Reading Passage for HSPT - 6

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 just as Mei finished buttoning her coat, and she stumbled against the window, catching herself with one gloved hand. Outside, the Shanghai station slid past in a blur of smoke and hurrying figures, their faces obscured by the December fog. She had left her father standing on the platform, his hand raised (5) in a gesture that might have been farewell or warning. Now there was only the rhythmic clatter of wheels on track and the low murmur of conversation from the other passengers in the compartment.     Across from her sat a woman in a fur-trimmed hat, reading a newspaper with the studied concentration of someone pretending not to notice her fellow travelers. Mei (10) recognized the performance. She had practiced it herself during the three months she had spent waiting for the exit visa, moving through the city as though invisible, avoiding eye contact in the market, speaking only when absolutely necessary. Silence had become a kind of armor.     The envelope in her pocket pressed against her ribs. (15) Inside were the documents her father had obtained through channels she knew better than to ask about: a letter of invitation from the university in California, a bank statement that showed funds she did not possess, and a photograph of herself taken five years earlier, before the war had taught her (20) to measure her words and calculate the cost of trust.

1. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. describe the physical layout of a train station in Shanghai
2. establish the tense atmosphere surrounding a character’s departure
3. explain the process of obtaining exit visas during wartime
4. compare different passengers’ reasons for traveling

2. As used in line 6, the word studied most nearly means

1. educated
2. deliberate
3. academic
4. examined

3. The passage suggests that Mei’s father’s gesture was ambiguous because

1. he was too far away for Mei to see clearly
2. the fog on the platform obscured his movements
3. Mei could not determine whether he was supportive or concerned about her departure
4. he was signaling to someone else on the platform

4. According to the passage, Mei spent the three months before her departure

1. learning English at the university
2. deliberately avoiding drawing attention to herself
3. working to earn money for the journey
4. saying goodbye to friends and family

5. The detail about the photograph being taken “five years earlier” (line 19) primarily serves to

1. indicate how long Mei had been planning to leave
2. suggest that Mei’s appearance had changed significantly
3. emphasize how much the war had changed Mei’s character
4. explain why the visa application process took so long

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

1. celebratory and optimistic
2. tense and guarded
3. nostalgic and sentimental
4. confused and disoriented

7. The phrase “Silence had become a kind of armor” (line 12) suggests that Mei

1. had lost the ability to speak her native language
2. used quietness as protection in a dangerous environment
3. preferred reading to conversation with strangers
4. was naturally shy and introverted by temperament

Passage 2

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

    In the deep waters off the coast of Monterey, California, researchers have documented an unexpected alliance. Giant Pacific octopuses, typically solitary hunters, have been observed working in apparent coordination with schools of rockfish to corner prey in the rocky crevices (5) of the continental shelf. The octopuses flush out small crustaceans and fish from the narrow spaces where their own bodies cannot reach, while the rockfish position themselves to capture whatever escapes. What makes this interaction particularly remarkable is that neither species appears to gain an exclusive advantage; both (10) benefit from increased hunting success.     This phenomenon challenges the traditional view that octopuses are exclusively opportunistic feeders. Marine biologist Dr. Elena Vasquez, who has studied cephalopod behavior for two decades, notes that the octopuses seem to anticipate the rockfish movements, adjusting their hunting patterns (15) when the fish are present. Using underwater cameras equipped with motion sensors, her team recorded more than sixty instances of this cooperative behavior over an eighteen-month period. In forty-seven of those instances, both species successfully captured prey, compared to a thirty-two percent success rate for octopuses (20) hunting alone in the same environment.

8. The main idea of this passage is that

1. octopuses are more intelligent than previously believed
2. rockfish populations are declining off the California coast
3. octopuses and rockfish engage in a mutually beneficial hunting strategy
4. marine biologists use advanced technology to study ocean life

9. According to the passage, the octopuses contribute to the hunting partnership by

1. teaching the rockfish where to find prey
2. driving prey out of spaces the rockfish cannot access
3. sharing their captured prey with the rockfish
4. protecting the rockfish from larger predators

10. As used in line 11, the word exclusively most nearly means

1. expensively
2. only
3. rarely
4. primarily

11. The passage indicates that Dr. Vasquez’s research team observed cooperative hunting

1. in sixty different locations along the California coast
2. during a study period lasting eighteen months
3. only during specific seasons when prey was abundant
4. exclusively at depths below one thousand feet

12. The author’s purpose in citing the specific success rates (lines 18–20) is to

1. prove that octopuses are superior hunters to rockfish
2. provide quantitative evidence that cooperation improves hunting outcomes
3. demonstrate the precision of underwater camera technology
4. argue that octopuses should change their hunting behavior permanently

13. The passage suggests that the octopus-rockfish relationship is “particularly remarkable” because

1. octopuses and rockfish are normally predator and prey
2. both species benefit rather than one exploiting the other
3. it occurs in deeper water than any previously studied behavior
4. the two species communicate using sound signals

14. Based on the passage, which of the following can be reasonably inferred about octopus behavior?

1. Octopuses are capable of recognizing and responding to the presence of other species
2. Octopuses prefer to hunt in groups rather than alone
3. Octopuses have been observed cooperating with many different fish species
4. Octopuses only hunt successfully when rockfish are present

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a historical speech.

    I stand before this committee not as a representative of wealth or influence, but as one who has labored in the mills since the age of ten. I have seen children younger than myself lose fingers to the machinery. I have watched women work fourteen-hour days for wages (5) that cannot feed their families. I have breathed air so thick with cotton dust that I tasted it in my sleep.     The gentlemen who own these factories speak of progress and prosperity, and indeed the ledgers show handsome profits. But I ask you: prosperity for whom? The mill owners build grand houses on Beacon Hill while (10) we crowd ten to a room in the tenements beside the river. They speak of the dignity of labor, yet they deny us the dignity of a living wage or a safe workplace. They tell us we are free to leave if we dislike the conditions, but where shall we go when every mill in (15) Massachusetts operates by the same principles?     I do not come here seeking charity. I come seeking justice. We ask only for what any citizen deserves: reasonable hours, fair compensation, and the assurance that we will not be maimed or killed in the course of honest work. These are not radical demands. They are (20) the foundation of a civilized society.

15. The speaker’s primary purpose is to

1. request financial assistance for unemployed mill workers
2. advocate for improved labor conditions and fair treatment
3. describe the technical operations of textile manufacturing
4. propose specific legislation to regulate factory owners

16. As used in line 8, the word handsome most nearly means

1. attractive
2. substantial
3. masculine
4. generous

17. The speaker contrasts “grand houses on Beacon Hill” with “tenements beside the river” (lines 9–10) in order to

1. recommend better housing construction standards
2. highlight the economic inequality between owners and workers
3. suggest that workers should move to different neighborhoods
4. describe the geographic layout of Massachusetts cities

18. According to the passage, the factory owners claim that workers

1. are free to seek employment elsewhere if dissatisfied
2. receive higher wages than workers in other industries
3. should be grateful for any employment opportunity
4. lack the skills necessary for more demanding work

19. The speaker’s rhetorical question “prosperity for whom?” (line 9) serves to

1. request statistical information about factory profits
2. challenge the claim that economic success is being shared fairly
3. express genuine confusion about economic principles
4. suggest that prosperity is impossible under current conditions

20. The tone of the final paragraph (lines 16–20) can best be described as

1. apologetic and uncertain
2. angry and threatening
3. dignified and resolute
4. humble and pleading

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – establish the tense atmosphere surrounding a character’s departure
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Mei’s departure from Shanghai, emphasizing details like her father’s ambiguous gesture (line 5), her practiced invisibility (lines 9–12), and the secretive documents in her pocket (lines 13–20) that collectively create a tense, guarded atmosphere. Choice (A) is too narrow, as the passage mentions the station only briefly in the opening. Choice (C) is incorrect because while exit visas are mentioned, the passage does not explain the process of obtaining them.

2. Ans: (B) – deliberate
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The phrase “studied concentration” (line 9) describes the woman’s pretense of reading while actually avoiding interaction, suggesting a carefully calculated or deliberate performance. Choice (A) is a common meaning of “studied” but does not fit the context of someone performing an action intentionally. Choice (C) similarly misapplies a dictionary definition without considering the contextual meaning of deliberate behavior.

3. Ans: (C) – Mei could not determine whether he was supportive or concerned about her departure
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states the gesture “might have been farewell or warning” (lines 5–6), indicating Mei’s uncertainty about her father’s attitude toward her leaving. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which states she saw him raise his hand before the station slid past. Choice (B) is not supported by the text, which mentions fog but does not attribute the ambiguity to obscured vision.

4. Ans: (B) – deliberately avoiding drawing attention to herself
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states that during those three months Mei moved “through the city as though invisible, avoiding eye contact in the market, speaking only when absolutely necessary” (lines 10–12). Choice (A) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage. Choice (C) distorts information; while a bank statement is mentioned, there is no indication Mei earned the money herself.

5. Ans: (C) – emphasize how much the war had changed Mei’s character
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The passage states the photograph was taken “before the war had taught her to measure her words and calculate the cost of trust” (lines 19–20), emphasizing the transformation in her character. Choice (A) is incorrect because nothing suggests she had been planning to leave for five years. Choice (D) reverses the logic; the passage mentions waiting three months for the visa, not five years.

6. Ans: (B) – tense and guarded
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The passage’s atmosphere is characterized by secrecy, ambiguous gestures, practiced invisibility, silence as “armor” (line 12), and fraudulent documents (lines 13–18), all contributing to a tense, guarded tone. Choice (A) contradicts the fearful, careful mood established throughout. Choice (C) is incorrect because while Mei is leaving, there is no nostalgic reflection on the past, only present tension.

7. Ans: (B) – used quietness as protection in a dangerous environment
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The metaphor follows the description of Mei avoiding eye contact, speaking only when necessary, and moving invisibly (lines 9–12), indicating she used silence strategically for safety. Choice (A) is contradicted by the fact that Mei clearly can speak but chooses not to. Choice (D) misinterprets the passage; her silence is described as learned behavior (“had become”), not an inherent personality trait.

8. Ans: (C) – octopuses and rockfish engage in a mutually beneficial hunting strategy
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage describes the cooperative hunting relationship between octopuses and rockfish, emphasizing that “both benefit from increased hunting success” (lines 9–10) and providing research evidence for this partnership. Choice (A) is too broad and not the primary focus; intelligence is implied but not the main subject. Choice (B) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage.

9. Ans: (B) – driving prey out of spaces the rockfish cannot access
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states that “octopuses flush out small crustaceans and fish from the narrow spaces” (lines 4–6) while rockfish capture what escapes. Choice (A) is not supported; there is no mention of teaching. Choice (C) contradicts the passage, which indicates both species capture their own prey independently.

10. Ans: (B) – only
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage states the behavior “challenges the traditional view that octopuses are exclusively opportunistic feeders” (lines 11–12), meaning the old view held they were only opportunistic, with no other feeding strategy. Choice (A) confuses “exclusively” with “expensively,” which is unrelated. Choice (D) (“primarily”) weakens the meaning; “exclusively” means entirely, not mostly.

11. Ans: (B) – during a study period lasting eighteen months
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states the team “recorded more than sixty instances of this cooperative behavior over an eighteen-month period” (lines 16–17). Choice (A) distorts the passage; sixty refers to instances of behavior, not locations. Choice (C) is not supported; the passage makes no mention of seasonal variation.

12. Ans: (B) – provide quantitative evidence that cooperation improves hunting outcomes
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The specific percentages comparing cooperative hunting success with solo hunting (lines 18–20) offer numerical proof that the partnership benefits both species. Choice (A) is incorrect because the comparison is between cooperative and solo octopus hunting, not between octopuses and rockfish. Choice (D) is too extreme; the passage describes observed behavior, not prescriptive recommendations.

13. Ans: (B) – both species benefit rather than one exploiting the other
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states “neither species appears to gain an exclusive advantage; both benefit” (lines 8–10), which is presented as what makes the relationship remarkable. Choice (A) is not stated or implied in the passage. Choice (C) is incorrect; depth is mentioned but not presented as what makes the behavior remarkable.

14. Ans: (A) – Octopuses are capable of recognizing and responding to the presence of other species
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage indicates octopuses “seem to anticipate the rockfish movements, adjusting their hunting patterns when the fish are present” (lines 14–15), supporting the inference that they recognize and respond to rockfish. Choice (B) contradicts the passage, which describes octopuses as “typically solitary hunters” (line 3). Choice (D) is too extreme; the passage shows octopuses hunt successfully alone, just less successfully than when cooperating.

15. Ans: (B) – advocate for improved labor conditions and fair treatment
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The speaker systematically describes poor working conditions (lines 1–6), critiques owner hypocrisy (lines 7–15), and requests “reasonable hours, fair compensation, and” safety (lines 17–19), clearly advocating for reform. Choice (A) is contradicted by the statement “I do not come here seeking charity” (line 16). Choice (D) is too narrow; while the speaker may want legislation, no specific laws are proposed in the passage.

16. Ans: (B) – substantial
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The phrase “handsome profits” (line 8) refers to large or substantial financial gains shown in the ledgers. Choice (A) applies a common meaning of “handsome” that does not fit the context of describing monetary amounts. Choice (D) (“generous”) misreads the passage; the profits belong to the owners, not given generously to others.

17. Ans: (B) – highlight the economic inequality between owners and workers
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The contrast between owners’ “grand houses” and workers crowding “ten to a room in tenements” (lines 9–10) serves to illustrate the disparity in living conditions and wealth. Choice (A) misses the rhetorical purpose; the speaker is not making architectural recommendations. Choice (C) is incorrect because the speaker questions where workers could go (lines 13–15), not suggesting relocation.

18. Ans: (A) – are free to seek employment elsewhere if dissatisfied
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The speaker states that owners “tell us we are free to leave if we dislike the conditions” (lines 12–13). Choice (B) is not mentioned in the passage. Choice (C), while possibly implied by the owners’ attitudes, is not explicitly stated as a claim they make.

19. Ans: (B) – challenge the claim that economic success is being shared fairly
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The rhetorical question immediately follows the mention of owners’ profits and precedes the contrast of owners’ grand houses versus workers’ tenements (lines 8–10), challenging who actually benefits from prosperity. Choice (A) treats the rhetorical question as literal. Choice (C) misreads the rhetorical device; the speaker clearly knows the answer and uses the question to make a point.

20. Ans: (C) – dignified and resolute
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The speaker’s declaration “I do not come here seeking charity. I come seeking justice” (lines 16–17) and assertion that the demands are “the foundation of a civilized society” (lines 19–20) convey dignity and firm resolve. Choice (A) contradicts the confident, assertive tone. Choice (B) is too extreme; while the speaker is serious, there are no threats, and the tone remains controlled and principled.