PSAT/NMSQT READING TEST QUESTIONS
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. - Answer -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. - Answer -B,
Papa is more privy to the narrator's confidences than Mama is.
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") - Answer -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. - Answer -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") - Answer -D, Lines 52-53 ("I...killed")
6. As used in line 8, "scouring" most nearly means
A) searching.
B) eroding.
C) purging.
D) waving. - Answer -A, searching.
7. As used in line 15, "fierce" most nearly means
, A) distressing
B) struggling
C) intense
D) hostile - Answer -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 - Answer -B, illustrate the defiant
nature of Herminia's poetry
9. The main purpose of lines 56-68 is to
A) convey the kind of inspiration the narrator requires to help her write poetry
B) demonstrate the inhibiting impact that Papa's words have had on the narrator
C) provide a sense of foreboding about the influence that the narrator's poems may
have.
D) reveal the effect that the publication of her poems has had on the narrator - Answer
-D, reveal the effect that the publication of her poems has had on the narrator
10. In line 8, the author places the word "rational" in quotes to
A) imply that the usage of the word in this instance is a matter of understatement
B) indicate that a particular assertion will later be disproved
C) suggest that seemingly reasonable decisions overlooked important factors
D) emphasize the important of evidence-based research to economists - Answer -C,
suggest that seemingly reasonable decisions overlooked important factors
11. According to the passage, the industrialization of food production has recently led to
an increase in the
A) availability of fresh foods
B) risk of food-borne illness
C) number of food producers
D) nutritional value of food - Answer -B, risk of food-borne illness
12. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
A) Lines 3-6 ("Following...supermarkets")
B) Lines 16-19 ("At...returns")
C) Lines 19-21("Today...frequently")
D) Lines 22-26 ("More...past") - Answer -C, Lines 19-21("Today...frequently")
13. The author indicates that the cost of food in farmers markets
A) is typically greater than the cost of food in other types of markets.
B) compares favorably to that of food that is mass-produced
C) is low considering the food's superior quality
D) has gradually risen over time. - Answer -A, is typically greater than the cost of food
in other types of markets.
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. - Answer -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. - Answer -B,
Papa is more privy to the narrator's confidences than Mama is.
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") - Answer -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. - Answer -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") - Answer -D, Lines 52-53 ("I...killed")
6. As used in line 8, "scouring" most nearly means
A) searching.
B) eroding.
C) purging.
D) waving. - Answer -A, searching.
7. As used in line 15, "fierce" most nearly means
, A) distressing
B) struggling
C) intense
D) hostile - Answer -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 - Answer -B, illustrate the defiant
nature of Herminia's poetry
9. The main purpose of lines 56-68 is to
A) convey the kind of inspiration the narrator requires to help her write poetry
B) demonstrate the inhibiting impact that Papa's words have had on the narrator
C) provide a sense of foreboding about the influence that the narrator's poems may
have.
D) reveal the effect that the publication of her poems has had on the narrator - Answer
-D, reveal the effect that the publication of her poems has had on the narrator
10. In line 8, the author places the word "rational" in quotes to
A) imply that the usage of the word in this instance is a matter of understatement
B) indicate that a particular assertion will later be disproved
C) suggest that seemingly reasonable decisions overlooked important factors
D) emphasize the important of evidence-based research to economists - Answer -C,
suggest that seemingly reasonable decisions overlooked important factors
11. According to the passage, the industrialization of food production has recently led to
an increase in the
A) availability of fresh foods
B) risk of food-borne illness
C) number of food producers
D) nutritional value of food - Answer -B, risk of food-borne illness
12. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
A) Lines 3-6 ("Following...supermarkets")
B) Lines 16-19 ("At...returns")
C) Lines 19-21("Today...frequently")
D) Lines 22-26 ("More...past") - Answer -C, Lines 19-21("Today...frequently")
13. The author indicates that the cost of food in farmers markets
A) is typically greater than the cost of food in other types of markets.
B) compares favorably to that of food that is mass-produced
C) is low considering the food's superior quality
D) has gradually risen over time. - Answer -A, is typically greater than the cost of food
in other types of markets.
