Reading Passage for HSPT - 57

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 Thursday, slipped under the door of our apartment while Mother was at the factory and I was supposed to be minding my younger sister. I saw the yellow envelope and knew (5) immediately what it meant. Everyone on our block knew what those envelopes meant in the spring of 1944. I picked it up, turned it over twice, and set it on the kitchen table where Mother would find it when she came home.     Della was in the bedroom, (10) humming one of her made-up songs and arranging her paper dolls in rows. She was seven and still thought the war was something that happened only on the radio. I was twelve and knew better. I’d seen Mrs. Kowalski collapse on the front steps (15) when her telegram came in February, seen Mr. Chen turn gray and silent after his arrived in March. The war had crossed the ocean and come to our street, one yellow envelope at a time.     I didn’t open it. (20) It wasn’t addressed to me, and besides, I wasn’t ready to see the words printed inside, words that would turn my father from a person into a memory.

1. The passage is narrated from the perspective of

1. a young child who does not understand the significance of the telegram
2. an adolescent who comprehends the likely meaning of the telegram
3. a mother returning home from work at a factory
4. an elderly person recalling events from childhood

2. As used in line 3, the word "minding" most nearly means

1. objecting to
2. supervising
3. remembering
4. obeying

3. The narrator’s reaction to seeing the telegram suggests that

1. this is the first telegram the narrator has ever encountered
2. the narrator has learned to associate such telegrams with bad news
3. the narrator is excited to receive communication from a distant relative
4. telegrams were a common form of casual communication in the neighborhood

4. The detail that Della is "humming one of her made-up songs" (line 10) primarily serves to

1. illustrate her musical talent and creativity
2. contrast her innocence with the narrator’s awareness
3. suggest that she is deliberately ignoring the telegram
4. demonstrate that the family enjoys singing together

5. According to the passage, the narrator has witnessed

1. neighbors receiving distressing news in previous months
2. the mother collapsing upon reading the telegram
3. Della opening telegrams addressed to other people
4. father leaving for military service overseas

6. The phrase "the war had crossed the ocean and come to our street" (lines 16-17) suggests that

1. enemy forces have invaded the narrator’s neighborhood
2. the distant conflict has begun to directly affect the local community
3. the neighborhood is located near a major seaport
4. families on the street have begun listening to radio broadcasts

7. The tone of the final paragraph can best be described as

1. angry and defiant
2. confused and uncertain
3. somber and reluctant
4. joyful and optimistic

Passage 2

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

    Deep beneath the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico lies a network of submerged caves known as cenotes, sinkholes formed when limestone bedrock collapses to reveal the groundwater beneath. To the ancient Maya, cenotes were (5) sacred portals to the underworld, but to modern geologists, they represent something equally remarkable: a window into one of Earth’s most catastrophic events.     Sixty-six million years ago, an asteroid approximately ten kilometers in diameter struck (10) the Yucatán coast with the force of billions of atomic bombs. The impact created the Chicxulub crater, a structure more than 180 kilometers wide that remains partially visible today beneath layers of sediment. The collision vaporized (15) rock, triggered massive tsunamis, and ejected so much debris into the atmosphere that sunlight was blocked for months, possibly years. The resulting climate disruption is widely believed to have caused the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs and approximately (20) seventy-five percent of all species on Earth.     The cenotes of the Yucatán are not randomly distributed. Many form a rough semicircle that corresponds to the outer rim of the buried Chicxulub crater. The impact fractured the limestone (25) along this ring, creating zones of weakness that eroded more quickly over millions of years, eventually collapsing into the sinkholes we observe today.

8. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. describe the religious significance of cenotes to the Maya civilization
2. explain the geological origin of cenotes and their connection to an ancient impact event
3. argue that asteroid impacts are the leading cause of species extinction
4. compare the scientific understanding of cenotes with ancient beliefs

9. According to the passage, the Chicxulub crater is

1. completely visible on the surface of the Yucatán Peninsula
2. approximately ten kilometers in diameter
3. partially hidden beneath sediment layers
4. located in a network of submerged caves

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

1. a glass opening in a building
2. an opportunity to observe or understand
3. a brief period of time
4. a transparent barrier

11. The passage indicates that the asteroid impact caused extinction primarily by

1. directly killing animals with the force of the explosion
2. creating tsunamis that flooded all coastal regions
3. blocking sunlight and disrupting the climate
4. vaporizing the Earth’s atmosphere entirely

12. The distribution pattern of cenotes described in the passage suggests that

1. the Maya deliberately built structures in a semicircular pattern
2. groundwater flows in a circular pattern beneath the Yucatán
3. the impact created structural weaknesses in the limestone that later collapsed
4. cenotes form randomly with no connection to geological events

13. The author’s description of cenotes as "sacred portals to the underworld" (lines 5-6) primarily serves to

1. prove that the Maya understood the connection to the asteroid impact
2. contrast ancient cultural interpretation with modern scientific understanding
3. suggest that geological explanations are less valid than religious ones
4. explain why cenotes are no longer considered scientifically important

14. Based on the passage, which of the following can be inferred about the Chicxulub impact?

1. It was the only asteroid impact in Earth’s history
2. Its effects were limited to the immediate impact zone
3. It had global rather than merely local consequences
4. It occurred during a period when the Maya civilization flourished

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a historical speech.

    From Susan B. Anthony’s statement to the court before sentencing, June 19, 1873, following her conviction for voting illegally in the 1872 presidential election:     Yes, your honor, I have many things to say; for in your (5) ordered verdict of guilty, you have trampled underfoot every vital principle of our government. My natural rights, my civil rights, my political rights, are all alike ignored. Robbed of the fundamental privilege of citizenship, I am degraded from the status of a citizen (10) to that of a subject; and not only myself individually, but all of my sex, are, by your honor’s verdict, doomed to political subjection under this so-called Republican government.     Your denial of my citizen’s right to vote is the denial (15) of my right of consent as one of the governed, the denial of my right of representation as one of the taxed, the denial of my right to a trial by a jury of my peers as an offender against law. It is for such (20) reasons that I insist that this charge against me is not merely a violation of a state law, but is a violation of the supreme law of the land.

15. The main purpose of Anthony’s statement is to

1. apologize to the court for breaking the law
2. request a reduced sentence for her crime
3. argue that the verdict violates fundamental principles of justice
4. explain why she did not intend to vote in the election

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

1. chemically broken down
2. reduced in status
3. morally corrupted
4. physically deteriorated

17. According to the passage, Anthony believes the verdict has affected

1. only herself as an individual
2. all women in the country
3. only women who voted illegally
4. all citizens regardless of gender

18. Anthony’s use of the phrase "so-called Republican government" (line 13) suggests that she

1. supports the Democratic Party instead
2. questions whether the government truly represents all citizens
3. believes the republic should be replaced with a monarchy
4. thinks the Republican Party should change its name

19. Anthony’s argument in the second paragraph rests primarily on the idea that

1. women should not be required to pay taxes
2. state laws override federal constitutional principles
3. being denied the vote violates multiple fundamental rights of citizenship
4. juries should include both male and female members in all cases

20. The tone of Anthony’s statement can best be described as

1. humble and apologetic
2. defiant and principled
3. uncertain and confused
4. lighthearted and casual

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – an adolescent who comprehends the likely meaning of the telegram
Explanation: This is a Point of View question. The narrator states "I was twelve and knew better" (line 13) and demonstrates clear understanding of what the telegram signifies, having observed neighbors receiving similar news. Choice (A) is incorrect because the narrator explicitly understands the significance, unlike younger sister Della. Choice (C) is incorrect because the narrator is the child waiting for the mother to return, not the mother herself.

2. Ans: (B) – supervising
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 3, "minding my younger sister" refers to the narrator’s responsibility to watch over and care for Della while their mother is away. Choice (A) is incorrect because "objecting to" is a different meaning of "minding" that does not fit this context. Choice (C) is incorrect because "remembering" does not make sense with the phrase "supposed to be minding" in the context of caring for a sibling.

3. Ans: (B) – the narrator has learned to associate such telegrams with bad news
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The narrator states "Everyone on our block knew what those envelopes meant" (lines 5-6) and describes witnessing neighbors’ distressed reactions to similar telegrams. Choice (A) is incorrect because the narrator clearly has prior knowledge of what telegrams signify. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage indicates telegrams carried grave war-related news, not casual communication.

4. Ans: (B) – contrast her innocence with the narrator’s awareness
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The detail about Della humming and playing with dolls immediately follows the statement that "She was seven and still thought the war was something that happened only on the radio" (lines 11-12), contrasting with the narrator’s mature understanding. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage focuses on her innocence, not her musical ability. Choice (C) is incorrect because Della is unaware of the telegram, not ignoring it.

5. Ans: (A) – neighbors receiving distressing news in previous months
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The narrator explicitly describes seeing "Mrs. Kowalski collapse on the front steps when her telegram came in February" and "Mr. Chen turn gray and silent after his arrived in March" (lines 13-16). Choice (B) is incorrect because the mother has not yet returned home to read the telegram. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage does not describe witnessing the father’s departure.

6. Ans: (B) – the distant conflict has begun to directly affect the local community
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The metaphor in lines 16-17 describes how the overseas war is now impacting the neighborhood through casualty notifications, as evidenced by multiple telegrams arriving on the street. Choice (A) is incorrect because this reverses the figurative meaning into a literal invasion. Choice (D) is incorrect because it is too narrow and misses the point about personal loss affecting families.

7. Ans: (C) – somber and reluctant
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The final paragraph describes the narrator’s unwillingness to open the telegram and the painful recognition that it would "turn my father from a person into a memory" (lines 21-22), creating a serious and hesitant tone. Choice (A) is incorrect because the narrator shows sadness and reluctance, not anger or defiance. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage conveys dread and sorrow, not joy.

8. Ans: (B) – explain the geological origin of cenotes and their connection to an ancient impact event
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage systematically explains how cenotes formed and links their distribution to the Chicxulub crater caused by an asteroid impact (lines 21-26). Choice (A) is incorrect because Maya beliefs are mentioned only briefly as context, not as the main focus. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage describes one specific impact and its effects, not a general argument about all extinctions.

9. Ans: (C) – partially hidden beneath sediment layers
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states that the crater "remains partially visible today beneath layers of sediment" (lines 13-14). Choice (A) is incorrect because it contradicts the passage by stating the crater is completely visible rather than partially buried. Choice (B) is incorrect because ten kilometers was the diameter of the asteroid, not the crater.

10. Ans: (B) – an opportunity to observe or understand
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 8, "window into" is used metaphorically to mean that cenotes provide geologists with access to understanding Earth’s catastrophic past. Choice (A) is incorrect because this is the literal architectural meaning that does not fit the figurative usage. Choice (C) is incorrect because while "window" can mean a time period, the passage uses it to mean a means of observation.

11. Ans: (C) – blocking sunlight and disrupting the climate
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states that debris "blocked sunlight for months, possibly years" and that "climate disruption" caused the extinction (lines 16-19). Choice (A) is incorrect because while the explosion was mentioned, the passage attributes extinction to climate effects, not direct impact. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage states debris was ejected into the atmosphere, not that the atmosphere was vaporized.

12. Ans: (C) – the impact created structural weaknesses in the limestone that later collapsed
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage explains that cenotes "form a rough semicircle that corresponds to the outer rim" and that "the impact fractured the limestone along this ring, creating zones of weakness that eroded more quickly" (lines 22-25). Choice (A) is incorrect because it confuses natural geological formation with human construction. Choice (D) is incorrect because it directly contradicts the passage’s explanation of the non-random pattern.

13. Ans: (B) – contrast ancient cultural interpretation with modern scientific understanding
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage juxtaposes Maya religious beliefs with the scientific view that cenotes "represent something equally remarkable: a window into one of Earth’s most catastrophic events" (lines 6-8). Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage never suggests the Maya understood the asteroid impact. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage presents scientific explanations as the focus, not as less valid.

14. Ans: (C) – It had global rather than merely local consequences
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The passage describes the impact causing extinction of "approximately seventy-five percent of all species on Earth" (lines 19-21), indicating worldwide effects. Choice (B) is incorrect because it contradicts the passage’s description of global extinction. Choice (D) is incorrect because the impact occurred 66 million years ago, long before human civilizations existed.

15. Ans: (C) – argue that the verdict violates fundamental principles of justice
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Anthony states "you have trampled underfoot every vital principle of our government" (lines 5-6) and systematically argues that denying women the vote violates basic rights. Choice (A) is incorrect because Anthony shows no remorse and instead challenges the legitimacy of the verdict. Choice (B) is incorrect because she makes no request for leniency but rather contests the justice of the law itself.

16. Ans: (B) – reduced in status
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 8, Anthony describes being "degraded from the status of a citizen to that of a subject," indicating a lowering of her legal and social standing. Choice (A) is incorrect because "degraded" can mean chemically broken down but that meaning does not apply to citizenship status. Choice (C) is incorrect because Anthony is discussing legal status, not moral character.

17. Ans: (B) – all women in the country
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Anthony explicitly states "not only myself individually, but all of my sex, are, by your honor’s verdict, doomed to political subjection" (lines 10-13). Choice (A) is incorrect because she specifically extends the impact beyond herself to all women. Choice (D) is incorrect because she specifies "all of my sex," not all citizens regardless of gender.

18. Ans: (B) – questions whether the government truly represents all citizens
Explanation: This is an Inference question. By calling it "so-called" (line 13), Anthony implies the government does not live up to republican principles since it denies representation to women. Choice (A) is incorrect because "Republican" here refers to the form of government (a republic), not the Republican Party. Choice (C) is incorrect because Anthony argues for fuller republican representation, not monarchy.

19. Ans: (C) – being denied the vote violates multiple fundamental rights of citizenship
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. In the second paragraph, Anthony lists how denial of voting rights also denies "my right of consent as one of the governed," "my right of representation as one of the taxed," and "my right to a trial by a jury of my peers" (lines 14-19). Choice (B) is incorrect because Anthony argues the opposite-that federal constitutional principles override state law. Choice (D) is incorrect because it is too narrow, focusing only on one of several rights Anthony mentions.

20. Ans: (B) – defiant and principled
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Anthony boldly declares "I have many things to say" (line 4) and firmly insists on constitutional violations, showing both resistance to the verdict and commitment to principles of justice. Choice (A) is incorrect because Anthony shows no humility or remorse. Choice (C) is incorrect because she speaks with clarity and conviction, not uncertainty.