SSAT Reading Comprehension Practice Test 28

1. The purpose of Madam Walker's speech was to

• A. demonstrate her hair products to the league
• B. lash out at Booker T. Washington for ignoring her
• C. make the members of the league take notice of her business success
• D. influence the members of the league to admit more women
• E. encourage black women to go into business for themselves

2. As reflected in her speech, Madam Walker's attitude is best described as

• A. envious
• B. proud
• C. reverent
• D. cautious
• E. fearful

3. The reaction of the members of the league to Madam Walker's speech can be described as

• A. indifferent
• B. angry
• C. sad
• D. favorable
• E. critical

4. The reference to her promotion from the cotton fields to the wash-tub to the cook kitchen is used to

• A. show how far she has come
• B. establish a connection with her audience
• C. suggest that hard work is not ladylike
• D. debunk a myth about African-American women
• E. make people feel sorry for her

5. What does Madam Walker means when she says, "Don't think that because you have to go down in the wash-tub that you are any less a lady" (lines 24–26)?

• A. Ladies should not have to scrub and cook.
• B. Getting down on your knees to scrub is hard work for a lady.
• C. It is not ladylike to work with your hands.
• D. Very few ladies get ahead in the business world.
• E. There is nothing demeaning about hard work.