SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 63

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 train lurched forward just as Mei pressed her face against the window, watching the Shanghai platform dissolve into a blur of gray and ochre. Her father’s hand rested on her shoulder, heavy and warm, (5) but she could feel the tremor in his fingers. They were leaving everything behind: the pharmacy on Nanjing Road, the courtyard where jasmine grew wild along the walls, her mother’s grave beneath the elm tree.     “We will send for your aunt when we are settled,” he said, (10) though Mei knew this was the kind of promise adults made when they had no power to keep it. Outside, the countryside began to assert itself – rice paddies stretched toward distant hills, their flooded surfaces reflecting the pale morning sky like shattered mirrors.     In the seat across from them, (15) a woman with a birdcage on her lap hummed something tuneless. The finch inside beat its wings against the bamboo bars, and Mei wondered if it understood that it was moving, or if the world simply seemed to spin around it. Her father opened his leather satchel and removed a book, but his eyes did not move across the page. (20)

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the physical landscape of the Chinese countryside
2. capture a moment of transition and displacement in a character’s life
3. explain the historical reasons for migration from Shanghai
4. celebrate the strong bond between a father and daughter
5. contrast rural and urban environments in China

2. The detail about the father’s trembling fingers (line 5) most strongly suggests that he is

1. suffering from a medical condition
2. cold from the morning air
3. anxious about the journey ahead
4. angry at having to leave Shanghai
5. excited about new opportunities

3. As used in line 11, the word “assert” most nearly means

1. declare loudly
2. become visible
3. argue forcefully
4. prove conclusively
5. dominate aggressively

4. The description of the rice paddies as “shattered mirrors” (line 13) primarily serves to

1. emphasize the poverty of rural China
2. suggest the fragmentation of Mei’s former life
3. indicate that the paddies are poorly maintained
4. show that Mei has artistic sensibilities
5. prove that the family is traveling during monsoon season

5. Mei’s thoughts about the caged finch (lines 16–18) suggest that she

1. wishes she had brought a pet on the journey
2. identifies with a sense of captivity and disorientation
3. disapproves of keeping birds in cages
4. is easily distracted by irrelevant details
5. hopes to purchase a bird when they arrive

6. The passage indicates that Mei’s mother is

1. traveling in a different train car
2. waiting for them at their destination
3. deceased
4. living with Mei’s aunt
5. too ill to make the journey

7. The detail that the father’s eyes “did not move across the page” (line 20) implies that he is

1. illiterate and only pretending to read
2. reading the same sentence repeatedly for meaning
3. too distracted or troubled to concentrate
4. waiting for Mei to ask him a question
5. memorizing important information from the book

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about environmental science.

    In the perpetual darkness of the abyssal zone, more than 3,000 meters beneath the ocean surface, the discovery of methane seeps has revolutionized our understanding of deep-sea ecosystems. Unlike the hydrothermal vent communities that derive energy from volcanic (5) heat, methane seep environments depend on the chemical energy stored in methane gas, which bubbles up from deposits buried beneath the seafloor. Specialized bacteria oxidize this methane, converting it into organic compounds that form the foundation of a food web independent of photosynthesis.     The most (10) conspicuous inhabitants of these seeps are tubeworms of the genus Lamellibrachia, which can exceed two meters in length and live for over 250 years. These remarkable organisms have no mouth or digestive system; instead, they harbor chemosynthetic bacteria within specialized organs called tropho-somes. (15) The tubeworms absorb methane and hydrogen sulfide from the surrounding water through their feathery red plumes, then transport these compounds to the bacteria, which synthesize nutrients that sustain their hosts.     Recent surveys have identified methane seeps along nearly every continental margin, suggesting that these ecosystems may be (20) far more widespread than previously imagined and may play a significant role in regulating methane release into the ocean and atmosphere.

8. The main idea of the passage is that methane seeps

1. are located exclusively in the abyssal zone
2. support unique ecosystems and may have broader environmental importance
3. are identical to hydrothermal vent systems
4. pose a danger to marine life due to toxic gas emissions
5. have been thoroughly studied and fully understood by scientists

9. According to the passage, methane seep ecosystems differ from hydrothermal vent communities in their

1. depth below the ocean surface
2. source of chemical energy
3. lack of bacterial organisms
4. dependence on photosynthesis
5. geographic distribution

10. As used in line 9, the word “conspicuous” most nearly means

1. secretive
2. numerous
3. noticeable
4. intelligent
5. dangerous

11. The passage indicates that Lamellibrachia tubeworms obtain nutrients by

1. filtering organic matter from seawater
2. hunting smaller organisms near methane seeps
3. relying on bacteria that live inside their bodies
4. absorbing methane directly through their skin
5. migrating to shallow waters to photosynthesize

12. The author mentions the lifespan of Lamellibrachia tubeworms (line 11) primarily to

1. explain why they grow to such great lengths
2. contrast them with short-lived bacterial organisms
3. emphasize their remarkable biological characteristics
4. prove that methane seeps are stable environments
5. suggest that deep-sea organisms age more slowly

13. It can be inferred from the passage that the trophosome (line 14) is an organ that

1. filters methane from seawater
2. houses symbiotic bacteria
3. pumps water through the tubeworm’s body
4. produces red pigment for the plumes
5. digests food particles

14. The passage suggests that methane seeps may be important for

1. providing food for commercial fisheries
2. generating geothermal energy
3. controlling the amount of methane entering the ocean and atmosphere
4. creating new volcanic activity on the ocean floor
5. increasing the rate of photosynthesis in surface waters

Passage 3

The following is adapted from a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband John Adams on March 31, 1776.

    I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous (5) and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound (10) by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.     That your sex are naturally tyrannical is a truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute; but such of you as wish to be happy willingly give up the harsh title of master for the more tender and endearing one of friend. (15) Why, then, not put it out of the power of the vicious and the lawless to use us with cruelty and indignity with impunity? Men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the vassals of your sex. Regard us then as beings placed by Providence under your protection, and in imitation (20) of the Supreme Being, make use of that power only for our happiness.

15. The primary purpose of this letter is to

1. demand immediate voting rights for all women
2. urge the consideration of women’s rights in new laws
3. criticize John Adams for his political views
4. describe the daily hardships faced by colonial women
5. threaten violent revolution if independence is not declared

16. As used in line 8, the word “foment” most nearly means

1. prevent
2. forget
3. incite
4. document
5. forgive

17. Abigail Adams’s statement that “all men would be tyrants if they could” (line 7) suggests that she believes

1. only certain men abuse power when given the opportunity
2. power tends to corrupt those who possess it
3. most men are naturally violent and cruel
4. tyranny is an inevitable form of government
5. women are morally superior to men in all respects

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

1. pleading and submissive
2. scholarly and detached
3. earnest and persuasive
4. bitter and resentful
5. humorous and lighthearted

19. In lines 17–18, Abigail Adams characterizes women as “vassals” in order to

1. compare the legal status of women to feudal servitude
2. suggest that women should own property
3. argue that women are physically weaker than men
4. praise the customs that protect women
5. demonstrate her extensive classical education

20. The passage suggests that “men of sense” (line 17) are those who

1. recognize that treating women as inferiors is unreasonable
2. have received formal legal training
3. support complete equality between men and women
4. refuse to marry or have families
5. oppose American independence from Britain

■ ■ ■   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) – capture a moment of transition and displacement in a character’s life
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Mei and her father leaving Shanghai by train, emphasizing the loss and uncertainty they face, as shown in details about leaving their home and the father’s trembling hand (lines 4–6). Choice (A) is too narrow, as the landscape description is only one element supporting the larger theme of displacement. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage provides no historical explanation for the migration.

2. Ans: (C) – anxious about the journey ahead
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The tremor in the father’s fingers (line 5), combined with the context of leaving everything behind and making a promise he has “no power to keep” (line 10), suggests emotional distress and anxiety. Choice (A) is wrong because nothing in the passage suggests a medical condition. Choice (E) contradicts the somber mood established throughout the passage.

3. Ans: (B) – become visible
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 11, the countryside “began to assert itself” as the train left the city, meaning it became visible or prominent in view. Choice (A) uses the primary dictionary meaning of “assert” but does not fit the context of a landscape. Choice (C) similarly applies an inappropriate meaning to an inanimate subject.

4. Ans: (B) – suggest the fragmentation of Mei’s former life
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The metaphor of “shattered mirrors” (line 13) reflects the broken, fragmented state of Mei’s world as she leaves home. Choice (A) is wrong because the image has nothing to do with economic conditions. Choice (C) is too literal an interpretation of the word “shattered.”

5. Ans: (B) – identifies with a sense of captivity and disorientation
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Mei wonders whether the bird understands it is moving “or if the world simply seemed to spin around it” (lines 17–18), mirroring her own confusion and lack of control during the journey. Choice (A) is wrong because there is no indication she wants a pet. Choice (D) is wrong because her observation is thematically relevant, not irrelevant.

6. Ans: (C) – deceased
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that they are leaving behind “her mother’s grave beneath the elm tree” (line 7), indicating the mother has died. Choice (A) is contradicted by the reference to the grave. Choice (E) invents information not supported by the text.

7. Ans: (C) – too distracted or troubled to concentrate
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The father opens a book but his “eyes did not move across the page” (line 20), suggesting he is too preoccupied with worry to actually read, consistent with his earlier trembling and false promises. Choice (A) is an unreasonable interpretation given he owns a pharmacy and carries books. Choice (B) invents a detail not suggested by the text.

8. Ans: (B) – support unique ecosystems and may have broader environmental importance
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage describes the distinctive methane seep ecosystems (lines 1–17) and concludes that they “may play a significant role in regulating methane release” (lines 20–21). Choice (A) is too narrow, focusing only on location. Choice (E) contradicts the passage, which describes recent discoveries and uses “may be,” indicating ongoing research.

9. Ans: (B) – source of chemical energy
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that hydrothermal vents “derive energy from volcanic heat” while methane seeps “depend on the chemical energy stored in methane gas” (lines 3–6). Choice (C) is contradicted by the passage, which describes bacteria in both systems. Choice (D) is wrong because neither system depends on photosynthesis, as stated in line 9.

10. Ans: (C) – noticeable
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. “Conspicuous inhabitants” (line 9) refers to the tubeworms being prominent or easily observed among seep organisms, especially given their two-meter length. Choice (B) confuses “conspicuous” with “copious” or numerous. Choice (A) is the opposite of the correct meaning.

11. Ans: (C) – relying on bacteria that live inside their bodies
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states that tubeworms “harbor chemosynthetic bacteria within specialized organs” and that these bacteria “synthesize nutrients that sustain their hosts” (lines 13–17). Choice (A) is wrong because the tubeworms have no digestive system (line 12). Choice (D) is partially true but incomplete, as the methane must be processed by bacteria to become nutrients.

12. Ans: (C) – emphasize their remarkable biological characteristics
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The 250-year lifespan is mentioned alongside other “remarkable” features like extreme length and lack of digestive organs (lines 10–13) to illustrate how extraordinary these organisms are. Choice (D) goes beyond what the passage states; the lifespan doesn’t prove environmental stability. Choice (B) is wrong because no comparison is made to bacterial lifespans.

13. Ans: (B) – houses symbiotic bacteria
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage describes tropho-somes as “specialized organs” where tubeworms “harbor chemosynthetic bacteria” (lines 13–14), indicating these organs house the symbiotic bacteria. Choice (E) contradicts the passage, which states the tubeworms have no digestive system (line 12). Choice (A) is wrong because the plumes, not the trophosome, absorb compounds from water (lines 15–16).

14. Ans: (C) – controlling the amount of methane entering the ocean and atmosphere
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The final sentence states that methane seeps “may play a significant role in regulating methane release into the ocean and atmosphere” (lines 20–21). Choice (A) is not mentioned or suggested anywhere in the passage. Choice (E) contradicts the passage, which emphasizes that these ecosystems are independent of photosynthesis (line 9).

15. Ans: (B) – urge the consideration of women’s rights in new laws
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. Abigail Adams asks her husband to “remember the ladies” and be “more generous and favorable to them” in the “new code of laws” (lines 3–5), seeking protection from tyrannical treatment. Choice (A) is too specific; she does not explicitly demand voting rights. Choice (D) is wrong because she does not describe daily hardships.

16. Ans: (C) – incite
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 8, “foment a rebellion” means to stir up or incite one, as the context makes clear that women will actively resist unjust laws. Choice (A) is the opposite of the intended meaning. Choice (B) is phonetically similar but semantically unrelated to the correct answer.

17. Ans: (B) – power tends to corrupt those who possess it
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The statement “all men would be tyrants if they could” (line 7) suggests that unlimited power leads to tyrannical behavior, not that men are inherently evil. Choice (A) contradicts “all men,” which makes a universal claim. Choice (C) overstates the claim; Adams criticizes the abuse of power, not inherent violence.

18. Ans: (C) – earnest and persuasive
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Adams writes seriously and with conviction, using reasoned arguments and appeals to justice (lines 14–20) to persuade her husband. Choice (A) is wrong because while she is sincere, she is also assertive and even threatening (“foment a rebellion,” line 8), not submissive. Choice (D) is too extreme; the tone is firm but not bitter.

19. Ans: (A) – compare the legal status of women to feudal servitude
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. By calling women “vassals,” Adams draws a parallel between women’s subordinate legal position and the servitude of feudal subjects (lines 17–18). Choice (B) is too specific; property ownership is not mentioned. Choice (D) reverses her meaning; she criticizes these customs, not praises them.

20. Ans: (A) – recognize that treating women as inferiors is unreasonable
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Adams states that “men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the vassals of your sex” (lines 17–18), meaning sensible men reject the mistreatment of women. Choice (C) goes too far; she does not advocate complete equality, but rather protection and fair treatment. Choice (E) is completely unrelated to the passage content.