SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 70

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 train to Chennai left at half past six, and Priya had been awake since four, listening to the ceiling fan click with each rotation. Her father’s suitcase sat by the door, a battered brown thing held together with rope. He’d packed it the night before, folding (5) his two good shirts with the same precision he used when sorting cardamom pods at the spice shop. Her mother hadn’t come out of the bedroom.     “You’ll write every week,” Priya said. It wasn’t a question.     Her father looked up from his tea, and she saw something flicker across his face—guilt, perhaps, or simply exhaustion. (10) “Every week,” he promised. “And when the hotel contract is finished, I’ll come back with enough to fix the roof and buy your brother his books.”     Priya nodded, though they both knew how these things went. Her uncle had gone to Kuwait for six months and stayed three years. Her cousin was in (15) Singapore, sending money but never photographs. The men left and became voices on crackling phone lines, then just signatures on bank transfers.     Outside, the auto-rickshaw sputtered to life. Her father stood, lifting the suitcase with a small grunt. For a moment, he rested his hand on Priya’s head, (20) the way he had when she was small. Then he was gone, and the house felt immediately larger and more empty than it had any right to be.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the economic challenges facing families in rural India
2. capture a moment of separation between a daughter and her departing father
3. explain why men from Priya’s village seek work abroad
4. contrast Priya’s feelings with those of her mother
5. criticize the practice of migrant labor in South Asia

2. The detail about the suitcase being “held together with rope” (line 4) primarily serves to

1. suggest the father’s carelessness in maintaining his possessions
2. emphasize the family’s modest economic circumstances
3. indicate that the father has traveled extensively before
4. foreshadow difficulties the father will encounter on his journey
5. show that the family does not value material belongings

3. As used in line 5, the word “precision” most nearly means

1. speed
2. carefulness
3. reluctance
4. skill
5. indifference

4. The passage suggests that Priya’s mother has not come out of the bedroom (lines 6-7) because she

1. is angry at her husband for leaving
2. needs to sleep before beginning her morning work
3. finds the departure too painful to witness
4. disapproves of her husband’s decision to work in Chennai
5. has already said goodbye the previous night

5. The references to Priya’s uncle and cousin (lines 13-16) primarily function to

1. demonstrate that working abroad has been financially successful for other family members
2. suggest that Priya’s father’s absence may extend far longer than planned
3. explain why Priya’s father decided to seek work in Chennai specifically
4. prove that men who leave their families eventually lose all emotional connection
5. show that Priya has a large extended family throughout Asia

6. The passage indicates that the father’s work in Chennai will help pay for all of the following EXCEPT

1. repairing the family’s roof
2. purchasing educational materials for Priya’s brother
3. sending Priya to school
4. supporting the family’s basic needs
5. improving the family’s financial situation

7. The final sentence of the passage conveys a mood of

1. relief and anticipation
2. bitterness and resentment
3. loss and emptiness
4. confusion and uncertainty
5. anger and frustration

Passage 2

The following passage is from an article on geological processes.

    The Channeled Scablands of eastern Washington present one of the most striking geological puzzles on the North American continent. Across some three thousand square miles, the landscape bears deep gouges, dry waterfalls hundreds of feet high, and massive boulders scattered across (5) valleys like abandoned marbles. For decades, geologists dismissed these features as the gradual work of ordinary rivers, but the evidence told a more dramatic story.     J Harlen Bretz, a high school biology teacher turned geologist, proposed in the 1920s that only a catastrophic flood of unimaginable scale could have carved such features. His idea (10) faced fierce resistance. The prevailing geological doctrine, uniformitarianism, held that landscapes evolved slowly through processes still observable today. Bretz’s flood seemed to resurrect discredited catastrophism, and his colleagues attacked his theory with vigor.     Yet Bretz had the evidence on his side. The scablands contained enormous gravel bars, ripple (15) marks fifty feet high, and amphitheater-shaped coulees that could only form from massive water flow. Eventually, other geologists identified the source: glacial Lake Missoula, an ice-dammed lake in Montana that periodically burst through its barriers. When the ice dam failed, the lake’s five hundred cubic miles of water (20) drained in as little as forty-eight hours, creating flows ten times the combined volume of all the world’s modern rivers. Bretz lived to see his theory vindicated, receiving geology’s highest honor at age ninety-six.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. geological formations in Washington State are unique in North America
2. a controversial theory about catastrophic flooding eventually gained acceptance
3. uniformitarianism is no longer the dominant principle in geology
4. J Harlen Bretz was the most important geologist of the twentieth century
5. gradual processes cannot explain most landscape features

9. According to the passage, the Channeled Scablands contain all of the following features EXCEPT

1. deep gouges in the landscape
2. dry waterfalls
3. large scattered boulders
4. active volcanic craters
5. massive gravel bars

10. As used in line 7, the word “dismissed” most nearly means

1. fired
2. rejected
3. summarized
4. distributed
5. expelled

11. The author’s attitude toward Bretz can best be described as

1. skeptical of his methods
2. critical of his stubbornness
3. admiring of his perseverance
4. neutral and objective
5. dismissive of his contributions

12. The passage suggests that uniformitarianism is the belief that

1. all geological features were formed by a single catastrophic event
2. landscapes change through slow, continuous processes
3. modern rivers are more powerful than ancient ones
4. geological theories should never be challenged
5. only observable phenomena can be studied scientifically

13. The author includes the detail that the Lake Missoula flood created flows “ten times the combined volume of all the world’s modern rivers” (lines 20-21) in order to

1. prove that modern rivers are relatively small
2. emphasize the extraordinary scale of the flooding event
3. explain why geologists initially rejected Bretz’s theory
4. demonstrate that such floods occur regularly throughout history
5. compare ancient geological processes to contemporary ones

14. Based on the passage, Bretz’s theory initially faced resistance primarily because it

1. lacked any physical evidence from the scablands
2. was proposed by someone without formal geological training
3. contradicted the accepted principle of gradual landscape formation
4. could not explain the source of the floodwaters
5. suggested that all landscapes formed through catastrophic events

Passage 3

The following is excerpted from Chief Joseph’s surrender speech, delivered in 1877 in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana.

    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. (5) He who 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, (10) and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among 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. announce his decision to end armed resistance
2. criticize General Howard for his military tactics
3. inspire his people to continue fighting
4. negotiate better terms of surrender
5. document the names of leaders who have died

16. As used in line 3, the phrase “I have it in my heart” most nearly means

1. I feel emotional about it
2. I remember and understand it
3. I disagree with it strongly
4. I am uncertain about it
5. I have forgotten the details

17. Chief Joseph mentions that “the old men are all dead” and “It is the young men who say yes or no” (lines 4-5) in order to

1. explain why he must make the decision to surrender himself
2. blame the younger generation for the decision to fight
3. show that traditional leadership structures have collapsed
4. prove that he is too old to continue leading
5. suggest that the young men are better warriors

18. The passage indicates that Chief Joseph’s immediate concern is

1. negotiating a peace treaty with General Howard
2. locating and ensuring the safety of his children
3. burying the chiefs who have died in battle
4. obtaining blankets for his warriors
5. leading his people back to their homeland

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

1. defiant and rebellious
2. exhausted and sorrowful
3. hopeful and optimistic
4. angry and bitter
5. detached and formal

20. The final sentence (“From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever”) is effective primarily because it

1. uses poetic language to mark a definitive end to resistance
2. demonstrates Chief Joseph’s knowledge of military strategy
3. proves that he has been planning to surrender for some time
4. suggests that he may resume fighting at a later date
5. shows his respect for General Howard’s authority

■ ■ ■   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 separation between a daughter and her departing father
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on the specific morning when Priya’s father leaves for Chennai, detailing her observations and emotions during this departure (lines 1-20). Choice (A) is too broad; while economic challenges are present, they are not the primary focus of the passage. Choice (C) is too narrow, addressing only background context rather than the central event.

2. Ans: (B) – emphasize the family’s modest economic circumstances
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The detail about the rope-bound suitcase (line 4) establishes the family’s limited resources, reinforcing why the father must seek work elsewhere. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which shows the father as careful and deliberate. Choice (D) is not supported; the rope detail indicates poverty, not future problems.

3. Ans: (B) – carefulness
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 5, “precision” describes the methodical way the father folds his shirts, suggesting exactness and care. Choice (A) is incorrect because nothing in context suggests speed. Choice (E) contradicts the care implied by the comparison to sorting cardamom pods.

4. Ans: (C) – finds the departure too painful to witness
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The mother’s absence from the farewell scene (lines 6-7), combined with the emotional weight of the departure, suggests she cannot face saying goodbye. Choice (A) assumes anger not supported by the text. Choice (B) is implausible given the significance of the father’s departure at 6:30 a.m.

5. Ans: (B) – suggest that Priya’s father’s absence may extend far longer than planned
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The examples of the uncle (six months turning into three years) and the cousin in Singapore (lines 13-16) establish a pattern showing that temporary departures become permanent absences. Choice (A) contradicts the passage’s tone; the examples emphasize loss, not success. Choice (D) is too extreme; the passage says they become “voices on crackling phone lines,” not that they lose all connection.

6. Ans: (C) – sending Priya to school
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The father mentions fixing the roof and buying his brother’s books (lines 11-12), but never mentions Priya’s education. Choices (A) and (B) are explicitly stated in lines 11-12. Choice (D) is incorrect because supporting the family is the clear purpose of seeking work, even if not explicitly stated.

7. Ans: (C) – loss and emptiness
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The final sentence describes the house feeling “immediately larger and more empty” (line 20), directly conveying loss and emptiness. Choice (A) is incorrect; there is no relief or anticipation in the ending. Choice (B) is too strong; the passage conveys sadness rather than bitterness.

8. Ans: (B) – a controversial theory about catastrophic flooding eventually gained acceptance
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage traces how Bretz’s flood theory, initially rejected in the 1920s (lines 10-13), was eventually vindicated with evidence (lines 17-22). Choice (A) is too narrow, focusing only on the landscape rather than the theory. Choice (C) is too broad and not supported; the passage discusses one challenge to uniformitarianism, not its overall status.

9. Ans: (D) – active volcanic craters
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage mentions gouges, dry waterfalls, boulders (lines 3-6), and gravel bars (line 14), but never mentions volcanic craters. Choices (A), (B), and (C) are all explicitly listed in lines 3-6. Choice (E) is mentioned in line 14.

10. Ans: (B) – rejected
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 7, geologists “dismissed” the features as gradual river work, meaning they rejected or disregarded Bretz’s catastrophic explanation. Choice (A) uses another meaning of “dismissed” that doesn’t fit the context. Choice (C) is incorrect because summarizing is not the same as rejecting.

11. Ans: (C) – admiring of his perseverance
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The author presents Bretz sympathetically, noting he “had the evidence on his side” (line 13) and “lived to see his theory vindicated” (line 21), showing admiration. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which validates Bretz’s evidence. Choice (D) is incorrect; the author clearly favors Bretz’s position.

12. Ans: (B) – landscapes change through slow, continuous processes
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage defines uniformitarianism as holding “that landscapes evolved slowly through processes still observable today” (lines 11-12). Choice (A) reverses the concept; uniformitarianism opposes catastrophism. Choice (D) is too broad and not stated in the passage.

13. Ans: (B) – emphasize the extraordinary scale of the flooding event
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The comparison to ten times all modern rivers combined (lines 20-21) dramatizes the flood’s unprecedented magnitude. Choice (A) misses the point; the detail emphasizes the ancient flood, not modern rivers. Choice (C) is incorrect because this detail appears after explaining why the theory faced resistance.

14. Ans: (C) – contradicted the accepted principle of gradual landscape formation
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The passage states that Bretz’s flood theory “seemed to resurrect discredited catastrophism” (line 12), contradicting uniformitarianism (lines 11-12). Choice (A) is incorrect; Bretz had considerable evidence (lines 13-16). Choice (D) is wrong because the source was eventually identified, but resistance came before that.

15. Ans: (A) – announce his decision to end armed resistance
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The speech culminates in the declaration “I will fight no more forever” (line 12), formally announcing surrender. Choice (B) contradicts the speech; Chief Joseph says he knows General Howard’s heart (line 2). Choice (C) reverses the speech’s purpose entirely.

16. Ans: (B) – I remember and understand it
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. When Chief Joseph says “What he told me before, I have it in my heart” (line 3), he means he retains and comprehends Howard’s earlier words. Choice (A) is too narrow; the phrase suggests understanding, not just emotion. Choice (C) contradicts the respectful tone of the opening.

17. Ans: (C) – show that traditional leadership structures have collapsed
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. By stating the old men are dead and young men now decide (lines 4-5), Chief Joseph illustrates how war has destroyed the normal generational leadership. Choice (A) is too narrow; he’s explaining the broader devastation, not just his personal authority. Choice (B) contradicts the tone; he’s not assigning blame.

18. Ans: (B) – locating and ensuring the safety of his children
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Chief Joseph explicitly states, “I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find” (lines 9-10). Choice (A) is not his immediate concern; he has already decided to surrender. Choice (C) is not mentioned as an immediate priority.

19. Ans: (B) – exhausted and sorrowful
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Chief Joseph repeatedly states “I am tired,” “my heart is sick and sad” (line 11), and describes freezing children and dead chiefs (lines 3-10). Choice (A) contradicts the surrender decision. Choice (C) is incorrect; there is no hope expressed in the speech.

20. Ans: (A) – uses poetic language to mark a definitive end to resistance
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The phrase “From where the sun now stands” (line 12) employs elevated, memorable language to solemnly mark the permanent end of fighting. Choice (D) contradicts “forever,” which indicates no resumption. Choice (E) misreads the tone; the speech is about exhaustion and loss, not respect for authority.