Reading Passage for HSPT - 32

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 telegram arrived on a Tuesday, slipped under the door of the bakery just as Marguerite was pulling the first batch of rolls from the oven. She saw the yellow envelope and knew, before touching it, that her brother would not be coming home from (5) the war. Her hands, still warm from the bread, trembled as she broke the seal. The words blurred together, official and cold, but she forced herself to read each one twice. Outside, the streets of Montreal were waking up – the milk cart rattling past, the neighbor’s (10) dog barking at the pigeons – and it seemed impossible that the world could continue so unchanged.
    She folded the telegram carefully and placed it in her apron pocket, then returned to the counter where a mound of dough waited to be shaped. Her father (15) would be down soon, expecting the morning’s work to be finished. She could not tell him yet. He had aged ten years in the months since Henri left, his shoulders curving inward as though bracing against a wind only he could feel. This news would break him entirely. (20) So Marguerite kneaded the dough with mechanical precision, her mind far away, until she heard his footsteps on the stairs.

1. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. describe the daily routine of a bakery in wartime Montreal
2. portray a character receiving devastating news and choosing to postpone sharing it
3. explain the impact of war on immigrant communities in Canada
4. contrast the chaos of war with the peacefulness of domestic life

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

1. aquatic mammal
2. official stamp
3. closure on an envelope
4. waterproof coating

3. According to the passage, Marguerite recognized the telegram’s significance because

1. it was addressed to her father
2. she had been expecting bad news for months
3. the yellow envelope indicated its nature before she opened it
4. the delivery person told her its contents

4. The description of the street sounds in lines 8–11 primarily serves to

1. establish the historical time period of the narrative
2. emphasize the contrast between Marguerite’s grief and the ordinary world continuing around her
3. show that Marguerite is easily distracted from her work
4. suggest that the neighborhood is too noisy for a bakery

5. It can be inferred from the passage that Marguerite decides not to tell her father immediately because

1. she doubts the telegram’s accuracy
2. she fears his emotional fragility and wants to protect him
3. she plans to verify the information first
4. she believes he already knows about Henri’s death

6. The phrase “aged ten years” in line 16 is best understood as

1. a literal description of how long Henri has been gone
2. an exaggeration meant to convey the father’s rapid physical and emotional decline
3. a reference to a specific medical condition
4. an indication that the father is actually much older than he appears

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

1. bitter and resentful
2. somber and restrained
3. hopeful and optimistic
4. detached and analytical

Passage 2

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

    The discovery of 400,000-year-old wooden spears at Schöningen, Germany, has fundamentally altered our understanding of early human cognitive capabilities. Before this find, many anthropologists assumed that sophisticated hunting weapons emerged only with anatomically modern humans, perhaps (5) 100,000 years ago. The Schöningen spears, however, were crafted by Homo heidelbergensis, a predecessor species, demonstrating that complex tool manufacture and forward planning existed far earlier in human evolution than previously believed.
    Each spear measures between six and (10) seven feet in length and was carved from spruce trunks, with the center of gravity deliberately positioned in the front third of the shaft – precisely the design needed for an effective throwing weapon. The makers selected young trees, harvested them, stripped the bark, and shaped the wood while it was still (15) green, indicating they understood material properties and possessed patience to execute a multi-step manufacturing process. These were not crude clubs or sharpened sticks picked up opportunistically; they were engineered tools requiring hours of skilled labor.
    The implications extend beyond (20) toolmaking itself. Creating such weapons suggests that Homo heidelbergensis engaged in coordinated group hunting of large game, an activity demanding communication, social organization, and strategic thinking – cognitive abilities once considered unique to our own species.

8. The main idea of this passage is that

1. the Schöningen spears prove that early humans were more violent than previously thought
2. wooden tools are better preserved than stone tools in the archaeological record
3. ancient spears found in Germany reveal advanced cognitive abilities in a human ancestor species
4. Homo heidelbergensis was more intelligent than modern humans

9. According to the passage, before the Schöningen discovery, many anthropologists believed that sophisticated hunting weapons first appeared

1. 400,000 years ago
2. with Homo heidelbergensis
3. around 100,000 years ago
4. in Germany

10. As used in line 8, the word predecessor most nearly means

1. ancestor
2. competitor
3. neighbor
4. descendant

11. The passage indicates that the center of gravity of the spears was positioned in the front third because

1. spruce wood is denser at one end
2. this design makes the spear effective for throwing
3. the makers lacked tools to balance the weight evenly
4. the spears were meant to be used as digging implements

12. The author’s description of the spear-making process in lines 13–17 primarily serves to

1. demonstrate the superiority of spruce over other wood types
2. show the deliberate, skilled nature of the manufacturing process
3. prove that Homo heidelbergensis had knowledge of modern forestry
4. explain why so few wooden artifacts survive from this period

13. It can be inferred from the final paragraph that the author believes the significance of the spears lies primarily in what they reveal about

1. the diet of Homo heidelbergensis
2. the climate of ancient Germany
3. the social and cognitive complexity of an ancient human species
4. the techniques for preserving wooden artifacts

14. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the author’s argument that the spears indicate advanced planning?

1. Evidence that the spears were made quickly from pre-shaped branches with minimal modification
2. Discovery of similar spears at other European sites
3. Proof that spruce trees were abundant in the region
4. Analysis showing the spears were used for fishing rather than hunting large game

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband John Adams on March 31, 1776.

    I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and (5) favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves (10) bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.
    That your sex are naturally tyrannical is a truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute; but such of you as wish to be happy willingly give up (15) the harsh title of master for the more tender and endearing one of friend. Why, then, not put it out of the power of the vicious and the lawless to use us with cruelty and indignity with impunity? Men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the (20) vassals of your sex.

15. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. request that her husband return home from Philadelphia
2. urge that women’s rights be considered in the formation of new laws
3. criticize the Continental Congress for moving too slowly
4. describe the daily hardships faced by women during the Revolution

16. As used in line 9, the word foment most nearly means

1. prevent
2. instigate
3. document
4. suppress

17. According to the passage, Adams argues that women will not feel bound by laws that

1. are passed by the British Parliament
2. contradict their religious beliefs
3. are created without their voice or representation
4. favor wealthy landowners over common citizens

18. The phrase “all men would be tyrants if they could” (line 7) suggests that Adams believes

1. only a few men are capable of self-restraint
2. power tends to corrupt those who hold it unless restrained by law
3. her husband is particularly tyrannical
4. the American Revolution is doomed to fail

19. In lines 14–16, Adams contrasts the terms “master” and “friend” in order to

1. suggest that marriage should be based on equality rather than domination
2. argue that women should have authority over their husbands
3. prove that most marriages in her time were unhappy
4. show that she disagrees with her husband’s political views

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

1. pleading and submissive
2. angry and hostile
3. earnest and persuasive, with touches of irony
4. objective and dispassionate

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – portray a character receiving devastating news and choosing to postpone sharing it
Explanation: This is a Main Idea/Author’s Purpose question. The passage centers on Marguerite receiving the telegram about her brother’s death and her decision to delay telling her father, as shown in lines 14–19. Choice (A) is too narrow, focusing only on the bakery setting rather than the emotional core of the passage. Choice (C) introduces a theme not actually discussed in the text.

2. Ans: (C) – closure on an envelope
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 6, Marguerite “broke the seal” of the telegram envelope, referring to the closure that keeps it shut. Choice (A) is a different meaning of the same word but makes no sense in context. Choice (B), while related to official documents, does not fit the action of breaking.

3. Ans: (C) – the yellow envelope indicated its nature before she opened it
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 3–5 state that she “saw the yellow envelope and knew, before touching it, that her brother would not be coming home,” indicating that the yellow color itself signaled the telegram’s tragic nature. Choice (B) may seem plausible but is not stated in the passage. Choice (D) is entirely unsupported by the text.

4. Ans: (B) – emphasize the contrast between Marguerite’s grief and the ordinary world continuing around her
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The passage explicitly states after describing the street sounds that “it seemed impossible that the world could continue so unchanged” (lines 10–11), highlighting the contrast between her devastating news and normal life. Choice (A) is too narrow; while the details may suggest time period, that is not their primary function. Choice (C) contradicts the passage, as Marguerite is not distracted but rather struck by the contrast.

5. Ans: (B) – she fears his emotional fragility and wants to protect him
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 15–19 describe the father as having “aged ten years” and state that “this news would break him entirely,” leading Marguerite to withhold the information. Choice (A) is unsupported; she reads the telegram twice but shows no sign of doubting it. Choice (D) contradicts the passage, which shows she is concealing information he does not yet have.

6. Ans: (B) – an exaggeration meant to convey the father’s rapid physical and emotional decline
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The phrase “aged ten years” in line 16 is clearly figurative language describing how worry has physically affected the father in the months since Henri left, not a literal time measurement. Choice (A) reverses the relationship; Henri has been gone for months, not ten years. Choice (C) is unsupported by any medical language in the passage.

7. Ans: (B) – somber and restrained
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage deals with death and grief but maintains a quiet, controlled quality in its description of Marguerite’s response and her decision to continue working (lines 20–22). Choice (A) is too extreme; there is sadness but no bitterness. Choice (C) contradicts the tragic content entirely.

8. Ans: (C) – ancient spears found in Germany reveal advanced cognitive abilities in a human ancestor species
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage opens by stating the discovery “has fundamentally altered our understanding of early human cognitive capabilities” (lines 2–4) and concludes by discussing the cognitive implications (lines 20–24). Choice (A) distorts the passage’s focus; hunting is mentioned but violence is not the theme. Choice (D) reverses the comparison stated in the passage.

9. Ans: (C) – around 100,000 years ago
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 4–6 state that “many anthropologists assumed that sophisticated hunting weapons emerged only with anatomically modern humans, perhaps 100,000 years ago.” Choice (A) is the age of the Schöningen spears, not when scientists previously thought such weapons emerged. Choice (B) is what the discovery proved, not what was previously believed.

10. Ans: (A) – ancestor
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 8, Homo heidelbergensis is described as “a predecessor species,” meaning an earlier species in the evolutionary line leading to modern humans. Choice (D) is the opposite relationship. Choice (B), while sometimes used similarly to predecessor, does not fit the evolutionary context established in the passage.

11. Ans: (B) – this design makes the spear effective for throwing
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 11–13 explicitly state the center of gravity was “precisely the design needed for an effective throwing weapon.” Choice (A) uses a word from the passage (spruce) but invents an explanation not provided in the text. Choice (D) contradicts the passage’s identification of these as hunting weapons.

12. Ans: (B) – show the deliberate, skilled nature of the manufacturing process
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The detailed description of selecting young trees, harvesting, stripping bark, and shaping while green demonstrates that “they understood material properties and possessed patience to execute a multi-step manufacturing process” (lines 15–17). Choice (A) is too narrow and not the primary purpose of this description. Choice (C) overstates the claim; understanding wood properties is not the same as “modern forestry.”

13. Ans: (C) – the social and cognitive complexity of an ancient human species
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The final paragraph (lines 19–24) states the implications involve “coordinated group hunting,” “communication, social organization, and strategic thinking,” all cognitive abilities. Choice (A) is mentioned but presented as evidence for the larger point about cognition, not as the primary significance. Choice (B) is not discussed in the passage at all.

14. Ans: (A) – Evidence that the spears were made quickly from pre-shaped branches with minimal modification
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The author’s argument for advanced planning rests on the multi-step, time-consuming manufacturing process described in lines 13–17; evidence of quick, minimal work would undermine this claim. Choice (B) would actually strengthen the argument by showing the behavior was widespread. Choice (C) is irrelevant to whether making the spears required planning.

15. Ans: (B) – urge that women’s rights be considered in the formation of new laws
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Adams explicitly asks her husband to “remember the ladies” in the “new code of laws” (lines 3–5) and argues for legal protections for women throughout. Choice (A) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage. Choice (D) is too broad; while she references hardships implicitly, describing them is not the purpose.

16. Ans: (B) – instigate
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 9, Adams warns that women “are determined to foment a rebellion,” meaning to stir up or instigate one. Choice (A) is the opposite of the intended meaning. Choice (D) is also contradictory to the context of threatening rebellion.

17. Ans: (C) – are created without their voice or representation
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 9–10 state that women “will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” Choice (A) uses the word “laws” but the passage is about American laws being created, not British ones. Choice (B) is not mentioned in the passage.

18. Ans: (B) – power tends to corrupt those who hold it unless restrained by law
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The statement in line 7 is used to argue for legal protections against the abuse of unlimited power (lines 5–6), suggesting that human nature requires institutional checks. Choice (C) misreads the statement as personal rather than general. Choice (A) is too narrow and not supported by the text’s focus on legal structures.

19. Ans: (A) – suggest that marriage should be based on equality rather than domination
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. Adams contrasts the “harsh title of master” with “the more tender and endearing one of friend” (lines 14–16) to argue for a relationship model based on mutuality rather than power. Choice (B) reverses the power structure in a way Adams does not advocate. Choice (D) is unsupported; the letter shows her attempting to persuade him, not expressing disagreement with his views.

20. Ans: (C) – earnest and persuasive, with touches of irony
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Adams makes a serious argument for women’s rights but uses ironic language such as the mock-threat of rebellion (lines 8–10) and the phrase “naturally tyrannical” (line 12). Choice (A) contradicts the assertive, confident tone of the threatened rebellion. Choice (B) is too extreme; while she is critical, the tone remains persuasive rather than hostile.