EXPLANATORY ANSWERS TO THE SSAT PRACTICE TEST 1 Passage 1 Passage 2 10. ‘The correct answer is (D). The word “invited” in the first sentence indicates he was asked to come to Birmingham. Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage does not say what King wanted to do. While choice (B) may be a true statement, the passage does not state that was his reason. Choices (©) and (E) refer to events after he had arrived, so they are incorrect. ‘The correct answer is (B). Choices (A), (©), and (E) are not related to any laws. Choice (D) is the result of an illegal action, not a reason that the action was illegal ‘The correct answer is (D). Choice (A) is incorrect because the passage states he analyzes when a law can be broken, Choices (B) and (© we incorrect because the passage states only unjust laws could be violated. Choice (E) is incorrect because according to King, if the law 4s not unfuir, breaking the law is wrong even if the opposition is nonviolent, ‘The correct answer is (A). Choice (B) is incorrect because the letter ddid not discuss King's situation. Choice (C) is incorrect because itis contradicted by the passage. Choices (D) and (E) are incorrect because they name specific actions that are notin the letter. ‘The correct answer is (B). Choice (A) is incorrect because the letter does not try to sell a product, which is what an advertisement does, Choice (© is incorrect because jt isa leter, not a speech, and choice (D) is incorrect because the letter is not a pocm. Choice (E) is incor rect because there is no mention of religion as part of the leter. ‘The correct answer is (A). Choice (B) applies to leaves that have not nad the proper amount of water. Choice (C) applies to plants infested ‘with insects, Choice (D) describes a healthy plant, and choice (E) is about the soil, not the leaves. ‘The correct answer is (E). All of the answers above it are discussed at some point in the passage. ‘The correct answer is (D). The sentence after the one in which “infest” appears gives the phrase “live on” to explain what infest means. ‘The correct answer is (C). Choice (A) is not mentioned in the passage. Choice (B) isa result of forcing the plant to grow too quickly. Choice (D) is a symptom of a plant that has outgrown its pot. Choice @ isa sign of insects on the plant. The correct answer is (B). If all plants were cared for properly, there ‘would be no need to see if they were healthy before purchasing them Choice (A) is incorrect because if all plants were rased perfect, they all would be healthy. Choice (C) applies to some plants, not all of them. The passage does not discuss caring for plant at home ot plant’s environment, so choices (D) and (E) are incorrect. (3) se petsoncomPassage 3 Passage 4 eww: petersons.com " 12, 13, 14, 15. 16 7. 18, 19, SSAT PRACTICE TEST 1 ‘The correct answer is (A). Since Demeter is the goddess of the harvest, she oversees crops planted for food. Choices (B), (©), and (D) are contradicted by the passages because Hades is the god of the ‘underworld, and the passage does not state who rules over marriage or humanity. Choice (E) is incorrect, because while the weather affects the growth of crops, Demeter rules the growth of plants, not what ‘causes them to grow of not grow, ‘The correct answer is (B). The passage does not say myths always involved gods and goddesses, so choice (A) is incorrect, The passage does not indicate whether choices (C) and (D) are true or false statements. Choice () is true of the Demeter myth, but it would not be true ofall myths, ‘The correct answer is (C). Choices (A) and (B) are true statements about the story, but they are not the reason Demeter causes Winter to ‘occur, Choices (D) and (E) might be inferred from the story, but they are not the reason given for winter. ‘The correct answer is (D). Choice (A) is incorrect because the ‘passage does not state Zeus’ feelings about Hades. Choice (B) is incorrect because if Zeus did not want to upset Hades, he would have given his permission. Choice (C) is incorrect because it was Hades, ‘not Zeus, who wanted Persephone as his wife. Choice (E) is a true statement, but itis not the reason Zeus did not give permission to Hades. ‘The correct answer is (C). Although choices (A), (B), (D), and (E) state events that happened in the story, these events are not when, according to the story, Demeter first stopped the growth of crops. ‘The correct answer is (A), Choice (B) is a theory that only some scientists believe to be true. Choices (C) and (D) are about part of the ‘passage’s content, but they do not describe the whole passage. Choice (Bis too general; the passage deals with a specific scientific discovery. ‘The correct answer is (C). The passage states the radiation frequency “decreases,” so choices (A), (B), and (D) are incorrect. Choice (E) is incorrect because “collapse” does not mean the same as “decrease.” ‘The correct answer is (D). The passage states the matter was “tightly compressed.” Choice (A) is incorrect, because while the matter may be expanding after the Big Bang, it was not expanding originally. Choice (8) means the opposite of “tightly compressed,” so it is incorrect. Choices (C) and (E) refer to what may have happened after the Big Bang, so they are incorrect. ‘The correct answer is (E). The passage states some scientists think the universe will continue t0 expand, while others think it will collapse. Since both views are given, choices (A) and (C) are incorrect. Choices (8) and (D) are contradicted by the passage. (eaPassage 5 Passage 6 EXPLANATORY ANSWERS TO THE SSAT PRACTICE TEST 1 20. 21. 22. 23, 24. 2. 26. 2. ‘The correct answer is (C). Ths is indicated in the first sentence of the passage. That sentence also contradicts choice (B), and information in the passage about the 1965 discovery also suggests that the theory has been proven, so choice (A) is incorrect. Choice (D) is about the Doppler effect, not the Big Bang, soit is incorrect. Choice (E) is about evidence for the theory, not what the author thinks about the theory. ‘The correct answer is (D). Choice (A) is incorrect, because fractions ‘means “parts,” but it does not indicate they do not agree with each other. Choice (B) is incorrect because the factions are within a nation, so they cannot be “international.” Choice (©) refers to people who believe in their nation, so it does not fit the passage. Choice (E) is contradicted because the factions wished to “replace” the monarchy. ‘The correct answer is (C). Choices (A) and (B) may or may not be ‘rue, but the passage does not state that they are true. Choice (D) is incorrect because the passage does not say how the experts felt about their discovery. Choice (B) is contradicted by the phrase “throughout the world,” ‘The correct answer is (A). Choice (B) is incorrect because the conilict between Greece and Turkey did not involve a new land, Choice (© is incorrect because it refers to events after the occurrence of these conflicts. Choices (D) and (E) are incorrect because the ‘passage does not explain what these conflicts led to or how they were settled, ‘The correct answer is (D). The term is defined in the passage by the ‘words occurring immediately after it, ‘The correct answer is (C). The passage gives November 1918 as the ‘time when the “cease fire” was signed. Only after 1918 did the peace conference of January 1919 begin, choice (B), during which the League of Nations was founded, choice (D), and the peace treaty was not signed ‘until the end of the conference, choice (E). Choice (A) is incorrect be- ‘cause while this was a slogan about the war, its hopes never came into existence, ‘The correct answer is (C). The passage docs not say the passengers ‘were hurrying, choice (A). Nor does it explain why Mrs. Miller's son hhad not arrived home, choice (B). Choice (D) is incorrect, because the flight attendant’s words include “Tm sorry,” so she is not being rude. Choice (B) is incorrect because the weather would not affect passer ‘8e08 inside the airport who were going to board a plane. ‘The correct answer is (E). Choice (A) is incorrect because the author ‘was boarding the plane atthe scheduled takeoff time. Choice (B) is in- correct because the reader is not told exactly when the plane left. While this would make choice (C) possibility, there is enough information in the passage to make it clear the plane took off some short time after 1:15 in the afternoon, so choice (D) would be incorrect. (a5) se petsoncomPassage 7 Passage 8 eww: petersons.com 28. 29. 30. 31. 32, 33, 34, 35. 36. SSAT PRACTICE TEST 1 ‘The correct answer is (E). Choice (A) is contradicted by the descrip- tion; she is well dressed and carefully made up. Choice (B) is incorrect, Foecause the details of her appearance do not have examples of things that are very expensive. Choice (C) may be true about Mc. Miler, but itis not suggested by what she looks like. Nothing inthe passage reveals her sense of humor or lack of it, so choice (D) is incosrect. ‘The correct answer is (D), While choice (A) may be a correct statement about Mrs. Miller, and choice (E) might be inferred from the ‘passage, neither explains the motives of the airfine personnel. Choice (B) may or may not be true. The author asks if Mrs. Miller knows the ‘umber, but does not know if she does or does not. Choice (©) is incorrect because they take her off the plane so that they will not have 10 help her find her son. ‘The correct answer is (E). The author notices the details of Mrs. Millers appearance, which is observant, choice (A). The author feels sorry for Mrs. Miller, which is compassionate, choice (B), and the author is moved to great sadness when considering the situation, ‘which shows sensitive feclings, choice (C). ‘The correct answer is (A). None of the other answers makes sense in context because an area of land cannot be “erased,” choice (B); “invented,” choice (C); "changed," choice (Dy; or “carried,” choice (E). ‘The correct answer is (C). Choices (A) and (B) may be true, but these reasons would not be important for anyone but Ms. Tinne. Choice (Bis also a personal statement. Choice (D) is incorrect because hier death caused her work to end rather than make it important, ‘The correct answer is (E). The passage states in the sentence before Bahr el Gazal is mentioned that she explored “parts of north central Africa." Thus, the other answers are incorrect. ‘The correct answer is (C). Nothing in the passage suggests choices (A), @), (D), oF ). Choice (©) may be inferred because the people ‘who killed her believed she was carrying gold, according to the last sentence in the passage. ‘The correct answer is (E). Words like “intelligent,” “daring,” and “remarkable” and the statement that her information was valuable show the author's admfration, While the author calls her death “unfortunate,” the overall tone of the passage is not sad, so choice () is incorrect. ‘The correct answer is (D).Since Pip’s parents were alive “long before" photography was invented, choices (, (B), and (©) are not probable. Choice CE) is incorrect because the reference to photography shows that the writer lived when the process was known.EXPLANATORY ANSWERS TO THE SSAT PRACTICE TEST 1 37. The correct answer is (C). Choice (A) is incorrect because elaborate lettering would not indicate something in Pip’s mind. Choice (B) is incorrect because since his parents are dead, he would have no “hopes" about them. Choice (D) is incorrect because it isthe source of his fancies. Choice (E) is incorrect because Pip was a child when he hhad the fancies. 38. The correct answer is (C).In the passage, Pip says “their days were Jong before the days of photographs,” fines 11-12. 39. The correct answer is (B). Since she is married, her name would not be Pirtip, so choice (A) is incorrect. Choices (C) and (D) refer to the speaker's first names, so they are not correct, and no Mrs. Stout appears in the passage, so choice (E) is incorrect, 40. The correct answer is (C).It is explicitly stated in the passage. While the passage talks about tombs and tombstones, neither stone-cutting ror grave digging is mentioned in connection with the husband, so ‘choices (A) and (B) are incorrect. Choice (D) cannot be correct because the passage concems a time before photography was invented, Choice (B) is incorrect because the passage does not mention a barber. QUANTITATIVE (MaTH) 2 ‘The correct answer is (A). The stock declined in value by $1,500, ‘from an initial value of $6,000. The fractional decline in value is 1500 _ Goo 7p Mhiich is 25%, 2 the cones answer I (8). Get common denominator 0 ad fractions, Multiply 2 by “to get, Mutiply 2 by? eo got Subtract the fractions by subtracting the Aumerators, 3. The correct answer is (A). To have an average of 90 after five tests, the total of all the scores must be 90 x 5 = 450. The known scores add up to 80 + 87 + 94 + 89 = 350, so she needs 100 points on the last test, 4, The correct answer is (D), Percent means “per 100.” 4 percent 4 NaS TOG 15 bours 5. ‘The correct answer is CE)-Put time in like units. oi Dividing the common factor of 3 results in S, 6. The correct answer is (£). When multiplying decimals, be sure the final decimal point is in the correct place. 58 2 places X14 2 places “332 8 08124 places a7 se petsoncom