PSAT/NMSQT (2015 edition) Reading Test
-- (C) The College Board Questions With
Complete Solutions
1. Which choice best summarizes the passage?
A) A catastrophic event occurs, and the resulting disorder is
analyzed.
B) A painful confession is made, and several close
relationships unravel.
C) A long-standing commitment is broken, and a series of
repercussions follows.
D) An unexpected discovery is made, and the events
occurring after that discovery are described. - Correct
Answers ✅D, An unexpected discovery is made, and the
events occurring after that discovery are described.
2. What does the passage suggest about how Papa relates to
the narrator compared to how Mama relates?
A) Papa is a stricter disciplinarian with the narrator than
Mama is.
B) Papa is more privy to the narrator's confidences than
Mama is.
C) Papa is more complimentary of the narrator's poetry than
mama is.
D) Papa is more tolerant of the narrator's rebellious nature
than Mama is. - Correct Answers ✅B, Papa is more privy to
the narrator's confidences than Mama is.
,PSAT/NMSQT (2015 edition) Reading Test
-- (C) The College Board Questions With
Complete Solutions
3. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to
the previous question?
A) Lines 3-4 ("When...open")
B) Line 15 ("My...pride")
C) Lines 20-21 ("It...secret")
D) Lines 51-52 ("Why...him") - Correct Answers ✅C, Lines
20-21 ("It...secret")
4. It can reasonably be inferred that Papa's "scared look" (line
2) is caused by his concerns about
A) his friends' and neighbors' opinions
B) his family's safety and well-being
C) the relationship between the narrator and her mother.
D) the narrator's desire to become a writer. - Correct
Answers ✅B, his family's safety and well-being
5. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to
the previous question?
A) Lines 10-13 ("Papa...close it")
B) Lines 13-14 ("After...seditious")
C) Lines 18-20 ("Papa...mother")
D) Lines 52-53 ("I...killed") - Correct Answers ✅D, Lines 52-
53 ("I...killed")
, PSAT/NMSQT (2015 edition) Reading Test
-- (C) The College Board Questions With
Complete Solutions
6. As used in line 8, "scouring" most nearly means
A) searching.
B) eroding.
C) purging.
D) waving. - Correct Answers ✅A, searching.
7. As used in line 15, "fierce" most nearly means
A) distressing
B) struggling
C) intense
D) hostile - Correct Answers ✅C, intense
8. The italicized words in lines 37-39 serve mainly to
A) convey the lyrical cadence of Herminia's words
B) illustrate the defiant nature of Herminia's poetry
C) represent the urgent wishes of Dominican exiles
D) demonstrate the uplifting effects of patriotic verse -
Correct Answers ✅B, illustrate the defiant nature of
Herminia's poetry
9. The main purpose of lines 56-68 is to
-- (C) The College Board Questions With
Complete Solutions
1. Which choice best summarizes the passage?
A) A catastrophic event occurs, and the resulting disorder is
analyzed.
B) A painful confession is made, and several close
relationships unravel.
C) A long-standing commitment is broken, and a series of
repercussions follows.
D) An unexpected discovery is made, and the events
occurring after that discovery are described. - Correct
Answers ✅D, An unexpected discovery is made, and the
events occurring after that discovery are described.
2. What does the passage suggest about how Papa relates to
the narrator compared to how Mama relates?
A) Papa is a stricter disciplinarian with the narrator than
Mama is.
B) Papa is more privy to the narrator's confidences than
Mama is.
C) Papa is more complimentary of the narrator's poetry than
mama is.
D) Papa is more tolerant of the narrator's rebellious nature
than Mama is. - Correct Answers ✅B, Papa is more privy to
the narrator's confidences than Mama is.
,PSAT/NMSQT (2015 edition) Reading Test
-- (C) The College Board Questions With
Complete Solutions
3. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to
the previous question?
A) Lines 3-4 ("When...open")
B) Line 15 ("My...pride")
C) Lines 20-21 ("It...secret")
D) Lines 51-52 ("Why...him") - Correct Answers ✅C, Lines
20-21 ("It...secret")
4. It can reasonably be inferred that Papa's "scared look" (line
2) is caused by his concerns about
A) his friends' and neighbors' opinions
B) his family's safety and well-being
C) the relationship between the narrator and her mother.
D) the narrator's desire to become a writer. - Correct
Answers ✅B, his family's safety and well-being
5. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to
the previous question?
A) Lines 10-13 ("Papa...close it")
B) Lines 13-14 ("After...seditious")
C) Lines 18-20 ("Papa...mother")
D) Lines 52-53 ("I...killed") - Correct Answers ✅D, Lines 52-
53 ("I...killed")
, PSAT/NMSQT (2015 edition) Reading Test
-- (C) The College Board Questions With
Complete Solutions
6. As used in line 8, "scouring" most nearly means
A) searching.
B) eroding.
C) purging.
D) waving. - Correct Answers ✅A, searching.
7. As used in line 15, "fierce" most nearly means
A) distressing
B) struggling
C) intense
D) hostile - Correct Answers ✅C, intense
8. The italicized words in lines 37-39 serve mainly to
A) convey the lyrical cadence of Herminia's words
B) illustrate the defiant nature of Herminia's poetry
C) represent the urgent wishes of Dominican exiles
D) demonstrate the uplifting effects of patriotic verse -
Correct Answers ✅B, illustrate the defiant nature of
Herminia's poetry
9. The main purpose of lines 56-68 is to
