Reading Passage for HSPT - 37

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 ferry had already pulled away from the dock when Marianne noticed the leather satchel wedged beneath the bench opposite hers. She glanced around the cabin, but the other passengers seemed absorbed in their own concerns: a young mother (5) wrestling with a squirming toddler, an elderly man reading a newspaper folded into precise quarters, two teenagers sharing a pair of earbuds. The satchel sat unclaimed, its brass buckles gleaming dully in the morning light that slanted through the salt-streaked windows.
    Marianne had always (10) prided herself on minding her own business, a trait her late husband had called admirable and her sister had called cold. But something about the satchel nagged at her. Perhaps it was the initials embossed on the flap—J.R.M.—or the way it seemed deliberately placed, as if waiting. She reached for it, then (15) hesitated. The ferry would dock in twenty minutes at Bainbridge Island, and whoever owned it might be waiting on deck, oblivious to the bag’s location.
    She stood and made her way to the stairs, steadying herself against the gentle roll of the vessel. On deck, the wind cut sharp and clean, (20) carrying the smell of diesel and seaweed. No one looked worried or searching. Marianne returned to her seat, the satchel still there, patient and silent.

1. The passage is primarily concerned with

1. Marianne’s journey to Bainbridge Island for a family reunion
2. a moment of uncertainty about whether to intervene in a situation
3. the contrast between urban and island life in the Pacific Northwest
4. Marianne’s grief over the recent loss of her husband

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

1. soaked
2. understood
3. engrossed
4. assimilated

3. The description of the elderly man’s newspaper as “folded into precise quarters” (line 7) suggests that he is

1. methodical and orderly
2. struggling with poor eyesight
3. anxious about arriving on time
4. reading an especially large newspaper

4. According to the passage, Marianne’s sister would most likely describe Marianne as

1. emotionally distant
2. admirably self-reliant
3. excessively curious
4. deeply compassionate

5. It can be inferred from the passage that Marianne suspects the satchel

1. belongs to one of the teenagers with earbuds
2. was stolen and then abandoned by a thief
3. may have been left intentionally rather than forgotten
4. contains valuable items worth a significant amount of money

6. The passage suggests that Marianne goes up to the deck primarily to

1. escape the stuffiness of the enclosed cabin
2. determine whether the satchel’s owner might be there
3. enjoy the view of the approaching island
4. ask the crew about lost and found procedures

7. The tone of the final sentence of the passage is best described as

1. anxious and foreboding
2. detached and observational
3. playful and ironic
4. sentimental and nostalgic

Passage 2

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

    Deep beneath the Antarctic ice sheet, a vast network of lakes remains liquid despite surface temperatures that plummet to minus ninety degrees Fahrenheit. Lake Vostok, the largest of these subglacial reservoirs, lies more than two miles below the ice, sealed off from (5) the atmosphere for an estimated fifteen million years. Scientists have long speculated about what forms of life, if any, might persist in such extreme isolation. Recent drilling projects have begun to provide answers, though the technical and ethical challenges of sampling these pristine environments remain formidable.
    The lakes survive (10) in liquid form due to a combination of geothermal heat rising from the Earth’s interior and the immense pressure exerted by the overlying ice. This pressure lowers the freezing point of water, allowing it to remain fluid at temperatures well below zero degrees Celsius. But the conditions that permit liquid water also create an (15) ecosystem utterly unlike those found on the surface. No sunlight penetrates the ice ceiling, so photosynthesis is impossible. Any life present must derive energy from chemical processes, much as organisms do at hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor.
    In 2013, Russian researchers successfully retrieved water samples from (20) Lake Vostok, and preliminary analyses detected microbial DNA from thousands of species, including bacteria capable of surviving extreme cold and total darkness. These findings suggest that life can endure in conditions previously thought incompatible with biological activity, raising intriguing possibilities for the search for life on ice-covered moons such as Europa and Enceladus.

8. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. argue that funding for Antarctic research should be increased
2. explain how subglacial lakes remain liquid and what life they may contain
3. compare Antarctic ecosystems with those found on Jupiter’s moons
4. describe the technical difficulties of drilling through polar ice

9. According to the passage, Lake Vostok has been isolated from the atmosphere for approximately

1. two million years
2. fifteen million years
3. ninety million years
4. two hundred million years

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

1. impressive
2. daunting
3. structured
4. forbidden

11. The passage indicates that water remains liquid beneath the Antarctic ice due to

1. chemical reactions between minerals and ice
2. seasonal variations in surface temperature
3. geothermal heat and pressure from the ice above
4. currents flowing from warmer ocean regions

12. The author mentions hydrothermal vents (line 17) in order to

1. provide an example of another lightless environment where life uses chemical energy
2. suggest that subglacial lakes are connected to underwater volcanic systems
3. argue that ocean ecosystems are more diverse than Antarctic ones
4. explain how geothermal heat is generated in the Earth’s crust

13. It can be inferred from the passage that photosynthesis cannot occur in subglacial lakes because

1. the water temperature is too cold for plant life
2. no sunlight reaches the lakes beneath the ice
3. the pressure is too great for organisms to survive
4. the lakes contain no carbon dioxide

14. The passage suggests that the discovery of microbial life in Lake Vostok is significant primarily because it

1. confirms that bacteria evolved earlier than previously believed
2. demonstrates that life can exist in extremely harsh conditions
3. proves that Antarctica was once a tropical environment
4. shows that Russian drilling technology is superior to other methods

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a historical speech.

    I stand before you today not as a politician seeking favor, nor as a scholar wielding abstractions, but as a farmer who has worked the same red clay soil my grandfather worked before me. You ask why I oppose the consolidation of the railroad lines under (5) the proposed Eastern Trust. I will tell you plainly. For thirty years I have shipped my cotton to Savannah, and for thirty years the rates have climbed while the service has declined. When a single company controls every mile of track between here and the coast, what remedy have we? When the freight agent answers our (10) complaints with a shrug and says, “Ship by another line,” knowing full well no other line exists, what is that but tyranny in a frock coat?
    Some will say I speak from ignorance of modern commerce, that efficiency demands scale, that competition is wasteful. But I have read Mr. Carnegie’s (15) essays, and I have studied the arguments of the trust’s proponents. Efficiency for whom? Not for the farmer who watches his profit margin shrink while the railroad’s dividends swell. Scale for what purpose? Not to improve the lot of the common man, but to concentrate wealth in fewer hands. I ask you to remember that a (20) republic rests upon the independence of its citizens, and independence requires the freedom to choose. Let us not trade our birthright for the hollow promise of progress.

15. The speaker’s main purpose in this speech is to

1. advocate for government ownership of all railroad companies
2. persuade the audience to reject the railroad consolidation
3. propose alternative methods of shipping agricultural products
4. celebrate the achievements of independent farmers

16. As used in line 5, the word proposed most nearly means

1. suggested
2. assumed
3. married
4. nominated

17. The phrase “tyranny in a frock coat” (line 11) suggests that the speaker views the railroad trust as

1. an old-fashioned institution resistant to change
2. oppressive power disguised in respectable clothing
3. a legitimate business operating within the law
4. a foreign entity threatening American industry

18. According to the passage, the speaker has been shipping cotton for

1. three years
2. ten years
3. thirty years
4. his entire life

19. The speaker mentions reading Mr. Carnegie’s essays (lines 14–15) in order to

1. demonstrate that he has considered opposing viewpoints
2. suggest that Carnegie is secretly opposed to railroad trusts
3. prove that he is as educated as any scholar
4. indicate his admiration for Carnegie’s business practices

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

1. bitter and resigned
2. passionate and persuasive
3. detached and analytical
4. humorous and lighthearted

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – a moment of uncertainty about whether to intervene in a situation
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Marianne’s internal debate about what to do regarding the abandoned satchel, particularly her hesitation about whether to take action (lines 13–15). Choice (A) is wrong because no family reunion is mentioned in the passage. Choice (D) is wrong because while her late husband is mentioned, grief is not the primary concern of the passage.

2. Ans: (C) – engrossed
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage describes passengers who “seemed absorbed in their own concerns” (line 6), meaning they were deeply focused or engrossed in what they were doing. Choice (A) is wrong because “soaked” is a different meaning of “absorbed” that does not fit the context. Choice (B) is wrong because “understood” refers to comprehension rather than focused attention.

3. Ans: (A) – methodical and orderly
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The precise way the newspaper is folded (line 7) suggests the man is careful and methodical in his habits. Choice (B) is wrong because nothing in the passage suggests vision problems. Choice (C) is wrong because no anxiety or time pressure is indicated in the description.

4. Ans: (A) – emotionally distant
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states that Marianne’s sister “called” her trait of minding her own business “cold” (line 11), which means emotionally distant. Choice (B) is wrong because that is how her late husband, not her sister, viewed her. Choice (D) is wrong because it contradicts the sister’s view of Marianne as cold.

5. Ans: (C) – may have been left intentionally rather than forgotten
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Marianne notices “the way it seemed deliberately placed, as if waiting” (line 14), suggesting she suspects it was left on purpose. Choice (A) is wrong because no connection is made between the teenagers and the satchel. Choice (D) is wrong because the passage never mentions the value of the contents.

6. Ans: (B) – determine whether the satchel’s owner might be there
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that Marianne thought “whoever owned it might be waiting on deck” (line 16), so she went to check. Choice (A) is wrong because stuffiness is never mentioned as a concern. Choice (D) is wrong because she does not interact with any crew members.

7. Ans: (B) – detached and observational
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The final sentence describes the satchel as “patient and silent” (line 22) in a calm, observational manner without strong emotion. Choice (A) is wrong because there is no anxiety or foreboding in the neutral description. Choice (D) is wrong because there is no sentimental or nostalgic feeling in the straightforward observation.

8. Ans: (B) – explain how subglacial lakes remain liquid and what life they may contain
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage describes the mechanism keeping the lakes liquid (lines 9–13) and discusses the microbial life found there (lines 19–23). Choice (A) is wrong because the passage never argues for increased funding. Choice (C) is wrong because comparison with Jupiter’s moons is mentioned only briefly at the end, not as the primary purpose.

9. Ans: (B) – fifteen million years
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states that Lake Vostok has been “sealed off from the atmosphere for an estimated fifteen million years” (lines 4–6). Choice (A) is wrong because two million is not the number given. Choice (C) is wrong because ninety refers to the temperature in degrees, not the years of isolation.

10. Ans: (B) – daunting
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage describes “technical and ethical challenges” as “formidable” (line 8), meaning they are intimidating or daunting. Choice (A) is wrong because while “formidable” can mean impressive, the context emphasizes difficulty rather than admiration. Choice (D) is wrong because “forbidden” means not allowed, which is different from being challenging.

11. Ans: (C) – geothermal heat and pressure from the ice above
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states that the lakes remain liquid “due to a combination of geothermal heat rising from the Earth’s interior and the immense pressure exerted by the overlying ice” (lines 10–12). Choice (A) is wrong because chemical reactions between minerals and ice are not mentioned. Choice (B) is wrong because seasonal variations would not affect lakes two miles below the surface.

12. Ans: (A) – provide an example of another lightless environment where life uses chemical energy
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The passage mentions hydrothermal vents immediately after noting that subglacial life “must derive energy from chemical processes, much as organisms do at hydrothermal vents” (lines 16–17). Choice (B) is wrong because no connection is suggested between the lakes and volcanic systems. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage makes no comparison of diversity between ecosystems.

13. Ans: (B) – no sunlight reaches the lakes beneath the ice
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage explicitly states “No sunlight penetrates the ice ceiling, so photosynthesis is impossible” (lines 14–15). Choice (A) is wrong because temperature is not given as the reason photosynthesis cannot occur. Choice (D) is wrong because carbon dioxide is never mentioned in the passage.

14. Ans: (B) – demonstrates that life can exist in extremely harsh conditions
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The passage concludes by noting the findings “suggest that life can endure in conditions previously thought incompatible with biological activity” (lines 22–23). Choice (A) is wrong because evolution timing is never discussed. Choice (C) is wrong because tropical Antarctica is not mentioned anywhere in the passage.

15. Ans: (B) – persuade the audience to reject the railroad consolidation
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The speaker explains why he opposes the Eastern Trust (lines 4–5) and urges the audience not to accept it (lines 19–22). Choice (A) is wrong because government ownership is never proposed. Choice (D) is wrong because celebration is not the purpose; opposition to the trust is.

16. Ans: (A) – suggested
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The “proposed Eastern Trust” (lines 4–5) refers to a suggested or put-forward plan for consolidation. Choice (C) is wrong because “proposed” in the marriage sense does not fit this business context. Choice (D) is wrong because “nominated” refers to selecting a person, not proposing a business plan.

17. Ans: (B) – oppressive power disguised in respectable clothing
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The speaker calls the railroad’s monopolistic control “tyranny in a frock coat” (line 11), suggesting oppression dressed in genteel business attire. Choice (A) is wrong because old-fashioned resistance to change is not the point being made. Choice (C) is wrong because the speaker views the trust negatively, not as legitimate.

18. Ans: (C) – thirty years
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The speaker states “For thirty years I have shipped my cotton to Savannah” (lines 5–6). Choice (A) is wrong because three years is not mentioned. Choice (D) is wrong because it is too broad; the passage specifies thirty years, not his entire life.

19. Ans: (A) – demonstrate that he has considered opposing viewpoints
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The speaker mentions having “read Mr. Carnegie’s essays” and “studied the arguments of the trust’s proponents” (lines 14–15) to show he understands the other side. Choice (B) is wrong because Carnegie’s secret opposition is never suggested. Choice (D) is wrong because the speaker is refuting, not admiring, pro-trust arguments.

20. Ans: (B) – passionate and persuasive
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The speaker uses strong language like “tyranny” (line 11) and emotional appeals about independence and birthright (lines 19–22) in an effort to persuade his audience. Choice (A) is wrong because while the speaker is critical, he is actively arguing for change, not resigned. Choice (C) is wrong because the speech is emotionally engaged, not detached.