SSAT MIDDLE LEVEL TEST 1

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.

SECTION 2

40 Questions

In

the

early

19th

century,

scientists’

understan

ding

of

the

laws

of

gravity

predicted

certain orbits for each of the planets. In general, the seven planets known at that time observed

these predicted orbits. However, there was an exception: Uranus, at the far outer reaches of the

solar system, refused to behave as predicted. The strange orbit of Uranus posed a problem for

Line 5

scientists.

Some

thought

that

the

effect

of

the

sun’s

gravity

changed

at

such

extreme

distances.

Others

were

convinced

that

there

had

been

some

error:

Uranus

was

actually

behaving

as

expected, and astronomers must have botched their observations. But there was a third theory:

that

some

as-yet-undiscovered

object

in

the

outer

solar

system

was

disturbing

the

orbit

of

Uranus. Convinced of this theory, at least two scientists

—

John Adams Couch and

10

Urbain Jean-Joseph Le Verrier

—

worked separately to calculate the position of such an object.

By

1846,

they

had

calculated

the

mass,

orbit,

and

position

of

the

object,

using

only

their

knowledge

of

gravity

and

observations

of

the

Uranus’s

o

rbit.

With

their

calculations,

astronomers were able to locate the object, and in 1846, the planet Neptune was discovered.

1.

Why did the orbit of Uranus pose a

problem for early 19

th

century scientists?

(A)

Uranus’s orbit differed from the

predictions made by scientific

models.

(B)

Uranus’s orbit would make space

travel significantly more difficult

in the future.

(C)

Scientists were unable to make

accurate observations of

Uranus’s orbit.

(D)

Uranus was often blocking

scientists’ view of other planets in

the outer solar system.

(E)

Scientists were concerned that

Uranus might break free of its orbit,

posing a threat to Earth.

2.

The author’s main purpose in this passage

is to

(A)

illustrate the laws of gravitation

(B)

specify

the

orbits

of

the

planets

in

our solar system

(C)

describe

Uranus's

size

and composition

(D)

explain

how

Uranus’s

orbit

led

to Neptune’s discovery

(E)

argue that math is a fundamental tool

in science

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SSAT MIDDLE LEVEL TEST 1 | 13

3.

According to the passage, John Adams

5.

After the discovery of Neptune, scientists

Couch and Urbain Jean-Joseph Le

Verrier believed that

(A)

the

laws

of

gravitation

were inaccurate

(B)

astronomers had made incorrect

measurements of Uranus’s orbit

(C)

Uranus’s

orbit

was

being

affected

by an unknown object

(D)

the sun’s gravity behaved differently

at the edges of the solar system

(E)

Uranus’s

orbit

was

not

as

irregular

as Neptune’s orbit

4.

Based

on

the

context

of

the

passage,

“botched” (line 7) most nearly means

(A)

added together

(B)

messed up

(C)

changed suddenly

(D)

distantly orbited

(E)

predicted from evidence

were aware of how many planets in total

in our solar system?

(A)

6

(B)

7

(C)

8

(D)

9

(E)

10

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SSAT MIDDLE LEVEL TEST 1 | 14

“What will

you have, dear Frog?

golden crown which I wear?

The Frog answered,

me be your companion and playfellow, and sit at your table, and eat from your

Line 5

little golden plate,

and drink from your cup, and sleep in your little bed,

—

if you will promise me

all these, then will I dive down and fetch up your golden ball.

herself,

cannot mix in society.

10

under the water and dived down. Presently he swam up again with the ball in his mouth, and

threw

it

on

the

grass.

The

King's

daughter

was

full

of

joy

when

she

again

saw

her

beautiful

plaything; and, taking it up, she ran off immediately.

you. I cannot run as you can.

King's daughter did not hear it, but, hastening home, soon forgot the poor Frog, who was obliged

15

to leap back into the fountain.

6.

In lines 1-2, the princess offered clothing

and jewelry to the frog because

(A)

she felt bad that the frog had to live

outside

(B)

she wanted to trade her old things for

a new toy

(C)

she was a kind and generous princess

(D)

she

wanted

the

frog

to

retrieve

her lost toy

(E)

she

wanted

the

frog

to

be

her

new friend

7.

What

best

explains

why

the

princess

didn’t stay to play with the frog?

(A)

She forgot about her promise to play

with the frog.

(B)

She

probably

meant

to

come

back

for the frog later.

(C)

She

didn’t

understand

what

the

frog wanted.

(D)

She had never intended to keep her

promise to the frog.

(E)

She had already told the frog that she

wouldn’t be his playmate

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8.

The

princess’s

actions

could

best

be described as

(A)

evil

(B)

deceitful

(C)

menacing

(D)

unlikely

(E)

virtuous

9.

Based

on

the

context

of

the

passage,

what

is

the

most

likely

meaning

of

“hastening” (line 14)?

(A)

going quickly

(B)

ignoring someone

(C)

playing loudly

(D)

sneaking quietly

(E)

hopping joyfully

SSAT MIDDLE LEVEL TEST 1 | 15

Line 5

opportunity to stay fashionable on a budget, and to be charitable and environmentally friendly

at

the same time.

One

of

the

area's

most

popular

clothing

swap

groups

drew

a

record

crowd

to

its

latest

gathering at a high school in Springfield, Virginia on April 20. About 300 participants came to

the cafeteria of the West Springfield High School to lay out gently used shirts, pants, dresses, and

10

other items they no longer wanted. In return, they could take home almost anything they liked.

Student volunteer Pat Moore loved the concept.

pairs of boots,” Moore said. “They were new, not even used!

A resident of the nearby Virginia suburb of Alexandria, Daphne Steinberg, said she was

attracted by the prospect of finding something special.

15

have a good time doing it, and save money,” Steinberg explained.

10.

According

to

the

passage,

the

benefits

of clothing swaps include

I.

saving money

II. raising money for local charities

III. making new friends

(A)

I only

(B)

I and II only

(C)

I and III only

(D)

II and III only

(E)

I, II, and III

Clothing

swapping

has

become

an

increasingly

popular

way

for

people

to

give

away

undesired

items

from

their

wardrobes

and

get

something

fresh

in

return.

Enthusiasts

in

the

Washington

area

and

beyond

have

attracted

hundreds

of

new

participants

to

their

events

in

recent months, using social media to spread the word. Swappers say the events are an

11.

The author’s main purpose in this passage

is to

(A)

offer some opinions on workplace

fashion

(B)

highlight

the

benefits

of

a

new

social trend

(C)

offer

a

critique

of

the

modern

fashion industry

(D)

discuss

the

impact

of

social

media

on shopping

(E)

compare clothing swaps in

Washington with those in the rest of

the county

12.

According to the passage, the organizers

of

Washington- area

clothing

swaps

used social media to

(A)

swap gently used clothing online

(B)

control who had access to their

events

(C)

share information about which

brands and types of clothing would

be available

(D)

raise

awareness

of

their

events

and increase participation

(E)

ensure

that

participants

were following the rules

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SSAT MIDDLE LEVEL TEST 1 | 16

13.

Which

of

the

following

would

be

the

best title for this passage?

(A)

West

Springfield

High

School

Draws Large Crowd

(B)

The

Benefits

of

Promoting

Your

Event with Social Media

(C)

Clothing

Swapping:

The

Pros

14.

This

passage

would

most

likely

be

found in

(A)

a diary

(B)

a newspaper

(C)

a novel

(D)

a biography

(E)

a letter

and Cons

(D)

Clothing

Swapping

Becomes

Popular in the Washington Area

(E)

Washington-Area

Shoppers

are Desperate for High Fashion

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SSAT MIDDLE LEVEL TEST 1 | 17

Line 5

whales

and

massive

fish

graze

on

microscopic

plankton,

extracting

their

sustenance

from

what

appears to the naked eye to be nothing but deep down, beyond the continental shelf,

beyond the warming rays of the sun, lies a place that we call the abyssal plain.

Here flat grey plains of ooze stretch over incredible distances, shrouded in darkness, fed

by a constant rain of decaying matter from the seas first glance, it might appear to be a

10

dead, empty place, but in truth it teems with of the life in the abyssal plain is bacterial,

but here and there are also corals, worms, and are fish, too, like the tripod fish

which uses long thin fins to perch on top of the ooze, or the anglerfish which uses a glowing rod-

like appendage to lure prey into its hungry there must be much more than we yet

know. Although this vast biome covers more than half of the entire surface of the planet, it’s one

15

of the

most poorly

explored places on Earth, or

even nearby:more people have

been to space

than have been to the abyssal plain.

15.

The

author’s

attitude

toward

the

ocean could best be described as

(A)

fascinated

(B)

affectionate

(C)

dubious

(D)

ominous

(E)

indifferent

16.

According

to the passage, the “abyssal

plain” (line 7) most likely refers to

(A)

the

shallow

ocean

water

near

the coasts

(B)

a flat, dark region of the ocean floor

(C)

the

zone

of

the

ocean

with

the

least life

(D)

an

area

mostly

inhabited

by

coral reefs

(E)

the place where we are most likely to

discover alien life

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.

17.

The author lists which of the following

animals as examples of life in the abyssal

plain?

I.

fish

II.

whales

III. mollusks

(A)

I only

(B)

II only

(C)

I and II only

(D)

I and III only

(E)

I, II, and III

Oceans cover most of the Earth’s surface, and in their depths dwell most of

the planet’s

to us creatures of the land, the ocean is alien and often reefs dazzle us, with

rich colors and complex forests are a thick, dizzying maze of life, in the midst of

which it can be hard to tell up from out beyond the coast, waves tower over ships, and

SSAT MIDDLE LEVEL TEST 1 | 18

18.

When the author says “more people

20.

The author suggests that life in the ocean

have been to space than have been to the

abyssal plain” (lines15

-16), she is

suggesting that

(A)

it is less expensive to go to space than

to the deep ocean

(B)

going to the ocean floor is more

dangerous than going to space

(C)

we have too many astronauts

(D)

we’re

likely

to

find

new

life

in

space before we find new life in the

deep ocean

(E)

there is a lot left to discover in the

deep ocean

19.

Which sentence best summarizes the

author’s main idea in this

passage?

(A)

Plankton are an essential part of

ocean food chains, even in the

deepest areas.

(B)

We should invest more in exploring

the ocean than in exploring space.

(C)

The

ocean

is

a

strange

and

wonderful

place and is not yet fully explored.

(D)

We

don’t

know

very

much

about space or the ocean.

(E)

The

abyssal

plain

is

the

best

part

of the ocean.

is

(A)

fragile,

rare,

and

very

sensitive

to human activity

(B)

abundant,

even

in

what

seem

like harsh environments

(C)

usually

very

large,

even

sometimes

as large as ships

(D)

very dangerous to humans

(E)

strange and terrifying, but usually

harmless

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SSAT MIDDLE LEVEL TEST 1 | 19