SSAT Reading Comprehension Practice Test 33

1. In the first paragraph the author establishes a mood of

• A. promise
• B. serenity
• C. hostility
• D. foreboding
• E. regret

2. As used in line 1,"broken" most nearly means

• A. dawned
• B. separated
• C. shattered
• D. interrupted
• E. cracked

3. The statement that "It was a steep bank, and he paused for breath at the top, excusing the act to himself by looking at his watch," (lines 5–7) suggests that the man

• A. was worried about running late
• B. was not accustomed to hiking in the Yukon
• C. was disoriented by the extreme cold
• D. had traveled farther than he thought
• E. expected to see the sun

4. The discussion of spitting into the air (lines 14–19) serves primarily to suggest

• A. the strangeness of the landscape
• B. the severity of the cold
• C. the courage of the man
• D. the frustration of the dog
• E. the gloom of the day

5. In lines 15–16, the author includes the detail that the sharp, explosive crackle "startled him" primarily to emphasize

• A. the man's fragile state of mind
• B. how eerily quiet it had become
• C. that the temperature was dropping
• D. the danger the man was in
• E. that it was colder than the man thought

6. Which word best describes how the author regards the man in the story?

• A. clever
• B. cautious
• C. foolish
• D. ambitious
• E. ruthless

7. With which of the following statements is the author most likely to agree?

• A. The man is right to press on.
• B. The dog is unfazed by the cold.
• C. The man is jealous of the dog.
• D. The dog is wiser than the man.
• E. The sun will make the day more bearable.