SSAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. On a certain afternoon, in the late springtime, the bell upon Tunstall Moat House was heard ringing at an unaccustomed hour. Far and near, in the forest and in the fields along the river, people began to desert their labors and hurry towards the sound; and in Tunstall hamlet a group of poor country-folk stood wondering at the summons.
Tunstall hamlet at that period, in the reign of old King Henry VI., wore much the same appearance as it wears to-day. A score or so of houses, heavily framed with oak, stood scattered in a long green valley ascending from the river. At the foot, the road crossed a bridge, and mounting on the other side, disappeared into the fringes of the forest on its way to the Moat House, and further forth to Holywood Abbey. Half-way up the village, the church stood among yews. On every side the slopes were crowned and the view bounded by the green elms and greening oak-trees of the forest.
1. In which month might this passage have occurred?
A: September
B: December
C: August
D: May
2. What did the people do when they heard the bell ring?
A: they screamed in terror
B: they ran away from it
C: they continued their work
D: they hurried towards it
3. What were the people probably doing before the bell began ringing?
A: farming
B: napping
C: waiting for the bell to ring
D: eating lunch
4. What does the author mean by a 'score of houses'?
A: 10 houses
B: 20 houses
C: 15 houses
D: 12 houses
5. Why were the people confused by the ringing of the bell?
A: because they had never heard it before
B: because it came at an unusual time
C: because they loved King Henry VI
D: because they had been asleep
6. In which country does this passage take place?
A: France
B: United States
C: England
D: Brazil
7. Where does the road from Tunstall hamlet lead?
A: to the Moat House
B: to the church
C: to the King's castle
D: to the ocean
8. What is the most likely definition of 'yew'?
A: wheelbarrow
B: book
C: skyscraper
D: a kind of tree
9. Where is the church located in the village?
A: nearby
B: at one end
C: in the middle
D: underground
10. What does it mean that the 'slopes were crowned' with trees?
A: the trees were covered in jewels
B: the trees were round
C: there were trees on top of the hill
D: the slopes were extremely dangerous
Answer Key
1. D. The author states that this occurred in 'late springtime.'
2. D. The narrator states that the people hurried towards the ringing of the bell.
3. A. The people went to the moat house from the fields and forests.
4. B. The word score can mean 20.
5. B. The first sentence of the passage mentions that this was an 'unaccustomed hour' for the bell to ring.
6. C. King Henry VI was a King of England.
7. A. The author states that the road disappeared into the forest 'on its way to the moat house.'
8. D. A yew is a kind of tree.
9. C. The author states that the church was positioned 'half-way up the village.'
10. C. The word crowned can mean covering the top of.
For additional information, we recommend you check out these free SSAT test resources:
SSAT Study Guide
SSAT Math Practice Questions
SSAT Reading Practice Questions
SSAT Test Information
SSAT Practice Questions
Commercial Resources for SSAT Test Preparation (provided for information only, no endorsement implied)
SSAT Test Study Guide from Morrison Media
SSAT Test Flashcards from Morrison Media
