SSAT Middle Level Reading Practice Test 58

When she looked ahead, Florence Chadwick saw nothing but a solid wall of fog. Her body was numb. She had been swimming for nearly sixteen hours. At age 34, her goal was to become the first woman to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast.

On that morning in 1952, the sea was like an ice bath and the fog was so dense she could hardly see her support boats. Sharks cruised toward her, only to be driven away by rifle shots. Against the frigid grip of the sea, she struggled on—hour after hour—while millions watched on national television. Alongside Florence in one of the boats, her mother and her trainer offered encouragement. They urged her not to quit. But, with only a half mile to go, she asked to be pulled out.

Still thawing her chilled body several hours later, she told a reporter, "Look, I'm not excusing myself, but if I could have seen land I might have made it." It was not fatigue or even the cold water that defeated her. It was the fog. She was unable to see her goal.

Two months later, she tried again. This time, despite the same dense fog, she swam with her faith intact and her goal clearly pictured in her mind. She knew that somewhere behind that fog was land and this time she made it. Florence Chadwick became the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel,eclipsingthe men's record by two hours!

-Chicken Soup for the Soul

1. Which of the following is the best title for the selection?

• A. Breaking a World Record
• B. The Value of Parental Support
• C. Keep Your Goals in Sight
• D. Crossing the Catalina Channel
• E. Finding Love in the Waters

2. All of the following contributed to the difficulty of Chadwick's swim EXCEPT

• A. the sharks inside the channel.
• B. the amount of boats in the water.
• C. the denseness of the fog.
• D. the temperature of the water.
• E. the length of the swim.

3. It can be inferred that Chadwick gave up on her first attempt because

• A. the sharks were swimming dangerously close.
• B. she had already broken the women's record.
• C. she was exhausted from all the swimming.
• D. the ocean water had just gotten too cold.
• E. she could not see how far she had to swim.

4. As it is used in the last line, the word "eclipsing" most nearly means

• A. surpassing
• B. including
• C. demonstrating
• D. remembering
• E. surprising

5. According to the passage, what was the main difference on Chadwick's second attempt?

• A. The temperature of the water was much warmer.
• B. She trained much harder and was better prepared.
• C. Her family and trainer were not there to distract her.
• D. Her belief and mental toughness were stronger.
• E. The fog went away near the end of the swim.