SSAT Reading Practice Worksheet - 90

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 train lurched forward, and Marianne pressed her forehead against the cool glass, watching the sprawl of Philadelphia give way to farmland. She had not expected her uncle to meet her at the station in Harrisburg, but the telegram folded in her pocket (5) confirmed it: he would be there at half past two. The countryside scrolled by in shades of brown and gray, the November fields stripped bare after harvest. A woman across the aisle was knitting something red, her needles clicking in steady rhythm.     Marianne had not seen her uncle since she was (10) seven, before the quarrel that split the family. She remembered only fragments: his deep laugh, the smell of pipe tobacco, a yellow dog that followed him everywhere. Her mother never spoke of him, and her father mentioned him only once, (15) calling him “a man of principle who mistakes stubbornness for virtue.” But now her father was gone, and her mother had written to Uncle Thomas at last, asking if Marianne might come to work in his printing shop. The reply had been brief but not unkind.     The train slowed as it approached a small (20) station. Marianne gathered her carpetbag and straightened her hat, feeling the weight of all that was unsaid pressing against her ribs.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the landscape of Pennsylvania in autumn
2. establish the setting and emotional state of a character beginning a journey
3. explain the causes of a family disagreement
4. contrast urban and rural ways of life in the nineteenth century
5. celebrate the reconciliation between estranged relatives

2. As used in line 4, the word “confirmed” most nearly means

1. strengthened
2. verified
3. endorsed
4. ratified
5. encouraged

3. The description of the woman knitting (lines 7-8) primarily serves to

1. illustrate the monotony of train travel
2. foreshadow an important conversation
3. provide a contrast to Marianne’s anxious state
4. suggest the passage of time during the journey
5. demonstrate the typical activities of women in that era

4. According to the passage, Marianne’s father’s opinion of Uncle Thomas was that he

1. lacked any moral convictions
2. was unwilling to forgive past wrongs
3. confused inflexibility with moral strength
4. had betrayed the family’s trust
5. was too quick to compromise his beliefs

5. It can be inferred from the passage that Marianne is traveling to Harrisburg primarily because

1. she has always wanted to learn the printing trade
2. her family’s financial situation has changed
3. she wishes to heal the rift between her mother and uncle
4. her uncle has specifically requested her presence
5. she is fleeing an unhappy situation in Philadelphia

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

1. anxious and uncertain
2. bitter and resentful
3. joyful and optimistic
4. detached and analytical
5. nostalgic and sentimental

7. The phrase “the weight of all that was unsaid pressing against her ribs” (lines 21-22) suggests that Marianne feels

1. physical pain from carrying her luggage
2. emotional burden from unresolved family matters
3. excitement about her new opportunities
4. anger toward her uncle for his past behavior
5. confusion about the purpose of her journey

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from an article about anthropology and human evolution.

For decades, anthropologists assumed that the controlled use of fire was a relatively late development in human evolution, emerging perhaps 400,000 years ago. This timeline fit neatly with evidence from European cave sites and supported theories (5) linking fire use to the emergence of Homo sapiens. But discoveries at Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa have forced researchers to reconsider. Analysis of ash deposits and burned bone fragments suggests that hominins were tending fires in this cave as early as one million years ago, during the time (10) of Homo erectus.     The implications of this finding extend far beyond simply pushing back dates. Fire fundamentally altered human social organization. Cooking food made nutrients more accessible and reduced the energy required for digestion, freeing up metabolic resources that may have supported larger brain development. (15) The light and warmth of fire extended the productive day, allowing for evening activities that likely included storytelling and tool-making. Perhaps most importantly, the hearth became a gathering place, fostering cooperation and communication in ways that shaped the trajectory of human culture.     Yet the Wonderwerk evidence also raises puzzling (20) questions. If Homo erectus controlled fire so early, why did it take hundreds of thousands of years for this practice to become widespread? Some researchers suggest that early fire use was opportunistic rather than routine, with hominins maintaining naturally occurring fires but not yet able to create them at will.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. Homo erectus was more intelligent than previously believed
2. recent discoveries have altered our understanding of when and how early humans used fire
3. European cave sites provide the best evidence for early fire use
4. cooking food was the primary reason early humans sought to control fire
5. fire use emerged independently in different parts of the world

9. According to the passage, earlier theories about fire use were based primarily on

1. evidence from South African archaeological sites
2. analysis of Homo erectus fossil remains
3. findings from European cave locations
4. studies of modern hunter-gatherer societies
5. experiments in metabolic processes

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

1. accusations
2. suggestions
3. complications
4. consequences
5. criticisms

11. The passage suggests that fire use may have contributed to brain development by

1. providing warmth during cold periods
2. reducing the energy needed for food processing
3. creating opportunities for tool-making
4. protecting early humans from predators
5. enabling migration to colder climates

12. The author mentions “storytelling and tool-making” (line 17) as examples of

1. activities that required large brain capacity
2. practices that replaced hunting and gathering
3. evening activities made possible by firelight
4. skills unique to Homo sapiens
5. behaviors observed in modern primates

13. The passage indicates that some researchers believe early fire use was “opportunistic” (line 23), meaning that early hominins

1. used fire only when absolutely necessary
2. competed with each other for control of fire
3. took advantage of existing fires rather than creating new ones
4. abandoned fire use during warmer seasons
5. kept fire use secret from rival groups

14. The author’s purpose in the final paragraph is to

1. discredit the findings from Wonderwerk Cave
2. introduce a complexity in our understanding of early fire use
3. argue that fire use was unimportant to human evolution
4. propose a new theory about Homo erectus migration patterns
5. summarize the main arguments presented earlier

Passage 3

The following is excerpted from Chief Seattle’s speech delivered in 1854 in response to the U.S. government’s offer to purchase tribal lands in the Pacific Northwest.

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 sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? Every part (5) 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 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 (10) dead forget the country of their birth when they go to walk among the 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 great (15) 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.     So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us.

15. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. describe the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest
2. express a worldview in which land cannot be owned or sold
3. criticize the white settlers for their treatment of native peoples
4. negotiate a fair price for tribal lands
5. compare the beliefs of different cultures about death

16. As used in line 7, the word “holy” most nearly means

1. religious
2. perfect
3. mysterious
4. sacred
5. ancient

17. According to the passage, the white man’s dead differ from the speaker’s people’s dead in that they

1. are buried in different locations
2. lose their connection to their homeland
3. do not believe in an afterlife
4. are honored with different ceremonies
5. return to the earth more quickly

18. The rhetorical questions in lines 1-4 serve primarily to

1. request information about the government’s proposal
2. express confusion about legal procedures
3. emphasize the fundamental incompatibility between two worldviews
4. challenge the authority of the Great Chief in Washington
5. introduce a series of counteroffers

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

1. angry and confrontational
2. resigned and defeated
3. reverent and questioning
4. optimistic and hopeful
5. detached and objective

20. The passage suggests that, for the speaker’s people, the relationship between humans and nature is one of

1. dominance and control
2. fear and respect
3. kinship and interconnection
4. utility and resource management
5. observation and study

■ ■ ■   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)) – establish the setting and emotional state of a character beginning a journey
Explanation: This is a Main Idea/Author’s Purpose question. The passage focuses primarily on Marianne’s train journey to meet her uncle, describing both the physical setting (the train, the countryside) and her internal state (her memories, anxieties, and the “weight of all that was unsaid” in line 21). Choice (A) is too narrow, as landscape description is only one element supporting the larger purpose. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage mentions the quarrel but does not explain its causes.

2. Ans: ((B)) – verified
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 4, the telegram “confirmed” that her uncle would meet her, meaning it verified or proved this fact. While “confirmed” can mean “strengthened” in other contexts, that meaning does not fit here. Choice (D), “ratified,” refers to formal approval of documents or treaties, not simple verification of meeting plans.

3. Ans: ((D)) – suggest the passage of time during the journey
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The description of the woman’s “steady rhythm” of knitting (lines 7-8) helps convey the duration of the train journey. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage does not establish a contrast between the knitting woman and Marianne’s state. Choice (B) is wrong because the woman does not reappear and no conversation occurs.

4. Ans: ((C)) – confused inflexibility with moral strength
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. In lines 14-16, Marianne’s father called Uncle Thomas “a man of principle who mistakes stubbornness for virtue,” meaning he confused inflexibility (stubbornness) with moral strength (virtue). Choice (A) reverses the meaning-the father acknowledges Uncle Thomas is “a man of principle.” Choice (E) contradicts the passage, which suggests Uncle Thomas holds too firmly to his beliefs, not that he compromises them.

5. Ans: ((B)) – her family’s financial situation has changed
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that “her father was gone” and that her mother then wrote asking if Marianne might work in the printing shop (lines 16-18), suggesting financial necessity following the father’s death. Choice (D) is incorrect because Uncle Thomas’s reply was a response to the mother’s request, not an initial invitation from him. Choice (A) is not supported by any evidence in the passage.

6. Ans: ((A)) – anxious and uncertain
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage conveys Marianne’s nervous anticipation through details like her fragmentary memories (lines 10-12), the family estrangement, and especially “the weight of all that was unsaid pressing against her ribs” (lines 21-22). Choice (C) is incorrect because nothing in the passage suggests joy or optimism. Choice (B) is wrong because while there is tension, Marianne shows no bitterness or resentment.

7. Ans: ((B)) – emotional burden from unresolved family matters
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The metaphorical “weight” pressing against her ribs (lines 21-22) represents the emotional burden of the family quarrel, the years of silence, and the uncertain reunion ahead. Choice (A) misinterprets the figurative language as literal. Choice (D) is not supported-the passage gives no indication that Marianne feels anger toward her uncle.

8. Ans: ((B)) – recent discoveries have altered our understanding of when and how early humans used fire
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage discusses how Wonderwerk Cave findings have “forced researchers to reconsider” (line 6) the timeline and implications of fire use. Choice (C) contradicts the passage, which states that European sites supported the old theory that has now been challenged. Choice (D) is too narrow, focusing on only one benefit of fire mentioned in lines 12-14.

9. Ans: ((C)) – findings from European cave locations
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 3-5 state that the earlier timeline “fit neatly with evidence from European cave sites.” Choice (A) is incorrect because South African sites (Wonderwerk Cave) provided the new evidence that challenged earlier theories. Choice (B) is not mentioned in the passage as a basis for the earlier theories.

10. Ans: ((D)) – consequences
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 11, “implications” refers to the consequences or results of the finding that extend beyond simply changing dates. Choice (B), “suggestions,” is a common meaning of “implications” but does not fit the context here. Choice (A), “accusations,” is unrelated to the meaning in this passage.

11. Ans: ((B)) – reducing the energy needed for food processing
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 12-14 explain that cooking “reduced the energy required for digestion, freeing up metabolic resources that may have supported larger brain development.” Choice (C) distorts information from the passage-tool-making is mentioned (line 17) but not connected to brain development. Choice (E) is not mentioned in the passage.

12. Ans: ((C)) – evening activities made possible by firelight
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. Lines 15-17 state that “light and warmth of fire extended the productive day, allowing for evening activities that likely included storytelling and tool-making.” Choice (A) is too broad and not the specific point being illustrated. Choice (D) is factually incorrect-the passage discusses Homo erectus, not Homo sapiens.

13. Ans: ((C)) – took advantage of existing fires rather than creating new ones
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 22-24 explain that “opportunistic” fire use meant “hominins maintaining naturally occurring fires but not yet able to create them at will.” Choice (A) is too vague and does not capture the specific meaning. Choice (B) is not suggested anywhere in the passage.

14. Ans: ((B)) – introduce a complexity in our understanding of early fire use
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The final paragraph (lines 19-24) raises “puzzling questions” about why fire use took so long to become widespread, adding nuance to the discussion. Choice (A) is incorrect-the author does not discredit the Wonderwerk findings but rather explores their puzzling implications. Choice (E) is wrong because the paragraph introduces new questions rather than summarizing previous arguments.

15. Ans: ((B)) – express a worldview in which land cannot be owned or sold
Explanation: This is a Main Idea/Author’s Purpose question. Chief Seattle’s speech centers on the fundamental incompatibility between his people’s view of land as sacred and interconnected (lines 4-17) and the concept of buying and selling it. Choice (D) contradicts the passage-the speech questions the very possibility of sale rather than negotiating price. Choice (A) is too narrow; description serves the larger purpose of expressing a worldview.

16. Ans: ((D)) – sacred
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 7, “holy” describes how the clearing and insect are regarded “in the memory and experience of my people,” and line 4 states “Every part of this earth is sacred to my people,” making “sacred” the best synonym. Choice (A), “religious,” is related but less precise in this context. Choice (B), “perfect,” does not capture the spiritual dimension.

17. Ans: ((B)) – lose their connection to their homeland
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 9-11 state that “The white man’s dead forget the country of their birth when they go to walk among the stars. Our dead never forget this beautiful earth.” Choice (C) is not supported-the passage indicates white people do have beliefs about afterlife (“walk among the stars”). Choice (A) is not mentioned in the passage.

18. Ans: ((C)) – emphasize the fundamental incompatibility between two worldviews
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The rhetorical questions (lines 1-4) highlight how strange the concept of buying land is to the speaker, emphasizing the gulf between Indigenous and Western perspectives on land ownership. Choice (A) misunderstands rhetorical questions-they are not genuine requests for information. Choice (E) is incorrect because no counteroffers are presented.

19. Ans: ((C)) – reverent and questioning
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage shows reverence for the earth (lines 4-8, describing elements as “sacred” and “holy”) while questioning the concept of purchasing land (lines 1-4, 18-19). Choice (B) is incorrect-while the final line acknowledges difficulty, the overall tone is not one of defeat. Choice (A) is wrong because the tone is contemplative rather than confrontational.

20. Ans: ((C)) – kinship and interconnection
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 12-17 explicitly describe elements of nature as “our sisters” and “our brothers” and state that “We are part of the earth and it is part of us,” emphasizing kinship and interconnection. Choice (A) contradicts this relationship of equality and belonging. Choice (D) reflects a utilitarian view inconsistent with the spiritual perspective presented in the passage.