SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 73

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 set in rural Montana.

The mare stood at the fence line, her breath clouding in the October air. Cassie watched from the barn door, pitchfork still in hand, as the animal shifted her weight from one foreleg to the other. Something was wrong. (5) In the three years since her father had died, Cassie had learned to read the horses the way he once had, not through any instruction he’d given her-he’d barely let her near the stables-but through necessity and the kind of attention that comes from having no choice.     She crossed the yard, her boots cracking through the (10) skin of ice over yesterday’s mud. The mare turned her head but didn’t approach. Cassie climbed the fence and dropped into the pasture, speaking low, the words less important than the sound. When she reached the horse, she ran her hand down the near foreleg and felt the heat (15) before she saw the swelling. A stone bruise, probably, or an abscess working its way out.     Her mother would say to call the veterinarian, would worry about the cost only after she’d worried about the animal. But the vet was sixty miles away, and sixty miles (20) meant half a day gone and a bill they couldn’t afford. Cassie straightened and looked back at the barn, at the small window of her father’s office where the account books still sat untouched on his desk.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the challenges of rural veterinary care
2. illustrate a young woman’s growing competence and burden
3. explain the causes of equine lameness
4. criticize a father’s neglect of his daughter’s education
5. celebrate the bond between horses and their caretakers

2. As used in line 9, the word "skin" most nearly means

1. hide
2. peel
3. layer
4. tissue
5. exterior

3. The passage suggests that Cassie’s father

1. trained her extensively in horse care before his death
2. excluded her from working with the horses when he was alive
3. left detailed instructions for managing the farm
4. died in an accident involving the mare
5. sold most of the horses before he passed away

4. The detail that Cassie speaks to the mare with "the words less important than the sound" (lines 12-13) primarily serves to

1. indicate that Cassie does not know the proper commands
2. show that the mare is deaf and responds only to vibrations
3. suggest that Cassie’s approach is intuitive rather than technical
4. prove that horses cannot understand human language
5. demonstrate that Cassie is too nervous to speak clearly

5. The passage indicates that Cassie’s mother differs from Cassie in that her mother

1. has no affection for the horses
2. would prioritize the animal’s welfare over financial concerns
3. refuses to acknowledge their financial difficulties
4. insists on handling all farm decisions herself
5. believes the mare should be sold immediately

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

1. sentimental and nostalgic
2. detached and clinical
3. somber and reflective
4. anxious and frantic
5. bitter and resentful

7. The reference to "the account books still sat untouched on his desk" (lines 21-22) implies that

1. Cassie’s father kept meticulous financial records
2. the family has avoided confronting the full scope of their financial situation
3. Cassie plans to study the books that evening
4. her mother has been secretly reviewing the accounts at night
5. the desk is considered a memorial that must not be disturbed

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article on behavioral ecology.

Among the more peculiar phenomena in the natural world is the murmuration of starlings-the vast, coordinated aerial displays performed by thousands or even hundreds of thousands of these birds as they gather at dusk. To the casual observer, the (5) flocks appear to move as a single organism, contracting and expanding, twisting through the sky in fluid shapes that seem to defy the independence of individual birds. For decades, scientists assumed that such coordination required a leader, some lead bird whose movements the others followed in (10) succession, much as a marching band follows its drum major.     Recent research, however, has revealed a far more sophisticated mechanism. Using high-speed cameras and three-dimensional tracking software, investigators have determined that each starling responds not to a central authority but to the movements of (15) its seven nearest neighbors, regardless of their position in the flock. This localized interaction creates what mathematicians call emergent behavior-complex group patterns arising from simple individual rules. When one bird shifts direction in response to a predator, the information ripples through (20) the flock at a rate far exceeding what would be possible if each bird waited to see the threat itself.     The evolutionary advantage is clear: a peregrine falcon targeting a murmuration confronts not a collection of individual prey but a single, unpredictable mass. The coordination is so precise that (25) the flock can turn in on itself, creating internal waves and cavities that disorient predators while maintaining overall cohesion. What appears to human observers as choreographed beauty is, in fact, a survival strategy refined across millennia.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. starlings are more intelligent than most other bird species
2. murmuration behavior arises from local interactions rather than centralized leadership
3. high-speed cameras have revolutionized the study of ornithology
4. peregrine falcons rarely succeed in hunting starlings
5. emergent behavior is unique to starlings among birds

9. As used in line 10, the word "succession" most nearly means

1. sequence
2. inheritance
3. achievement
4. replacement
5. continuation

10. According to the passage, earlier scientists believed that murmurations were coordinated by

1. responses to predators rippling through the flock
2. each bird monitoring its seven nearest neighbors
3. a lead bird that others followed
4. mathematical principles of emergent behavior
5. high-speed cameras tracking individual movements

11. The passage suggests that the speed at which information travels through a murmuration is

1. slower than if each bird independently detected threats
2. dependent on the flock having a designated leader
3. faster than individual threat detection would allow
4. limited by the capabilities of high-speed cameras
5. irrelevant to the flock’s survival against predators

12. The author’s primary purpose in the third paragraph is to

1. describe the hunting techniques of peregrine falcons
2. explain the survival benefit of murmuration behavior
3. criticize human observers for misunderstanding starling behavior
4. argue that beauty in nature always serves a practical function
5. demonstrate that starlings are immune to predation

13. The passage indicates that emergent behavior is characterized by

1. complex patterns resulting from simple individual rules
2. coordination that requires centralized leadership
3. random movements that only appear coordinated
4. behaviors unique to starlings in the bird kingdom
5. a mathematical principle discovered by ornithologists

14. The comparison to "a marching band follows its drum major" (line 10) serves to

1. illustrate the outdated theory the passage then refutes
2. prove that starlings possess musical abilities
3. demonstrate the superior organization of human groups
4. suggest that birds learn coordinated behavior from humans
5. explain how high-speed cameras work

Passage 3

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

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 (5) young men who say yes or no. 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 (10) where they are-perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children, 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 (15) the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.

15. The primary purpose of the speech is to

1. request supplies and blankets from General Howard
2. announce the speaker’s decision to cease fighting
3. celebrate the bravery of the fallen chiefs
4. negotiate the terms of a peace treaty
5. criticize the young men for continuing the conflict

16. As used in line 6, the phrase "say yes or no" most nearly means

1. answer questions
2. make decisions
3. cast votes
4. speak truthfully
5. give permission

17. The speaker’s statement "I know his heart" (line 2) suggests that

1. General Howard has a medical condition the speaker is aware of
2. the speaker understands General Howard’s character or intentions
3. General Howard has made promises he did not keep
4. the speaker and General Howard are related by blood
5. General Howard once saved the speaker’s life

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

1. defiant and uncompromising
2. optimistic and hopeful
3. sorrowful and resigned
4. angry and accusatory
5. indifferent and detached

19. The speaker’s concern for "the little children" (line 7) primarily serves to

1. emphasize the human cost of continued conflict
2. request that General Howard adopt the orphans
3. prove that children are better leaders than young men
4. suggest that only children have remained loyal
5. distract from the military defeat he has suffered

20. The final sentence ("From where the sun now stands...") differs from the preceding sentences in that it

1. shifts from specific details to a broad, formal declaration
2. introduces a new complaint against General Howard
3. contradicts the speaker’s earlier statements
4. abandons figurative language in favor of literal description
5. addresses a different audience than the rest of the speech

■ ■ ■   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)) – illustrate a young woman’s growing competence and burden
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Cassie’s ability to diagnose the mare’s injury and her awareness of the financial constraints she must navigate, showing both her developing skill and the responsibility she has inherited (lines 5-7, lines 17-22). Choice (A) is too narrow, focusing only on one element rather than Cassie’s personal situation. Choice (D) distorts the passage, which mentions her father barely let her near the stables but does not criticize him for neglect.

2. Ans: ((C)) – layer
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 9, "skin of ice" refers to a thin layer of ice that has formed over the mud, which Cassie breaks through with her boots. Choice (A), "hide," refers to animal skin and does not fit the context of ice formation. Choice (D), "tissue," is a biological term that does not apply to ice.

3. Ans: ((B)) – excluded her from working with the horses when he was alive
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states that her father "had barely let her near the stables" (line 7), indicating he excluded her from horse care. Choice (A) contradicts this, as the passage says he gave her no instruction (lines 5-6). Choice (C) is not supported, as the account books remain "untouched" (line 21), suggesting no instructions were left.

4. Ans: ((C)) – suggest that Cassie’s approach is intuitive rather than technical
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The detail emphasizes that Cassie relies on instinct and the calming effect of her voice rather than formal training or specific commands (lines 12-13), reinforcing the earlier point that she learned "through necessity" (line 7). Choice (A) misinterprets the passage; it’s not that she doesn’t know commands, but that the tone matters more. Choice (E) is not supported, as nothing indicates nervousness.

5. Ans: ((B)) – would prioritize the animal’s welfare over financial concerns
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that Cassie’s mother "would worry about the cost only after she’d worried about the animal" (lines 17-18), indicating her priorities. Choice (A) contradicts this concern for the animal. Choice (C) reverses the relationship described, as the mother would worry about cost, just secondarily.

6. Ans: ((C)) – somber and reflective
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The passage conveys a serious, contemplative mood through details about the father’s death, financial hardship, and Cassie’s measured observations (lines 3-7, lines 19-22). Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage avoids sentimentality in favor of realistic detail. Choice (D) overstates the emotional intensity; Cassie is deliberate and calm, not frantic.

7. Ans: ((B)) – the family has avoided confronting the full scope of their financial situation
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The detail that the account books remain "untouched" (line 21) suggests avoidance of the financial reality they contain. Choice (A) may be true but is not the implication of the books being untouched. Choice (E) goes too far; nothing suggests the desk is a memorial that cannot be disturbed.

8. Ans: ((B)) – murmuration behavior arises from local interactions rather than centralized leadership
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage’s central point is that murmurations result from each bird responding to its nearest neighbors, not from a leader (lines 11-17). Choice (A) is not stated; the passage discusses coordinated behavior, not general intelligence. Choice (E) is too broad and unsupported; the passage does not claim emergent behavior is unique to starlings.

9. Ans: ((A)) – sequence
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 10, "succession" refers to birds following one after another in sequence, as a band follows a drum major. Choice (B), "inheritance," is a different meaning of succession not relevant here. Choice (D), "replacement," does not fit the context of following in order.

10. Ans: ((C)) – a lead bird that others followed
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states that scientists "assumed that such coordination required a leader, some lead bird whose movements the others followed" (lines 7-9). Choice (A) describes the actual mechanism, not the earlier belief. Choice (B) describes the current understanding revealed by recent research (lines 13-15).

11. Ans: ((C)) – faster than individual threat detection would allow
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that "information ripples through the flock at a rate far exceeding what would be possible if each bird waited to see the threat itself" (lines 19-21). Choice (A) reverses this relationship. Choice (E) contradicts the passage, which clearly links speed of information transfer to survival (lines 22-24).

12. Ans: ((B)) – explain the survival benefit of murmuration behavior
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The third paragraph focuses on how murmuration behavior protects starlings from predators (lines 22-27). Choice (A) is too narrow; falcon hunting is mentioned only to illustrate the defensive advantage. Choice (E) overstates the case; the passage says the behavior makes hunting difficult, not impossible.

13. Ans: ((A)) – complex patterns resulting from simple individual rules
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage defines emergent behavior as "complex group patterns arising from simple individual rules" (lines 16-17). Choice (B) contradicts the passage, which emphasizes the absence of centralized leadership (lines 13-15). Choice (D) is not stated; the passage does not claim uniqueness to starlings.

14. Ans: ((A)) – illustrate the outdated theory the passage then refutes
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The marching band comparison appears in the first paragraph to explain the old leadership theory (lines 9-10), which the second paragraph then contradicts with new research (lines 11-17). Choice (C) distorts the purpose; the comparison is not meant to praise human organization. Choice (D) is unsupported and illogical.

15. Ans: ((B)) – announce the speaker’s decision to cease fighting
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The speech culminates in the declaration "I will fight no more forever" (lines 15-16), and the preceding sentences explain the reasons for this decision. Choice (A) is too narrow; while supplies are mentioned (lines 6-7), they are part of the justification, not the main purpose. Choice (D) is not supported; the speech announces surrender, not negotiation of terms.

16. Ans: ((B)) – make decisions
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In context, "say yes or no" (line 6) refers to who makes decisions now that the old chiefs are dead-it is the young men who decide. Choice (A) is too literal and narrow. Choice (C), "cast votes," implies a democratic process not indicated in the speech.

17. Ans: ((B)) – the speaker understands General Howard’s character or intentions
Explanation: This is an Inference question. "I know his heart" (line 2) is a figurative expression meaning the speaker understands Howard’s nature or trustworthiness. Choice (A) takes "heart" literally in a medical sense, which is incorrect. Choice (C) may or may not be true but is not the meaning of this particular phrase.

18. Ans: ((C)) – sorrowful and resigned
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The speech expresses grief over deaths and suffering while accepting the necessity of surrender: "I am tired; my heart is sick and sad" (lines 14-15). Choice (A) contradicts the resignation evident in the final declaration. Choice (B) is unsupported; there is no optimism in the speech.

19. Ans: ((A)) – emphasize the human cost of continued conflict
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The reference to freezing children (line 7) illustrates the desperate conditions that make continued fighting impossible, supporting the decision to surrender. Choice (B) is not suggested anywhere in the speech. Choice (E) misreads the passage; the children detail reinforces rather than distracts from the reality of defeat.

20. Ans: ((A)) – shifts from specific details to a broad, formal declaration
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The preceding sentences describe particular losses and conditions (dead chiefs, freezing children, missing people), while the final sentence makes a sweeping, poetic proclamation (lines 14-16). Choice (C) is incorrect; the final sentence does not contradict but rather concludes the reasoning. Choice (D) reverses the truth; the final sentence is more figurative ("from where the sun now stands") than the literal earlier details.