Reading Passage for HSPT - 88

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 morning fog pressed against the windows of the carriage as it lurched over the rutted road toward the coast. Isabel clutched her leather satchel, feeling the outline of her father’s pocket watch through the worn fabric. She had not asked permission to take it, (5) but neither had anyone thought to stop her when she left the house before dawn. Her aunt would discover the absence soon enough-both the watch and the girl.     Across from her sat a woman in a faded traveling cloak, knitting needles clicking with the rhythm of the wheels. The woman had not spoken since Plymouth, though her eyes (10) occasionally flickered toward Isabel with what might have been curiosity or disapproval. Isabel could not tell which, nor did she particularly care. Her thoughts were fixed on the harbor at Falmouth, where the merchant ship Meridian would depart on the afternoon tide.     Her father had sailed on that same vessel (15) three years earlier, bound for the Dutch East Indies with a hold full of wool and tin. He had promised to return within eighteen months, laden with spices and stories. Instead, a terse letter had arrived from the company agent in Batavia, expressing regret at Captain Hartley’s untimely death from fever. The letter included an inventory of his (20) effects but no personal message, no final words for his only daughter.

1. The primary purpose of the first paragraph is to

1. establish the historical setting and introduce the protagonist’s internal conflict
2. describe the physical discomfort of carriage travel in the nineteenth century
3. explain why Isabel has a difficult relationship with her aunt
4. foreshadow a confrontation between Isabel and the other passenger

2. As used in line 5, the word lurched most nearly means

1. accelerated
2. swayed abruptly
3. collapsed
4. departed suddenly

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Isabel took her father’s watch because

1. she intended to sell it to pay for her passage on the Meridian
2. her aunt had forbidden her from keeping any of her father’s belongings
3. it represents a tangible connection to her deceased father
4. she planned to return it to the company agent in Batavia

4. According to the passage, the woman in the carriage

1. had boarded at Plymouth and remained silent afterward
2. openly disapproved of Isabel’s traveling alone
3. was also traveling to board a ship at Falmouth
4. reminded Isabel of her aunt

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

1. anxious and determined
2. bitter and resentful
3. nostalgic and wistful
4. fearful and uncertain

6. The detail that Captain Hartley’s cargo included “wool and tin” (line 16) primarily serves to

1. demonstrate Isabel’s detailed knowledge of her father’s business affairs
2. suggest the economic importance of trade with the Dutch East Indies
3. provide historical authenticity and specificity to the narrative
4. explain why the voyage took longer than the promised eighteen months

7. Which of the following best describes what troubles Isabel most about her father’s death?

1. The lack of any personal farewell or message directed to her
2. The fact that he died of fever rather than in a more heroic manner
3. The inadequate compensation provided by the trading company
4. The length of time that elapsed before she learned of his death

Passage 2

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

    The phenomenon known as “change blindness” reveals a surprising limitation in human visual perception. Despite our subjective impression that we see the world around us in rich, continuous detail, experimental evidence demonstrates that we often fail to notice (5) substantial alterations in a visual scene, particularly when those changes occur during a brief interruption such as an eye movement or a camera cut. In one landmark study, researchers showed participants photographs of everyday scenes and introduced significant modifications-a building disappearing from a skyline, a person’s clothing changing color-during momentary blanks in presentation. Astonishingly, (10) fewer than half of the observers detected these changes, even when instructed explicitly to watch for them.     This phenomenon challenges the common assumption that attention and perception are equivalent processes. Current theories suggest that our visual system operates more like a spotlight than a floodlight, (15) allocating detailed processing resources to only a small portion of the visual field at any given moment. The brain constructs what seems like a complete picture by rapidly shifting attention and filling gaps with expectations based on prior knowledge. When a change occurs outside the focus of attention, or when the (20) transient signal that normally draws attention to movement is masked by a visual interruption, the alteration simply goes unregistered.

8. The main idea of the passage is that

1. human vision is fundamentally flawed and unreliable for everyday tasks
2. people fail to notice many visual changes due to limitations in how attention operates
3. eye movements create gaps in visual perception that make observation impossible
4. experimental psychology has disproven all common assumptions about how we see

9. According to the passage, in the landmark study described, what percentage of participants detected the changes?

1. More than half
2. Exactly half
3. Fewer than half
4. Nearly all

10. As used in line 11, the word equivalent most nearly means

1. identical
2. balanced
3. interchangeable
4. comparable

11. The “spotlight” metaphor in line 14 is used to illustrate that

1. visual attention illuminates only a limited area at one time
2. the brain can switch rapidly between different sensory modes
3. conscious awareness is brighter and more intense than unconscious processing
4. eye movements sweep across a scene in a predictable pattern

12. It can be inferred from the passage that change blindness is more likely to occur when

1. observers are distracted by complex instructions
2. changes happen in peripheral rather than central vision
3. a visual disruption prevents the normal attention signal from movement
4. the scene being viewed is unfamiliar to the observer

13. The author’s purpose in this passage is primarily to

1. argue that previous theories of visual perception were entirely incorrect
2. inform readers about a counterintuitive finding in perceptual psychology
3. persuade readers to rely less on their visual perception
4. describe the specific methodology used in change blindness experiments

14. According to the passage, the brain creates the impression of a complete visual scene by

1. recording every detail and storing it in short-term memory
2. processing only a small area in detail and using expectations to fill in the rest
3. dividing the visual field into sections and analyzing each one separately
4. relying primarily on color and movement rather than shape and position

Passage 3

The following passage is adapted from a 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 protect my father’s (5) 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 sick when I (10) 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 peace. (15) 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.

15. The primary purpose of this speech is to

1. describe the traditional way of life of the Nez Perce people
2. express frustration with unfulfilled promises and demand justice
3. recount the specific events that led to conflict between settlers and Native peoples
4. propose a detailed treaty that would satisfy both sides

16. As used in line 2, the phrase amount to something most nearly means

1. increase in number
2. result in action
3. reach a total
4. seem important

17. According to the passage, good words will NOT

1. bring back Chief Joseph’s deceased relatives
2. provide his people with a peaceful homeland
3. compensate for lost livestock
4. all of the above

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

1. resigned and defeated
2. angry and vengeful
3. weary but resolute
4. optimistic and hopeful

19. Chief Joseph suggests that peace between white men and Indians requires

1. separating the two groups into distinct territories
2. providing financial compensation for past wrongs
3. treating all people with the same laws and equal rights
4. punishing those who made false promises in the past

20. The statement “The earth is the mother of all people” (line 18) serves primarily to

1. illustrate a specific religious belief unique to the Nez Perce
2. support the argument for universal equality and shared rights
3. describe the agricultural practices of Native American tribes
4. contrast Native American spirituality with that of white settlers

Answer Key

1. Ans: (A) – establish the historical setting and introduce the protagonist’s internal conflict
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The first paragraph establishes both the physical setting (a carriage traveling to the coast in foggy morning) and Isabel’s emotional state, particularly her unauthorized taking of her father’s watch and her departure before her aunt could stop her (lines 4-6). Choice (B) is too narrow, focusing only on one descriptive detail rather than the paragraph’s primary purpose. Choice (D) is incorrect because there is no evidence that a confrontation with the other passenger will occur.

2. Ans: (B) – swayed abruptly
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The word “lurched” in line 5 describes the carriage’s movement over a rutted road, suggesting irregular, jerking motion. Choice (A) is incorrect because “accelerated” refers to increasing speed, not irregular movement. Choice (C) is wrong because “collapsed” is too extreme and would indicate the carriage broke down entirely, which does not fit the context.

3. Ans: (C) – it represents a tangible connection to her deceased father
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Isabel clutches the watch (line 3) and is traveling to the same ship her father sailed on (lines 12-13), suggesting she values it as a memento. Choice (A) is unsupported by the passage, which gives no indication she needs money or plans to sell the watch. Choice (B) contradicts the text, which states no one stopped her from taking it (lines 4-6), not that it was forbidden.

4. Ans: (A) – had boarded at Plymouth and remained silent afterward
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 8-9 explicitly state that “The woman had not spoken since Plymouth.” Choice (B) is incorrect because while the woman’s glances might have been disapproval, the passage states Isabel “could not tell which” (line 10), so this is not definitively stated. Choice (C) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage.

5. Ans: (A) – anxious and determined
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Isabel’s clutching of the satchel, her secretive early departure, and her fixed thoughts on the departing ship (lines 11-13) convey both nervousness and resolve. Choice (B) is too negative; while Isabel has lost her father, she does not express bitterness. Choice (D) is partially correct about anxiety but wrong about uncertainty, as Isabel’s thoughts are “fixed” on a clear destination and purpose.

6. Ans: (C) – provide historical authenticity and specificity to the narrative
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The specific mention of wool and tin as cargo (line 16) adds realistic period detail to the fictional narrative. Choice (A) is incorrect because the detail comes from the narrator’s description, not necessarily from Isabel’s personal knowledge. Choice (D) is wrong because the cargo type has no logical connection to voyage duration.

7. Ans: (A) – The lack of any personal farewell or message directed to her
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 19-20 explicitly state the letter included “no personal message, no final words for his only daughter,” emphasizing what troubles Isabel most. Choice (B) is not mentioned as a concern of Isabel’s in the passage. Choice (C) distorts the passage, which mentions an inventory of effects but never suggests inadequate compensation troubled Isabel.

8. Ans: (B) – people fail to notice many visual changes due to limitations in how attention operates
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage explains change blindness as a phenomenon where changes go unnoticed due to how attention is allocated in the visual system (lines 11-19). Choice (A) is too broad and extreme; the passage describes a specific limitation, not fundamental flaws that make vision unreliable. Choice (C) is too narrow, focusing only on eye movements when the passage discusses various types of interruptions.

9. Ans: (C) – Fewer than half
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 9-10 explicitly state that “fewer than half of the observers detected these changes.” Choice (A) directly contradicts this statement by reversing the relationship. Choice (D) is also contradicted by the passage, which emphasizes how surprisingly few people noticed the changes.

10. Ans: (C) – interchangeable
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Line 11 challenges the assumption that attention and perception are “equivalent processes,” meaning people wrongly assume they are the same or interchangeable. Choice (A) is close but “interchangeable” better captures the idea that the processes are mistakenly treated as substitutable for one another. Choice (D), “comparable,” is too weak; the passage suggests people assume they are not merely similar but effectively the same.

11. Ans: (A) – visual attention illuminates only a limited area at one time
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The spotlight metaphor (lines 14-15) illustrates that detailed processing is “allocated to only a small portion of the visual field at any given moment,” just as a spotlight illuminates only a small area. Choice (B) is incorrect because the metaphor addresses visual attention specifically, not switching between different senses. Choice (C) misinterprets the metaphor by focusing on brightness rather than limited scope.

12. Ans: (C) – a visual disruption prevents the normal attention signal from movement
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Lines 18-20 explain that when “the transient signal that normally draws attention to movement is masked by a visual interruption,” changes go unnoticed. Choice (B) seems plausible but is not directly supported by the passage, which emphasizes interruptions masking signals rather than peripheral versus central vision. Choice (D) is not mentioned anywhere in the passage.

13. Ans: (B) – inform readers about a counterintuitive finding in perceptual psychology
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage presents the surprising phenomenon of change blindness and explains it to a general audience in an informative rather than persuasive manner. Choice (A) is too extreme; the passage challenges one assumption but does not claim all previous theories were entirely incorrect. Choice (C) misidentifies the purpose as persuasive rather than informative.

14. Ans: (B) – processing only a small area in detail and using expectations to fill in the rest
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 15-17 explain that the brain allocates detailed processing to “only a small portion” and constructs a complete picture “by rapidly shifting attention and filling gaps with expectations based on prior knowledge.” Choice (A) contradicts this by suggesting everything is recorded in detail. Choice (D) focuses on specific visual features not discussed in the passage as the primary mechanism.

15. Ans: (B) – express frustration with unfulfilled promises and demand justice
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. Chief Joseph repeatedly emphasizes broken promises and ineffective words (lines 1-7, 9-12) and calls for equal treatment (lines 15-19). Choice (A) is too narrow; while he mentions some losses, the primary purpose is not description but protest. Choice (D) is incorrect because he articulates general principles of equality rather than proposing specific treaty terms.

16. Ans: (B) – result in action
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. In line 2, Chief Joseph contrasts mere talk with words that “amount to something,” meaning words that produce tangible results or action, as evidenced by the following lines listing what words fail to accomplish. Choice (A) takes the word “amount” too literally in a mathematical sense. Choice (D) is too weak; he is not concerned with words seeming important but with them producing actual outcomes.

17. Ans: (D) – all of the above
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 2-7 explicitly list what good words will not do: they will not “pay for my dead people” (choice A), will not “get my people a home where they can live in peace” (choice B), and will not “pay for all my horses and cattle” (choice C). Since all three are stated, choice (D) is correct. Each individual choice is too narrow when all are mentioned.

18. Ans: (C) – weary but resolute
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Chief Joseph states “I am tired of talk” and “It makes my heart sick” (lines 9-10), showing weariness, but he continues to articulate clear principles and demands (lines 14-19), showing resolve. Choice (A) is wrong because while he is weary, he is not defeated-he still advocates for justice. Choice (B) is incorrect because he emphasizes peace (line 14) rather than revenge.

19. Ans: (C) – treating all people with the same laws and equal rights
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. Lines 15-18 state that peace requires treating “all men alike,” giving them “the same law” and “equal rights.” Choice (A) contradicts this vision of equality and shared treatment. Choice (B) is not mentioned as a requirement for peace, though he does note that words do not compensate for past losses (lines 2-7).

20. Ans: (B) – support the argument for universal equality and shared rights
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The statement in line 18 appears in a sequence arguing that all people “are all brothers” and “should have equal rights upon” the earth, using the metaphor to ground the equality argument. Choice (A) is too narrow; while it may reflect Nez Perce beliefs, Chief Joseph uses it here to support a universal principle. Choice (D) is incorrect because he uses the metaphor to unite rather than contrast different groups.