Reading Passage for HSPT - 2

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 letter arrived on a Tuesday, wedged between a catalog and a notice from the water company. Margaret turned it over twice before slitting the envelope with her thumbnail. The handwriting belonged to no one she knew, yet the return address – (5) 47 Bleeker Street, Toronto – made her stomach tighten. Her brother had lived on Bleeker Street thirty years ago, before the quarrel that had cleaved their family in two.

    Inside, the note was brief. A Mrs. Violet Chen introduced herself as the current tenant of the apartment that had once been rented by Thomas Wardell. (10) While clearing out a storage closet in the basement, she had discovered a wooden box containing photographs, letters, and a military medal. The name on the medal read “T. Wardell.” Mrs. Chen wondered whether Margaret might be related to the owner and whether she (15) would like the items returned.

    Margaret set the letter on the kitchen table and stared at it for a long while. Thomas had died eight years ago in Vancouver, and she had learned of it only by chance, through a mutual acquaintance at the library. She had not attended the funeral. (20) The box, she thought, must have been forgotten when he moved west, abandoned like so much else.

1. The primary focus of the passage is on

1. Margaret’s discovery of her brother’s military service
2. the unexpected resurfacing of a connection to Margaret’s past
3. the responsibilities of a tenant who finds belongings left behind
4. Margaret’s memories of living in Toronto with her brother

2. According to the passage, the box was discovered in

1. Margaret’s attic
2. a military storage facility
3. the basement of an apartment building
4. a library archive

3. As used in line 6, the word cleaved most nearly means

1. united
2. divided
3. repaired
4. defined

4. It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that Margaret

1. had recently been searching for items that belonged to Thomas
2. had not been in communication with Thomas for many years
3. lived in Toronto during the time Thomas rented the apartment
4. regretted not attending Thomas’s funeral in Toronto

5. The passage suggests that Margaret’s initial reaction to the letter is one of

1. eager anticipation
2. mild curiosity
3. emotional discomfort
4. grateful relief

6. The detail that Margaret learned of Thomas’s death “only by chance” (line 18) serves primarily to emphasize

1. the difficulty of maintaining relationships across long distances
2. the depth of the estrangement between Margaret and her brother
3. Margaret’s habit of visiting the library regularly
4. the unpredictable nature of communication in modern society

7. 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 foreboding

Passage 2

The following passage is adapted from a general-audience archaeology article.

    In the spring of 1947, a Bedouin shepherd searching for a lost goat near the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea stumbled upon a cave containing several clay jars. Inside these vessels lay ancient scrolls wrapped in linen, their parchment (5) darkened by centuries but still legible. This accidental discovery initiated one of the most significant archaeological finds of the twentieth century: the Dead Sea Scrolls.

    Over the next decade, archaeologists and local inhabitants explored nearly a dozen caves in the region, ultimately recovering (10) fragments and complete texts representing over nine hundred separate documents. The scrolls, composed primarily in Hebrew with some portions in Aramaic and Greek, date from approximately the third century BCE to the first century CE. Most scholars believe they were produced by a Jewish sect, (15) possibly the Essenes, who inhabited a settlement at nearby Qumran.

    The significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls extends beyond their sheer antiquity. Among the texts are the oldest known copies of biblical books, predating previously available manuscripts by nearly a millennium. These ancient versions have allowed scholars to trace (20) the transmission and evolution of scriptural texts with unprecedented precision, revealing both remarkable consistency and illuminating variations across centuries of copying.

8. The main purpose of the passage is to

1. argue for a particular interpretation of the Dead Sea Scrolls
2. describe the discovery and significance of an archaeological find
3. compare the Essenes to other Jewish sects of the ancient world
4. trace the methods used to preserve ancient parchment documents

9. According to the passage, the Dead Sea Scrolls were originally found

1. by professional archaeologists conducting a planned excavation
2. in the settlement at Qumran
3. by a shepherd looking for an animal
4. in a library at a Jewish temple

10. As used in line 6, the word initiated most nearly means

1. concluded
2. began
3. prevented
4. complicated

11. The passage indicates that the scrolls were written in

1. Hebrew exclusively
2. three different languages
3. Latin and Greek
4. modern Arabic dialects

12. It can reasonably be inferred that before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest available biblical manuscripts dated from approximately

1. the third century BCE
2. the first century CE
3. the tenth century CE
4. the twentieth century CE

13. The author’s statement that the ancient texts reveal “both remarkable consistency and illuminating variations” (lines 20–21) suggests that

1. biblical texts were copied with perfect accuracy across all centuries
2. scriptural manuscripts remained largely stable but showed some changes over time
3. the Essenes intentionally altered the meaning of older texts
4. no reliable biblical texts existed before the Dead Sea Scrolls were found

14. The organizational structure of the passage is best described as

1. chronological narrative followed by analysis of importance
2. statement of a problem followed by proposed solutions
3. comparison of two competing theories
4. description of a process followed by a critique of its methods

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a speech delivered by Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce in 1879.

    I have heard talk and talk, but nothing is done. Good words do not last long unless they amount to something. Words do not pay for my dead people. They do not pay for my country, now overrun by white men. They do not (5) protect my father’s grave. They do not pay for all my horses and cattle. Good words will not give me back my children. Good words will not give my people good health and stop them from dying. Good words will not get my people a home where they can live in peace (10) and take care of themselves.

    I am tired of talk that comes to nothing. It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the broken promises. There has been too much talking by men who had no right to talk. Too many misrepresentations have been made, (15) too many misunderstandings have come up between the white men about the Indians. If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace. There need be no trouble. Treat all men alike. Give them the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. (20) All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers.

15. The primary purpose of Chief Joseph’s speech is to

1. express frustration at broken promises and demand just treatment
2. celebrate the peaceful relations between his people and white settlers
3. request financial compensation for horses and cattle
4. describe the traditional customs of the Nez Perce people

16. As used in line 3, the phrase amount to something most nearly means

1. sound eloquent
2. produce actual results
3. cost a significant sum
4. require careful consideration

17. According to the passage, Chief Joseph is tired of

1. living in peace with white settlers
2. talk that leads to no action
3. the Great Spirit Chief
4. moving his people to a new home

18. The repetition of the phrase “Good words will not” (lines 5–9) serves primarily to

1. emphasize the inadequacy of mere promises without action
2. demonstrate Chief Joseph’s skill as an orator
3. list the specific demands Chief Joseph is making
4. suggest that Chief Joseph prefers silence to conversation

19. It can be inferred from the passage that Chief Joseph believes peaceful coexistence between white men and Indians is

1. impossible under any circumstances
2. achievable only if Indians adopt white customs
3. possible if white men treat Indians with equality and fairness
4. dependent on both groups living in completely separate territories

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

1. resigned and defeated
2. bitter and accusatory
3. hopeful and optimistic
4. weary but resolute

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – the unexpected resurfacing of a connection to Margaret’s past
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage centers on Margaret receiving an unexpected letter about her estranged brother’s belongings, which reconnects her to a past she had left behind (lines 1–20). Choice (A) is too narrow, focusing only on the military medal rather than the broader emotional impact of the letter. Choice (D) is incorrect because Margaret did not live with Thomas in Toronto; the passage indicates he lived there alone.

2. Ans: (C) – the basement of an apartment building
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that Mrs. Chen discovered the box “while clearing out a storage closet in the basement” (lines 9–10) of the apartment building. Choice (A) is incorrect because the box was found in Mrs. Chen’s building, not Margaret’s attic. Choice (D) is wrong because while Margaret learned of Thomas’s death through a library acquaintance, the box was not found at a library.

3. Ans: (B) – divided
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage describes a quarrel that “cleaved their family in two” (line 6), indicating separation or division. Choice (A) is incorrect because “cleaved” in this context means the opposite of united, though the word can have that meaning in other contexts. Choice (C) is wrong because the quarrel broke the family apart rather than repaired anything.

4. Ans: (B) – had not been in communication with Thomas for many years
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states there was a quarrel thirty years ago (line 6), Margaret learned of Thomas’s death eight years ago only by chance (line 18), and did not attend his funeral, all suggesting long estrangement. Choice (A) is incorrect because nothing in the passage suggests Margaret had been searching for Thomas’s belongings. Choice (D) is wrong because Thomas died in Vancouver, not Toronto (line 18).

5. Ans: (C) – emotional discomfort
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage describes Margaret’s stomach tightening when she saw the return address (lines 4–5) and her staring at the letter “for a long while” (line 16), suggesting distress rather than pleasure. Choice (A) is incorrect because Margaret shows reluctance and tension, not eagerness. Choice (D) is wrong because relief is not supported by her physical reaction of stomach tightening.

6. Ans: (B) – the depth of the estrangement between Margaret and her brother
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. That Margaret learned of her own brother’s death only through a chance encounter (line 18) rather than being notified directly emphasizes how completely separated they had become. Choice (A) is too broad and does not address the specific relationship between Margaret and Thomas. Choice (C) is incorrect because the library detail is incidental to the main point about their estrangement.

7. Ans: (C) – somber and reflective
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage’s focus on death, family rupture, and quiet contemplation (“stared at it for a long while,” line 16) creates a serious, thoughtful mood. Choice (A) is incorrect because while the passage deals with the past, it lacks the warmth associated with nostalgia. Choice (D) is wrong because there is sadness but not anxiety or a sense of threat.

8. Ans: (B) – describe the discovery and significance of an archaeological find
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage recounts how the Dead Sea Scrolls were found (lines 1–6) and explains their importance to biblical scholarship (lines 16–21). Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage presents factual information rather than arguing for a particular interpretation. Choice (C) is too narrow, as the Essenes are mentioned only briefly as possible authors (lines 14–15).

9. Ans: (C) – by a shepherd looking for an animal
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that “a Bedouin shepherd searching for a lost goat” discovered the cave (lines 1–2). Choice (A) is incorrect because the initial discovery was accidental, not part of a planned excavation, though archaeologists became involved later (line 8). Choice (B) is wrong because the scrolls were found in a cave, not in the Qumran settlement itself.

10. Ans: (B) – began
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage describes how the discovery “initiated” a significant archaeological find (line 6), meaning it started or began the process. Choice (A) is the opposite of the intended meaning. Choice (C) is incorrect because the discovery enabled rather than prevented the archaeological work.

11. Ans: (B) – three different languages
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states the scrolls were “composed primarily in Hebrew with some portions in Aramaic and Greek” (lines 11–12), which is three languages. Choice (A) is incorrect because while Hebrew was primary, two other languages were also used. Choice (C) is wrong because Latin is not mentioned, only Greek along with Hebrew and Aramaic.

12. Ans: (C) – the tenth century CE
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The passage states the Dead Sea Scrolls date from approximately the third century BCE to the first century CE and that they predate previously available manuscripts “by nearly a millennium” (line 19). A millennium (1,000 years) after the first century CE would be approximately the tenth or eleventh century CE. Choice (B) is incorrect because the Dead Sea Scrolls themselves date to the first century CE; earlier manuscripts would be later in time. Choice (A) reverses the timeline entirely.

13. Ans: (B) – scriptural manuscripts remained largely stable but showed some changes over time
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The phrase “remarkable consistency and illuminating variations” (lines 20–21) indicates both stability and change in the copying process. Choice (A) is too extreme, claiming perfect accuracy when the passage acknowledges variations. Choice (D) contradicts the passage, which refers to “previously available manuscripts” (line 19) that existed before the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

14. Ans: (A) – chronological narrative followed by analysis of importance
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The first two paragraphs narrate the discovery and subsequent exploration (lines 1–15), while the third paragraph explains the significance of the find (lines 16–21). Choice (B) is incorrect because the passage does not present a problem requiring solutions. Choice (C) is wrong because no competing theories are compared.

15. Ans: (A) – express frustration at broken promises and demand just treatment
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Chief Joseph repeatedly emphasizes that “good words” accomplish nothing (lines 2–9) and calls for equal treatment (lines 18–19), expressing deep frustration. Choice (B) contradicts the passage entirely, as Chief Joseph describes broken promises, not peaceful relations. Choice (C) is too narrow, as compensation for livestock is only one item in a larger list of grievances (line 6).

16. Ans: (B) – produce actual results
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Chief Joseph contrasts words that “amount to something” with talk that “comes to nothing” (line 11), indicating he means words that lead to concrete action or results. Choice (A) is incorrect because eloquence is not the issue; Chief Joseph is concerned with action, not rhetoric. Choice (C) misinterprets “amount” in a financial rather than substantive sense.

17. Ans: (B) – talk that leads to no action
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Chief Joseph explicitly states “I am tired of talk that comes to nothing” (line 11). Choice (A) contradicts the passage; Chief Joseph desires peace but is frustrated by the lack of it. Choice (C) misreads the passage; Chief Joseph invokes the Great Spirit Chief respectfully (line 20).

18. Ans: (A) – emphasize the inadequacy of mere promises without action
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The anaphoric repetition of “Good words will not” (lines 5–9) hammers home Chief Joseph’s central point that words alone cannot address his people’s suffering. Choice (C) is incorrect because these lines express what words cannot do, not specific demands Chief Joseph is making. Choice (D) is wrong because Chief Joseph does not prefer silence; he wants meaningful action to accompany words.

19. Ans: (C) – possible if white men treat Indians with equality and fairness
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Chief Joseph states, “If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace” and calls for treating “all men alike” with “the same law” (lines 16–18). Choice (A) is incorrect because Chief Joseph explicitly says peace is possible (line 16). Choice (B) is wrong because Chief Joseph calls for equal treatment, not assimilation to white customs.

20. Ans: (D) – weary but resolute
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Chief Joseph expresses exhaustion (“I am tired,” line 11) but continues to advocate firmly for justice and equality (lines 17–20), showing weariness combined with determination. Choice (A) is incorrect because while Chief Joseph is tired, he is not defeated; he still makes strong demands. Choice (B) is too harsh; while critical, the speech ends with a vision of brotherhood (line 20) rather than pure bitterness.