Reading Passage for HSPT - 45

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 compartment smelled of old leather and coal smoke, and Margot pressed her forehead against the cold window glass, watching the Bavarian countryside scroll past in shades of gray and white. It was December 1938, and she was leaving Munich for the (5) last time, though her mother did not know it yet. In her coat pocket, folded into a square no larger than a playing card, was the letter from her uncle in Amsterdam – the one that promised work, a (10) room, safety. Her mother sat across from her, knitting with a fierce concentration that Margot recognized as worry disguised as industry. The clicking of the needles kept time with the rhythm of the rails.     “You’ll write every week,” her mother said (15) without looking up. It was not a question. Margot nodded, though her throat tightened. She had already decided she would not ask her mother to follow, not yet – the borders were tightening, and one person might slip through (20) where two could not. Outside, a church steeple pierced the low clouds, and then it was gone.

1. The passage is narrated from the point of view of

1. Margot’s mother reflecting on her daughter’s departure
2. an outside observer with access to Margot’s thoughts
3. Margot addressing the reader directly
4. an omniscient narrator with equal access to all characters’ minds

2. As used in line 9, the word promised most nearly means

1. vowed
2. offered
3. guaranteed
4. pledged

3. The detail that Margot’s mother is knitting suggests that she

1. is unaware of the political situation in Germany
2. is attempting to manage her anxiety through routine activity
3. does not care deeply about Margot’s departure
4. plans to sell the knitted items for extra income

4. According to the passage, Margot has decided not to ask her mother to follow her immediately because

1. her uncle’s letter only mentioned work for one person
2. she believes one person has a better chance of crossing the border than two
3. her mother has refused to leave Munich in the past
4. she does not have enough money for two train tickets

5. The phrase “worry disguised as industry” (line 11) suggests that the mother’s knitting is

1. a way to earn money for the family
2. an outward activity that masks her inner anxiety
3. something she does only when traveling by train
4. a skill she is teaching to Margot

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

1. nostalgic and sentimental
2. tense and foreboding
3. bitter and resentful
4. hopeful and optimistic

7. The image of the church steeple in the final sentence most likely symbolizes

1. Margot’s fading connection to her homeland
2. the strength of religious faith during difficult times
3. her mother’s hope for Margot’s safe return
4. the architectural beauty of the Bavarian countryside

Passage 2

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

    The discovery of the Terracotta Army in 1974 near Xi’an, China, ranks among the most significant archaeological finds of the twentieth century. Local farmers digging a well unearthed fragments of clay figures that proved to be (5) part of a vast underground necropolis built for Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of unified China, who died in 210 BCE. Excavations revealed thousands of life-sized warriors, each with distinct facial features, arranged in battle (10) formation across three massive pits. The artisans who created these figures employed an assembly-line method: bodies were molded in sections, while heads and hands were individually crafted and attached. This combination of standardization and customization allowed (15) workshops to produce thousands of statues within the emperor’s lifetime.     What makes the army particularly remarkable is not merely its scale but its original appearance. Recent analysis of pigment traces indicates that the warriors were once brightly (20) painted in reds, greens, purples, and blues – a vivid spectacle now lost to time and exposure. The paint began flaking within minutes of excavation as the humid tomb environment gave way to dry air, a conservation challenge (25) that has since altered excavation protocols worldwide.

8. The main purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the military strategies of Qin Shi Huang
2. explain the construction methods and original appearance of the Terracotta Army
3. argue for increased funding for archaeological research in China
4. compare the Terracotta Army to other ancient burial practices

9. According to the passage, the Terracotta Army was discovered by

1. professional archaeologists conducting a planned excavation
2. farmers digging a well
3. construction workers building a highway
4. local historians searching for the emperor’s tomb

10. As used in line 5, the word necropolis most nearly means

1. palace
2. city of the dead
3. military fortress
4. underground tunnel

11. The passage suggests that the artisans who made the Terracotta Army

1. worked entirely independently without any organized system
2. used both mass production techniques and individual craftsmanship
3. were all master sculptors trained in the imperial palace
4. created identical figures to save time

12. The author mentions that paint began flaking “within minutes of excavation” (line 23) in order to

1. criticize the archaeologists for careless excavation methods
2. illustrate the fragility of the artifacts and the difficulty of preserving them
3. prove that the warriors were never actually painted
4. explain why all excavation at the site was permanently halted

13. According to the passage, each warrior in the Terracotta Army has

1. identical facial features to simplify production
2. distinct facial features
3. features modeled after real soldiers in Qin Shi Huang’s army
4. faces that were painted on rather than sculpted

14. The passage indicates that the conservation challenge posed by the Terracotta Army has

1. been completely solved by modern technology
2. led to changes in how archaeologists around the world conduct excavations
3. prevented any further excavation at the site
4. only affected Chinese archaeological sites

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s address to the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention.

    We have met here today to discuss our rights and wrongs, civil and political, and not, as some have supposed, to go into the detail of social life alone. We do not propose to petition the legislature to make our husbands (5) just, generous, and courteous, to seat every man at the head of a cradle, and to clothe every woman in male attire. None of these points, however important they may be considered by leading men, will be touched in this convention. (10) As to their costume, the gentlemen need feel no fear of our imitating that, for we think it in violation of every principle of taste, beauty, and dignity; notwithstanding all the contempt cast upon our loose, flowing garments, we still admire (15) the graceful folds, and consider our costume far more artistic than theirs. Many of the nobler sex seem to agree with us in this opinion, for the bishops, priests, judges, barristers, and lord mayors of the first nation on the globe, and (20) the Pope of Rome, with his cardinals too, all wear the loose flowing robes, thus tacitly acknowledging that the male attire is neither dignified nor imposing.

15. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. advocate for women to wear male clothing
2. clarify the true focus of the convention and refute misconceptions
3. petition the legislature for new marriage laws
4. criticize the clothing choices of male religious leaders

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

1. admiration
2. scorn
3. indifference
4. curiosity

17. Stanton mentions bishops, priests, and judges primarily to

1. suggest that women should enter these professions
2. point out that powerful men also wear flowing robes, undermining criticism of women’s dress
3. argue that religious leaders should attend the convention
4. prove that all men secretly prefer women’s clothing

18. According to the passage, the convention will NOT address

1. civil and political rights
2. the details of social and domestic life
3. wrongs done to women
4. questions of equality

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

1. angry and confrontational
2. humorous yet serious
3. apologetic and uncertain
4. coldly objective

20. Stanton’s reference to “the first nation on the globe” (lines 18-19) most likely refers to

1. the United States
2. ancient Rome
3. Great Britain
4. France

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – an outside observer with access to Margot’s thoughts
Explanation: This is a Point of View question. The passage is told in third person (“Margot pressed,” “she was leaving”) but reveals Margot’s private thoughts and decisions, such as her knowledge that she is leaving “for the last time” (lines 4-5) and that she has “already decided she would not ask her mother to follow” (lines 16-17). Choice (A) is wrong because the narration focuses on Margot, not her mother. Choice (D) is wrong because we do not have equal access to the mother’s inner thoughts, only her external actions.

2. Ans: (B) – offered
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 9, the letter “promised work, a room, safety,” meaning it offered or held out the prospect of these things. Choices (A), (C), and (D) all suggest a stronger commitment or formal pledge than the context supports; the uncle’s letter is offering possibilities, not making a binding vow.

3. Ans: (B) – is attempting to manage her anxiety through routine activity
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage explicitly states that the mother knits “with a fierce concentration that Margot recognized as worry disguised as industry” (lines 10-11), indicating she uses the activity to mask or manage her worry. Choice (A) is wrong because nothing suggests she is unaware of the situation. Choice (C) contradicts the passage’s emphasis on her worry.

4. Ans: (B) – she believes one person has a better chance of crossing the border than two
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states directly that Margot decided not to ask her mother to follow “not yet – the borders were tightening, and one person might slip through where two could not” (lines 17-19). Choice (A) is wrong because the letter’s content about work is not given as the reason for this decision. Choice (C) is not stated anywhere in the passage.

5. Ans: (B) – an outward activity that masks her inner anxiety
Explanation: This is a Structure/Interpretation question. The phrase “worry disguised as industry” (line 11) uses metaphorical language to explain that the mother’s industrious knitting is actually a disguise or cover for her underlying worry. Choice (A) takes the word “industry” too literally. Choice (C) is too narrow and not supported by the text.

6. Ans: (B) – tense and foreboding
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The passage creates tension through details like the December 1938 setting, Margot leaving “for the last time” (lines 4-5), tightening borders (line 18), and the mother’s disguised worry (line 11), all suggesting danger and an uncertain future. Choice (D) is wrong because while there is some hope implied, the dominant tone is anxious rather than optimistic. Choice (A) is wrong because the passage focuses on present tension rather than wistful memories.

7. Ans: (A) – Margot’s fading connection to her homeland
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The church steeple that “pierced the low clouds, and then it was gone” (lines 20-21) serves as a symbol of Bavaria and Germany disappearing from Margot’s view and life as she leaves. Choice (B) focuses on religion literally rather than symbolically. Choice (D) treats the image as merely descriptive rather than symbolic.

8. Ans: (B) – explain the construction methods and original appearance of the Terracotta Army
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on how the warriors were made (“assembly-line method,” lines 11-15) and what they originally looked like (“brightly painted,” lines 19-20). Choice (A) is wrong because military strategies are not discussed. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage makes no argument about funding.

9. Ans: (B) – farmers digging a well
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states directly that “local farmers digging a well unearthed fragments of clay figures” (lines 3-4). Choice (A) reverses the situation; professional archaeologists came after the initial discovery. Choice (C) mentions construction workers, who are not mentioned in the passage.

10. Ans: (B) – city of the dead
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 5, “necropolis” refers to the “vast underground” burial complex built for the emperor, and necropolis literally means a large cemetery or city of the dead. Choice (A) is wrong because a necropolis is specifically for burial, not a dwelling for the living. Choice (C) is wrong because while the figures are in battle formation, the necropolis itself is not a fortress.

11. Ans: (B) – used both mass production techniques and individual craftsmanship
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage explains that artisans “employed an assembly-line method” where “bodies were molded in sections” (standardization) while “heads and hands were individually crafted” (customization), creating “a combination of standardization and customization” (lines 11-15). Choice (D) contradicts the statement that each warrior has “distinct facial features” (line 9). Choice (A) contradicts the organized assembly-line system described.

12. Ans: (B) – illustrate the fragility of the artifacts and the difficulty of preserving them
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The detail that paint flaked “within minutes” (line 23) when exposed to dry air emphasizes how quickly and easily the painted surface deteriorated, presenting “a conservation challenge” (lines 23-24). Choice (A) is wrong because the passage does not criticize the archaeologists. Choice (D) is wrong because the passage does not say excavation was halted permanently.

13. Ans: (B) – distinct facial features
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states explicitly that the warriors were “each with distinct facial features” (lines 8-9). Choice (A) directly contradicts this statement. Choice (C) makes a claim about modeling after real soldiers that is not stated in the passage.

14. Ans: (B) – led to changes in how archaeologists around the world conduct excavations
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage concludes by noting that the conservation challenge “has since altered excavation protocols worldwide” (lines 24-25). Choice (C) is too extreme; the passage does not say all excavation stopped. Choice (D) is too narrow; the passage specifically says the impact was “worldwide,” not limited to China.

15. Ans: (B) – clarify the true focus of the convention and refute misconceptions
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Stanton opens by stating what the convention will discuss (“our rights and wrongs, civil and political,” lines 2-3) and then addresses what it will NOT discuss (“not...to go into the detail of social life alone,” lines 3-4), explicitly correcting what “some have supposed” (line 3). Choice (A) contradicts Stanton’s statement that “the gentlemen need feel no fear of our imitating” male attire (lines 10-11). Choice (C) is contradicted in lines 4-5 where she says they do not propose to petition about husbands.

16. Ans: (B) – scorn
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 10, Stanton refers to “all the contempt cast upon our loose, flowing garments,” meaning scorn or disdain directed at women’s clothing. Choice (A) is the opposite of the intended meaning. Choice (C) is too neutral; contempt implies active negativity, not mere indifference.

17. Ans: (B) – point out that powerful men also wear flowing robes, undermining criticism of women’s dress
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. Stanton lists prestigious male figures who “all wear the loose flowing robes, thus tacitly acknowledging that the male attire is neither dignified nor imposing” (lines 20-22), using their example to defend women’s clothing against contempt. Choice (A) is not supported; she does not discuss women entering these professions. Choice (D) distorts her argument into an absurd claim not made in the text.

18. Ans: (B) – the details of social and domestic life
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Stanton states the convention will discuss “our rights and wrongs, civil and political, and not...to go into the detail of social life alone” (lines 2-4), and later says “None of these points...will be touched in this convention” (lines 7-9), referring to domestic matters like making husbands courteous. Choice (A) is wrong because she explicitly says they WILL discuss civil and political rights (line 3).

19. Ans: (B) – humorous yet serious
Explanation: This is a Tone question. Stanton uses wit and irony (such as the image of seating “every man at the head of a cradle” in lines 5-6, or calling male dress undignified in lines 21-22) while addressing the serious subject of women’s civil and political rights. Choice (A) is wrong because while she is firm, she uses humor rather than anger. Choice (C) is wrong because she shows confidence, not uncertainty.

20. Ans: (C) – Great Britain
Explanation: This is an Inference question. In the mid-nineteenth century, when Stanton was writing, Great Britain was commonly referred to as the world’s leading or “first” nation due to its empire and global power, and her mention of “lord mayors” (line 19) is a specifically British title. Choice (A) is wrong because Americans of that era would not have called their own nation “the first nation on the globe.” Choice (B) is wrong because ancient Rome did not exist in 1848.