PSAT Reading and Writing Practice Test

Topic 1.1 · Apply it

Many animals that live in the deep ocean make their own light, a process called bioluminescence. Some, like certain shrimp, release glowing clouds to confuse predators. Others, such as the anglerfish, use a glowing lure to attract prey. Still others light up their undersides so that, seen from below, they blend in with the faint light coming from the surface.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

Topic 1.1 · Apply it

For years Mara had walked past the old bakery on Elm Street without looking up. On the morning it closed, she stopped. The windows were bare, and the smell of warm bread that had followed her to school every day was gone. She stood there longer than she meant to, surprised by how much she missed something she had never really noticed.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

Topic 1.1 · Apply it

Cities are often several degrees warmer than the countryside around them, an effect known as the urban heat island. Dark pavement and buildings absorb sunlight during the day and release the heat slowly at night. Some cities are trying to reduce the effect by planting trees, which provide shade and cool the air, and by painting roofs in light colors that reflect sunlight.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

Topic 1.1 · Concept check

When a honeybee finds a good source of food, it returns to the hive and performs a 'waggle dance.' The angle of the dance tells other bees which direction to fly, measured relative to the position of the sun. The length of time the bee spends waggling tells them how far away the food is: a longer waggle means a more distant source.

According to the text, what does the length of the waggle tell other bees?

Topic 1.1 · Apply it

Leo checked the clock for the third time in a minute. Backstage, the other musicians laughed and tuned their instruments, but he stood apart, turning his violin bow over and over in his hands. When someone called his name, he jumped. 'Ready?' she asked. He nodded, though his mouth had gone completely dry.

Which quotation from the text most effectively illustrates the claim that Leo is nervous before the performance?

Topic 1.1 · Experiment

A team of biologists studying a species of songbird noticed that birds living in cities sing at a higher pitch than birds of the same species living in forests. The team hypothesizes that city birds sing higher because the low-pitched rumble of traffic would otherwise drown out the lower notes of their songs.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the team's hypothesis?

Topic 1.1 · Experiment

Sales at Rosa's coffee shop rose by 15 percent in the month after she hung a large new sign above the door. Rosa concludes that the new sign attracted more customers and caused the increase in sales.

Which finding, if true, would most directly weaken Rosa's conclusion?

Topic 1.1 · Data analysis

A student is writing about how sleep changes during high school. Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement? According to the survey, students in grade 12 sleep ______

Topic 1.1 · Data analysis

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to support the claim that the butterfly count fell and then began to recover?

Topic 1.1 · Data analysis

A gardener claims that fertilizer B is the better choice for gardens that receive little water. Which choice best describes data from the table that support the gardener's claim?

Topic 1.1 · Apply it

Scientists long assumed that the original colors of fossil feathers had been lost. Then researchers found tiny structures called melanosomes, which hold pigment in living birds' feathers, preserved in some fossils. Because melanosomes of different shapes are linked to different colors in living birds, comparing the fossil melanosomes with modern ones allowed the researchers to ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

Topic 1.1 · Apply it

Along parts of the Pacific coast, sea otters eat large numbers of sea urchins, and sea urchins feed on kelp, the large seaweed that forms underwater forests. Researchers studying areas where sea otters had disappeared would therefore most likely expect to find that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

Topic 1.1 · Apply it

The seeds of some desert plants sprout only after a heavy rain. A light shower wets only the surface of the soil, and the water evaporates quickly in the heat, while a heavy rain soaks deep into the ground. Sprouting only after heavy rain therefore likely helps these seedlings ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

Topic 1.1 · Apply it

Historians studying daily life in the 1700s often rely on letters. However, most surviving letters from that period come from wealthy families, who could afford paper and postage and who kept family papers in safe places for generations. Letters written by poorer people were less common and were rarely preserved. Conclusions based only on surviving letters may therefore ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Critics praised the new library building for its ______: every room served a clear purpose, and nothing had been added simply for decoration.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Although the first results were ______, the research team repeated the experiment three more times before announcing the discovery.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

The novelist's characters are rarely simple heroes or villains; instead, they are ______, showing both admirable and troubling qualities.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Instead of building a taller sea wall, the engineer proposed a novel approach: restoring the wetlands along the shore so that marsh plants could absorb some of the force of the waves.

As used in the text, what does the word "novel" most nearly mean?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

The mayor's response to the complaints was ______: within an hour she had acknowledged the problem and announced a plan to fix it by the end of the week.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Because only students who chose to answer took part, the survey results reflect the views of those students rather than the views of the whole school.

As used in the text, what does the word "reflect" most nearly mean?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

An octopus can change color in less than a second. Its skin contains thousands of tiny sacs of pigment, each surrounded by muscles. When the muscles pull a sac open, its color spreads out and becomes visible; when they relax, the sac shrinks and the color nearly disappears. By controlling many sacs at once, the octopus can create patterns that match its surroundings.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

For many years, scientists believed that adult brains could not grow new nerve cells. However, studies have since found that new nerve cells continue to form in at least one part of the adult brain, a region important for memory. These findings have led researchers to ask how activities such as exercise might affect this growth.

Which choice best describes the function of the second sentence in the overall structure of the text?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Every year, thousands of plastic bottles wash up on the beaches of a small coastal town. Volunteers used to collect them by hand, but they could never keep up. Last spring, students at the local high school designed a floating barrier that guides bottles to a single collection point before they reach the shore. In its first month, the barrier caught more bottles than the volunteers had collected all year.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

The bus was late again. Amira watched her breath cloud in the cold air and counted the cars that passed: eleven, twelve, thirteen. Somewhere a dog barked twice and stopped. She pulled her scarf higher and checked the empty road one more time. Nothing. She began counting again from one.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Swifts, small birds that feed on flying insects, spend most of their lives in the air. Some swifts have been recorded staying airborne for months at a time, eating, drinking and even sleeping while flying. Researchers think this remarkable ability may be explained by the swifts' long, narrow wings, which allow them to glide using very little energy.

Which choice best describes the function of the last sentence in the overall structure of the text?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Many people assume that a desert is simply a hot place with sand dunes. In fact, scientists define a desert by how little rain it receives, not by its temperature. By that definition, much of Antarctica, one of the coldest places on Earth, is a desert.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Text 1
A common view is that homework helps students learn, no matter their age. Supporters say it builds good habits and gives students extra practice.

Text 2
Research reviews have generally found that homework is linked to higher achievement for high school students, but the link is much weaker for students in elementary school. For younger children, short assignments that build a habit of reading may matter more than the amount of homework.

Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the view described in Text 1?

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Text 1
Many home gardeners water their plants a little every day, believing that frequent watering keeps plants healthiest.

Text 2
Gardening experts often recommend watering deeply but less often. When only the top layer of soil is kept moist, roots tend to stay near the surface. Deep, less frequent watering encourages roots to grow downward, which helps plants survive hot, dry periods.

Based on the texts, the experts in Text 2 would most likely say that the gardeners' practice described in Text 1

Topic 1.2 · Apply it

Text 1
Working from home lets employees avoid long commutes and focus without office interruptions. For many workers, it leads to more productive days.

Text 2
Working from home can increase focus, but it can also make it harder for new employees to learn from experienced colleagues. Quick questions and informal advice happen more easily when people share a workplace.

Which choice best describes how Text 2 relates to Text 1?

Topic 1.3 · Data analysis

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Mary Anning (1799–1847) was an English fossil collector.
• She lived in Lyme Regis, a town on England's southern coast.
• In 1823 she found a nearly complete skeleton of a plesiosaur, a large marine reptile.
• Her discoveries helped scientists understand extinct animals.
• As a woman, she was not allowed to join the Geological Society of London.

The student wants to introduce Mary Anning to an audience unfamiliar with her. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Topic 1.3 · Data analysis

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Mauna Loa, in Hawaii, is a shield volcano.
• Shield volcanoes have broad, gentle slopes built by runny lava flows.
• Mount St. Helens, in Washington State, is a stratovolcano.
• Stratovolcanoes are steep and cone-shaped and can erupt explosively.
• Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980.

The student wants to emphasize how the shapes of the two volcanoes differ. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Topic 1.3 · Data analysis

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• A class wanted to know whether plants grow faster under blue light or red light.
• They grew 20 bean plants: 10 under blue lights and 10 under red lights.
• All plants received the same amount of water and soil.
• They measured the height of each plant every week for six weeks.

The student wants to present the class's research aim and method. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Topic 1.3 · Data analysis

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is in Norway.
• It opened in 2008.
• It stores samples of seeds from crops around the world.
• The samples are a backup in case seeds are lost elsewhere, for example because of war or natural disasters.

The student wants to explain the purpose of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Topic 1.3 · Data analysis

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Hadrian's Wall was built by the Romans in northern Britain, starting around AD 122.
• It marked the northern edge of Roman Britain and helped control who crossed it.
• The Great Wall of China was built and rebuilt by several Chinese dynasties over many centuries.
• It was built mainly to protect against invasions from the north.

The student wants to emphasize a similarity between the two walls. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Topic 1.3 · Data analysis

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Some animals change color with the seasons.
• The snowshoe hare has a brown coat in summer and a white coat in winter.
• The Arctic fox is brown or gray in summer and white in winter.
• The ptarmigan, a bird, has mottled brown feathers in summer and white feathers in winter.
• A white coat helps these animals blend in with snow.

The student wants to make a generalization about the animals in the notes. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Topic 1.3 · Apply it

Most spiders spin webs to catch their food. ______ the jumping spider hunts without a web, leaping onto insects from several body lengths away.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Topic 1.3 · Apply it

The bridge was closed for repairs for six months. ______ many drivers switched to the train, and ridership rose sharply during that time.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Topic 1.3 · Apply it

Some foods last a long time without refrigeration. Honey, ______ can stay edible for years if it is stored in a sealed container, because it contains little water and is too acidic for most bacteria.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Topic 1.3 · Apply it

The new phone's battery lasts longer than the old model's. ______ the phone is lighter and has a larger screen, which many reviewers praised.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Topic 1.3 · Apply it

Early telescopes made distant objects look larger, but their images were often blurry at the edges and fringed with color. ______ astronomers could study the Moon's craters and Jupiter's moons in far more detail than with the naked eye.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

The museum's newest exhibit features dozens of hand-drawn ______ some of them are more than three hundred years old.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

The recipe calls for only three ______ flour, water, and salt.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

Jane ______ a British scientist, spent decades studying wild chimpanzees in Tanzania.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

The results of the ______ surprised even the researchers who designed it.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

The trail to the summit was ______ the hikers reached the top before noon.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

The festival's main event—a parade of hand-built ______ drew thousands of visitors to the town square.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

Researchers studied the island's lizards for one main ______ to learn how quickly animals adapt to a new environment.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

Hundreds of ______ nests were built high in the trees along the river.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

The collection of rare coins ______ displayed in the library's main hall.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

By the time the rescue team arrived, the storm ______.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

The two companies announced that ______ would combine into a single business next year.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

Walking along the beach at sunrise, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

After inspecting the old bridge, the engineers have ______ that it needs major repairs.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Topic 1.4 · Concept check

Both the poem and the short story ______ written by the same author.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?