Reading Passage for HSPT - 47

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 railway station at Khartoum stood baking in the afternoon heat, its whitewashed walls reflecting the sun like mirrors. Thomas Cranley shifted his weight from one foot to the other, feeling the sweat gather beneath his collar. He had been in the Sudan (5) only three weeks, yet already the rhythms of empire felt oppressive: the rigid schedules, the polite fictions that made conquest sound like charity, the way his fellow officers spoke of the Mahdists as though they were children requiring discipline rather than (10) men defending their homeland.     A whistle shrieked. The transport to Omdurman would leave within the hour, carrying supplies and a company of young soldiers whose eagerness reminded Thomas uncomfortably of himself six months ago in London. Then, (15) the prospect of service had seemed noble, even romantic. Now he understood that warfare was mostly waiting, and that the moral certainty he had carried from England dissolved quickly in the ambiguity of occupied territory.

1. The passage is primarily concerned with

1. describing the physical landscape of colonial Sudan
2. a character’s growing disillusionment with imperial service
3. the historical events leading to British occupation of Khartoum
4. the daily routines of soldiers stationed at a railway depot

2. As used in line 7, the word “fictions” most nearly means

1. novels
2. deceptions
3. fantasies
4. stories

3. According to the passage, Thomas has been in the Sudan for

1. six months
2. one hour
3. three weeks
4. several years

4. The passage suggests that Thomas’s view of the Mahdists differs from that of his fellow officers in that Thomas

1. sees them as legitimate defenders rather than as unruly subjects
2. believes they should be treated with more discipline
3. thinks they are more dangerous than other officers realize
4. considers them allies in the British mission

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

1. celebratory and triumphant
2. reflective and disillusioned
3. angry and accusatory
4. humorous and lighthearted

6. The reference to Thomas’s experience “six months ago in London” (lines 14-15) serves primarily to

1. establish the exact chronology of his military career
2. contrast his former idealism with his current doubts
3. explain why he volunteered for service in Africa
4. suggest that he misses his home in England

7. It can be inferred from the passage that the young soldiers boarding the transport

1. have already experienced combat in Omdurman
2. share Thomas’s current skepticism about their mission
3. possess the enthusiasm Thomas himself once felt
4. are being sent home after completing their service

Passage 2

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

    Among the Tlingit people of the Pacific Northwest coast, the potlatch ceremony represents far more than a simple feast. This intricate social institution, observed for centuries before European contact, functions simultaneously as (5) a system of wealth redistribution, a method of establishing social hierarchy, and a mechanism for transmitting oral history. During a potlatch, a host chief distributes property-traditionally items such as blankets, copper shields, and canoes-to guests according to their (10) rank. The greater the value of goods given away, the higher the status achieved by the host.     What perplexed early European observers was the apparent economic irrationality of the practice. How could a system based on giving away wealth possibly function? (15) Yet anthropologists now recognize that potlatch creates reciprocal obligations that bind communities across generations. A chief who receives gifts at one potlatch incurs a debt of honor, and must eventually host his own ceremony, distributing even greater wealth. (20) Far from being economically wasteful, the potlatch serves as a form of social insurance, ensuring that resources circulate throughout the community and that no single family hoards wealth during times of abundance while others suffer during scarcity.

8. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. argue that European observers misunderstood Tlingit economics
2. explain the social and economic functions of the potlatch ceremony
3. compare Tlingit wealth distribution with European systems
4. describe the specific items exchanged during potlatch events

9. According to the passage, during a potlatch the host chief distributes property based on

1. the recipient’s need
2. the recipient’s rank
3. random selection
4. the value of previous gifts received

10. As used in line 14, the word “irrationality” most nearly means

1. insanity
2. illogic
3. cruelty
4. unpredictability

11. The passage indicates that a chief who receives gifts at a potlatch is expected to

1. immediately reciprocate with gifts of equal value
2. refuse the gifts to demonstrate humility
3. eventually host a potlatch and distribute even more wealth
4. share the gifts equally among all community members

12. The author’s attitude toward early European observers of the potlatch can best be described as

1. openly hostile and dismissive
2. sympathetic but corrective
3. completely supportive
4. neutral and indifferent

13. According to the passage, the potlatch functions as “social insurance” (line 21) because it

1. protects chiefs from losing their political authority
2. prevents wealth accumulation and ensures resource circulation
3. provides literal insurance against property damage
4. creates written contracts between community members

14. Which of the following best describes the organizational structure of the passage?

1. A problem is presented and then multiple solutions are evaluated
2. A practice is introduced, an early misunderstanding is noted, and a modern interpretation is provided
3. A chronological history of the potlatch is presented from ancient times to the present
4. Two opposing viewpoints are presented with equal support

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a 1917 speech by suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt.

    We have waited long enough for the vote. We have been patient, we have been law-abiding, we have been everything that could be asked of petitioners for a reform. For seventy years, since the first Woman’s Rights Convention at Seneca (5) Falls, we have argued, we have demonstrated, we have appealed to justice, to logic, to humanity. And what has been the result? Promises, postponements, and patronizing reassurances that our time will come-someday.     But gentlemen, the time has come now. (10) You ask us to wait while a war is being fought, while the nation is in crisis. Yet is it not precisely during such a crisis that the principles of democracy must be affirmed most strongly? You send our brothers and sons to fight for democracy abroad. How can you, (15) in good conscience, deny democracy to the mothers and sisters at home? The contradiction is not merely illogical; it is morally indefensible. A nation that claims to fight for liberty while denying the vote to half its citizens stands on ground too (20) hollow to sustain the weight of its own rhetoric.

15. The main purpose of the passage is to

1. provide a historical summary of the women’s suffrage movement
2. persuade the audience that women’s suffrage can no longer be delayed
3. compare American democracy with European political systems
4. thank supporters for their patience during wartime

16. As used in line 7, the word “patronizing” most nearly means

1. supporting
2. condescending
3. generous
4. frequent

17. According to the passage, the suffrage movement had been active for approximately how many years at the time of this speech?

1. twenty years
2. fifty years
3. seventy years
4. one hundred years

18. The speaker argues that denying women the vote during wartime is especially contradictory because

1. women are serving as soldiers in the war effort
2. the nation is fighting for democracy abroad while denying it at home
3. other countries have already granted women the vote
4. the Constitution requires equal voting rights during wartime

19. The tone of the passage is best described as

1. apologetic and uncertain
2. detached and scholarly
3. urgent and indignant
4. melancholic and resigned

20. The metaphor in lines 19-20 (“ground too hollow to sustain the weight of its own rhetoric”) suggests that

1. the nation’s foundation is literally crumbling
2. the nation’s democratic claims lack credibility when it denies women’s suffrage
3. American soil is unsuitable for building monuments
4. political speeches are generally meaningless

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – a character’s growing disillusionment with imperial service
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Thomas Cranley’s evolving perspective, contrasting his former idealism about empire (lines 14-15) with his current recognition of the “oppressive” nature of colonial service and the “ambiguity of occupied territory” (lines 17-18). Choice (A) is too narrow, as physical description serves only to set the scene. Choice (D) is also too narrow, focusing on a minor detail rather than the passage’s central concern.

2. Ans: (B) – deceptions
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In lines 6-8, “polite fictions” refers to false justifications that “made conquest sound like charity,” indicating deliberate misrepresentations or deceptions. Choice (A) is incorrect because “novels” refers to a literary genre, not to false statements used to justify policy. Choice (D) is too neutral, as “stories” lacks the connotation of intentional falsehood that the context requires.

3. Ans: (C) – three weeks
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that Thomas “had been in the Sudan only three weeks” (lines 4-5). Choice (A) is incorrect because six months refers to the time since Thomas was in London (line 14), not the duration of his Sudan service. Choice (B) incorrectly refers to when the transport will leave, not to Thomas’s length of service.

4. Ans: (A) – sees them as legitimate defenders rather than as unruly subjects
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that Thomas’s fellow officers speak of the Mahdists “as though they were children requiring discipline rather than men defending their homeland” (lines 8-10), implying that Thomas, in contrast, views them as the latter. Choice (B) reverses the passage’s meaning, as this represents the other officers’ view, not Thomas’s. Choice (D) contradicts the passage, as there is no suggestion that Thomas considers the Mahdists allies.

5. Ans: (B) – reflective and disillusioned
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage’s tone is established through Thomas’s introspective observations about how “moral certainty…dissolved quickly” (lines 17-18) and his uncomfortable awareness of empire’s “oppressive” nature (line 6). Choice (A) is incorrect because there is no celebration of imperial service; rather, the passage expresses doubt. Choice (C) is too extreme, as the tone is contemplative rather than angry.

6. Ans: (B) – contrast his former idealism with his current doubts
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The reference to London establishes that “the prospect of service had seemed noble, even romantic” (lines 15-16) then, which directly contrasts with his current understanding that “moral certainty…dissolved” (lines 17-18). Choice (A) is too narrow, as establishing chronology is not the primary purpose of this reference. Choice (D) is not supported by the passage, which does not suggest homesickness.

7. Ans: (C) – possess the enthusiasm Thomas himself once felt
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that the young soldiers’ “eagerness reminded Thomas uncomfortably of himself six months ago in London” (lines 13-15), when he had viewed service as “noble, even romantic” (line 16). Choice (A) contradicts the passage, as they are being carried to Omdurman, not returning from it. Choice (B) reverses the intended meaning, as their eagerness suggests they lack Thomas’s skepticism.

8. Ans: (B) – explain the social and economic functions of the potlatch ceremony
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage systematically describes how potlatch functions as “wealth redistribution,” “establishing social hierarchy,” and “transmitting oral history” (lines 4-6), then explains its economic logic (lines 15-22). Choice (A) is too narrow, as correcting European misunderstanding is only one component of the passage. Choice (C) is incorrect because no detailed comparison with European systems is provided.

9. Ans: (B) – the recipient’s rank
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that the host chief distributes property “to guests according to their rank” (lines 9-10). Choice (A) is not mentioned in the passage and contradicts the hierarchical nature of distribution described. Choice (D) may sound plausible but distorts the passage, which discusses future reciprocal obligations rather than past gifts as the basis for current distribution.

10. Ans: (B) – illogic
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The phrase “economic irrationality” (line 14) refers to Europeans’ perception that the potlatch lacked sound economic reasoning, as indicated by the following question: “How could a system based on giving away wealth possibly function?” (lines 14-15). Choice (A) is too extreme, as “irrationality” here means lack of logical sense, not mental illness. Choice (C) introduces a moral judgment not present in the context.

11. Ans: (C) – eventually host a potlatch and distribute even more wealth
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states that a chief who receives gifts “incurs a debt of honor, and must eventually host his own ceremony, distributing even greater wealth” (lines 17-19). Choice (A) is incorrect because the reciprocation is not immediate but eventual. Choice (D) contradicts the passage’s explanation that distribution follows rank (lines 9-10).

12. Ans: (B) – sympathetic but corrective
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The author acknowledges that the practice “perplexed” Europeans (line 13) but gently corrects their misunderstanding by explaining what “anthropologists now recognize” (line 16). Choice (A) is too extreme, as there is no hostility in the author’s measured explanation. Choice (C) is incorrect because the author clearly disagrees with the European interpretation.

13. Ans: (B) – prevents wealth accumulation and ensures resource circulation
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The passage explains that potlatch serves as “social insurance” by “ensuring that resources circulate throughout the community and that no single family hoards wealth” (lines 21-23). Choice (A) is too narrow and not the primary insurance function described. Choice (C) takes “insurance” too literally, as the passage uses the term metaphorically for social protection.

14. Ans: (B) – A practice is introduced, an early misunderstanding is noted, and a modern interpretation is provided
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The first paragraph introduces potlatch and its functions (lines 1-11), the second paragraph presents European confusion (lines 12-15), then offers the modern anthropological understanding (lines 15-23). Choice (A) is incorrect because no multiple solutions are evaluated. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage does not provide a chronological history but rather contrasts interpretations.

15. Ans: (B) – persuade the audience that women’s suffrage can no longer be delayed
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The speech’s central argument appears in line 9: “the time has come now,” and the speaker systematically refutes arguments for delay (lines 10-20). Choice (A) is too broad, as historical summary serves only to support the persuasive argument. Choice (D) contradicts the passage’s insistent, demanding tone.

16. Ans: (B) – condescending
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In context, “patronizing reassurances” (line 7) refers to the dismissive promises that women’s “time will come-someday” (line 8), indicating a condescending attitude. Choice (A) uses “patronizing” in a different sense (as in “patronizing a business”) that does not fit the context. Choice (C) is incorrect because the reassurances are criticized, not praised as generous.

17. Ans: (C) – seventy years
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states: “For seventy years, since the first Woman’s Rights Convention at Seneca Falls, we have argued” (lines 3-5). Choice (A) distorts the passage content. Choice (D) is too broad and not supported by the text.

18. Ans: (B) – the nation is fighting for democracy abroad while denying it at home
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The speaker asks: “You send our brothers and sons to fight for democracy abroad. How can you…deny democracy to the mothers and sisters at home?” (lines 13-15). Choice (A) is factually incorrect and not mentioned in the passage. Choice (D) is not stated and introduces a constitutional argument not present in the text.

19. Ans: (C) – urgent and indignant
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The tone is urgent (“the time has come now,” line 9) and indignant (“morally indefensible,” line 17). Choice (A) contradicts the passage’s assertive, confident tone. Choice (D) is incorrect because the speaker is actively demanding change, not resigned to delay.

20. Ans: (B) – the nation’s democratic claims lack credibility when it denies women’s suffrage
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The metaphor suggests that rhetoric about liberty cannot be supported by the “hollow” foundation of a nation that “claims to fight for liberty while denying the vote to half its citizens” (lines 17-19). Choice (A) takes the metaphor too literally, as the passage addresses moral rather than physical foundation. Choice (D) is too broad, as the criticism targets this specific contradiction, not all political speech.