Reading Passage for HSPT - 74

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 clockmaker’s shop stood at the corner of Bleecker and Carmine, wedged between a bakery that no longer baked and a tobacconist who had died the previous winter. Inside, Vincent Calabrese bent over a pocket watch (5) so old its silver case had worn smooth as a river stone. He worked by the light of a single bulb, though outside the June afternoon blazed hot enough to soften the tar between the cobblestones.

    His daughter Marie entered through the back (10) door, bringing with her the smell of the printing house where she spent her days setting type. She kissed his cheek and set a newspaper on the bench beside him. “Papa, you haven’t eaten.”

    “I’ll eat when this is finished.” He (15) didn’t look up. The watch belonged to Mrs. Chen, who had carried it from Guangdong forty years ago. She needed it back by evening – her grandson was leaving for the war, and she wanted him to have it. Vincent (20) had promised, and Vincent kept his promises, even when his hands shook and his eyes watered from the strain.

1. The passage is primarily concerned with

1. the history of clockmaking in New York City
2. a father and daughter’s conversation about current events
3. a craftsman working to fulfill an important promise
4. the experiences of immigrants in early twentieth-century America

2. The description of the pocket watch as “worn smooth as a river stone” (lines 5-6) suggests that the watch is

1. valuable and well-protected
2. old and frequently handled
3. damaged beyond repair
4. made of an unusual material

3. As used in line 9, the word blazed most nearly means

1. burned destructively
2. shone brightly and intensely
3. moved rapidly
4. marked a trail

4. Marie’s comment “Papa, you haven’t eaten” (line 13) suggests that she is

1. angry at her father for neglecting his health
2. concerned about her father’s well-being
3. trying to distract him from his work
4. hungry and hoping he will join her for a meal

5. According to the passage, Mrs. Chen wants the watch repaired by evening because

1. she is leaving for China the next morning
2. her grandson is departing for military service
3. the watch has great monetary value
4. Vincent promised to finish it that day

6. The detail that the bakery “no longer baked” and the tobacconist “had died” (lines 2-3) primarily serves to

1. suggest that the neighborhood is in decline
2. establish the exact location of Vincent’s shop
3. explain why Vincent has few customers
4. create a contrast with Vincent’s thriving business

7. The tone of the final sentence (lines 18-20) can best be described as

1. admiring
2. skeptical
3. melancholy
4. indifferent

Passage 2

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

    For more than a century, scientists believed that neurons – the cells responsible for transmitting signals throughout the nervous system – were incapable of regeneration in adult mammals. This doctrine, established by the pioneering neuroanatomist Santiago Ramón y Cajal (5) in the early 1900s, held that once the mammalian brain reached maturity, its structure remained essentially fixed. Injured neurons could not be replaced, and new neural pathways could not form.

    Recent decades have overturned this longstanding assumption. (10) In the 1960s, Joseph Altman presented evidence of neurogenesis – the birth of new neurons – in the hippocampus of adult rats, though his findings were largely dismissed by the scientific establishment. It was not until the 1990s that (15) researchers, using improved techniques for labeling dividing cells, confirmed beyond doubt that neurogenesis occurs in the adult mammalian brain, particularly in two regions: the hippocampus, which plays a central role in learning and memory, and the olfactory (20) bulb, which processes information about smell. This discovery has profound implications for our understanding of brain plasticity, mental health, and the treatment of neurological disorders.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. Santiago Ramón y Cajal made important discoveries about the brain
2. scientific understanding of neuron regeneration has changed dramatically
3. the hippocampus is the most important region of the brain
4. neurological disorders can now be cured through neurogenesis

9. According to the passage, Cajal believed that adult mammalian brains

1. could generate new neurons throughout life
2. had a fixed structure that did not change
3. were less complex than previously thought
4. could recover fully from any injury

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

1. flipped upside down
2. reversed or disproven
3. examined carefully
4. supported with new evidence

11. The passage suggests that Joseph Altman’s research in the 1960s was

1. immediately accepted by other scientists
2. based on flawed experimental methods
3. initially rejected by the scientific community
4. focused primarily on the olfactory bulb

12. According to the passage, neurogenesis in adult mammals occurs in

1. all regions of the brain equally
2. the hippocampus and olfactory bulb
3. only the hippocampus
4. regions damaged by injury

13. The author’s purpose in mentioning “improved techniques for labeling dividing cells” (line 16) is to

1. criticize earlier research methods as inadequate
2. explain why neurogenesis was difficult to detect previously
3. argue that technology is essential to scientific progress
4. demonstrate that Altman’s work was inaccurate

14. The passage indicates that the discovery of adult neurogenesis has implications for all of the following EXCEPT

1. understanding brain plasticity
2. treating neurological disorders
3. studying mental health
4. improving surgical techniques

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a historical speech.

    I stand before you today not as a representative of any single organization, but as a daughter of the prairies, a farmer’s wife, and a citizen convinced that the right to vote is not a privilege to be granted, but a natural right to be (5) recognized. For twenty years, the women of Kansas have labored beside their husbands to build this state from raw soil and determination. We have endured drought, grasshopper plagues, and the bitter winters that crack the earth. We have (10) taught in schoolhouses, nursed the sick, and managed farms when our men were called away. Yet we are told we lack the capacity to mark a ballot.

    Gentlemen of the legislature, I do not come to beg. I come to remind you (15) that taxation without representation is tyranny whether imposed by a distant king or by our own elected officials. The women of Kansas pay taxes on their property. They are subject to the laws you pass. Justice demands they have a voice in making (20) those laws.

15. The speaker’s primary purpose is to

1. describe the hardships faced by Kansas farmers
2. argue for women’s voting rights based on their contributions and principles
3. criticize the legislature for ignoring rural citizens
4. compare the American Revolution to the suffrage movement

16. As used in line 5, the word recognized most nearly means

1. identified by sight
2. formally acknowledged
3. rewarded publicly
4. remembered fondly

17. The speaker lists “drought, grasshopper plagues, and the bitter winters” (lines 7-8) in order to

1. emphasize the challenges women have overcome
2. argue for agricultural subsidies
3. criticize the government’s response to natural disasters
4. explain why Kansas has a small population

18. The phrase “I do not come to beg” (line 14) suggests that the speaker views her request as

1. a humble petition that may be denied
2. a demand based on justice rather than charity
3. an angry ultimatum to the legislature
4. an unrealistic goal that will take generations to achieve

19. The speaker’s reference to “taxation without representation” (line 15) is intended to

1. propose eliminating taxes for women
2. connect the suffrage cause to American founding principles
3. suggest that the Revolutionary War was unjustified
4. argue that property taxes in Kansas are too high

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

1. apologetic and uncertain
2. scholarly and detached
3. assertive and principled
4. bitter and resentful

Answer Key

1. Ans: (C) – a craftsman working to fulfill an important promise
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage centers on Vincent’s effort to repair Mrs. Chen’s watch before evening because he promised to do so, despite his physical difficulties (lines 15-20). Choice (A) is too broad, as the passage focuses on one individual craftsman rather than the history of clockmaking. Choice (B) is too narrow, as the conversation is only one brief element of the passage.

2. Ans: (B) – old and frequently handled
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The simile comparing the watch to a river stone worn smooth suggests age and repeated use over time (lines 4-6). Choice (A) contradicts the description, as something worn smooth has not been well-protected. Choice (C) goes too far, as the passage indicates Vincent is repairing it, not that it is beyond repair.

3. Ans: (B) – shone brightly and intensely
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage describes the afternoon as blazing “hot enough to soften the tar,” indicating intense heat and brightness (lines 7-9). Choice (A) uses a literal meaning of “blazed” that does not fit the context of describing weather. Choice (C) refers to movement, which does not apply to an afternoon.

4. Ans: (B) – concerned about her father’s well-being
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Marie’s observation about her father not eating, combined with her gentle tone, suggests concern for his health (line 13). Choice (A) distorts the tone, as nothing in the passage indicates anger. Choice (D) reverses the relationship, as Marie is worried about Vincent, not herself.

5. Ans: (B) – her grandson is departing for military service
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly states that Mrs. Chen’s grandson “was leaving for the war, and she wanted him to have it” (lines 17-18). Choice (A) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage. Choice (D) is true but not stated as Mrs. Chen’s reason for needing the watch.

6. Ans: (A) – suggest that the neighborhood is in decline
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The details about closed or defunct businesses establish the setting as a deteriorating area (lines 2-3). Choice (B) is too narrow, as these details do more than merely locate the shop. Choice (D) contradicts the passage, which gives no indication that Vincent’s business is thriving.

7. Ans: (A) – admiring
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The final sentence presents Vincent’s dedication to keeping promises despite physical difficulty in a positive, respectful light (lines 18-20). Choice (B) is incorrect because nothing in the sentence questions or doubts Vincent’s character. Choice (D) contradicts the passage, which clearly emphasizes Vincent’s commitment.

8. Ans: (B) – scientific understanding of neuron regeneration has changed dramatically
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage traces how scientific belief shifted from Cajal’s doctrine of fixed brain structure to acceptance of neurogenesis (lines 1-22). Choice (A) is too narrow, mentioning only one scientist rather than the broader change in understanding. Choice (D) goes beyond what is stated, as the passage mentions implications for treatment but not cures.

9. Ans: (B) – had a fixed structure that did not change
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage states that Cajal’s doctrine “held that once the mammalian brain reached maturity, its structure remained essentially fixed” (lines 5-7). Choice (A) directly contradicts this statement. Choice (D) is too broad and not mentioned in the passage.

10. Ans: (B) – reversed or disproven
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The passage indicates that recent decades have contradicted Cajal’s longstanding assumption (line 10). Choice (A) uses the literal physical meaning of “overturned” rather than the figurative meaning appropriate here. Choice (D) reverses the meaning, as overturning an assumption means disproving it, not supporting it.

11. Ans: (C) – initially rejected by the scientific community
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states that Altman’s findings “were largely dismissed by the scientific establishment” (lines 12-13). Choice (A) contradicts this directly. Choice (B) is not stated; the passage suggests the dismissal was due to bias, not flawed methods.

12. Ans: (B) – the hippocampus and olfactory bulb
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage explicitly identifies these two regions where neurogenesis occurs in adult mammals (lines 17-20). Choice (A) contradicts the passage, which specifies “particularly in two regions.” Choice (C) is too narrow, omitting the olfactory bulb.

13. Ans: (B) – explain why neurogenesis was difficult to detect previously
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The mention of improved techniques (line 16) provides context for why Altman’s earlier findings were dismissed and later confirmed. Choice (A) goes too far, as the passage explains rather than criticizes. Choice (D) is not supported, as the passage indicates Altman was correct.

14. Ans: (D) – improving surgical techniques
Explanation: This is a Detail question. The passage lists implications for brain plasticity, mental health, and treatment of neurological disorders (lines 20-22), but does not mention surgical techniques. Choices (A), (B), and (C) are all explicitly stated in the final sentence.

15. Ans: (B) – argue for women’s voting rights based on their contributions and principles
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The speaker emphasizes women’s work (lines 6-11) and invokes principles of representation and justice (lines 15-20) to argue for suffrage. Choice (A) is too narrow, as hardships are mentioned to support the larger argument. Choice (C) misidentifies the focus, which is on women, not rural citizens generally.

16. Ans: (B) – formally acknowledged
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The speaker contrasts a privilege “to be granted” with a natural right “to be recognized,” meaning officially acknowledged as existing (lines 3-5). Choice (A) uses a different meaning of “recognized” unrelated to the context. Choice (C) introduces a concept not present in the passage.

17. Ans: (A) – emphasize the challenges women have overcome
Explanation: This is a Structure question. The list of hardships demonstrates that Kansas women have endured severe difficulties, supporting the argument that they are capable citizens (lines 7-8). Choice (B) introduces a topic not discussed in the passage. Choice (D) uses information from the passage but draws an unsupported conclusion.

18. Ans: (B) – a demand based on justice rather than charity
Explanation: This is an Inference question. By stating she does not beg, the speaker positions her request as a rightful claim, not a favor (line 14). Choice (A) contradicts the assertive tone of refusing to beg. Choice (C) goes too far, as firm does not equal angry.

19. Ans: (B) – connect the suffrage cause to American founding principles
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The reference to the Revolutionary War slogan links women’s voting rights to established American values about representation (lines 14-16). Choice (A) misinterprets the argument entirely. Choice (D) focuses on a narrow detail rather than the rhetorical purpose.

20. Ans: (C) – assertive and principled
Explanation: This is a Tone question. The speaker states she does not beg (line 14), invokes justice (line 18), and grounds her argument in fundamental rights (lines 3-5), creating a confident, values-based tone. Choice (A) contradicts the firm stance throughout. Choice (D) goes too far, as the speaker is firm but not bitter.