Reading Passage for HSPT - 81

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 to a stop at the edge of the Carpathian valley, and Eliska pressed her palm against the frosted window. Beyond the glass, the November light fell thin and colorless across the hills. She had not seen this place in twelve years, not since her (5) mother had taken her away to Prague with a single trunk and a promise never to return. Now the promise was broken, and the trunk – or one much like it – sat on the rack above her head, filled with clothes she no longer needed and books she could not bear to leave behind.     Her uncle waited on the platform, a figure (10) so stooped and diminished that she almost did not recognize him. He had been tall once, she remembered, with a voice that could carry across the orchard when he called the workers in from the trees. He raised one hand in greeting, but the gesture seemed tentative, as though (15) he were not entirely certain she would disembark. She lifted her case and moved toward the door, feeling the cold air rush in as the conductor swung it open. The valley stretched before her, the same and utterly changed, and she stepped down onto the platform with the strange (20) sensation that she was arriving at a place she had only ever dreamed.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

1. describe the physical landscape of the Carpathian valley in detail
2. portray a character’s return to a place from her past
3. explain the reasons Eliska left her home twelve years earlier
4. contrast urban and rural life in early twentieth-century Europe

2. As used in line 7, the word bear most nearly means

1. carry
2. endure
3. produce
4. support

3. The passage suggests that Eliska’s mother’s promise was to

1. never take Eliska away from the valley
2. never come back to the Carpathian valley
3. send Eliska to live with her uncle
4. keep the family’s trunk safe in Prague

4. The description of the uncle in lines 9-14 emphasizes his

1. unfamiliarity with train travel
2. eagerness to see his niece again
3. physical decline over the years
4. anger at Eliska’s long absence

5. The detail that Eliska “almost did not recognize” her uncle (line 10) primarily suggests that

1. she had forgotten what he looked like
2. he had changed significantly since she last saw him
3. there were many people on the platform
4. the November light made it difficult to see clearly

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

1. celebratory and joyful
2. reflective and uncertain
3. bitter and resentful
4. detached and analytical

7. The statement that the valley was “the same and utterly changed” (lines 19-20) suggests that

1. the landscape had been dramatically altered by development
2. Eliska’s perception of the place had shifted over time
3. the valley looked exactly as it had twelve years earlier
4. her uncle had made significant improvements to the property

Passage 2

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

    The discovery of a Bronze Age wooden trackway beneath a peat bog in Somerset, England, has provided archaeologists with an extraordinary window into the engineering capabilities of prehistoric communities. Known as the Sweet Track, this construction dates to approximately 3800 BCE, making it one (5) of the oldest engineered roads in the world. The track was built to cross the wetlands that once covered much of the Somerset Levels, allowing people to traverse an otherwise impassable landscape. What makes the Sweet Track remarkable is not merely its age, but the sophistication of its design.     The (10) builders drove long wooden poles vertically into the waterlogged soil at regular intervals, then laid planks horizontally across these supports to create a raised walkway. The planks were secured with wooden pegs, and the entire structure was carefully aligned to run in a straight line for nearly two kilometers. This level of (15) planning suggests that the community possessed both surveying knowledge and a capacity for organized labor. The anaerobic conditions of the peat preserved the wood so completely that researchers could identify the types of trees used – primarily oak for the planks and ash and lime for the supporting poles.     Analysis of (20) the tree rings has allowed scientists to determine that the timber was felled in a single winter, indicating a coordinated effort involving multiple workers over a short period. The Sweet Track reveals that Neolithic societies were far more technologically advanced than earlier scholars had assumed.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. peat bogs are ideal environments for preserving ancient wooden structures
2. the Sweet Track demonstrates advanced engineering skills in prehistoric times
3. prehistoric communities in England lived primarily in wetland areas
4. tree ring analysis is a valuable tool for dating archaeological discoveries

9. According to the passage, the Sweet Track was built in order to

1. connect two major Bronze Age settlements
2. allow people to cross wetland areas
3. demonstrate the power of a ruling class
4. transport timber from forests to construction sites

10. As used in line 17, the word anaerobic most nearly means

1. oxygen-free
2. water-saturated
3. extremely cold
4. highly acidic

11. The passage indicates that the Sweet Track planks were made primarily from

1. ash
2. lime
3. oak
4. pine

12. The author mentions tree ring analysis (lines 20-22) in order to

1. explain how scientists determined when the timber was cut
2. prove that the Sweet Track is the oldest road in the world
3. show that multiple construction phases occurred over many years
4. identify which types of trees grew in prehistoric Somerset

13. The passage suggests that earlier scholars believed Neolithic societies were

1. more technologically advanced than the Sweet Track evidence indicates
2. incapable of building structures in wetland environments
3. less technologically sophisticated than the Sweet Track suggests
4. primarily focused on agricultural rather than engineering projects

14. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the construction of the Sweet Track?

1. It required cooperation among a significant number of people.
2. It was built over several decades as resources became available.
3. It was designed primarily for transporting goods rather than people.
4. It was the only wooden trackway constructed in prehistoric England.

Passage 3

The following passage is excerpted from a speech delivered by Susan B. Anthony in 1873, after she was 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 voting, I not only committed no crime, but, (5) 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, establish justice, insure domestic (10) 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 male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who (15) 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 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 (20) securing them provided by this democratic-republican government – the ballot.

15. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. describe the events that led to Anthony’s arrest
2. argue that women have a constitutional right to vote
3. explain the historical origins of the U.S. Constitution
4. criticize the legal system for prosecuting voters

16. As used in line 6, the word deny most nearly means

1. reject
2. refuse
3. contradict
4. withhold

17. Anthony quotes the preamble of the Constitution primarily to

1. demonstrate her knowledge of American legal documents
2. support her claim that the Constitution protects all people’s rights
3. contrast federal law with state law
4. prove that the founders intended to limit voting rights

18. According to Anthony, the phrase “We, the people” in the Constitution refers to

1. white male citizens exclusively
2. all male citizens regardless of race
3. all people, including women
4. property owners who pay taxes

19. The tone of the passage can best be characterized as

1. apologetic and conciliatory
2. forceful and indignant
3. uncertain and questioning
4. humorous and lighthearted

20. Anthony describes denying women the vote as a “mockery” (line 18) because

1. women had been promised the vote by the Constitution’s framers
2. most democratic countries had already granted women voting rights
3. claiming women have liberty while denying them the ballot is contradictory
4. the legal system treated her arrest as a humorous matter

Answer Key

1. Ans: (B) – portray a character’s return to a place from her past
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on Eliska’s return to the Carpathian valley after a twelve-year absence, as indicated by details such as her broken promise never to return (lines 5-7) and her uncle waiting for her on the platform (lines 9-10). Choice (A) is too narrow, as the landscape description serves the larger purpose of establishing Eliska’s emotional state rather than being the primary focus. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage does not explain the reasons for her original departure, only mentioning that her mother took her away.

2. Ans: (B) – endure
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 7, Eliska packs “books she could not bear to leave behind,” meaning she could not endure or tolerate being separated from them emotionally. Choice (A) is a trap answer that uses the most common meaning of “bear” but does not fit the emotional context of the sentence. Choice (D) is incorrect because “support” refers to a physical or financial meaning of “bear” that does not apply here.

3. Ans: (B) – never come back to the Carpathian valley
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 5-7 state that Eliska’s mother had taken her to Prague “with a single trunk and a promise never to return,” and now “the promise was broken,” indicating that the promise was not to return to the valley. Choice (A) reverses the meaning, stating the opposite of what the passage says. Choice (C) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage and invents a detail about Eliska being sent to live with her uncle.

4. Ans: (C) – physical decline over the years
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The uncle is described as “so stooped and diminished” that Eliska almost did not recognize him (lines 9-10), and the passage notes he “had been tall once” with a strong voice (lines 11-12), emphasizing how much he has physically deteriorated. Choice (B) is contradicted by the detail that his greeting gesture was “tentative” (line 14), suggesting uncertainty rather than eagerness. Choice (D) invents an emotional state not supported by any details in the passage.

5. Ans: (B) – he had changed significantly since she last saw him
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage indicates that the uncle was “so stooped and diminished” (lines 9-10) compared to how Eliska remembered him as tall with a carrying voice (lines 11-12), showing significant change over twelve years. Choice (A) is too broad and does not account for the specific details about his former appearance that she does remember. Choice (D) uses a detail from the passage (November light, line 3) but distorts its relevance to this particular moment of recognition.

6. Ans: (B) – reflective and uncertain
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage conveys Eliska’s contemplative state through details like her pressing her palm against the window (line 2), her broken promise (lines 6-7), and her “strange sensation” of arriving at a place she had “only ever dreamed” (lines 19-20), creating a reflective and uncertain mood. Choice (A) is contradicted by the tentative, melancholy atmosphere throughout the passage. Choice (C) is too negative; while there is complexity to Eliska’s feelings, there is no evidence of bitterness or resentment.

7. Ans: (B) – Eliska’s perception of the place had shifted over time
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The paradoxical statement that the valley was “the same and utterly changed” (lines 19-20) suggests that while the physical landscape may not have changed dramatically, Eliska’s own perspective and circumstances have transformed over twelve years, altering how she experiences the place. Choice (A) is not supported by the passage, which describes the valley in natural, unchanged terms. Choice (C) contradicts the phrase “utterly changed,” taking only half of the paradoxical statement into account.

8. Ans: (B) – the Sweet Track demonstrates advanced engineering skills in prehistoric times
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage emphasizes the sophistication of the Sweet Track’s design (lines 8-9), the planning and surveying knowledge required (lines 14-15), and concludes that it “reveals that Neolithic societies were far more technologically advanced than earlier scholars had assumed” (lines 22-24). Choice (A) is too narrow, as peat preservation is mentioned as a detail supporting the larger point about engineering, not as the main idea. Choice (C) makes a claim about where people lived that is not stated or implied in the passage.

9. Ans: (B) – allow people to cross wetland areas
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 5-7 explicitly state that the track “was built to cross the wetlands that once covered much of the Somerset Levels, allowing people to traverse an otherwise impassable landscape.” Choice (A) invents specific details about settlements that are not mentioned in the passage. Choice (C) is not supported by any evidence in the text, which focuses on practical function rather than displays of power.

10. Ans: (A) – oxygen-free
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 17, “anaerobic conditions” refers to the environment in peat bogs that lacks oxygen, which is what allows organic materials like wood to be preserved rather than decomposing. Choice (B) uses a characteristic of peat bogs mentioned in the passage (“waterlogged,” line 10) but confuses a related feature with the specific scientific meaning of anaerobic. Choice (C) invents a characteristic not mentioned or relevant to the preservation process described.

11. Ans: (C) – oak
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Lines 18-19 state that researchers identified “the types of trees used – primarily oak for the planks and ash and lime for the supporting poles.” Choice (A) is incorrect because ash was used for the supporting poles, not the planks. Choice (B) is wrong because lime was also used for poles rather than planks.

12. Ans: (A) – explain how scientists determined when the timber was cut
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Lines 20-22 state that “Analysis of the tree rings has allowed scientists to determine that the timber was felled in a single winter,” showing how tree rings provided timing information. Choice (C) contradicts the passage, which states the timber was cut in a single winter (lines 21-22), not over multiple phases. Choice (D) misrepresents the purpose; while tree types are mentioned earlier, the tree ring analysis specifically addresses timing, not species identification.

13. Ans: (C) – less technologically sophisticated than the Sweet Track suggests
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The final sentence (lines 22-24) states that “The Sweet Track reveals that Neolithic societies were far more technologically advanced than earlier scholars had assumed,” implying that earlier scholars underestimated their capabilities. Choice (A) reverses the relationship described in the passage. Choice (B) is too specific; the passage suggests a general underestimation of technology, not a specific belief about wetland construction.

14. Ans: (A) – It required cooperation among a significant number of people.
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage describes “organized labor” (line 15) and states that the timber was “felled in a single winter, indicating a coordinated effort involving multiple workers” (lines 21-22), supporting the inference of significant cooperation. Choice (B) contradicts the evidence that construction occurred in a single winter (lines 21-22). Choice (D) is too broad; the passage identifies the Sweet Track as one of the oldest roads (lines 4-5) but does not claim it was the only prehistoric trackway in England.

15. Ans: (B) – argue that women have a constitutional right to vote
Explanation: This is a Main Idea/Author’s Purpose question. Anthony explicitly states her purpose is “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...by the National Constitution” (lines 3-6), and she builds this argument throughout the passage. Choice (A) is too narrow; while she mentions her arrest, the passage focuses on the constitutional argument rather than narrating events. Choice (C) mischaracterizes her use of the Constitution; she quotes it to make a legal argument, not to provide historical background.

16. Ans: (D) – withhold
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 6, Anthony refers to her rights as guaranteed “beyond the power of any state to deny,” meaning states cannot withhold or take away these constitutional rights. Choice (A), while a common synonym for deny, does not fit as precisely in this legal and constitutional context about withholding rights. Choice (C) refers to a different meaning of deny (to contradict a statement) that does not apply to the context of rights.

17. Ans: (B) – support her claim that the Constitution protects all people’s rights
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. After quoting the preamble (lines 7-13), Anthony immediately analyzes it, arguing that “we, the people” means “the whole people” including “women as well as men” (lines 13-17), using the quotation to support her constitutional argument. Choice (D) reverses her argument entirely; she uses the preamble to argue against limiting voting rights, not to prove the founders intended such limits. Choice (A) is too superficial and misses the substantive legal argument she is constructing.

18. Ans: (C) – all people, including women
Explanation: This is a Detail question. Anthony explicitly states: “It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union” (lines 13-15), and later clarifies this means “women as well as men” (line 17). Choice (A) is specifically contradicted by Anthony’s statement “not we, the white male citizens” (lines 13-14). Choice (B) is also explicitly rejected by her statement “nor yet we, the male citizens” (line 14).

19. Ans: (B) – forceful and indignant
Explanation: This is a Tone question. Anthony’s language is assertive and passionate, using strong phrases like “downright mockery” (line 18) and building a forceful constitutional argument that expresses indignation at the denial of women’s rights. Choice (A) is contradicted by her unapologetic stance; she insists she “committed no crime” (line 4) and exercises her rights. Choice (C) misreads her certainty; she presents her argument with conviction, not uncertainty.

20. Ans: (C) – claiming women have liberty while denying them the ballot is contradictory
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. Anthony states 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” – the ballot (lines 18-21), arguing that the contradiction between claiming to give liberty and denying voting rights is absurd. Choice (A) invents a claim not made in the passage; Anthony argues from the Constitution’s language, not from promises by the framers. Choice (D) completely misunderstands “mockery,” which refers to the contradiction in denying rights, not to anyone treating the matter humorously.