Reading Passage for HSPT - 61

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 my rented room while I was out delivering hats to Mrs. Pemberton’s house on Chestnut Street. I found it when I returned, the yellow envelope stark against the dark floorboards. My hands (5) trembled as I tore it open, though I told myself it was only the cold-Philadelphia in February was unforgiving, and the landlady was miserly with coal.

    “Father gravely ill STOP Come home immediately STOP Mother.” I read the words three times, each reading making them (10) seem less real, as if repetition might dissolve their meaning. Home. I had not been back to the farm in Bucks County for nearly two years, not since the argument that had sent me storming out with nothing but a carpetbag and my pride. (15) Father had called my ambitions foolish, said no daughter of his would waste her life sewing frivolous things for frivolous people. But I had found work at Madame Colette’s millinery, and my designs-my own designs-now graced the heads of women who lunched at the finest hotels.

    I (20) sat on the edge of the narrow bed, the telegram still clutched in my hand. Outside, the streetcar bell clanged, and somewhere a child laughed, sounds that belonged to this life I had built, stitch by careful stitch. But underneath it all, I heard the silence (25) of the farmhouse kitchen at dawn, smelled the coffee my mother made in the blue enamel pot, felt the weight of all I had left unspoken.

1. The main purpose of this passage is to

1. describe the working conditions in a Philadelphia millinery shop
2. portray a young woman’s internal conflict upon receiving urgent news
3. criticize the relationship between fathers and daughters in the nineteenth century
4. explain why the narrator left her family farm

2. According to the passage, the narrator left home because

1. she wanted to escape the cold winters of Bucks County
2. her mother encouraged her to pursue her ambitions
3. she had a serious disagreement with her father about her goals
4. Madame Colette offered her a position in Philadelphia

3. As used in line 18, the word “frivolous” most nearly means

1. expensive
2. trivial
3. elegant
4. creative

4. The narrator’s statement that she told herself her trembling was “only the cold” (lines 5-6) suggests that she

1. was unaware of the true reason for her physical reaction
2. was trying to deny her emotional response to the telegram
3. suffered from a medical condition that caused shaking
4. was angry at the landlady for not providing enough heat

5. The detail that the narrator’s designs “now graced the heads of women who lunched at the finest hotels” (lines 18-19) primarily serves to

1. demonstrate that she has achieved professional success
2. show that she has become wealthy in Philadelphia
3. prove that her father was wrong to doubt her abilities
4. indicate that she no longer cares about her family

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

1. bitter and resentful
2. nostalgic and conflicted
3. joyful and hopeful
4. anxious and fearful

7. It can most reasonably be inferred from the passage that the narrator

1. regrets leaving home and wishes she had stayed on the farm
2. has maintained regular correspondence with her parents
3. feels torn between her new life and unresolved family ties
4. plans to ignore the telegram and remain in Philadelphia

Passage 2

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

    For decades, archaeologists assumed that the massive earthworks scattered across the Amazon Basin were natural formations, perhaps the result of erosion or ancient river systems. But recent advances in remote sensing technology have revealed a startling (5) truth: these geometric structures-ditches, mounds, and platforms arranged in precise circles, squares, and hexagons-are unquestionably human-made, the products of complex societies that flourished long before European contact.

    The structures, called geoglyphs, number in the hundreds and cover an area larger than (10) Great Britain. Some consist of ditches up to thirty-six feet wide and ten feet deep, enclosing areas of nearly seventy-five acres. What makes their discovery particularly remarkable is that they were hidden beneath dense rainforest canopy until modern deforestation (15) and LiDAR technology-which uses laser pulses to penetrate vegetation and map the ground surface-revealed their extent. The precision of their construction suggests sophisticated engineering knowledge and considerable organized labor.

    Researchers initially speculated that the geoglyphs served defensive purposes, but the structures lack the strategic (20) placement typically associated with fortifications. More recent theories propose ceremonial or astronomical functions, supported by the discovery of pottery fragments and evidence of periodic gatherings at several sites. Some archaeologists now believe the geoglyphs may have been used for seasonal rituals, (25) their geometric forms aligned with celestial events. The challenge facing researchers is that these cultures left no written records, making interpretation dependent on material evidence alone and comparison with better-documented Amazonian societies.

8. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. argue that ancient Amazonian societies were more advanced than previously believed
2. explain how LiDAR technology works in archaeological research
3. describe a significant archaeological discovery and ongoing research about its purpose
4. compare Amazonian geoglyphs with similar structures found in other parts of the world

9. According to the passage, the geoglyphs were initially overlooked because

1. archaeologists believed they were natural geological formations
2. they were located in areas that were difficult for researchers to access
3. the Amazonian cultures left no written records about them
4. they served only ceremonial purposes rather than practical ones

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

1. covering
2. shelter
3. umbrella
4. forest

11. The passage indicates that LiDAR technology is valuable in this context because it

1. can determine the precise age of archaeological structures
2. allows researchers to map ground features hidden by vegetation
3. reveals the purposes for which ancient structures were used
4. enables archaeologists to read inscriptions on pottery fragments

12. The author mentions that the geoglyphs “lack the strategic placement typically associated with fortifications” (lines 20-21) in order to

1. support the theory that the structures had ceremonial functions
2. explain why one theory about their purpose has been questioned
3. demonstrate the architectural sophistication of Amazonian cultures
4. prove that the structures were aligned with celestial events

13. Which of the following best describes the current state of research on the geoglyphs’ purpose?

1. Scholars have definitively proven they were used for astronomical observations
2. Researchers have conclusive evidence that they served defensive military functions
3. Scientists continue to develop theories based on limited material evidence
4. Archaeologists have found written records that explain their ceremonial use

14. It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that

1. the societies that built the geoglyphs had contact with European civilizations
2. constructing the geoglyphs required coordinated effort from many people
3. all of the geoglyphs were built during the same historical period
4. deforestation was deliberately undertaken to reveal the ancient structures

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a speech delivered by Susan B. Anthony in 1873 after being arrested and fined for voting in the 1872 presidential election.

    Friends and fellow citizens: I stand before you tonight under indictment for the alleged crime of having voted at the last presidential election, without having a lawful right to vote. It shall be my work this evening to prove to you that in thus (5) voting, I not only committed no crime, but instead simply exercised my citizen’s rights, guaranteed to me and all United States citizens by the National Constitution, beyond the power of any state to deny.

    The preamble of the Federal Constitution says: “We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, (10) establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

    It was we, the people; not we, the white (15) male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. And we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure them; not to the half of ourselves and the half of our posterity, but to the whole people-women (20) as well as men. And it is a downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them provided by this democratic-republican government-the ballot.

15. The main purpose of this speech is to

1. apologize for breaking the law by voting illegally
2. argue that the Constitution guarantees women the right to vote
3. request that the audience petition for a change in voting laws
4. describe the experience of being arrested for political activism

16. According to Anthony, she voted in the presidential election because she

1. wanted to challenge an unjust law in court
2. believed she was exercising a constitutional right
3. hoped to inspire other women to break the law
4. was encouraged to do so by male citizens

17. As used in line 8, the word “posterity” most nearly means

1. ancestors
2. politicians
3. future generations
4. supporters

18. Anthony quotes the Preamble to the Constitution primarily to

1. demonstrate her knowledge of American legal documents
2. show that the Constitution was written by and for all people
3. prove that the Founders intended to abolish slavery
4. illustrate the beauty of eighteenth-century prose

19. Anthony’s statement that it is “a downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty” (lines 21-22) while denying them the vote suggests that

1. women in 1873 enjoyed no legal protections whatsoever
2. liberty cannot truly exist without the right to participate in elections
3. the Constitution should be completely rewritten
4. men deliberately created laws to mock and humiliate women

20. The tone of this passage can best be described as

1. apologetic and uncertain
2. defiant and reasoned
3. humorous and lighthearted
4. sorrowful and resigned

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – portray a young woman’s internal conflict upon receiving urgent news
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on the narrator’s emotional response to the telegram and her torn feelings about returning home, as evidenced by her reflections on her past and present lives (lines 20-26). Choice (A) is too narrow, as the millinery work is mentioned only as context. Choice (D) is also too narrow, addressing only one element of the passage rather than its central purpose.

2. Ans: (C) – she had a serious disagreement with her father about her goals
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that the narrator left home after “the argument that had sent me storming out” and that her father “called my ambitions foolish” (lines 12-17). Choice (B) contradicts the passage, as only the father’s opposition is mentioned. Choice (D) reverses the actual sequence-she found the position after leaving, not before.

3. Ans: (B) – trivial
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The father uses “frivolous” negatively to dismiss both the hats and the people who wear them as unimportant or lacking substance (line 18). Choice (A) is incorrect because “frivolous” refers to seriousness, not cost. Choice (C) gives a quality the hats might have, but not the meaning of “frivolous” in this context.

4. Ans: (B) – was trying to deny her emotional response to the telegram
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The narrator gives herself an alternative explanation for her trembling (the cold) when the real cause is clearly her emotional reaction to the news about her father (lines 5-6). Choice (A) is incorrect because she is aware-she is deliberately telling herself something else. Choice (C) invents a detail not supported by the passage.

5. Ans: (A) – demonstrate that she has achieved professional success
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. This detail shows that the narrator has accomplished what she set out to do when she left home, making her designs for wealthy, fashionable clients (lines 18-19). Choice (B) goes too far-success is shown, but wealth is not stated. Choice (D) contradicts her conflicted feelings shown in the final paragraph.

6. Ans: (B) – nostalgic and conflicted
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The final paragraph blends longing memories of home (the kitchen, the coffee, the smells) with uncertainty about her present life, creating a tone both wistful and uncertain (lines 20-26). Choice (A) is incorrect because there is no bitterness expressed, only ambivalence. Choice (C) misreads the mood entirely-there is no joy here.

7. Ans: (C) – feels torn between her new life and unresolved family ties
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The entire passage presents the narrator’s struggle between the life she has built in Philadelphia and the pull of home and family, particularly evident in lines 20-26. Choice (A) is too extreme-she values what she has achieved. Choice (B) contradicts the two-year absence and lack of communication implied in the passage.

8. Ans: (C) – describe a significant archaeological discovery and ongoing research about its purpose
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage presents the discovery of the geoglyphs, explains their significance, and discusses competing theories about their function (lines 1-28). Choice (B) is too narrow, as LiDAR is mentioned only as a tool. Choice (D) is incorrect because no comparison with other structures is made.

9. Ans: (A) – archaeologists believed they were natural geological formations
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that “archaeologists assumed that the massive earthworks scattered across the Amazon Basin were natural formations” (lines 1-3). Choice (C) is true but not the reason they were overlooked initially. Choice (D) confuses later theories about purpose with reasons for initial oversight.

10. Ans: (A) – covering
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. “Canopy” refers to the upper layer of the rainforest that covered and concealed the geoglyphs from view (line 14). Choice (D) uses a word from the passage (“rainforest”) but “canopy” specifically means the covering layer, not the entire forest. Choice (C) is a related concept but not the precise meaning in this context.

11. Ans: (B) – allows researchers to map ground features hidden by vegetation
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states that LiDAR “uses laser pulses to penetrate vegetation and map the ground surface” (lines 15-17). Choice (A) is not mentioned-LiDAR reveals structures but does not date them. Choice (C) confuses revealing structures with determining their purposes.

12. Ans: (B) – explain why one theory about their purpose has been questioned
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage presents the defensive theory and then immediately offers evidence against it-the lack of strategic placement-thereby explaining why researchers moved away from this interpretation (lines 19-21). Choice (A) puts the explanation in the wrong direction-this evidence undermines the defensive theory rather than directly supporting the ceremonial one. Choice (D) confuses two separate pieces of evidence.

13. Ans: (C) – Scientists continue to develop theories based on limited material evidence
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The passage indicates that researchers have “theories” supported by some evidence but face the “challenge” that “these cultures left no written records, making interpretation dependent on material evidence alone” (lines 24-28). Choice (A) is too strong-celestial alignment is proposed, not proven. Choice (D) directly contradicts the statement that there are no written records (line 27).

14. Ans: (B) – constructing the geoglyphs required coordinated effort from many people
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage describes ditches “up to thirty-six feet wide and ten feet deep” covering areas of “nearly seventy-five acres” and notes “considerable organized labor” (lines 11-18). Choice (A) contradicts “long before European contact” (line 7). Choice (D) reverses cause and effect-deforestation revealed them accidentally, not deliberately.

15. Ans: (B) – argue that the Constitution guarantees women the right to vote
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. Anthony explicitly states her intention to “prove to you that in thus voting, I not only committed no crime, but instead simply exercised my citizen’s rights, guaranteed to me and all United States citizens by the National Constitution” (lines 4-8). Choice (A) contradicts her defiant stance that she committed no crime. Choice (C) is not mentioned as a purpose.

16. Ans: (B) – believed she was exercising a constitutional right
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Anthony states that she “simply exercised my citizen’s rights, guaranteed to me and all United States citizens by the National Constitution” (lines 6-8). Choice (A) implies a strategic legal challenge rather than exercising an existing right. Choice (C) misrepresents her position-she does not view it as breaking the law.

17. Ans: (C) – future generations
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Anthony quotes the Constitution’s phrase about securing liberty “to ourselves and our posterity,” meaning present and future people (line 13). Choice (A) reverses the temporal direction-posterity refers to descendants, not ancestors. Choice (D) is too narrow and contextually inappropriate.

18. Ans: (B) – show that the Constitution was written by and for all people
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Anthony quotes the Preamble and then emphasizes “It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens” to establish that the Constitution was meant to include everyone, including women (lines 14-16). Choice (C) introduces a topic (slavery) not addressed in this passage. Choice (A) is too superficial and misses the rhetorical purpose.

19. Ans: (B) – liberty cannot truly exist without the right to participate in elections
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Anthony argues that denying women the ballot while claiming they enjoy liberty is mockery because voting is “the only means of securing” liberty in a democracy (lines 21-24). Choice (A) is too extreme-the passage concerns voting specifically, not all legal protections. Choice (D) misreads the argument as being about intent to mock rather than about the logical inconsistency.

20. Ans: (B) – defiant and reasoned
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Anthony refuses to accept that she committed a crime and confidently presents constitutional arguments to support her position, combining defiance with logical reasoning throughout (lines 1-24). Choice (A) contradicts her firm, unapologetic stance. Choice (D) misreads the tone-she shows determination and confidence, not sorrow or resignation.