Reading Passage for HSPT - 58

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 lurched forward just as Maeve reached the platform, her suitcase banging against her shins. She watched the last carriage slip away into the fog, its red taillight winking once before vanishing entirely. Around her, the station emptied with remarkable speed, as if (5) the other travelers had been mere phantoms. She set down her case and consulted the timetable posted on the iron pillar, though she already knew what it would say: no more departures until morning.     The bench offered little comfort, its wooden slats (10) worn smooth by decades of waiting passengers. Maeve had never spent a night in a railway station before, and the prospect unsettled her more than she cared to admit. Back home in Galway, her mother would be wondering why no telegram had arrived announcing her safe arrival in Dublin. But there was (15) nothing to be done about it now. She pulled her coat tighter and tried to ignore the cold that seemed to rise from the very stones beneath her feet.     A door creaked open at the far end of the platform, and an elderly porter emerged, pushing a cart laden with mailbags. He (20) glanced at Maeve with neither surprise nor sympathy, as though stranded passengers were a common sight at this hour.

1. The passage is primarily concerned with

1. Maeve’s decision to leave her hometown permanently
2. a young woman’s missed connection and sudden predicament
3. the dangers of traveling alone in unfamiliar cities
4. the historical operation of Irish railway systems

2. According to the passage, Maeve’s mother is most likely

1. expecting to receive word of Maeve’s arrival
2. traveling on the same train to Dublin
3. unaware that Maeve has left Galway
4. waiting for Maeve at the Dublin station

3. As used in line 6, the word consulted most nearly means

1. requested advice from
2. examined for information
3. hired professionally
4. discussed with others

4. The description of the other travelers as “mere phantoms” (lines 4-5) suggests that

1. Maeve believes she is seeing ghosts
2. the station is rumored to be haunted
3. their rapid disappearance seemed almost unreal
4. the fog made it impossible to see anyone clearly

5. The passage suggests that Maeve’s overnight stay at the station is

1. a deliberate choice to save money on lodging
2. an unavoidable consequence of missing her train
3. part of a planned adventure she had anticipated
4. the result of a strike by railway workers

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

1. lighthearted and humorous
2. somber and foreboding
3. analytical and detached
4. nostalgic and sentimental

7. The porter’s reaction to seeing Maeve (lines 19-21) implies that he

1. recognizes her from a previous visit
2. is accustomed to encountering stranded travelers
3. feels deep sympathy for her situation
4. intends to offer her assistance immediately

Passage 2

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

    For more than a century, scholars have puzzled over the construction methods used to build the massive stone heads of Easter Island, known locally as moai. These monolithic statues, some weighing as much as eighty tons, were carved from volcanic (5) tuff at a single quarry site and then transported across the island to various ceremonial platforms called ahu. The prevailing theory long held that the Rapa Nui people moved these colossal figures by laying them horizontally on wooden sledges and dragging them with ropes.     Recent experimental archaeology, however, has challenged (10) this assumption. In 2012, researchers successfully demonstrated that the moai could have been “walked” upright to their destinations. By attaching ropes to the statue’s head and rocking it from side to side, a small team was able to move a replica forward in a manner (15) resembling human locomotion. This technique would have required far fewer people than the sledge method and would have been less damaging to the limited timber resources available on the island.     The walking theory also explains certain features of the moai themselves. Many statues have (20) a characteristic forward-leaning posture and a D-shaped cross-section that would have facilitated the rocking motion. Additionally, oral traditions preserved by the Rapa Nui people describe the statues as having “walked” to their platforms, a detail that earlier researchers dismissed as mythology but that now appears to contain genuine (25) historical information about construction techniques.

8. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. describe the religious significance of the moai to the Rapa Nui people
2. present a new theory about how the Easter Island statues were transported
3. argue that the moai should be preserved as world heritage sites
4. explain why the Rapa Nui civilization eventually collapsed

9. According to the passage, the moai were carved from

1. imported marble
2. volcanic tuff
3. hardwood timber
4. limestone blocks

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

1. arrogant attitude
2. accepted belief
3. legal responsibility
4. mathematical certainty

11. The passage suggests that the walking method would have been advantageous because it

1. allowed the statues to be carved more quickly
2. required fewer people and preserved timber
3. enabled the Rapa Nui to build larger statues
4. prevented damage to the ceremonial platforms

12. The author mentions the D-shaped cross-section of the moai (line 20) in order to

1. demonstrate the artistic skill of Rapa Nui sculptors
2. provide evidence supporting the walking theory
3. contrast different statue styles across the island
4. explain why some statues were never completed

13. The passage indicates that earlier researchers treated Rapa Nui oral traditions about the statues walking as

1. valuable historical evidence
2. accurate scientific data
3. mere mythology without factual basis
4. deliberate deception by islanders

14. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the 2012 experimental archaeology project?

1. It proved conclusively that no other method was ever used
2. It demonstrated the feasibility of upright statue transport
3. It required more people than the sledge method
4. It was conducted using an authentic moai statue

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a historical speech delivered by Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce in 1879.

    I have heard talk and talk, but nothing is done. Good words do not last long unless they amount to something. Words do not pay for my dead people. They do not pay for my country, now overrun by white men. They do not (5) protect my father’s grave. They do not pay for all my horses and cattle. Good words will not give my people good health and stop them from dying. Good words will not get my people a home where they can live in peace and take care of themselves.     I am tired of talk that comes to nothing. It makes my heart (10) sick when I remember all the good words and all the broken promises. There has been too much talking by men who had no right to talk. Too many misrepresentations have been made, too many misunderstandings have come up between the white men about the Indians.     If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in (15) peace. There need be no trouble. Treat all men alike. Give them the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers. The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.     Let me be a free man – free to travel, free to stop, free to work, (20) free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself – and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.

15. The main idea of this passage is that

1. the Nez Perce people possess superior military strength
2. words without action have failed to address injustices against Native Americans
3. white settlers should return to their countries of origin
4. all treaties between governments are meaningless

16. According to the passage, “good words” have failed to

1. provide the Nez Perce with a secure home
2. teach the Nez Perce how to farm
3. convert the Nez Perce to Christianity
4. establish trade routes with other tribes

17. As used in line 12, the word misrepresentations most nearly means

1. political representatives
2. false or misleading accounts
3. artistic performances
4. legal presentations

18. Chief Joseph’s reference to “the same Great Spirit Chief” (line 17) serves to emphasize

1. the superiority of Native American religion
2. the common humanity of all people
3. the need for religious conversion
4. the authority of tribal chiefs

19. The tone of the passage is best described as

1. vengeful and threatening
2. defeated and hopeless
3. impassioned and dignified
4. detached and scholarly

20. In the final paragraph (lines 19-22), Chief Joseph indicates that he will obey the law if he is granted

1. financial compensation for lost land
2. the same freedoms enjoyed by others
3. a position in the government
4. weapons to defend his people

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – a young woman’s missed connection and sudden predicament
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Maeve missing her train (line 1) and facing an unexpected night at the station (lines 7-8), making (B) the best answer. Choice (A) is too broad, as the passage never indicates her departure is permanent. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage is a narrative focused on one character’s experience, not a historical explanation of railway systems.

2. Ans: (A) – expecting to receive word of Maeve’s arrival
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 13-14 explicitly state that Maeve’s mother “would be wondering why no telegram had arrived announcing her safe arrival in Dublin,” indicating she expects such communication. Choice (C) reverses the situation described in the passage, as the mother clearly knows Maeve has left. Choice (D) is not stated anywhere in the passage.

3. Ans: (B) – examined for information
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 6, Maeve consults the timetable to find train information, making “examined for information” the correct meaning. Choice (A) uses the professional meaning of “consult” (to seek expert advice), which doesn’t fit the context of reading a posted schedule. Choice (C) similarly misapplies the professional sense of the word.

4. Ans: (C) – their rapid disappearance seemed almost unreal
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The phrase “mere phantoms” in lines 4-5 describes how quickly the other travelers vanished, creating an almost ghostly effect without suggesting actual supernatural activity. Choice (A) is too literal, as there’s no indication Maeve believes in ghosts. Choice (B) is not supported by the passage, which never mentions haunting rumors.

5. Ans: (B) – an unavoidable consequence of missing her train
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 6-8 indicate that after consulting the timetable, Maeve knows there are “no more departures until morning,” making her overnight stay necessary. Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which shows this situation “unsettled her” (line 11). Choice (D) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage.

6. Ans: (B) – somber and foreboding
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage creates an atmosphere of isolation and unease through details like fog (line 3), emptying station (line 4), and cold rising from stones (lines 16-17). Choice (A) is incorrect as there is no humor in the passage. Choice (D) is wrong because the tone is concerned with present discomfort, not fond remembrance.

7. Ans: (B) – is accustomed to encountering stranded travelers
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 20-21 state the porter showed “neither surprise nor sympathy, as though stranded passengers were a common sight,” directly supporting this answer. Choice (C) contradicts the passage, which explicitly states he showed no sympathy. Choice (D) is not suggested anywhere in the text.

8. Ans: (B) – present a new theory about how the Easter Island statues were transported
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage contrasts the old sledge theory (lines 6-8) with the new walking theory (lines 10-15), making (B) correct. Choice (A) is too narrow, as religious significance is never discussed. Choice (D) is incorrect because civilization collapse is not mentioned in the passage.

9. Ans: (B) – volcanic tuff
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 4-5 explicitly state the statues “were carved from volcanic tuff at a single quarry site.” Choice (A) is factually incorrect and not mentioned in the passage. Choice (C) confuses the material of the statues with the timber mentioned later for transportation (line 17).

10. Ans: (B) – accepted belief
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 10, “assumption” refers to the previously held theory about sledge transportation, making “accepted belief” the correct meaning. Choice (A) uses a different meaning of assumption related to arrogance, which doesn’t fit the context. Choice (D) is too strong, as assumptions are not certainties.

11. Ans: (B) – required fewer people and preserved timber
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 15-17 explicitly state the walking method “would have required far fewer people than the sledge method and would have been less damaging to the limited timber resources.” Choice (A) confuses transportation with carving. Choice (C) is not stated in the passage.

12. Ans: (B) – provide evidence supporting the walking theory
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. Lines 19-21 explain that the D-shaped cross-section “would have facilitated the rocking motion” required for walking, supporting the theory. Choice (A) is too broad and not the author’s purpose in this context. Choice (D) is not mentioned in connection with the cross-section.

13. Ans: (C) – mere mythology without factual basis
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 23-24 state that “earlier researchers dismissed” the oral traditions “as mythology,” directly supporting this answer. Choice (A) reverses what the passage says, as these researchers did not value the traditions. Choice (D) is too extreme, as dismissing stories as myth is not the same as accusing people of deliberate deception.

14. Ans: (B) – It demonstrated the feasibility of upright statue transport
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 11-15 describe how researchers “successfully demonstrated” the walking method using a replica, showing it was possible. Choice (A) is too absolute, as the passage only presents this as a viable method, not the only one ever used. Choice (D) is factually incorrect, as line 14 specifies they used a “replica,” not an authentic statue.

15. Ans: (B) – words without action have failed to address injustices against Native Americans
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage repeatedly emphasizes that “good words do not last long unless they amount to something” (lines 1-2) and “talk that comes to nothing” (line 9), making (B) correct. Choice (A) is not mentioned in the passage. Choice (C) is too extreme and not stated by Chief Joseph.

16. Ans: (A) – provide the Nez Perce with a secure home
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 7-8 state that “Good words will not get my people a home where they can live in peace and take care of themselves.” Choice (B) is not mentioned in the passage. Choice (C) is incorrect as religious conversion is not discussed as something promised.

17. Ans: (B) – false or misleading accounts
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 12, “misrepresentations” appears in a context criticizing dishonest communication between groups, making “false or misleading accounts” correct. Choice (A) confuses the word with “representatives,” a different word entirely. Choice (D) misapplies a legal meaning that doesn’t fit the context.

18. Ans: (B) – the common humanity of all people
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Lines 16-18 state “All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers,” emphasizing shared humanity. Choice (A) reverses the purpose, as Chief Joseph uses this reference to show commonality, not superiority. Choice (C) is not suggested in the passage.

19. Ans: (C) – impassioned and dignified
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage conveys deep emotion about injustice (lines 9-10: “It makes my heart sick”) while maintaining a dignified, principled stance (lines 15-18). Choice (A) is incorrect as the speech never threatens violence. Choice (B) misreads the tone, as Chief Joseph advocates for change rather than expressing defeat.

20. Ans: (B) – the same freedoms enjoyed by others
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. Lines 19-22 list multiple freedoms (to travel, work, choose teachers, practice religion) before stating “and I will obey every law,” making freedom the condition for obedience. Choice (A) is mentioned earlier (lines 3-4) but not in the final paragraph as a condition for obedience. Choice (C) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage.