SSAT Practice Test (Middle Level: Reading)

Question 1

The Trojan War, according to the passage, is rooted in:

Accepted Answer

vanity and pride

Answer

unfulfilled promises

Answer

poor decisions

Answer

wealth and power

Question 2

Which title best captures the essence of the passage's ideas?

Accepted Answer

“Recognizing Colors”

Answer

“Artists vs. Farmers”

Answer

“The Summer Sky”

Answer

“Blue Hills”

Question 3

The basic goal of the speaker is to

Accepted Answer

advocate for better arts education

Answer

reminisce over his previous theatrical endeavors

Answer

caution listeners against subpar theater practices

Answer

congratulate the performance of a children's play

Question 4

What does the underlined word "natty" mean based on how it is used in the passage?

Accepted Answer

Dapper

Answer

Waterproof

Answer

Cheap

Answer

Heavy

Question 5

The passage's underlined section is most likely intended to _______.

Accepted Answer

help the reader empathize with Tom and his experience

Answer

distinguish the author from the narrator

Answer

foreshadow something exciting that will happen to Tom

Answer

encourage the reader to wonder about Tom's behavior

Question 6

Which of the following does the passage's first paragraph's last sentence appear to suggest?

Accepted Answer

Tom is likely happier than an astronomer who has discovered a new planet.

Answer

Tom is likely not quite as happy as an astronomer who has discovered a new planet.

Answer

Tom is upset for the same reasons as an astronomer might be.

Answer

Astronomers often learn to whistle.

Question 7

What is the most reasonable conclusion you can draw about the author?

Accepted Answer

He is an avid bird watcher.

Answer

He has never written professionally before.

Answer

He is a natural woodsman.

Answer

He is not religious.

Question 8

Which of the following could be the point of view of the passage?

Accepted Answer

a devoted patron of the arts

Answer

an enthusiastic producer

Answer

a perceptive critic

Answer

an exuberant stage manager

Question 9

The sky is normally _________ at the zenith.

Accepted Answer

violet-blue.

Answer

yellow-orange.

Answer

greenish-blue.

Answer

violet-red.

Question 10

The major goal of the author is to:

Accepted Answer

summarize the events most believed to have led to the Trojan War

Answer

justify Paris' decision to choose Aphrodite as 'the Fairest'

Answer

honour the soldiers that lost their lives in the ten year battle

Answer

reveal the underlying causes of the goddess' dispute