Reading Passage for HSPT - 54

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 customs house stood at the edge of the harbor, its limestone walls stained gray by decades of salt spray. Marguerite watched from the second-floor window as the packet ship dropped anchor beyond the breakwater. (5) She had been waiting three months for this vessel, and now that it had arrived, she found herself reluctant to go downstairs and claim what it carried. Her father’s ledger lay open on the desk before her, its columns of figures blurring in the morning light.     Below, she could hear Monsieur Belloc arguing with a merchant (10) about tariff rates. His voice rose and fell in practiced rhythms of negotiation, a sound as familiar to her as the cry of gulls. Marguerite had learned the customs trade at her father’s side, mastering the schedules of duties and the intricacies of bonded warehouses before she turned fifteen. When fever took him last spring, the other agents had assumed (15) the governor would appoint a man to replace him. Instead, her appointment had come through on official paper, sealed and unambiguous.     She closed the ledger and descended the narrow stairs. The package from the ship would contain her father’s watch and ring, sent back from Quebec where he had died. Marguerite straightened (20) her shoulders as she stepped into the crowded hall, meeting the eyes of the merchants who still questioned whether a woman belonged in this position.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the daily operations of a colonial customs house
2. portray a young woman assuming a position of professional authority
3. explain the economic relationship between distant colonies
4. recount the final voyage of a merchant vessel

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

1. assert ownership of
2. declare publicly
3. retrieve
4. demand compensation for

3. The passage indicates that Marguerite’s appointment was unexpected because

1. she was too young to hold a government position
2. she had no experience with customs work
3. most people assumed a man would be chosen
4. the position had been promised to Monsieur Belloc

4. The detail that Monsieur Belloc’s voice moved in “practiced rhythms of negotiation” (line 11) suggests that

1. he is an experienced customs agent
2. he is deliberately trying to cheat the merchant
3. the argument is a daily routine he follows
4. he learned negotiation from Marguerite’s father

5. It can be inferred from the passage that Marguerite feels reluctant to retrieve the package because

1. she fears the other agents will question her authority
2. receiving her father’s belongings will make his death more real
3. she does not want to leave her work unfinished
4. the packet ship arrived earlier than she expected

6. The tone of the final sentence (lines 19-20) can best be described as

1. defiant and determined
2. sorrowful and resigned
3. anxious and uncertain
4. triumphant and joyful

7. The passage suggests that Marguerite’s knowledge of customs work was

1. acquired recently after her father’s death
2. gained through formal schooling in Quebec
3. learned directly from her father over many years
4. taught to her by Monsieur Belloc

Passage 2

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

    For more than a century, scholars have puzzled over the purpose of the massive geoglyphs etched into the Nasca Desert of southern Peru. These enormous designs, created between 500 BCE and 500 CE, range from simple geometric patterns to elaborate (5) depictions of animals, plants, and humanoid figures. Some extend for hundreds of meters, visible in their entirety only from the air. Early theories proposed that the lines served as astronomical calendars or ritual pathways, but recent archaeological work has revealed a more complex picture.     Researchers analyzing the distribution of pottery fragments and other artifacts have discovered (10) that the geoglyphs cluster near ancient pilgrimage routes leading to ceremonial centers. Chemical analysis of clay vessels found alongside the lines shows that many contained food offerings and were deliberately broken in ritualistic acts. More significantly, excavations have uncovered evidence of large gatherings at sites where multiple geoglyphs converge. The (15) ground surface shows compaction patterns consistent with repeated foot traffic by substantial numbers of people.     This evidence suggests that the Nasca lines functioned as sacred spaces for communal ceremonies, possibly related to water worship in this arid environment. The creation of the geoglyphs themselves may have been as important as their final form, (20) serving to unite communities through collaborative labor on a monumental scale. Rather than being designed primarily for viewing from above, the lines likely marked routes for processions and areas for ritual activities performed at ground level.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. the Nasca lines are impossible to understand without aerial photography
2. recent research suggests the Nasca lines served ceremonial and communal purposes
3. early theories about the Nasca lines have been completely disproven
4. the Nasca people possessed advanced astronomical knowledge

9. According to the passage, the Nasca geoglyphs were created over a period of approximately

1. one hundred years
2. five hundred years
3. one thousand years
4. fifteen hundred years

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

1. difficult to create
2. architecturally intricate
3. multifaceted
4. psychologically complicated

11. The passage indicates that chemical analysis of clay vessels revealed that the vessels

1. were imported from distant regions
2. had held food offerings
3. were used for astronomical observations
4. marked boundaries of pilgrimage routes

12. The author mentions “compaction patterns” (line 15) in order to

1. prove that the Nasca people had advanced engineering skills
2. support the claim that large groups gathered at the geoglyphs
3. explain how the lines were created without modern tools
4. suggest that the sites were used for agricultural purposes

13. It can be inferred from the passage that earlier theories about the Nasca lines

1. completely ignored the possibility of ceremonial uses
2. have been supplemented rather than entirely replaced by new findings
3. were based on analysis of pottery fragments
4. assumed the lines could only be understood from ground level

14. The author’s purpose in the final paragraph is primarily to

1. summarize the current understanding of the geoglyphs’ function
2. argue against all previous theories about the Nasca lines
3. describe the religious beliefs of the Nasca people
4. explain the engineering techniques used to create the lines

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a testimony given by labor organizer Mother Jones before a Congressional committee in 1900.

    Gentlemen, I have just returned from the coal regions of Pennsylvania, where I have witnessed conditions that would shame a civilized nation. I have seen children, some no more than eight or nine years of age, laboring twelve hours in the (5) darkness of the breaker rooms, sorting slate from coal until their fingers bleed and their lungs fill with dust. These are not the children of foreigners alone, though many are, but American-born boys who should be in schoolrooms learning to read and cipher.     The coal operators tell you that these children work of their own free will, that their (10) families need the wages. But I ask you, what free will can a child of eight possess when his father lies injured in a mine shaft and his mother faces eviction? The operators speak of necessity, yet they build mansions in Philadelphia while these families crowd six and eight to a room in company housing that would be condemned (15) if any inspector dared to enforce the law.     I do not come before you with theories drawn from books. I come with the testimony of my own eyes and ears. I have held the hands of dying children, victims of machinery that had no safety guards because such equipment cuts into profit margins. You have (20) the power to end this barbarism through legislation. The question is whether you have the courage to use it.

15. The primary purpose of Mother Jones’s testimony is to

1. provide statistical data about child labor in Pennsylvania
2. persuade Congress to pass child labor legislation
3. describe the daily schedule of coal mine workers
4. explain the economic causes of industrial poverty

16. As used in line 8, the word cipher most nearly means

1. decode secret messages
2. perform arithmetic
3. write in code
4. solve mysteries

17. According to the passage, the coal operators justify child labor by claiming that

1. the work is not physically demanding
2. the children choose to work voluntarily
3. foreign children are accustomed to such work
4. education is not valuable for miners’ children

18. Mother Jones uses the contrast between the operators’ mansions and the workers’ housing (lines 13-15) to emphasize

1. the architectural differences between urban and rural buildings
2. the hypocrisy of the operators’ claims about economic necessity
3. the need for better city planning in Pennsylvania
4. the superior construction methods used in Philadelphia

19. The tone of the final paragraph (lines 16-20) can best be described as

1. scholarly and detached
2. bitter and defeated
3. direct and challenging
4. apologetic and uncertain

20. Mother Jones claims authority for her testimony on the basis of

1. her academic training in economics
2. statistical research conducted by labor unions
3. her firsthand observation of working conditions
4. reports published in Philadelphia newspapers

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – portray a young woman assuming a position of professional authority
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage centers on Marguerite taking on her father’s customs house position and confronting the skepticism of men who doubt her capability (lines 14-20). Choice (A) is too broad, as the passage focuses on Marguerite personally rather than general operations. Choice (C) is not supported, as economic relationships are not discussed.

2. Ans: (C) – retrieve
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 6, Marguerite is reluctant to “claim what it carried,” meaning to go get or pick up her father’s belongings from the ship. Choice (A) distorts the meaning by focusing on ownership assertion rather than physical retrieval. Choice (B) is incorrect because she is not making a public declaration.

3. Ans: (C) – most people assumed a man would be chosen
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that “the other agents had assumed the governor would appoint a man to replace him” (lines 14-15). Choice (A) is contradicted by the fact that she received the appointment. Choice (B) reverses the truth, as she had extensive experience (lines 11-13).

4. Ans: (C) – the argument is a daily routine he follows
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The phrase “practiced rhythms” and the description of the sound as “familiar to her as the cry of gulls” (line 11) suggest this is a routine occurrence. Choice (B) is not supported, as nothing indicates cheating. Choice (D) is not stated in the passage.

5. Ans: (B) – receiving her father’s belongings will make his death more real
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Marguerite waited three months for the vessel carrying her father’s watch and ring sent from where he died (lines 17-19), yet feels reluctant now that it has arrived, suggesting emotional difficulty. Choice (A) confuses her reluctance about the package with her later confrontation with merchants. Choice (C) is not suggested anywhere in the passage.

6. Ans: (A) – defiant and determined
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Marguerite straightens her shoulders and meets the eyes of merchants who question her position (lines 19-20), showing resolve and defiance. Choice (B) is contradicted by her active, confrontational posture. Choice (C) is incorrect because her actions show confidence, not anxiety.

7. Ans: (C) – learned directly from her father over many years
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states Marguerite “learned the customs trade at her father’s side” and mastered it “before she turned fifteen” (lines 11-13). Choice (A) reverses the timeline, as she learned before his death. Choice (B) is not mentioned in the passage.

8. Ans: (B) – recent research suggests the Nasca lines served ceremonial and communal purposes
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage describes how recent archaeological evidence points to the lines functioning as sacred ceremonial spaces for community gatherings (lines 16-22). Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which states the lines were likely designed for ground-level use (lines 20-22). Choice (C) is too extreme, as the passage says theories have been supplemented, not disproven.

9. Ans: (C) – one thousand years
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states the geoglyphs were “created between 500 BCE and 500 CE” (line 4), which is a thousand-year span. Choice (A) is too narrow. Choice (B) uses a number from the passage but applies it incorrectly.

10. Ans: (C) – multifaceted
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage describes how recent work has revealed a “more complex picture” (line 8) after discussing various types of evidence and theories, meaning more multifaceted or having multiple aspects. Choice (A) refers to physical difficulty of creation, which is not the meaning here. Choice (D) applies “complex” to psychology rather than the nature of understanding.

11. Ans: (B) – had held food offerings
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that chemical analysis “shows that many contained food offerings” (line 12). Choice (A) is not mentioned in the passage. Choice (C) confuses the earlier astronomical calendar theory with the vessel findings.

12. Ans: (B) – support the claim that large groups gathered at the geoglyphs
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The compaction patterns are described as “consistent with repeated foot traffic by substantial numbers of people” (lines 15-16), directly supporting claims of large gatherings. Choice (C) misapplies the evidence to line creation rather than gatherings. Choice (D) is not supported, as the passage discusses ritual, not agricultural, purposes.

13. Ans: (B) – have been supplemented rather than entirely replaced by new findings
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage describes recent work revealing “a more complex picture” (line 8) and uses phrases like “more significantly” (line 13), suggesting addition rather than complete replacement of earlier ideas. Choice (A) is too extreme, as the passage mentions ceremonial uses were proposed earlier. Choice (C) reverses the facts, as pottery analysis is part of recent research.

14. Ans: (A) – summarize the current understanding of the geoglyphs’ function
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The final paragraph (lines 16-22) synthesizes the evidence presented earlier to describe how scholars now understand the lines’ purpose. Choice (B) is too extreme, as the passage suggests supplementing, not arguing against all previous theories. Choice (C) is too broad, as the paragraph focuses specifically on the lines’ function.

15. Ans: (B) – persuade Congress to pass child labor legislation
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Mother Jones concludes by stating Congress has “the power to end this barbarism through legislation” and questions whether they have courage to use it (lines 19-21). Choice (A) is incorrect because she explicitly states she does not come with statistics but with eyewitness testimony (lines 16-17). Choice (C) is too narrow, focusing on description rather than persuasion.

16. Ans: (B) – perform arithmetic
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The phrase “learning to read and cipher” (line 8) refers to basic schoolroom skills, where “cipher” means to do arithmetic or mathematical calculations. Choice (A) uses a modern meaning of cipher that does not fit the historical context. Choice (C) is a related but incorrect meaning.

17. Ans: (B) – the children choose to work voluntarily
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Mother Jones states that “the coal operators tell you that these children work of their own free will” (lines 9-10). Choice (A) contradicts the description of bleeding fingers and dust-filled lungs (lines 5-6). Choice (D) is not mentioned as an operator claim.

18. Ans: (B) – the hypocrisy of the operators’ claims about economic necessity
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. Mother Jones contrasts the operators’ claims that families need children’s wages with the fact that operators build mansions while workers live in condemned housing (lines 10-15), exposing the inconsistency. Choice (A) is too literal and misses the rhetorical purpose. Choice (C) shifts focus to city planning, which is not the point.

19. Ans: (C) – direct and challenging
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The final paragraph uses straightforward language and directly challenges Congress about whether they have courage to act (lines 19-21). Choice (A) is incorrect because the testimony is personal and passionate, not detached. Choice (B) is wrong because she expresses confidence in Congressional power, not defeat.

20. Ans: (C) – her firsthand observation of working conditions
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Mother Jones explicitly states, “I do not come before you with theories drawn from books. I come with the testimony of my own eyes and ears” (lines 16-18). Choice (A) is contradicted by her rejection of book theories. Choice (D) is not mentioned in the passage.