Reading Passage for HSPT - 27

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 with a metallic groan, and Marjorie pressed her gloved hand against the cool window glass. Beyond the streaked pane, the smokestacks of Manchester receded into a gray haze, each chimney exhaling its own column of soot into the October sky. She had not imagined (5) that leaving would feel so much like theft-as though she were smuggling away not merely herself but some essential piece of her father’s design for her future.
    In her lap lay the letter, folded and refolded until the creases had begun to fray. Her Aunt Violet had written in that brisk, unsentimental hand: “The position is yours if you want it. (10) The school is small, the pay modest, but you will have your independence.” Independence. The word had shimmered before Marjorie like a coin at the bottom of a well-distant, tantalizing, and requiring a certain recklessness to retrieve.
    Across from her sat a woman in widow’s weeds, her face obscured by a heavy veil. The (15) woman had not stirred since Bradford, and Marjorie wondered whether she slept or merely wished to be left undisturbed. In the silence, Marjorie’s thoughts turned unbidden to her father’s face that morning-not angry, as she had feared, but bewildered, as if she had suddenly begun speaking a language he had never taught her. (20)

1. Which of the following best describes the main focus of the passage?

1. A young woman’s journey toward self-determination despite family expectations
2. The environmental pollution of industrial Manchester in the nineteenth century
3. The relationship between a father and daughter during a period of economic hardship
4. The development of railway travel in Victorian England

2. As used in line 5, the word “design” most nearly means

1. artistic pattern
2. architectural blueprint
3. planned intention
4. decorative sketch

3. The passage suggests that Marjorie’s decision to leave Manchester was

1. encouraged by her father as a means of securing better employment
2. made reluctantly and with a sense of guilt about defying her father
3. prompted by a desire to escape the polluted air of the industrial city
4. motivated solely by financial necessity and modest wages

4. The description of independence as “a coin at the bottom of a well” (lines 11-12) suggests that Marjorie views independence as

1. something valuable but difficult and risky to obtain
2. an illusion that disappears upon closer inspection
3. a treasure that has been lost and cannot be recovered
4. a monetary goal that requires saving and careful planning

5. According to the passage, Aunt Violet’s letter offered Marjorie

1. a teaching position with a small salary
2. temporary housing in her aunt’s residence
3. financial support to continue her formal education
4. an introduction to potential suitors in a new city

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

1. bitterly resentful and accusatory
2. reflective and tinged with apprehension
3. cheerfully optimistic and carefree
4. coldly analytical and detached

7. Marjorie’s father’s reaction to her departure is characterized as

1. violent and threatening
2. supportive and encouraging
3. confused and hurt
4. indifferent and dismissive

Passage 2

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

    For nearly a century, scientists believed that the deep ocean floor was a barren wasteland, devoid of life and geologically inert. This assumption shattered in 1977 when geologists exploring the Galápagos Rift discovered hydrothermal vents-fissures in the seafloor spewing superheated, mineral-rich water into the frigid depths. More astonishing than (5) the vents themselves was the thriving ecosystem surrounding them: tube worms nearly two meters long, eyeless shrimp, and pale crabs, all flourishing in absolute darkness, far beyond the reach of sunlight.
    The existence of these communities fundamentally challenged our understanding of how life obtains energy. On the ocean surface and on land, photosynthesis forms the base of nearly every food web. (10) Plants and algae convert sunlight into chemical energy, which then flows through herbivores to predators. But at depths exceeding two kilometers, where no photon of sunlight penetrates, a different process sustains life: chemosynthesis. Specialized bacteria oxidize hydrogen sulfide-a compound toxic to most organisms-and use the released energy to produce organic molecules from carbon dioxide. These bacteria, in turn, (15) support the entire vent community, either living freely in the water or forming symbiotic relationships with larger organisms.
    The tube worm Riftia pachyptila exemplifies this symbiosis. Lacking both mouth and digestive system, the adult worm houses chemosynthetic bacteria within a specialized organ called the trophosome. The worm’s bright red plume absorbs hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, and carbon dioxide from (20) the surrounding water, delivering these compounds to its bacterial partners, which manufacture nutrients for both organisms. This collaboration allows Riftia to thrive in an environment that would be lethal to most complex life forms.

8. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. argue that chemosynthesis is more efficient than photosynthesis in producing energy
2. explain how deep-sea organisms survive without sunlight through chemosynthesis
3. describe the geographic distribution of hydrothermal vents across ocean floors
4. trace the complete history of deep-sea exploration from 1977 to the present

9. According to the passage, the discovery of hydrothermal vents occurred in

1. the early twentieth century
2. 1977 near the Galápagos Islands
3. absolute darkness at the ocean surface
4. an area previously known for photosynthetic organisms

10. As used in line 9, the word “base” most nearly means

1. bottom surface
2. military installation
3. foundational level
4. chemical compound

11. The passage indicates that chemosynthetic bacteria produce organic molecules by

1. absorbing sunlight that penetrates to moderate ocean depths
2. oxidizing hydrogen sulfide and using the resulting energy
3. consuming smaller photosynthetic organisms near the surface
4. extracting nutrients from the digestive systems of tube worms

12. The author’s discussion of Riftia pachyptila primarily serves to

1. illustrate a specific example of symbiosis between organisms and chemosynthetic bacteria
2. demonstrate that all deep-sea creatures lack mouths and digestive systems
3. prove that tube worms are more evolutionarily advanced than other vent species
4. explain why hydrogen sulfide is toxic to most forms of marine life

13. It can be inferred from the passage that before 1977, scientists believed deep ocean environments were

1. teeming with unique life forms adapted to extreme pressure
2. largely lifeless due to the absence of sunlight and nutrients
3. sustained by chemosynthetic processes similar to those on land
4. home to organisms that had migrated from shallower waters

14. The passage suggests that the relationship between Riftia pachyptila and its bacteria is best characterized as

1. parasitic, with the bacteria harming their host organism
2. competitive, with both organisms vying for limited resources
3. mutually beneficial, with each organism supporting the other
4. predatory, with the worm consuming bacteria for nutrition

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a historical speech.

    The question before us is not whether we shall have reform, but what manner of reform we shall accept. For too long, this body has contented itself with half-measures and compromises that satisfy no one and solve nothing. We tinker at the edges of great problems while the foundations crumble beneath our feet. (5)
    Gentlemen speak of caution, of prudence, of the wisdom of gradual change. I do not dispute that caution has its place. But there are moments in the life of a nation when caution becomes cowardice, when prudence becomes paralysis. This is such a moment. The working people of this country do not ask for charity; they ask for justice. They do not (10) demand revolution; they demand recognition-recognition that their labor has value, that their families deserve protection, that their children merit education and opportunity.
    Some say we cannot afford such reforms, that the cost would cripple industry and commerce. I say we cannot afford to maintain the present system. Every child who enters a factory instead of a schoolroom represents not merely a personal (15) tragedy but a national loss. Every worker injured without compensation, every family plunged into destitution by illness or unemployment-these are not unfortunate incidents but indictments of our collective failure. If we possess the wealth to build great enterprises and amass fortunes, surely we possess the resources to ensure that those who create that wealth share in its benefits. (20)

15. The central argument of the passage is that

1. the nation should abolish all industrial enterprises that employ children
2. meaningful reform is urgently needed rather than minor adjustments to existing policies
3. caution and prudence are never appropriate responses to social problems
4. revolution is the only solution to the injustices faced by working people

16. As used in line 8, the word “paralysis” most nearly means

1. physical disability
2. complete inability to act
3. medical diagnosis
4. temporary confusion

17. According to the passage, working people are seeking

1. charitable donations and financial assistance from the government
2. fair treatment and acknowledgment of their contributions
3. the complete overthrow of the current economic system
4. immediate employment in factories for their children

18. The speaker’s reference to “half-measures and compromises” (line 3) suggests that previous reform efforts have been

1. completely successful in addressing social problems
2. too radical and have destabilized the economy
3. inadequate and ineffective in solving fundamental issues
4. focused exclusively on the needs of industrial owners

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

1. detached and scholarly
2. humorous and lighthearted
3. urgent and persuasive
4. bitter and defeated

20. The speaker’s statement that “we cannot afford to maintain the present system” (line 13) serves to

1. refute the economic argument against reform by reframing it as a moral imperative
2. acknowledge that the nation lacks sufficient financial resources for any changes
3. propose that industries should be allowed to operate without government interference
4. suggest that all wealth should be redistributed equally among citizens

Answer Key

1. Ans: (A) – A young woman’s journey toward self-determination despite family expectations
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses centrally on Marjorie’s departure from Manchester to accept a teaching position against her father’s wishes, emphasizing her pursuit of independence (lines 10-12) and her father’s bewilderment at her choice (lines 17-20). Choice (B) is too narrow, as pollution is merely background detail in line 4. Choice (D) is incorrect because railway travel is simply the setting, not the focus of the passage.

2. Ans: (C) – planned intention
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 5, Marjorie feels she is taking something from “her father’s design for her future,” meaning his planned intentions or expectations for what her life should be. Choice (A) is incorrect because “design” here refers to plans, not artistic patterns. Choice (B) is wrong because “design” is used metaphorically, not literally as an architectural blueprint.

3. Ans: (B) – made reluctantly and with a sense of guilt about defying her father
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage describes her departure as feeling “like theft” (line 5), suggests independence required “recklessness” (line 12), and notes her father’s bewildered face (lines 17-20), all indicating reluctance and guilt. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, as her father appears opposed, not encouraging. Choice (D) is too narrow, focusing only on wages mentioned in line 10 rather than the broader emotional context.

4. Ans: (A) – something valuable but difficult and risky to obtain
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The simile describes independence as “distant, tantalizing, and requiring a certain recklessness to retrieve” (lines 11-12), indicating it is desirable but challenging and risky to attain. Choice (B) reverses the meaning, as independence is real and attainable, not illusory. Choice (C) is incorrect because the coin, though distant, can still be retrieved, not lost forever.

5. Ans: (A) – a teaching position with a small salary
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Aunt Violet’s letter explicitly states “The position is yours” at “The school” with “pay modest” (lines 8-10), clearly indicating a teaching position with small salary. Choice (B) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage. Choice (C) distorts the passage, which mentions a job, not continued education.

6. Ans: (B) – reflective and tinged with apprehension
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage conveys Marjorie’s thoughtful consideration of her decision through descriptions like “thoughts turned unbidden” (line 17) and the anxiety implicit in her guilt and her father’s bewilderment (lines 5, 18-20). Choice (A) is incorrect because while there is some guilt, there is no bitterness or accusation. Choice (C) is wrong because the mood includes apprehension and guilt, not carefree optimism.

7. Ans: (C) – confused and hurt
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly describes the father as “not angry, as she had feared, but bewildered” (lines 18-19), indicating confusion and emotional pain. Choice (A) contradicts line 18, which states he was not angry. Choice (B) is incorrect because bewilderment suggests lack of understanding, not support.

8. Ans: (B) – explain how deep-sea organisms survive without sunlight through chemosynthesis
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage introduces hydrothermal vents (lines 3-6), contrasts chemosynthesis with photosynthesis (lines 8-15), and provides the specific example of Riftia (lines 17-22) to explain survival without sunlight. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage never argues chemosynthesis is more efficient, only different. Choice (D) is too broad, as the passage focuses on the 1977 discovery and its implications, not the complete history of exploration.

9. Ans: (B) – 1977 near the Galápagos Islands
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 2-3 explicitly state that “in 1977 when geologists exploring the Galápagos Rift discovered hydrothermal vents.” Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which states the discovery occurred in 1977, not the early twentieth century. Choice (C) distorts information from line 6, which describes darkness as a characteristic of the environment, not a location.

10. Ans: (C) – foundational level
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 9, “photosynthesis forms the base of nearly every food web” means it provides the foundational level on which other organisms depend. Choice (A) is a common meaning of “base” but incorrect in this context about energy flow. Choice (D) uses “base” in a chemical sense, which is irrelevant to the discussion of food webs.

11. Ans: (B) – oxidizing hydrogen sulfide and using the resulting energy
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 12-14 state that bacteria “oxidize hydrogen sulfide” and “use the released energy to produce organic molecules from carbon dioxide.” Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which emphasizes that no sunlight reaches these depths (line 11). Choice (C) is not mentioned and contradicts the chemosynthetic process described.

12. Ans: (A) – illustrate a specific example of symbiosis between organisms and chemosynthetic bacteria
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The third paragraph uses Riftia pachyptila as a concrete example (“exemplifies this symbiosis,” line 17) to demonstrate the symbiotic relationship described generally in line 16. Choice (B) overgeneralizes, as the passage describes only Riftia as lacking these features, not all deep-sea creatures. Choice (C) is not stated; the passage makes no claims about evolutionary advancement.

13. Ans: (B) – largely lifeless due to the absence of sunlight and nutrients
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 1-2 state that scientists “believed that the deep ocean floor was a barren wasteland, devoid of life,” indicating they thought it lacked organisms because conditions seemed inhospitable. Choice (A) contradicts the passage’s description of pre-1977 beliefs as assuming the ocean was “devoid of life.” Choice (C) is incorrect because chemosynthesis was unknown before the 1977 discovery.

14. Ans: (C) – mutually beneficial, with each organism supporting the other
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 17-22 describe how the worm provides chemicals to bacteria while bacteria “manufacture nutrients for both organisms,” indicating mutual benefit (“symbiotic relationships,” line 16). Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which describes symbiosis, not parasitism. Choice (D) is incorrect because the bacteria produce nutrients for the worm, which lacks a digestive system (line 17).

15. Ans: (B) – meaningful reform is urgently needed rather than minor adjustments to existing policies
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The speaker criticizes “half-measures and compromises” (line 3), states “there are moments…when caution becomes cowardice” (lines 6-8), and argues for substantive change throughout. Choice (C) overstates the argument; the speaker acknowledges “caution has its place” (line 6). Choice (D) contradicts lines 9-10, where workers “do not demand revolution.”

16. Ans: (B) – complete inability to act
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 8, the speaker argues that excessive “prudence becomes paralysis,” meaning that overcaution leads to complete inability to take necessary action on reforms. Choice (A) refers to the literal medical meaning of paralysis, not the metaphorical sense used here. Choice (D) is too weak; “paralysis” suggests total inaction, not mere confusion.

17. Ans: (B) – fair treatment and acknowledgment of their contributions
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 8-11 state that workers “do not ask for charity; they ask for justice” and “demand recognition-recognition that their labor has value.” Choice (A) contradicts line 8, which explicitly states they do not ask for charity. Choice (C) contradicts lines 9-10, which state they “do not demand revolution.”

18. Ans: (C) – inadequate and ineffective in solving fundamental issues
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The speaker criticizes previous reforms as measures that “satisfy no one and solve nothing” and describes them as tinkering “at the edges of great problems” (lines 2-4), indicating ineffectiveness. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which states these measures “solve nothing.” Choice (B) reverses the speaker’s criticism, as the complaint is that reforms are too timid, not too radical.

19. Ans: (C) – urgent and persuasive
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The speaker uses emphatic language like “This is such a moment” (line 8), rhetorical questions (line 1), and appeals to justice (lines 8-11) to persuade the audience of the need for immediate action. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passionate, argumentative language is far from detached. Choice (D) is wrong because the tone is forceful and hopeful about reform, not defeated.

20. Ans: (A) – refute the economic argument against reform by reframing it as a moral imperative
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The speaker responds to those who say “we cannot afford such reforms” (line 13) by arguing the moral and practical costs of inaction are greater, describing child labor and worker injury as “indictments” (line 17). Choice (B) contradicts the passage, as the speaker argues the nation does have resources (lines 17-19). Choice (D) is not stated; the speaker advocates for sharing benefits, not equal redistribution.