Reading Passage for HSPT - 10

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 fog had not yet burned off the harbor when Mateo slipped through the narrow gate behind the chandlery. He carried nothing but a canvas sack with two apples and a knife his father had sharpened the night before, unaware that it would be the last (5) tool he would touch in that shop. The cobblestones were slick with dew, and the air smelled of salt and tar and the faint sweetness of rotting fish from the docks below.
    He had told his mother he was going to the market for lamp oil. It was not entirely a lie – he would pass (10) the market – but his true destination lay two miles south, where the lighthouse keeper’s daughter had promised to meet him at dawn. Rosa had written the words on a scrap of sailcloth: Come Thursday. Bring no one. Mateo had memorized the message and burned it.
    As he walked, he replayed their last conversation, the one (15) that had taken place three weeks ago beside the tidal pools. She had spoken of leaving the island, of a cousin in Valparaíso who could find work for anyone willing to learn the fishmonger’s trade. Mateo had listened in silence, knowing his father would never permit it, knowing also that his own (20) dreams had begun to bend in her direction like kelp in a current.

1. The passage is narrated from which point of view?

1. First person, from Mateo’s perspective
2. Third person limited, focusing on Mateo’s thoughts and actions
3. Third person omniscient, revealing multiple characters’ thoughts
4. Second person, addressing the reader directly

2. As used in line 4, the word tool most nearly means

1. implement
2. strategy
3. victim
4. opportunity

3. Mateo tells his mother he is going to the market primarily because

1. he needs to purchase lamp oil for the family
2. he wants to avoid revealing his true destination
3. the market is on the way to the lighthouse
4. his mother had asked him to run that errand

4. The detail that Mateo “memorized the message and burned it” (line 13) suggests that

1. he is careless with important documents
2. he wants to keep the meeting secret
3. he distrusts Rosa’s intentions
4. he plans to forget about the meeting

5. The passage suggests that Mateo’s father would most likely react to the idea of Mateo leaving the island by

1. encouraging him to pursue new opportunities
2. offering to accompany him to Valparaíso
3. refusing to allow him to go
4. asking Rosa’s father for advice

6. The comparison of Mateo’s dreams to “kelp in a current” (line 20) emphasizes their

1. strength and permanence
2. gradual movement toward Rosa
3. connection to the ocean trade
4. inability to take root

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

1. anxious and secretive
2. celebratory and hopeful
3. bitter and resentful
4. detached and analytical

Passage 2

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

    For decades, scientists believed that the deep ocean floor was a barren, lifeless expanse, too dark and cold to support complex ecosystems. That view changed dramatically in 1977, when researchers aboard the submersible Alvin discovered hydrothermal vents along the Galápagos Rift. These underwater geysers, which (5) release superheated water rich in minerals from beneath the Earth’s crust, host thriving communities of organisms unlike anything previously known to science.
    The foundation of these vent ecosystems is not photosynthesis, the process by which most life on Earth converts sunlight into energy, but chemosynthesis. Bacteria (10) living near the vents harness the chemical energy in hydrogen sulfide – a compound toxic to most organisms – to produce organic matter. These bacteria, in turn, form symbiotic relationships with larger animals such as giant tube worms, which can grow up to eight feet long and lack mouths or digestive systems. The worms absorb hydrogen sulfide (15) through specialized plumes and transport it to the bacteria housed within their tissues, receiving nutrients in return.
    Hydrothermal vent communities have also reshaped evolutionary biology. The discovery that life can thrive in such extreme conditions has led scientists to reconsider the potential for life on other planets and moons, particularly (20) those with subsurface oceans like Jupiter’s moon Europa. If life emerged independently at hydrothermal vents on Earth, similar environments elsewhere in the solar system might harbor their own unique organisms.

8. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. argue that hydrothermal vents are more important than photosynthetic ecosystems
2. describe the discovery and significance of hydrothermal vent ecosystems
3. explain why scientists initially believed the ocean floor was barren
4. compare the ecosystems of Earth and Europa

9. According to the passage, the submersible Alvin was used to

1. measure the temperature of hydrothermal vents
2. discover hydrothermal vents in 1977
3. transport bacteria from the ocean floor
4. prove that photosynthesis occurs in deep water

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

1. restrain
2. utilize
3. attach
4. discover

11. The passage indicates that giant tube worms differ from most animals in that they

1. can survive in complete darkness
2. rely on bacteria for nutrients rather than digesting food themselves
3. grow larger than any other known species
4. reproduce through chemosynthesis

12. The author mentions Europa primarily to

1. illustrate how hydrothermal vent research has influenced the search for extraterrestrial life
2. suggest that life on Europa is more advanced than life on Earth
3. prove that hydrothermal vents exist on other planets
4. explain why scientists initially doubted the existence of deep-sea life

13. Based on the passage, which of the following is true of hydrogen sulfide?

1. It is produced by giant tube worms during digestion.
2. It is toxic to most organisms but useful to vent bacteria.
3. It is the primary energy source for photosynthesis.
4. It was discovered on Europa by the submersible Alvin.

14. The organizational structure of the passage can best be described as

1. chronological, tracing the history of deep-sea exploration
2. cause and effect, explaining why vents form and what results
3. problem and solution, addressing challenges in marine biology
4. topical, introducing a discovery and exploring its features and implications

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from Susan B. Anthony’s speech delivered in 1873 after she was arrested and fined for voting in the 1872 presidential election.

    Friends and fellow citizens: I stand before you tonight under indictment for the alleged crime of having voted at the last presidential election, without having a lawful right to vote. It shall be my work this evening to prove to you that in thus voting, I not only committed no crime, but, (5) instead, simply exercised my citizen’s rights, guaranteed to me and all United States citizens by the National Constitution, beyond the power of any state to deny.
    The preamble of the Federal Constitution says: “We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the (10) common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
    It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. And we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure (15) them; not to the half of ourselves and the half of our posterity, but to the whole people – women as well as men. And it is a downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them provided by this democratic-republican government – the ballot.

15. Anthony’s main argument in the passage is that

1. women should form their own separate government
2. the Constitution guarantees women the right to vote
3. the 1872 presidential election was conducted unfairly
4. individual states have the power to determine voting rights

16. As used in line 6, the word deny most nearly means

1. reject
2. disprove
3. refuse
4. contradict

17. Anthony quotes the preamble to the Constitution in order to

1. demonstrate her extensive legal knowledge
2. show that the document’s language includes all people, not just men
3. prove that the Constitution was improperly ratified
4. argue that a new constitution should be written

18. The phrase “downright mockery” (line 16) suggests that Anthony views the denial of voting rights to women as

1. a minor administrative oversight
2. an amusing contradiction
3. a deeply hypocritical injustice
4. an inevitable result of historical tradition

19. According to Anthony, the purpose of the Constitution was to

1. grant new rights to citizens for the first time
2. protect rights that already belonged to all people
3. establish voting procedures for federal elections
4. limit the power of state governments over men

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

1. apologetic and uncertain
2. defiant and principled
3. neutral and factual
4. bitter and vengeful

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – Third person limited, focusing on Mateo’s thoughts and actions
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The passage is narrated in third person (using “he” and “Mateo”) and provides access only to Mateo’s thoughts and perceptions, as seen in lines 18-20 where we learn what he knows about his father’s likely response. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage uses third person pronouns, not first person (“I” or “we”). Choice (C) is incorrect because we do not have access to other characters’ thoughts, only Mateo’s.

2. Ans: (A) – implement
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 4, “tool” refers to the knife that Mateo’s father sharpened, which is a physical implement or instrument. Choice (B) is incorrect because while “tool” can metaphorically mean strategy, the passage uses it literally to describe the knife. Choice (C) is incorrect because “tool” as victim (meaning someone used by others) does not fit the context of a knife.

3. Ans: (B) – he wants to avoid revealing his true destination
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 8-11 state that Mateo told his mother about the market but “his true destination lay two miles south,” indicating deception to conceal his real plans. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage describes the lamp oil errand as “not entirely a lie” but notes his true destination is elsewhere, suggesting the errand is a cover story. Choice (D) is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage that his mother requested this errand.

4. Ans: (B) – he wants to keep the meeting secret
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The act of memorizing and then destroying the message (line 13) indicates Mateo’s desire to eliminate evidence of the planned meeting, suggesting secrecy. Choice (A) is incorrect because burning the message after memorizing it demonstrates care, not carelessness. Choice (D) is incorrect because memorizing the message shows he intends to remember and attend the meeting, not forget it.

5. Ans: (C) – refusing to allow him to go
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 18-19 state explicitly that Mateo was “knowing his father would never permit it,” referring to leaving the island. Choice (A) is incorrect because it directly contradicts the statement that the father “would never permit it.” Choice (B) is incorrect because there is no suggestion the father would support or join such a plan.

6. Ans: (B) – gradual movement toward Rosa
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The simile in lines 19-20 compares Mateo’s dreams to kelp bending in a current, suggesting gradual, natural movement in Rosa’s direction. Choice (A) is incorrect because kelp bending in a current suggests flexibility and change, not permanence. Choice (D) is incorrect because while kelp does move with currents, the comparison emphasizes directional movement toward Rosa, not rootlessness.

7. Ans: (A) – anxious and secretive
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage emphasizes Mateo’s deception (lines 8-9), his burning of Rosa’s message (line 13), and his awareness that his father would forbid his plans (lines 18-19), creating an anxious, secretive mood. Choice (B) is incorrect because while Mateo has hopes, the dominant tone is one of concealment and tension, not celebration. Choice (C) is incorrect because Mateo shows no bitterness or resentment in the passage.

8. Ans: (B) – describe the discovery and significance of hydrothermal vent ecosystems
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage recounts the 1977 discovery of hydrothermal vents (lines 2-5), explains how their ecosystems function (lines 6-16), and discusses their broader significance for evolutionary biology and astrobiology (lines 17-22). Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage does not argue for the superiority of vent ecosystems, only describes their unique features. Choice (D) is incorrect because while Europa is mentioned, the passage does not compare ecosystems in detail; it merely notes the implications for extraterrestrial life.

9. Ans: (B) – discover hydrothermal vents in 1977
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 2-4 state that “researchers aboard the submersible Alvin discovered hydrothermal vents along the Galápagos Rift” in 1977. Choice (A) is incorrect because while temperature is mentioned as a feature of vents, the passage does not say Alvin was used specifically to measure it. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage states that photosynthesis is not the foundation of vent ecosystems (lines 7-8).

10. Ans: (B) – utilize
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 10, bacteria “harness the chemical energy” means they use or utilize that energy to produce organic matter. Choice (A) is incorrect because “restrain” means to hold back, which is the opposite of using energy productively. Choice (C) is incorrect because “attach” does not capture the meaning of exploiting or making use of energy.

11. Ans: (B) – rely on bacteria for nutrients rather than digesting food themselves
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 12-16 explain that tube worms “lack mouths or digestive systems” and instead receive nutrients from bacteria housed within their tissues. Choice (A) is incorrect because while tube worms do survive in darkness, this is not presented as unique – many deep-sea organisms share this trait. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage states they grow “up to eight feet long” but does not claim they are larger than any other species.

12. Ans: (A) – illustrate how hydrothermal vent research has influenced the search for extraterrestrial life
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Lines 17-22 explain that the discovery of vent life has led scientists to reconsider life potential on moons like Europa with subsurface oceans. Choice (B) is incorrect because the passage does not suggest Europa’s potential life would be more advanced, only that it might exist. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage discusses the possibility of similar environments on Europa, not proof that vents exist there.

13. Ans: (B) – It is toxic to most organisms but useful to vent bacteria.
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 9-11 describe hydrogen sulfide as “a compound toxic to most organisms” that bacteria near vents use to produce organic matter. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage states tube worms absorb hydrogen sulfide from their environment (lines 14-15), not that they produce it. Choice (C) is incorrect because hydrogen sulfide is used in chemosynthesis, not photosynthesis (lines 7-9).

14. Ans: (D) – topical, introducing a discovery and exploring its features and implications
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The passage introduces hydrothermal vents in the first paragraph, describes their ecosystem features in the second paragraph, and discusses broader implications in the third paragraph. Choice (A) is incorrect because while the 1977 discovery is mentioned, the passage does not trace a chronological history of exploration. Choice (B) is incorrect because the passage does not explain why vents form, only what lives there and why it matters.

15. Ans: (B) – the Constitution guarantees women the right to vote
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. Anthony argues throughout that she “simply exercised my citizen’s rights, guaranteed to me and all United States citizens by the National Constitution” (lines 4-6) and that the Constitution was formed by and for “the whole people” including women (lines 13-15). Choice (A) is incorrect because Anthony argues for inclusion in the existing government, not separation. Choice (D) is incorrect because Anthony explicitly states the Constitution is “beyond the power of any state to deny” (line 6).

16. Ans: (C) – refuse
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 6, Anthony argues that her rights are guaranteed “beyond the power of any state to deny,” meaning states cannot refuse or withhold those rights. Choice (B) is incorrect because “disprove” means to show something is false, while Anthony is discussing the power to withhold rights, not to disprove their existence. Choice (D) is incorrect because “contradict” means to assert the opposite, which does not fit the context of states’ power over citizens’ rights.

17. Ans: (B) – show that the document’s language includes all people, not just men
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Anthony quotes the preamble (lines 7-11) and then emphasizes in lines 12-13 that it says “We, the people” – “not we, the white male citizens” but “the whole people.” Choice (C) is incorrect because Anthony does not question the Constitution’s ratification, but rather argues for a broader interpretation of its existing language. Choice (D) is incorrect because she argues the current Constitution already protects women’s rights.

18. Ans: (C) – a deeply hypocritical injustice
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Anthony calls it “a downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied” the ballot (lines 16-18), indicating she sees profound hypocrisy in claiming women have liberty without voting rights. Choice (A) is incorrect because “downright mockery” conveys strong condemnation, not a minor oversight. Choice (B) is incorrect because while “mockery” can mean something amusing, Anthony clearly uses it to express outrage, not amusement.

19. Ans: (B) – protect rights that already belonged to all people
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 14-15 state that the Union was formed “not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure them,” indicating the rights already existed and needed protection. Choice (A) is incorrect because it directly contradicts Anthony’s statement that the purpose was to “secure,” not “give,” the blessings of liberty. Choice (C) is incorrect because while voting is discussed, Anthony does not claim establishing voting procedures was the Constitution’s purpose.

20. Ans: (B) – defiant and principled
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Anthony stands “under indictment” (line 2) yet firmly asserts she “committed no crime” (line 4) and bases her argument on constitutional principle, demonstrating both defiance of the charges and principled reasoning. Choice (A) is incorrect because Anthony shows no uncertainty or apology; she confidently asserts her rights. Choice (D) is incorrect because while Anthony is passionate, she does not express bitterness or vengefulness but rather logical argument.