SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 89

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 Aunt Cecilia arrived from Charleston, Thomas knew the summer would unfold differently than he had imagined. She stepped from the carriage with a leather case that clinked when the porter set it down, and her eyes swept across the prairie farmhouse (5) with an expression that suggested she was cataloging every cracked shutter and leaning fence post. His mother stood on the porch, wiping her hands on her apron, her smile tight and uncertain.     "Margaret," Aunt Cecilia said, ascending the steps with a rustle of (10) taffeta, "I see the wheat has done well this year."     It was not a compliment. Thomas heard the weight behind the words, the way she made abundance sound like something to apologize for. His mother's hands stilled. "Well enough," she replied.     That evening, Thomas (15) found his aunt in the parlor, unpacking glass vials and botanical specimens from the clinking case. She arranged them on the side table with the precision of a jeweler. "Your mother tells me you can read," she said without looking up. "Can you write a decent hand?"     He nodded, though she (20) did not wait for his answer. "Good. You'll help me label these. I'm cataloging prairie flora for the botanical society. We begin tomorrow at dawn."

1. The passage is narrated from the point of view of

1. Aunt Cecilia, who is visiting relatives in the country
2. Thomas, a boy observing his aunt's arrival
3. Margaret, a mother greeting her sister
4. an omniscient narrator with access to all characters' thoughts
5. a first-person narrator recounting childhood memories

2. As used in line 5, the word "cataloging" most nearly means

1. recording systematically
2. criticizing harshly
3. purchasing eagerly
4. appreciating sincerely
5. ignoring deliberately

3. The description of Margaret's smile as "tight and uncertain" (line 7) suggests that she

1. is angry at her sister for arriving late
2. feels uncomfortable about her sister's visit
3. is confused about when her sister will leave
4. has not seen her sister in many years
5. dislikes living on a prairie farm

4. Aunt Cecilia's comment about the wheat (lines 10-11) can best be described as

1. an enthusiastic compliment
2. a veiled criticism
3. a neutral observation
4. a genuine question
5. an apology for past behavior

5. The passage suggests that Aunt Cecilia views the farmhouse as

1. a charming example of rural architecture
2. inferior to her own living situation
3. surprisingly well-maintained
4. identical to her childhood home
5. too large for a small family

6. The detail that Aunt Cecilia "did not wait for his answer" (lines 19-20) primarily serves to

1. show that she is in a hurry to finish her work
2. suggest that she is hard of hearing
3. illustrate her commanding and dismissive manner
4. prove that she dislikes children
5. indicate that Thomas is too shy to speak

7. Based on the passage, Thomas's role in Aunt Cecilia's botanical work will most likely be that of

1. an equal partner in scientific discovery
2. an assistant performing tasks she assigns
3. a reluctant student learning botany
4. an observer who watches from a distance
5. a collector who gathers specimens independently

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article on the archaeology of ancient trade routes.

    Archaeologists working in the Taklimakan Desert have recently unearthed evidence that challenges long-held assumptions about the Silk Road's origins. Rather than emerging as a single, coherent network during the Han Dynasty, the trade routes appear to have developed (5) from a patchwork of older, localized exchanges. Fragments of lapis lazuli found at a site near Niya, dated to 300 BCE, match geological signatures from mines in what is now Afghanistan, suggesting that luxury goods traveled remarkable distances well before the establishment of formal diplomatic ties between (10) China and Central Asian kingdoms.     The discovery complicates traditional narratives. Historians have long credited the Han emperor Wu's military campaigns in the second century BCE with opening the routes, but the Niya findings indicate that merchants and pastoralists were already moving precious materials across (15) the region's formidable terrain. These early traders likely operated without state sponsorship, relying instead on kinship networks and seasonal migrations to transport goods incrementally from one community to the next.     What remains unclear is how these dispersed exchanges coalesced into (20) the recognizable Silk Road system. Some scholars propose that Han military expansion merely formalized and secured pathways that already existed, while others argue that state intervention fundamentally transformed the scale and nature of trade. The debate hinges partly on how we define a trade route: as a physical (25) path or as an economic and political institution.

8. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the geological origins of lapis lazuli
2. present new archaeological evidence that revises historical understanding
3. argue that the Han Dynasty did not contribute to trade
4. explain how pastoralists traveled across the desert
5. prove that the Silk Road began in Afghanistan

9. As used in line 4, the word "coherent" most nearly means

1. logical
2. unified
3. ancient
4. visible
5. profitable

10. According to the passage, the lapis lazuli fragments discovered at Niya

1. were created during the Han Dynasty
2. originated from mines in Afghanistan
3. prove that diplomacy existed between China and Central Asia
4. were transported by state-sponsored merchants
5. date to the second century BCE

11. The passage suggests that early traders moving goods across Central Asia

1. received financial support from the Han emperor
2. relied on personal and community connections
3. traveled alone across the entire distance
4. only transported non-luxury items
5. established formal diplomatic relations

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

1. celebratory and enthusiastic
2. skeptical and dismissive
3. informative and balanced
4. urgent and alarmed
5. sentimental and nostalgic

13. The author mentions two competing scholarly views (lines 20-23) in order to

1. prove that one interpretation is correct
2. demonstrate the complexity of the historical question
3. criticize historians for disagreeing
4. show that the Han Dynasty was unimportant
5. explain why the Silk Road no longer exists

14. The question posed at the end of the passage (lines 24-25) suggests that understanding the Silk Road requires

1. finding more lapis lazuli fragments
2. clarifying the definition of key terms
3. rejecting all previous scholarship
4. traveling to the Taklimakan Desert
5. interviewing modern merchants

Passage 3

The following is adapted from a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband John Adams on March 31, 1776, while he was serving in the Continental Congress.

    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 (15) one of friend. 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 (20) beings placed by Providence under your protection, and in imitation of the Supreme Being make use of that power only for our happiness.

15. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. demand that women be granted the right to vote immediately
2. urge that women's interests be considered in new legislation
3. criticize John Adams for neglecting his family
4. describe the daily hardships faced by colonial women
5. request a divorce from an unhappy marriage

16. As used in line 9, the word "foment" most nearly means

1. prevent
2. ignore
3. incite
4. postpone
5. forgive

17. Abigail Adams's statement that "all men would be tyrants if they could" (line 7) is best understood as

1. a literal accusation against all individual men
2. a general observation about unchecked power
3. a compliment to her husband's character
4. a reference to British colonial rule only
5. an exaggeration meant to amuse the reader

18. The passage suggests that Abigail Adams believes men who are "of sense" (line 18)

1. reject friendships with women
2. support oppressive customs
3. oppose treating women as inferiors
4. have no interest in legal reform
5. prefer the title of master over friend

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

1. playful yet serious
2. bitter and resentful
3. detached and scholarly
4. submissive and grateful
5. confused and uncertain

20. Abigail Adams's reference to "voice or representation" (line 10) most directly echoes which Revolutionary principle?

1. The separation of church and state
2. The right to bear arms
3. No taxation without representation
4. The abolition of slavery
5. Freedom of the press

■ ■ ■   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) – Thomas, a boy observing his aunt's arrival
Explanation: This is a Point of View question. The passage is narrated in third person limited, focusing on Thomas's observations and perceptions, as seen when the narrator describes what "Thomas knew" (line 1) and what "Thomas heard" (line 12). Choice (D) is incorrect because the narrator does not have access to all characters' thoughts, only Thomas's perspective. Choice (E) is incorrect because the passage is not written in first person.

2. Ans: (A) – recording systematically
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 5, Aunt Cecilia's eyes are "cataloging" the farmhouse features, meaning she is mentally recording or inventorying them in a systematic way. Choice (B) is tempting because her assessment does seem critical, but "cataloging" itself means to record or list, not to criticize. Choice (C) is incorrect because there is no indication she wishes to purchase anything.

3. Ans: (B) – feels uncomfortable about her sister's visit
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Margaret's "tight and uncertain" smile (line 7) suggests tension and discomfort about the arrival. Choice (A) is incorrect because there is no mention of lateness. Choice (E) reverses the focus; her discomfort relates to her sister's presence, not to farm life itself.

4. Ans: (B) – a veiled criticism
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage explicitly states "It was not a compliment" (line 11) and that the comment made "abundance sound like something to apologize for" (lines 12-13), indicating a veiled or indirect criticism. Choice (A) directly contradicts this interpretation. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage makes clear the comment carried negative weight.

5. Ans: (B) – inferior to her own living situation
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Aunt Cecilia's cataloging of "every cracked shutter and leaning fence post" (lines 5-6) with a critical eye suggests she views the farmhouse as beneath her standards. Choice (A) is incorrect because her examination is critical, not admiring. Choice (C) contradicts the description of her noting the disrepair.

6. Ans: (C) – illustrate her commanding and dismissive manner
Explanation: This is an Author's Purpose question. The detail that Aunt Cecilia "did not wait for his answer" (lines 19-20) reveals her authoritative, dismissive personality and lack of real interest in Thomas's response. Choice (A) is too narrow; the detail reveals character, not just time pressure. Choice (D) is too extreme and not supported by the passage.

7. Ans: (B) – an assistant performing tasks she assigns
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Aunt Cecilia tells Thomas "You'll help me label these" (line 20), indicating he will assist with specific tasks she directs. Choice (A) is incorrect because nothing suggests they will be equals. Choice (D) contradicts her direct assignment of work to him.

8. Ans: (B) – present new archaeological evidence that revises historical understanding
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage introduces recent archaeological discoveries that "challenge long-held assumptions" (lines 2-3) about the Silk Road's origins, revising previous historical narratives. Choice (C) is too extreme; the passage does not deny the Han Dynasty's contribution, only questions its primacy. Choice (E) is too narrow and inaccurate; the Silk Road did not begin in Afghanistan.

9. Ans: (B) – unified
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 4, "coherent network" refers to a single, unified system rather than scattered, disconnected routes. Choice (A) represents another meaning of coherent but does not fit this context about physical networks. Choice (C) is incorrect because coherent does not relate to age.

10. Ans: (B) – originated from mines in Afghanistan
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states that lapis lazuli fragments "match geological signatures from mines in what is now Afghanistan" (lines 7-8). Choice (E) is incorrect; the fragments are dated to 300 BCE (line 6), not the second century BCE. Choice (C) distorts the passage; the discovery suggests trade existed before formal diplomatic ties.

11. Ans: (B) – relied on personal and community connections
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states early traders "operated without state sponsorship, relying instead on kinship networks and seasonal migrations" (lines 15-17). Choice (A) directly contradicts the statement about lacking state sponsorship. Choice (C) is incorrect because goods moved "incrementally from one community to the next" (line 17), not via solo long-distance journeys.

12. Ans: (C) – informative and balanced
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage presents information objectively and acknowledges multiple scholarly perspectives without advocating strongly for one side. Choice (B) is incorrect because the author does not dismiss the findings or theories presented. Choice (A) is wrong because the tone is measured and academic, not enthusiastic.

13. Ans: (B) – demonstrate the complexity of the historical question
Explanation: This is an Author's Purpose question. By presenting two competing interpretations (lines 20-23), the author shows that the issue is complex and unresolved among scholars. Choice (A) is incorrect because the author does not endorse either view. Choice (D) misrepresents the passage; one view is that Han expansion "formalized and secured pathways" (line 22), which still acknowledges importance.

14. Ans: (B) – clarifying the definition of key terms
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The passage concludes by noting that the debate "hinges partly on how we define a trade route" (lines 23-24), suggesting that conceptual clarity is needed. Choice (A) is too narrow; more artifacts alone would not resolve a definitional question. Choice (C) is extreme and not suggested by the passage.

15. Ans: (B) – urge that women's interests be considered in new legislation
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. Abigail Adams asks her husband to "remember the ladies" (line 4) when making new laws, urging consideration of women's interests and protections. Choice (A) is too extreme; she does not explicitly demand voting rights. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage focuses on legal reform, not descriptions of daily hardships.

16. Ans: (C) – incite
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 9, "foment a rebellion" means to incite or instigate one. Choice (A) is the opposite of the intended meaning. Choice (B) is incorrect because Adams is threatening action, not inaction.

17. Ans: (B) – a general observation about unchecked power
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The statement in line 7 reflects a philosophical observation about human nature and the corrupting tendency of unlimited power, similar to Revolutionary-era political thought. Choice (A) is too literal; Adams is making a general point about power, not accusing each man individually. Choice (D) is too narrow; the statement applies broadly, not only to British rule.

18. Ans: (C) – oppose treating women as inferiors
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 18-19), indicating sensible men oppose treating women as subordinates. Choice (B) contradicts this statement. Choice (E) contradicts her earlier claim that such men "give up the harsh title of master for the more tender and endearing one of friend" (lines 13-15).

19. Ans: (A) – playful yet serious
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Adams uses light, somewhat humorous language (threatening to "foment a rebellion," line 9) while making a serious political argument about women's legal status and protections. Choice (D) is incorrect because her tone is assertive, not submissive. Choice (B) is too harsh; while critical, the tone maintains affection and wit.

20. Ans: (C) – No taxation without representation
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. Adams's reference to not being "bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation" (lines 9-10) directly echoes the colonial argument against British rule without colonial representation in Parliament. Choice (A) is unrelated to the concept of representation. Choice (D) is not addressed in this passage.