never heard him mention his grandfather before. In our house, the past was a country we did not visit. But that afternoon, after the rain stopped and the fields steamed in the sudden heat, he rosined the bow and drew it across the strings, and the sound (20) that emerged was like a voice I had been waiting my whole life to hear.

1. The primary focus of the passage is on

1. the narrator’s relationship with her mother
2. the arrival of an object that connects the father to his past
3. the economic hardships faced by a farming family
4. the process of learning to play a musical instrument
5. the narrator’s boredom with rural life

2. The description of the cello’s neck as “like the prow of a ship” (lines 4-5) suggests that

1. the father had worked as a sailor in his youth
2. the instrument is leading the father into unfamiliar territory
3. the cello is too large for the small farmhouse
4. the family is planning to move away by boat
5. the father is clumsy in his handling of the instrument

3. As used in line 7, the word “weight” most nearly means

1. heaviness
2. importance
3. burden
4. measurement
5. authority

4. The mother’s reaction to the cello (lines 5-7) suggests that she

1. is delighted by the unexpected gift
2. recognizes the instrument from her own childhood
3. is uncertain or disapproving of the father’s decision
4. is too busy cooking to pay attention
5. shares the father’s enthusiasm for music

5. The narrator’s observation that “In our house, the past was a country we did not visit” (lines 16-17) most strongly suggests that

1. the family had recently immigrated from another nation
2. the family typically avoided discussing personal history
3. the father had traveled extensively in his youth
4. the narrator was forbidden to ask questions about her grandparents
5. the farmhouse contained no photographs or heirlooms

6. The author’s primary purpose in describing the crack in the cello (lines 12-15) is to

1. emphasize the instrument’s age and history
2. suggest that the cello is worthless and damaged
3. explain why the father obtained it inexpensively
4. foreshadow that the cello will break during the story
5. illustrate the father’s lack of care for valuable objects

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

1. bitter and resentful
2. nostalgic and reflective
3. anxious and foreboding
4. joyful and celebratory
5. detached and analytical

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from a scientific article about animal behavior.

    For decades, scientists assumed that tool use was a uniquely human capability, or at most a trait shared only with our closest primate relatives. That assumption began to crumble in the 1960s, but even then, observations of tool use in birds were dismissed as anomalies. Recent (5) research into the cognitive abilities of the New Caledonian crow, however, has forced a fundamental reassessment of avian intelligence.     Native to the islands of New Caledonia in the South Pacific, these crows manufacture and use tools with a sophistication that rivals that of chimpanzees. In the wild, they fashion hooks from twigs, (10) stripping away bark and leaves to create implements that can extract grubs from deep crevices in tree bark. More remarkably, they demonstrate an understanding of causation that was once thought to require the cognitive infrastructure of the mammalian brain. In laboratory settings, New Caledonian crows have solved multi-step puzzles that require them to (15) use one tool to obtain another tool, which is then used to access food – a sequence that demands not only memory but also the ability to plan future actions.     What makes these abilities even more intriguing is the structure of the avian brain itself. Birds lack the neocortex, the brain region (20) in mammals associated with higher-order thinking. Instead, their cognitive processing occurs in a region called the pallium, which is organized quite differently. This suggests that complex cognition may have evolved independently in birds and mammals, a phenomenon known as convergent evolution. The New Caledonian crow, then, is (25) not merely a clever bird; it is evidence that intelligence can emerge through radically different neurological pathways.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. New Caledonian crows are more intelligent than chimpanzees
2. tool use in animals is more widespread than previously believed
3. New Caledonian crows demonstrate complex cognition despite having a different brain structure than mammals
4. the avian pallium functions identically to the mammalian neocortex
5. scientists in the 1960s were correct to dismiss bird tool use as anomalous

9. According to the passage, New Caledonian crows in the wild create tools by

1. using one tool to make another tool
2. removing bark and leaves from twigs
3. solving multi-step puzzles
4. imitating the behavior of chimpanzees
5. extracting grubs from tree bark

10. As used in line 13, the word “infrastructure” most nearly means

1. construction
2. foundation
3. transportation system
4. complexity
5. architecture

11. The passage suggests that the ability of New Caledonian crows to solve multi-step puzzles is significant because it demonstrates

1. that crows can remember where they hide food
2. that crows possess planning abilities once attributed only to mammals with a neocortex
3. that crows are native to the South Pacific islands
4. that laboratory conditions enhance natural crow behaviors
5. that all birds have evolved similar cognitive abilities

12. The author mentions that birds lack a neocortex (lines 19-20) primarily to

1. prove that birds are less intelligent than mammals
2. explain why early scientists dismissed bird tool use
3. emphasize that crow intelligence arose through a different evolutionary path
4. describe the physical appearance of bird brains
5. argue that the pallium is superior to the neocortex

13. The passage indicates that convergent evolution (line 23) refers to

1. the process by which birds and mammals share genetic material
2. the development of similar traits through different biological mechanisms
3. the migration of New Caledonian crows to different islands
4. the improvement of cognitive abilities over successive generations
5. the coordination between the neocortex and the pallium

14. The author’s attitude toward the cognitive abilities of New Caledonian crows can best be described as

1. skeptical and dismissive
2. impressed and intrigued
3. confused and uncertain
4. indifferent and objective
5. alarmed and cautionary

Passage 3

The following is an excerpt from Chief Seattle’s response to the U.S. government’s offer to buy tribal lands, delivered in 1854.

    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 (5) 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 birth when they go to walk among (10) 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 crests, the juices (15) 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 to ourselves. (20) 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 tribal lands
2. express a worldview in which land cannot be commodified or owned
3. threaten military resistance against further expansion
4. request financial compensation for past injustices
5. describe the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest

16. Chief Seattle’s opening question, “How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land?” (lines 1-2), is best understood as

1. a literal inquiry about real estate transactions
2. a rhetorical device emphasizing the impossibility of owning nature
3. a request for clarification of the government’s offer
4. an expression of confusion about European economic systems
5. a suggestion that the price being offered is too low

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

1. religious
2. valuable
3. worthy of reverence
4. forbidden
5. mysterious

18. The contrast drawn between the white man’s dead and “our dead” (lines 9-11) primarily serves to

1. criticize burial practices of European settlers
2. illustrate differing relationships to the land
3. prove that Native American beliefs are superior
4. explain why stars are important in tribal religion
5. suggest that white settlers will eventually leave the territory

19. Chief Seattle’s use of familial terms such as “sisters” and “brothers” (lines 13-15) to describe natural elements suggests that

1. his people worship animals as gods
2. his people see themselves as interconnected with all living things
3. flowers and animals have the same value as human family members
4. the tribe is composed of many different clans
5. eagles and horses were domesticated by his people

20. The tone of the final paragraph (lines 17-22) can best be described as

1. enthusiastic and optimistic
2. hostile and threatening
3. measured and solemn
4. sarcastic and mocking
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: (B) – the arrival of an object that connects the father to his past
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage centers on the father bringing home his grandfather’s cello, breaking the family’s pattern of not discussing the past (lines 16-17). Choice (A) is incorrect because the mother is a minor character who barely reacts. Choice (D) is incorrect because no one learns to play the instrument in the passage.

2. Ans: (B) – the instrument is leading the father into unfamiliar territory
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The ship metaphor (lines 4-5) suggests the cello is taking the father on a journey, particularly into his past, which the family typically avoided (line 17). Choice (A) is incorrect because there is no mention of the father’s occupation. Choice (E) is incorrect because the father handles it “carefully, reverently” (lines 9-10).

3. Ans: (C) – burden
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 7, “weight” refers to the oppressive quality of the silence resulting from “years of small disappointments,” making “burden” the best choice. Choice (A) is incorrect because the weight is metaphorical, not physical. Choice (D) is incorrect because measurement does not fit the emotional context.

4. Ans: (C) – is uncertain or disapproving of the father’s decision
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The mother’s suspended spoon and silence (lines 5-7), combined with the “weight” of silence between the parents, suggests disapproval or concern. Choice (A) is directly contradicted by her lack of positive response. Choice (E) is incorrect because she shows no enthusiasm.

5. Ans: (B) – the family typically avoided discussing personal history
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The metaphor that “the past was a country we did not visit” (lines 16-17) clearly indicates the family’s avoidance of discussing history, which is why the father mentioning his grandfather is significant. Choice (A) is incorrect because immigration is never mentioned. Choice (D) is too extreme; the passage says the narrator had never heard the grandfather mentioned, not that questions were forbidden.

6. Ans: (A) – emphasize the instrument’s age and history
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The crack and yellowed glue (lines 12-14) establish that the cello is old and has been repaired over time, connecting it to family history. Choice (B) is incorrect because the father treats it reverently, not as worthless. Choice (D) is incorrect because nothing in the passage foreshadows further damage.

7. Ans: (B) – nostalgic and reflective
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The narrator reflects on a meaningful memory from the past, describing it with careful detail and emotional resonance, particularly in the final lines (lines 18-20). Choice (A) is incorrect because there is no bitterness expressed. Choice (D) is incorrect because the tone is subdued rather than joyful.

8. Ans: (C) – New Caledonian crows demonstrate complex cognition despite having a different brain structure than mammals
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage emphasizes that these crows show sophisticated tool use and problem-solving (lines 9-16) despite lacking a neocortex (lines 19-21), suggesting intelligence evolved differently (lines 22-25). Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage says they rival, not exceed, chimpanzees (line 9). Choice (D) contradicts lines 21-22, which say the pallium is “organized quite differently.”

9. Ans: (B) – removing bark and leaves from twigs
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 10-11 explicitly state that wild crows fashion hooks “stripping away bark and leaves” from twigs. Choice (A) is incorrect because using one tool to obtain another occurs in laboratory settings (lines 14-16), not in the wild. Choice (E) is incorrect because extracting grubs is what they use the tools for, not how they make them.

10. Ans: (B) – foundation
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 13, “cognitive infrastructure” refers to the underlying brain structures needed for complex thought, making “foundation” the best match. Choice (C) is incorrect because “transportation system” is a common meaning of infrastructure but doesn’t fit the cognitive context. Choice (A) is too literal and doesn’t capture the underlying structure meaning.

11. Ans: (B) – that crows possess planning abilities once attributed only to mammals with a neocortex
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that multi-step puzzles require “the ability to plan future actions” (line 16) and were thought to require “the cognitive infrastructure of the mammalian brain” (lines 12-13). Choice (A) is too narrow and doesn’t address planning. Choice (D) contradicts the passage, which describes natural wild behaviors (lines 9-11) as well as laboratory findings.

12. Ans: (C) – emphasize that crow intelligence arose through a different evolutionary path
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The author mentions the lack of neocortex (lines 19-20) to introduce the concept of convergent evolution (line 23) and show that intelligence can emerge through “radically different neurological pathways” (lines 25-26). Choice (A) contradicts the passage’s argument about crow sophistication. Choice (E) is incorrect because the passage makes no claim about superiority.

13. Ans: (B) – the development of similar traits through different biological mechanisms
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 22-25 explain that convergent evolution means complex cognition “evolved independently in birds and mammals” through different pathways despite achieving similar results. Choice (A) is incorrect because convergent evolution does not involve sharing genetic material. Choice (D) is too vague and doesn’t capture the independence of evolutionary paths.

14. Ans: (B) – impressed and intrigued
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The author uses phrases like “More remarkably” (line 11), “even more intriguing” (line 18), and describes the crows as “evidence” of something significant (line 24), showing fascination with the findings. Choice (A) is contradicted throughout. Choice (D) is incorrect because words like “remarkably” and “intriguing” show the author is not indifferent.

15. Ans: (B) – express a worldview in which land cannot be commodified or owned
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Chief Seattle opens by questioning how one can buy or sell sky and land (lines 1-2) and emphasizes that “every part of this earth is sacred” (lines 4-5), articulating a perspective fundamentally incompatible with land ownership. Choice (A) is incorrect because he says considering the offer “will not be easy” (line 21), not that he accepts it. Choice (E) is too narrow; description serves the larger philosophical purpose.

16. Ans: (B) – a rhetorical device emphasizing the impossibility of owning nature
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The opening question (lines 1-2) is rhetorical, immediately calling attention to the fundamental disconnect between his people’s worldview and the concept of land ownership. Choice (A) is incorrect because it is clearly not a literal question expecting an answer. Choice (E) is incorrect because price is never discussed.

17. Ans: (C) – worthy of reverence
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 4, “sacred” describes the earth in a context of deep respect and spiritual significance, making “worthy of reverence” the most precise choice. Choice (A) is too narrow, as sacred encompasses more than formal religious practice. Choice (D) is incorrect because nothing suggests the land is forbidden to his people.

18. Ans: (B) – illustrate differing relationships to the land
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The contrast (lines 9-11) shows that white settlers forget their homeland while Native dead remain connected to the earth, demonstrating fundamentally different relationships to place. Choice (A) is too narrow; burial practices are not mentioned. Choice (E) is not supported by the passage.

19. Ans: (B) – his people see themselves as interconnected with all living things
Explanation: This is an Inference question. By calling flowers “sisters” and animals “brothers” (lines 13-14) and stating “all belong to the same family” (line 16), Chief Seattle expresses a worldview of interconnection. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage describes kinship, not worship. Choice (C) distorts the meaning by suggesting identical value rather than interconnection.

20. Ans: (C) – measured and solemn
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The final paragraph (lines 17-22) addresses the offer seriously and respectfully but with gravity, noting it “will not be easy” because the land is sacred. Choice (A) is incorrect because there is no enthusiasm about the offer. Choice (D) is incorrect because the tone is sincere, not sarcastic.