SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 72

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 first time I saw the marsh at low tide, I thought someone had drained the world. Where hours before had been a glittering expanse of water, now stretched only mud – slick, gray, and furrowed like a giant’s fingerprint. My uncle Roland waded into it without hesitation, (5) his boots making obscene sucking sounds with each step. I remained on the bank, unconvinced.     “Come on, then,” he called, not turning around. “Won’t find any oysters standing there like a heron.”     I had arrived in South Carolina only three days earlier, sent by my mother to spend the summer with her brother while she (10) sorted out what she called “the Philadelphia situation.” I knew this meant my father, his sudden absence, the apartment we could no longer afford. Roland had met me at the bus station with a handshake instead of a hug and driven me to his cottage without asking a single question about any of it. I was grateful and resentful in equal measure.     Now (15) I stepped onto the mud, and immediately sank to my ankles. The smell rose up – salt and rot and something ancient. Roland was already twenty yards out, crouched over a dark cluster of shells. He worked with quick, practiced movements, (20) prying them loose with a short blade and dropping them into a wire basket at his feet. I struggled toward him, each step a negotiation with the mud.     “You get used to it,” he said when I finally reached him. He handed me the knife. “Slide it in at the hinge. Don’t force.”

1. The narrator’s initial reaction to the marsh at low tide can best be described as

1. scientific curiosity about a natural phenomenon
2. disappointed shock at an unexpected landscape
3. eager anticipation of a new adventure
4. nostalgic recognition of a childhood memory
5. fearful anxiety about potential danger

2. As used in line 6, the word “unconvinced” most nearly means

1. skeptical
2. confused
3. dishonest
4. uncertain
5. hesitant

3. The phrase “the Philadelphia situation” (line 11) suggests that the narrator’s mother

1. is avoiding direct discussion of family problems
2. plans to move to a different city permanently
3. has always disliked living in Pennsylvania
4. wants the narrator to learn about Southern culture
5. is angry at Uncle Roland for past disagreements

4. The narrator’s statement about being “grateful and resentful in equal measure” (line 14) indicates that he

1. appreciates his uncle’s silence but also wishes to talk about his problems
2. enjoys the South Carolina landscape but misses Philadelphia
3. respects his uncle’s oyster-harvesting skills but finds the work difficult
4. values his independence but needs his mother’s guidance
5. wants to return home but knows he cannot afford to

5. The description of Roland’s “quick, practiced movements” (line 18) primarily serves to

1. contrast his experience with the narrator’s inexperience
2. demonstrate the difficulty of harvesting oysters
3. suggest that Roland is impatient with his nephew
4. illustrate the dangerous nature of working in the marsh
5. prove that Roland has lived in South Carolina his entire life

6. The passage suggests that the narrator’s father

1. has recently left the family
2. works in South Carolina during the summer
3. disapproves of Uncle Roland
4. taught the narrator about oyster harvesting
5. plans to visit the narrator later in the summer

7. The overall tone of the passage is best described as

1. bitter and accusatory
2. reflective and uncertain
3. cheerful and optimistic
4. angry and defensive
5. scholarly and detached

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about linguistic diversity.

    Of the approximately 7,000 languages spoken in the world today, nearly half are expected to disappear by the end of this century. This accelerating language extinction represents not merely the loss of words and grammar, but the erosion of entire systems of knowledge accumulated over millennia. (5) Each language encodes unique ways of categorizing experience, from the Sami people’s nuanced vocabulary for snow and ice conditions to the Pirahã language of the Amazon, which lacks number words and color terms as understood in most other tongues.     Linguists have identified several factors driving this crisis. Economic globalization pressures minority language speakers to adopt dominant languages (10) for commercial success. Educational systems often enforce instruction in national or colonial languages, leaving indigenous languages confined to domestic spaces. Perhaps most insidiously, speakers themselves sometimes abandon their ancestral tongues, viewing them as obstacles to their children’s advancement rather than as irreplaceable cultural treasures.     Yet (15) language death is not inevitable. Several communities have successfully revitalized endangered languages through immersion schools and media production. Hebrew, extinct as a spoken vernacular for nearly two millennia, was deliberately revived in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and now thrives as the primary language of Israel. Māori in New Zealand has (20) rebounded from near extinction through government support and grassroots activism. These successes demonstrate that linguistic diversity can be preserved when communities mobilize political will and resources to do so.

8. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. explain why certain languages have more speakers than others
2. describe the problem of language extinction and the possibility of language revival
3. argue that all education should be conducted in indigenous languages
4. compare the vocabulary systems of different world languages
5. trace the historical development of Hebrew and Māori

9. As used in line 4, the word “erosion” most nearly means

1. weathering
2. gradual loss
3. soil damage
4. deterioration
5. contradiction

10. According to the passage, the Pirahã language is unusual because it

1. has more words for snow than any other language
2. is the oldest surviving language in South America
3. lacks certain categories found in most other languages
4. was successfully revived after becoming extinct
5. is spoken by more people than any other Amazonian language

11. The author describes speakers abandoning their ancestral languages as “insidious” (line 12) because this process

1. happens quickly and affects only a small number of languages
2. is driven by the speakers themselves rather than by external force
3. results from government policies that ban minority languages
4. affects only languages that have already lost most of their speakers
5. cannot be reversed through any known revitalization efforts

12. The passage indicates that Hebrew is different from most other revitalized languages because

1. it had been extinct as a spoken language for an especially long time
2. it is now spoken by fewer people than before
3. it was revived through immersion schools
4. it lacks certain grammatical features
5. it is still considered endangered by linguists

13. The examples of Hebrew and Māori primarily serve to

1. prove that all extinct languages can eventually be revived
2. demonstrate that language revival requires government funding
3. show that language extinction can be reversed with sufficient effort
4. illustrate why economic globalization threatens minority languages
5. explain how indigenous languages differ from colonial languages

14. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the author’s argument in the final paragraph?

1. Hebrew revival required unique historical circumstances that cannot be replicated for other languages.
2. The Sami people have developed new vocabulary to describe modern technology.
3. Economic globalization has accelerated in recent decades.
4. Some languages have naturally evolved into different forms over time.
5. Linguists disagree about the exact number of languages currently spoken worldwide.

Passage 3

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

    ’Tis almost four months since you left your native land, and embarked upon the mighty waters, in quest of knowledge and experience. I hope your time has been properly improved, and that you have made the most of your advantages. (5) If I had thought your reluctance arose from a disinclination to learning, or a fear of encountering difficulties, I should have regretted your going; but as it proceeded from an attachment to your friends, and to your native soil, it was laudable. It is a great thing to be thrown into the world at so early a period, (10) and obliged to form connections and friendships for yourself. You will have an opportunity of seeing many countries, and many customs, which will enlarge your understanding and improve your judgment.     These are times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, (15) or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. All history will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure. Great necessities call out great virtues. (20) 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.

15. Abigail Adams’ primary purpose in writing this letter is to

1. scold her son for being reluctant to travel abroad
2. encourage her son to view his journey as an opportunity for growth
3. warn her son about the dangers he will face in foreign countries
4. describe the political situation in America during the Revolutionary era
5. persuade her son to return home immediately

16. As used in line 6, the word “laudable” most nearly means

1. understandable
2. praiseworthy
3. excessive
4. musical
5. regrettable

17. Abigail Adams suggests that she would have disapproved of her son’s reluctance if it had been caused by

1. his affection for his family and homeland
2. laziness or cowardice
3. his desire to see foreign countries
4. advice from his father
5. the difficulties of ocean travel

18. According to the passage, “great characters” (line 15) are formed during

1. periods of retirement and leisure
2. calm and peaceful times
3. challenging and turbulent times
4. early childhood experiences
5. formal academic study

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

1. stern and disapproving
2. affectionate but instructive
3. detached and scholarly
4. anxious and fearful
5. bitter and resentful

20. The statement “Great necessities call out great virtues” (line 19) suggests that

1. people reveal their best qualities when facing significant challenges
2. virtue is less important than intelligence in forming a leader
3. most people lack the virtues necessary for greatness
4. only those born into difficult circumstances can become heroes
5. peacetime offers no opportunities for personal development

■ ■ ■   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) – disappointed shock at an unexpected landscape
Explanation: This is a Detail/Inference question. The narrator describes thinking “someone had drained the world” and seeing “only mud” where there had been water (lines 1-3), indicating shock and disappointment at the unappealing transformation. Choice (A) is incorrect because the narrator shows no scientific interest, only dismay. Choice (E) is wrong because the narrator expresses no fear, only reluctance.

2. Ans: (E) – hesitant
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In context, “unconvinced” describes the narrator remaining on the bank while the uncle wades in (lines 5-6), indicating hesitation or unwillingness to follow. Choice (A) “skeptical” suggests doubt about truth rather than unwillingness to act. Choice (C) “dishonest” is a different meaning of “unconvinced” that does not fit this context.

3. Ans: (A) – is avoiding direct discussion of family problems
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The euphemistic phrase “the Philadelphia situation” followed by the narrator’s explanation of “my father, his sudden absence” (lines 11-12) shows the mother is using vague language to avoid naming the problem directly. Choice (B) is incorrect because the passage indicates temporary housing problems, not permanent relocation plans. Choice (E) is wrong because nothing suggests conflict between the mother and Roland.

4. Ans: (A) – appreciates his uncle’s silence but also wishes to talk about his problems
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The narrator states he was “grateful” that Roland asked no questions but also “resentful” (line 14), suggesting mixed feelings about the silence regarding his family situation. Choice (B) is incorrect because the narrator has not yet expressed any enjoyment of the landscape. Choice (C) is wrong because this feeling occurs before the oyster harvesting begins.

5. Ans: (A) – contrast his experience with the narrator’s inexperience
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Roland’s “quick, practiced movements” (line 18) are juxtaposed with the narrator struggling through the mud, highlighting the difference in their skill levels. Choice (C) is incorrect because nothing suggests impatience; Roland calmly instructs his nephew. Choice (E) is too broad an inference not supported by this detail alone.

6. Ans: (A) – has recently left the family
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage mentions “my father, his sudden absence” (line 12) as part of the reason for the narrator’s displacement, indicating recent departure. Choice (B) is incorrect because nothing connects the father to South Carolina. Choice (D) is wrong because the narrator appears entirely unfamiliar with oyster harvesting.

7. Ans: (B) – reflective and uncertain
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The narrator looks back on events while expressing ambivalence (“grateful and resentful in equal measure,” line 14) and discomfort with his new situation, creating a reflective, uncertain tone. Choice (A) is incorrect because the narrator shows no bitterness or accusation toward any character. Choice (C) is wrong because the overall mood is uncomfortable and tentative, not cheerful.

8. Ans: (B) – describe the problem of language extinction and the possibility of language revival
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage discusses language extinction in the first two paragraphs and language revival in the third, making this the comprehensive main purpose. Choice (A) is too narrow and not the focus. Choice (C) distorts the passage; the author never argues for universal indigenous-language education.

9. Ans: (B) – gradual loss
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. “Erosion” in line 4 describes the loss of knowledge systems, and the metaphor suggests gradual wearing away. Choice (A) “weathering” is a related geological term but not the meaning in this context. Choice (C) “soil damage” is a literal meaning of erosion that does not fit the passage about language.

10. Ans: (C) – lacks certain categories found in most other languages
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states Pirahã “lacks number words and color terms as understood in most other tongues” (lines 6-7). Choice (A) is incorrect; the Sami language, not Pirahã, has nuanced snow vocabulary. Choice (D) is wrong because Pirahã is not mentioned as a revived language.

11. Ans: (B) – is driven by the speakers themselves rather than by external force
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The author calls this “insidious” (line 12) because “speakers themselves” abandon languages, viewing them as obstacles – the harm comes from within the community rather than from obvious outside oppression. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage suggests this is a gradual, widespread process. Choice (E) is contradicted by the examples of successful language revival.

12. Ans: (A) – it had been extinct as a spoken language for an especially long time
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states Hebrew was “extinct as a spoken vernacular for nearly two millennia” (lines 17-18), an exceptionally long period. Choice (B) contradicts the passage, which says Hebrew “now thrives.” Choice (E) is wrong because the passage presents Hebrew as a successful revival, not an endangered language.

13. Ans: (C) – show that language extinction can be reversed with sufficient effort
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. These examples support the claim that “language death is not inevitable” (line 15) when communities mobilize resources. Choice (A) is too broad; the passage does not claim all languages can be revived. Choice (B) is too narrow; the passage mentions government support as one factor but also grassroots activism.

14. Ans: (A) – Hebrew revival required unique historical circumstances that cannot be replicated for other languages.
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. If Hebrew’s success depended on unrepeatable circumstances, it would undermine the argument that the examples “demonstrate that linguistic diversity can be preserved” (lines 21-22) more broadly. Choice (C) actually supports rather than weakens the passage’s concern about language extinction. Choice (E) is irrelevant to the argument about language revival.

15. Ans: (B) – encourage her son to view his journey as an opportunity for growth
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Adams writes to emphasize the benefits of the journey: “enlarge your understanding,” “improve your judgment” (lines 11-12), and the formation of character through difficulty. Choice (A) is incorrect because she explicitly approves of his reluctance when it arose from proper motives (lines 5-6). Choice (E) contradicts the entire encouraging tone of the letter.

16. Ans: (B) – praiseworthy
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Adams contrasts reluctance from “disinclination to learning” (which she would regret) with reluctance from “attachment to your friends” which “was laudable” (lines 5-7), indicating approval or praise. Choice (A) “understandable” is too weak given the contrasting structure. Choice (E) “regrettable” is the opposite of the intended meaning.

17. Ans: (B) – laziness or cowardice
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Adams states she would have regretted his going “if I had thought your reluctance arose from a disinclination to learning, or a fear of encountering difficulties” (lines 5-6). Choice (A) is the opposite; she approves when reluctance stems from attachment to family and homeland. Choice (C) reverses the logic of the passage.

18. Ans: (C) – challenging and turbulent times
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Adams states great characters are not formed “in the still calm of life” but rather “in contending with difficulties” (lines 14-16) and when “great necessities call out great virtues” (line 19). Choice (A) directly contradicts the passage, which rejects “retirement and leisure” (line 18). Choice (B) also contradicts the rejection of “the still calm of life” (lines 14-15).

19. Ans: (B) – affectionate but instructive
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Adams addresses her son with maternal warmth while offering moral instruction and encouragement about character development, combining affection with teaching. Choice (A) is incorrect because she expresses approval, not disapproval, and her tone is warm, not stern. Choice (D) is wrong because she expresses confidence and optimism, not anxiety.

20. Ans: (A) – people reveal their best qualities when facing significant challenges
Explanation: This is an Inference question. This statement (line 19) appears in the context of difficulties awakening dormant qualities and forming heroes and statesmen (lines 20-22), suggesting challenges elicit virtue. Choice (D) is too extreme; Adams suggests challenges reveal virtue, not that only those born into hardship can be great. Choice (E) contradicts the passage by overstating the claim; Adams emphasizes that challenge is necessary, not that peace offers no development.