Reading Passage for HSPT - 25

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 fishing boat rocked gently as Mei Lin coiled the last of the nets, her fingers moving with the practiced rhythm her grandmother had taught her years before. Dawn had not yet broken over the harbor at Keelung, and the air smelled of salt (5) and diesel fuel. Her father stood at the helm, silent as always in these early hours, his face turned toward the dark line where sea met sky.     “We go farther out today,” he said without looking back. Mei Lin paused. They had never ventured beyond the usual grounds, (10) the familiar waters her grandfather had fished for forty years. She wanted to ask why, but her father’s tone allowed no questions.     As the engine rumbled to life and the boat pulled away from the dock, Mei Lin thought of her acceptance letter, still hidden beneath her mattress at home. (15) National Taiwan University. A scholarship. Her mother had cried when Mei Lin told her, but her father had only nodded and walked outside to mend a torn net. That was three weeks ago, and neither had spoken of it since.     The sun rose as they motored past (20) the breakwater, painting the waves gold and orange. Her father cut the engine and turned to face her for the first time that morning. “Your mother tells me you leave in September,” he said.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the daily routine of commercial fishermen in Taiwan
2. reveal a moment of tension between a father and daughter regarding her future
3. explain the traditional methods of net fishing passed down through generations
4. illustrate the economic hardships facing fishing families in modern Asia

2. As used in line 3, the word "practiced" most nearly means

1. rehearsed
2. skillful
3. repeated
4. professional

3. The passage suggests that Mei Lin’s father’s decision to fish in unfamiliar waters is

1. a response to declining fish populations in traditional fishing grounds
2. motivated by his desire to spend time alone with his daughter
3. based on advice from Mei Lin’s grandfather
4. a routine practice during the summer fishing season

4. The detail that Mei Lin’s acceptance letter is "hidden beneath her mattress" (line 13) most strongly suggests that

1. Mei Lin is ashamed of her academic achievement
2. the family lacks proper storage space for important documents
3. Mei Lin fears her father will destroy the letter
4. the matter of her education remains unresolved and uncomfortable in the household

5. The father’s response to the news of Mei Lin’s scholarship can best be described as

1. openly hostile and dismissive
2. subdued and emotionally restrained
3. enthusiastically supportive
4. confused and uncertain

6. Which of the following best describes the narrative structure of the passage?

1. A chronological account moving from dawn through sunrise
2. A series of flashbacks explaining the family’s history
3. A comparison between traditional and modern fishing methods
4. A dream sequence revealing Mei Lin’s inner fears

7. The author’s tone in describing the harbor setting is best characterized as

1. romantic and idealized
2. specific and observant
3. critical and disapproving
4. detached and scientific

Passage 2

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

    When archaeologists excavated the ancient city of Çatalhöyük in central Turkey during the 1990s, they encountered a settlement pattern that defied conventional assumptions about early urban life. Dating to approximately 7500 BCE, the Neolithic site contained (5) no streets, no central plaza, and no obvious public buildings. Instead, the inhabitants constructed their mud-brick houses side by side, creating a honeycomb structure so dense that residents entered their homes through openings in the roof, climbing down interior ladders to reach the living spaces below.     This (10) architectural peculiarity initially puzzled researchers, who had long assumed that urban development necessarily involved the creation of communal gathering spaces and transportation corridors. Yet further excavation revealed a sophisticated social organization. The rooftops themselves functioned as the city’s streets, forming an elevated network (15) where residents walked, worked, and socialized. Families disposed of refuse and human waste through openings in the floors, gradually raising the ground level beneath the structures over centuries of continuous occupation.     What truly distinguished Çatalhöyük, however, was the apparent absence of social hierarchy. (20) Unlike later urban centers, which typically featured palatial residences for elites and humble dwellings for laborers, the houses at Çatalhöyük showed remarkable uniformity in size and construction quality. Chemical analysis of skeletal remains confirmed that inhabitants consumed similar diets regardless of which house they occupied, and burial (25) goods revealed no significant disparities in wealth. This egalitarian social structure persisted for over a millennium, challenging the assumption that inequality inevitably accompanies urbanization.

8. The main idea of the passage is that Çatalhöyük

1. represents the oldest known urban settlement in human history
2. demonstrates that early cities could develop without traditional streets or social hierarchies
3. proves that all Neolithic societies valued equality above economic efficiency
4. illustrates the superior architectural techniques of ancient Turkish civilizations

9. As used in line 3, the word "defied" most nearly means

1. resisted
2. challenged
3. disobeyed
4. contradicted

10. According to the passage, residents of Çatalhöyük entered their homes by

1. walking through doorways that faced a central plaza
2. descending through roof openings using ladders
3. passing through narrow corridors between adjacent buildings
4. climbing exterior staircases attached to the walls

11. The passage suggests that archaeologists were initially puzzled by Çatalhöyük because

1. they could not determine the age of the settlement using standard dating techniques
2. the site lacked features they believed were essential to urban organization
3. the inhabitants appeared to have abandoned the city suddenly and without explanation
4. the construction methods used were more advanced than those of later civilizations

12. The author mentions chemical analysis of skeletal remains (line 23) primarily to

1. determine the average life expectancy of Çatalhöyük residents
2. identify the geographic origins of the city’s inhabitants
3. provide evidence supporting the claim of social equality
4. explain how ancient people disposed of waste materials

13. Which of the following can be reasonably inferred from the passage?

1. The residents of Çatalhöyük eventually developed a hierarchical social structure
2. Most urban centers that developed after Çatalhöyük exhibited greater social inequality
3. The rooftop street system was less efficient than ground-level roads
4. All Neolithic settlements in Turkey shared Çatalhöyük’s architectural features

14. The author’s primary purpose in this passage is to

1. argue that modern cities should adopt more egalitarian structures
2. describe excavation techniques used by contemporary archaeologists
3. inform readers about an ancient city that challenges assumptions about urban development
4. persuade readers that Neolithic societies were more advanced than previously thought

Passage 3

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

    My friends, I have been asked to come here and talk to you about my people’s troubles. I am glad of the chance to tell you how we have been treated. I do not understand how the Government sends a man out to fight us, as it did General Miles, (5) and then breaks his word. I cannot understand how it is that the same Government can promise one thing and do another. When we were in the mountains, General Miles sent word that if we would come out and give up our arms, we could return to our own country. I believed him. (10) We gave up our arms and came out. The Government sent us to a strange land, where the climate killed many of my people. I had hoped that we were done with war, and that we would be allowed to live quietly in the place of our fathers. But the white men did not keep their promises.     All men (15) were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers. The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it. You might as well expect the rivers to run backward as that any man who was born free should be contented when penned up and denied liberty to go (20) where he pleases. If you tie a horse to a stake, do you expect he will grow fat? If you pen an Indian up on a small spot of earth and compel him to stay there, he will not be contented, nor will he grow and prosper.

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

1. declare war against the United States Government
2. explain the broken promises made to his people and argue for their right to return home
3. describe the military tactics used during the Nez Perce conflict
4. request financial compensation for lands taken by the Government

16. As used in line 19, the word "contented" most nearly means

1. satisfied
2. filled
3. peaceful
4. healthy

17. According to the passage, Chief Joseph and his people surrendered their arms because

1. they were outnumbered and faced certain defeat in battle
2. General Miles promised they could return to their homeland
3. the Great Spirit Chief instructed them to make peace
4. the climate in the mountains had become too harsh to endure

18. The analogy of the horse tied to a stake (lines 20-21) serves primarily to

1. illustrate the importance of horses in Nez Perce culture
2. suggest that the Nez Perce were being treated like animals
3. demonstrate that confinement prevents natural growth and well-being
4. compare the physical strength of horses to that of humans

19. Chief Joseph’s statement that "all men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief" (lines 14-15) most directly supports his argument that

1. the Nez Perce religion is superior to Christianity
2. all people deserve equal rights and freedom
3. warfare between different peoples is morally wrong
4. the Government should provide religious education to Native peoples

20. The tone of Chief Joseph’s speech can best be described as

1. bitter and vengeful
2. resigned and defeated
3. dignified and earnest
4. celebratory and optimistic

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – reveal a moment of tension between a father and daughter regarding her future
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage centers on the unspoken conflict between Mei Lin’s acceptance to university and her father’s silence about it, culminating in his acknowledgment of her departure (lines 20-21). Choice (A) is too narrow, focusing only on the fishing details rather than the emotional core of the passage. Choice (D) is not supported by the passage, which does not discuss economic hardships.

2. Ans: (B) – skillful
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The phrase "practiced rhythm" (line 3) describes the expertness Mei Lin has developed through years of training from her grandmother, indicating skill acquired through experience. Choice (A) "rehearsed" suggests preparation for performance rather than developed ability. Choice (D) "professional" implies paid work, which is not indicated in the context.

3. Ans: (B) – motivated by his desire to spend time alone with his daughter
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The father breaks from forty years of family tradition (lines 9-10) on the same morning he finally acknowledges Mei Lin’s departure (lines 20-21), suggesting the trip is intentionally private. Choice (A) uses fishing as a distractor but is not supported by the text. Choice (D) contradicts the passage, which states they had "never ventured beyond the usual grounds" (lines 8-9).

4. Ans: (D) – the matter of her education remains unresolved and uncomfortable in the household
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The hidden letter (line 13), combined with the fact that neither parent has spoken of it in three weeks (line 16), suggests avoidance and unresolved tension. Choice (A) reverses the meaning; Mei Lin is not ashamed but rather caught in family conflict. Choice (C) is too extreme and unsupported by the father’s restrained character.

5. Ans: (B) – subdued and emotionally restrained
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states the father "only nodded and walked outside" (lines 15-16) when told of the scholarship, demonstrating emotional restraint. Choice (A) is too extreme; he is silent but not hostile. Choice (C) contradicts the description of his minimal response.

6. Ans: (A) – A chronological account moving from dawn through sunrise
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The passage moves in linear time from before dawn (lines 3-4) through the moment "the sun rose" (line 18) to the father’s speech that morning. Choice (B) is incorrect because while Mei Lin thinks about the past, the primary structure remains chronological. Choice (D) is entirely unsupported; the events are real, not dreamlike.

7. Ans: (B) – specific and observant
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The author includes precise sensory details like "salt and diesel fuel" (lines 4-5) and "gold and orange" waves (line 19), showing careful observation. Choice (A) is wrong because the description includes the unromantic detail of diesel fuel. Choice (C) is unsupported; there is no disapproval in the descriptive passage.

8. Ans: (B) – demonstrates that early cities could develop without traditional streets or social hierarchies
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on two main points: the unusual architecture without streets (lines 3-7) and the absence of social hierarchy (lines 19-27). Choice (C) is too broad, overgeneralizing from one city to all Neolithic societies. Choice (A) is not stated; the passage gives a date but does not claim it is the oldest city.

9. Ans: (D) – contradicted
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The settlement pattern "defied conventional assumptions" (line 3) by presenting evidence that went against what researchers expected, thus contradicting their theories. Choice (A) "resisted" suggests active opposition rather than simple contradiction. Choice (C) "disobeyed" applies to rules or commands, not assumptions.

10. Ans: (B) – descending through roof openings using ladders
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that "residents entered their homes through openings in the roof, climbing down interior ladders" (lines 7-8). Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which states there was "no central plaza" (line 4). Choice (C) is wrong because the houses were built side by side with no corridors mentioned.

11. Ans: (B) – the site lacked features they believed were essential to urban organization
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states the architectural peculiarity "puzzled researchers, who had long assumed that urban development necessarily involved...communal gathering spaces and transportation corridors" (lines 10-13). Choice (A) is not mentioned; dating is given as approximately 7500 BCE without indication of difficulty. Choice (C) is unsupported; abandonment is not discussed.

12. Ans: (C) – provide evidence supporting the claim of social equality
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The chemical analysis showing similar diets (lines 23-24) directly supports the paragraph’s claim about "absence of social hierarchy" (line 19). Choice (A) is not mentioned in connection with the skeletal analysis. Choice (D) confuses two separate details; waste disposal is mentioned earlier (lines 16-17).

13. Ans: (B) – Most urban centers that developed after Çatalhöyük exhibited greater social inequality
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage contrasts Çatalhöyük with "later urban centers, which typically featured palatial residences for elites and humble dwellings for laborers" (lines 21-23), implying inequality became typical. Choice (A) reverses what is stated; equality "persisted for over a millennium" (line 26). Choice (D) is too broad, overgeneralizing from one site to all Turkish settlements.

14. Ans: (C) – inform readers about an ancient city that challenges assumptions about urban development
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage presents factual information about how Çatalhöyük "defied conventional assumptions" (line 3) and "challenged the assumption that inequality inevitably accompanies urbanization" (lines 26-27). Choice (A) is wrong because the author makes no argument about modern cities. Choice (B) is too narrow; excavation techniques are mentioned only briefly.

15. Ans: (B) – explain the broken promises made to his people and argue for their right to return home
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. Chief Joseph focuses on the Government’s broken promise that his people "could return to our own country" (lines 8-9) and argues they should "live quietly in the place of our fathers" (line 12). Choice (A) is incorrect; he speaks of hoping to be "done with war" (line 11). Choice (D) is not mentioned anywhere in the speech.

16. Ans: (A) – satisfied
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The sentence argues that a free person cannot be "contented when penned up and denied liberty" (lines 19-20), meaning satisfied with such conditions. Choice (B) "filled" is a different meaning of content that does not fit the context. Choice (D) "healthy" relates to the subsequent phrase "grow and prosper" but is not the meaning of contented.

17. Ans: (B) – General Miles promised they could return to their homeland
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Chief Joseph explicitly states that General Miles "sent word that if we would come out and give up our arms, we could return to our own country" (lines 6-9). Choice (A) may be true but is not stated as the reason in the passage. Choice (C) is not mentioned as a factor in the surrender decision.

18. Ans: (C) – demonstrate that confinement prevents natural growth and well-being
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The analogy asks if a tied horse will "grow fat" (line 21), then parallels this to an Indian who "will not be contented, nor will he grow and prosper" when confined (lines 22-23). Choice (B) is too narrow and negative; the analogy is about natural needs, not dehumanization. Choice (A) misses the point; the analogy is not about cultural importance but about universal needs.

19. Ans: (B) – all people deserve equal rights and freedom
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The statement that all are brothers made by the same creator leads directly to "all people should have equal rights upon it" (lines 16-17). Choice (A) is wrong; Chief Joseph is not comparing religions but arguing for universal equality. Choice (C) is too narrow; while he opposes war, the statement in question supports the broader equality argument.

20. Ans: (C) – dignified and earnest
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Chief Joseph speaks with formal respect ("My friends," line 1) while seriously presenting his people’s grievances and philosophical arguments (lines 14-23). Choice (A) is too extreme; while he describes injustice, he does not express vengefulness. Choice (B) is incorrect because he actively argues for change rather than accepting defeat.