SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 74

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 harbor at Falmouth was choked with fishing boats when I arrived that October morning, their masts swaying in unison like a forest (5) bending to wind. I had come to find my uncle’s house, though I carried only a scrap of paper with an address and the vague memory of his face from a photograph taken (10) twenty years before. The cobblestones were slick with rain and fish scales, and the air tasted of salt and coal smoke. A woman in a canvas apron directed me up the hill, past (15) the chandler’s shop and the inn with its faded sign.     His cottage stood at the end of a narrow lane, its windows dark. I knocked twice before the door opened, revealing not my uncle but a girl (20) of perhaps sixteen, her hair braided and pinned beneath a kerchief. She studied me with calm, measuring eyes. “You’ll be the nephew from London,” she said, not as a question. “He’s down at the boats. Been waiting for the (25) tide since dawn.”

1. The narrator’s journey to Falmouth is best characterized as

1. a long-anticipated family reunion
2. an uncertain search for a relative he barely knows
3. a business trip to inspect fishing operations
4. a nostalgic return to a childhood home
5. a desperate flight from danger in London

2. The description of the masts in lines 3-5 primarily serves to

1. establish the narrator’s fear of the sea
2. suggest the violence of the storm
3. convey the crowded and active nature of the harbor
4. foreshadow the uncle’s death
5. criticize the fishing industry

3. As used in line 14, the word “directed” most nearly means

1. commanded
2. guided
3. controlled
4. filmed
5. managed

4. The detail that the cottage windows are “dark” (line 18) suggests that

1. the uncle has permanently abandoned the house
2. the narrator has arrived at the wrong address
3. no one is currently inside the cottage
4. the uncle is deliberately hiding from visitors
5. the cottage has been destroyed by fire

5. The girl’s statement “You’ll be the nephew from London” (line 21) implies that

1. she has been expecting the narrator’s arrival
2. all visitors to Falmouth come from London
3. she recognizes the narrator from a previous meeting
4. the uncle has many nephews who visit regularly
5. she is suspicious of strangers from the city

6. The girl is characterized primarily through

1. her physical appearance and clothing
2. her direct speech and observant demeanor
3. her relationship to the uncle
4. her knowledge of fishing schedules
5. her hostility toward the narrator

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

1. cheerful and welcoming
2. tense and foreboding
3. uncertain but quietly observant
4. angry and confrontational
5. sentimental and nostalgic

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article on evolutionary biology.

The migration of monarch butterflies from Canada and the northern United States to central Mexico represents one of nature’s most remarkable navigational feats. Each autumn, millions of monarchs (5) travel up to three thousand miles to reach a handful of oyamel fir forests in the mountains northwest of Mexico City, where they cluster in such dense masses that entire branches bend (10) under their weight. What makes this journey extraordinary is that no individual butterfly has made the trip before: the insects that arrive in Mexico are three or four generations removed from those that departed the (15) previous spring.     Scientists have long puzzled over how monarchs accomplish this multi-generational navigation. Recent research suggests that the butterflies rely on a time-compensated sun compass, using the position of the sun (20) combined with an internal circadian clock to maintain a southwesterly direction. Specialized photoreceptors in the butterfly’s antennae play a crucial role: when researchers experimentally disrupted these structures, the monarchs lost their (25) ability to orient correctly. The mechanism appears to be encoded genetically, allowing butterflies that have never seen the wintering grounds to find them with astonishing precision.

8. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. argue for increased protection of oyamel fir forests
2. describe the physical characteristics of monarch butterflies
3. explain how monarch butterflies navigate during migration
4. compare monarch migration to other insect behaviors
5. criticize earlier theories of butterfly navigation

9. According to the passage, the monarchs that arrive in Mexico are how many generations removed from those that left the previous spring?

1. One or two generations
2. Two or three generations
3. Three or four generations
4. Four or five generations
5. Five or six generations

10. As used in line 11, the word “extraordinary” most nearly means

1. unnecessary
2. remarkable
3. uncommon
4. extravagant
5. external

11. The passage indicates that a time-compensated sun compass involves

1. following the same route each year regardless of conditions
2. using the sun’s position along with an internal biological clock
3. relying solely on magnetic fields for orientation
4. learning the route from older generations of butterflies
5. navigating exclusively at night using star patterns

12. The author mentions the experiment disrupting the butterflies’ antennae (lines 22-25) in order to

1. demonstrate the cruelty of scientific research
2. prove that monarchs cannot survive without antennae
3. provide evidence for the role of antennae in navigation
4. show that all insects use antennae for flight
5. suggest that navigation is impossible to study scientifically

13. It can be inferred from the passage that the monarchs’ navigational ability is

1. learned during the first weeks of life
2. taught by butterflies from previous generations
3. inherited genetically rather than learned
4. acquired through trial and error during flight
5. developed only in butterflies born in Canada

14. The detail that monarchs “cluster in such dense masses that entire branches bend under their weight” (lines 8-10) serves primarily to

1. emphasize the enormous number of butterflies that complete the migration
2. illustrate the danger that monarchs pose to oyamel fir trees
3. explain why the butterflies travel such long distances
4. demonstrate the physical strength of individual butterflies
5. prove that the journey weakens the butterflies

Passage 3

The following passage is excerpted from Chief Seattle’s reply to the U.S. government’s offer to purchase Native American land, 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 (5) sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect (10) 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 the (15) 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 (20) great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man—all belong to the same family.

15. The primary purpose of the opening question (lines 1-2) is to

1. request information about the purchase price
2. express the speaker’s belief that nature cannot be owned
3. suggest that the land is too valuable to sell
4. ask for clarification of the government’s proposal
5. propose an alternative method of transaction

16. As used in line 4, the word “strange” most nearly means

1. unusual
2. foreign
3. incomprehensible
4. mysterious
5. dangerous

17. According to the passage, what do the white man’s dead do?

1. Return to sacred burial grounds
2. Become part of the earth
3. Forget their country of birth
4. Remain connected to the land
5. Transform into animals

18. The speaker’s statement that “every part of this earth is sacred to my people” (lines 5-6) suggests that his culture views the natural world as

1. a resource to be exploited for economic gain
2. dangerous and requiring careful management
3. spiritually significant and deserving reverence
4. beautiful but ultimately separate from humanity
5. useful primarily for agricultural purposes

19. The speaker uses the metaphor of family relationships (lines 17-23) primarily to

1. emphasize the interconnectedness of humans and nature
2. argue that animals are more important than plants
3. suggest that his people worship animals as gods
4. prove that Native Americans are superior to white settlers
5. request that his relatives be allowed to remain on the land

20. The overall tone of the passage can best be described as

1. angry and vengeful
2. detached and scientific
3. reverent and philosophical
4. cheerful and optimistic
5. bitter and resigned

■ ■ ■   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) – an uncertain search for a relative he barely knows
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The narrator carries only “a scrap of paper with an address and the vague memory of his face from a photograph taken twenty years before” (lines 6-9), indicating he barely knows his uncle and is uncertain about what he will find. Choice (A) is wrong because there is no indication this reunion has been long-anticipated. Choice (D) is wrong because the narrator is from London and has never been to this cottage before.

2. Ans: (C) – convey the crowded and active nature of the harbor
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The simile of masts “swaying in unison like a forest bending to wind” (lines 4-5) emphasizes the large number of boats in the harbor and creates an image of collective movement. Choice (B) is wrong because the passage describes rain but not a violent storm. Choice (D) is wrong because nothing in the passage foreshadows the uncle’s death.

3. Ans: (B) – guided
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The woman “directed me up the hill” (line 14) means she pointed the way or gave directions, which is closest to “guided.” Choice (A) is wrong because “commanded” is too forceful and implies authority rather than simple direction-giving. Choice (D) is wrong because “filmed” is an entirely different meaning of “direct” that doesn’t fit this context.

4. Ans: (C) – no one is currently inside the cottage
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Dark windows suggest the house is unoccupied at the moment, which is confirmed when the girl explains that the uncle “is down at the boats” (lines 23-24). Choice (A) is wrong because the uncle still lives there, he is simply away temporarily. Choice (E) is wrong because there is no mention of fire or destruction.

5. Ans: (A) – she has been expecting the narrator’s arrival
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The girl’s immediate recognition that he is “the nephew from London” (line 21), stated as fact rather than question, indicates she knew he was coming. Choice (C) is wrong because this is their first meeting; she recognizes him from expectation, not memory. Choice (D) is wrong because there is no mention of multiple nephews visiting.

6. Ans: (B) – her direct speech and observant demeanor
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The girl is characterized primarily through what she says and how she acts: her confident statement about who the narrator is and her calm, measuring observation of him (lines 19-24). Choice (A) is wrong because while her appearance is briefly mentioned, it is not the primary method of characterization. Choice (E) is wrong because she shows no hostility.

7. Ans: (C) – uncertain but quietly observant
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The narrator’s uncertain mission and careful observation of details (the slick cobblestones, the taste of the air, the girl’s measuring eyes) create a tone of uncertainty combined with close attention (lines 1-24). Choice (B) is wrong because while there is uncertainty, there is no sense of danger or foreboding. Choice (E) is wrong because the narrator has no prior memories of this place to be sentimental about.

8. Ans: (C) – explain how monarch butterflies navigate during migration
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on the navigational mechanisms monarchs use, specifically the time-compensated sun compass and the role of photoreceptors in the antennae (lines 17-26). Choice (A) is wrong because forest protection is never mentioned. Choice (D) is wrong because no comparison to other insects is made.

9. Ans: (C) – Three or four generations
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage directly states that “the insects that arrive in Mexico are three or four generations removed from those that departed the previous spring” (lines 12-15). Choice (A) is wrong because it understates the number of generations. Choice (E) is wrong because it overstates the number.

10. Ans: (B) – remarkable
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage describes the journey as “extraordinary” because no individual butterfly has made it before (lines 11-12), meaning it is remarkable or amazing. Choice (A) is wrong because “unnecessary” contradicts the passage’s presentation of the migration as essential. Choice (E) is wrong because “external” relates to a different meaning of the prefix “extra-” and doesn’t fit the context.

11. Ans: (B) – using the sun’s position along with an internal biological clock
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explains that butterflies “rely on a time-compensated sun compass, using the position of the sun combined with an internal circadian clock” (lines 18-20). Choice (C) is wrong because magnetic fields are never mentioned in the passage. Choice (D) is wrong because the passage states that no individual has made the trip before, so learning from older generations is impossible.

12. Ans: (C) – provide evidence for the role of antennae in navigation
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The experimental evidence shows that disrupting the antennae caused monarchs to “lose their ability to orient correctly” (lines 24-25), proving the antennae’s importance. Choice (A) is wrong because the passage presents the experiment neutrally without moral commentary. Choice (B) is wrong because the passage discusses orientation, not survival.

13. Ans: (C) – inherited genetically rather than learned
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states “The mechanism appears to be encoded genetically, allowing butterflies that have never seen the wintering grounds to find them” (lines 25-27), indicating genetic inheritance. Choice (A) is wrong because learning would require experience, but these butterflies have never made the journey. Choice (B) is wrong because the passage explicitly states that previous generations are not present to teach them.

14. Ans: (A) – emphasize the enormous number of butterflies that complete the migration
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The vivid image of branches bending under the weight of clustered butterflies (lines 8-10) illustrates the massive scale of the migration described as involving “millions of monarchs” (line 4). Choice (B) is wrong because the passage presents no evidence that the butterflies harm the trees. Choice (C) is wrong because this detail describes what happens at the destination, not why they travel.

15. Ans: (B) – express the speaker’s belief that nature cannot be owned
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The rhetorical question “How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land?” (lines 1-2) challenges the very concept of ownership of natural elements. Choice (A) is wrong because this is a rhetorical question, not a genuine request for information. Choice (D) is wrong because the speaker understands the proposal; he is rejecting its underlying assumptions.

16. Ans: (C) – incomprehensible
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Chief Seattle calls the idea of buying and selling nature “strange to us” (line 4) because it contradicts his people’s fundamental worldview that nature is sacred and cannot be owned (lines 5-6), making it incomprehensible rather than merely unusual. Choice (A) is too weak; the concept is not just unusual but fundamentally alien to his culture. Choice (B) uses a word from the passage but doesn’t capture the depth of the speaker’s rejection of the concept.

17. Ans: (C) – Forget their country of birth
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage directly states that “The white man’s dead forget the country of their birth when they go to walk among the stars” (lines 13-15). Choice (D) reverses the passage’s meaning; it is the speaker’s people whose dead remain connected, not the white man’s. Choice (B) describes what happens to the speaker’s people, not the white man’s dead.

18. Ans: (C) – spiritually significant and deserving reverence
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Describing the earth as “sacred” and noting that even insects are “holy in the memory and experience of my people” (lines 5-9) indicates spiritual reverence. Choice (A) contradicts the entire passage, which rejects the commodification of nature. Choice (D) is wrong because the passage emphasizes that humans and nature are interconnected, not separate (lines 16-23).

19. Ans: (A) – emphasize the interconnectedness of humans and nature
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. Calling flowers “our sisters” and animals “our brothers” and stating that all “belong to the same family” (lines 17-23) stresses the unity between humans and the natural world. Choice (C) is wrong because the metaphor indicates kinship, not worship. Choice (D) is wrong because the passage makes no claims of superiority; it emphasizes equality and connection.

20. Ans: (C) – reverent and philosophical
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The speaker’s language throughout treats nature with deep respect (“sacred,” “holy”) and explores profound questions about ownership, memory, and the relationship between humans and earth (lines 1-23). Choice (A) is wrong because while the speaker disagrees with the proposal, the tone is thoughtful rather than angry. Choice (E) is wrong because the passage expresses strong convictions rather than resignation.