Practice Test 10 - ISEE Upper Level Reading Comprehension

20 questions. Answer them in any order, then submit to see your score and every explanation.

Read the passage and answer: What is the primary function of the second paragraph in the passage? Paragraph 1: Coral reefs are often called the "rainforests of the sea" because they support an enormous variety of life. Fish, crustaceans, and even sea turtles rely on reefs for food and shelter. Reefs also protect coastlines by weakening waves before they reach shore. Despite their importance, reefs can be surprisingly fragile. Paragraph 2: Corals are animals that live in partnership with tiny algae. The algae provide food through photosynthesis, and the coral offers a safe home. When water becomes too warm for too long, this partnership breaks down and the coral expels the algae. The result is "bleaching," in which corals turn pale and may die if conditions do not improve. Paragraph 3: Scientists monitor reefs to understand when bleaching is most likely. They measure water temperature, sunlight intensity, and local pollution levels. They also compare reefs near cities with reefs farther offshore. These observations help identify which reefs are most at risk. Paragraph 4: Protecting reefs requires both local and long-term actions. Reducing polluted runoff can improve water quality quickly. Creating marine protected areas can limit damaging fishing practices. Over time, efforts to keep oceans from warming further may determine whether reefs can recover.
Which statement best represents the author's perspective in the passage below? In a school board newsletter, a retired librarian supports expanding the school's "quiet reading period" from ten minutes to twenty. She recalls that, during her career, students who read daily "built patience the way athletes build endurance." She concedes that some families prefer additional math drills, yet she argues that "attention is the gateway skill," and that sustained reading trains students to focus across subjects. She cites a teacher's informal observation that calmer transitions follow reading time, then uses a rhetorical question: "If we can scroll for twenty minutes, why can't we read?" Her tone remains polite, but she repeatedly labels the change "simple," "low-cost," and "immediately humane."
Read the passage, then answer the question. Mary Shelley published Frankenstein in 1818, and the novel presents a narrative about ambition, responsibility, and isolation. The passage states that Victor Frankenstein is a young scientist who becomes obsessed with creating life. Using scientific methods described generally rather than technically, Victor assembles a living being from dead body parts. After the creature awakens, Victor immediately abandons it because he is frightened by its appearance. The passage explicitly explains that the creature is intelligent and learns language by observing a family from a distance. It also states that the creature reads several books, including Paradise Lost, and uses them to think about identity and belonging. Although the creature initially seeks kindness, the passage notes that repeated rejection by humans contributes to its anger. The novel includes framed storytelling, because the explorer Robert Walton writes letters that contain Victor's account. The passage adds that Shelley's novel raises ethical questions about creators' duties toward what they bring into the world. What information is directly provided about Robert Walton in the passage?
Read the passage, then answer: In the passage, the word photosynthesis most likely refers to what? During a heat wave, the school garden looked unusually tired by afternoon. Leaves drooped, and some plants stopped producing new buds. A biology class visited the garden to determine whether the problem was simply a lack of water. Their teacher reminded them that plants do more than absorb moisture. They also depend on photosynthesis, a process that uses sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars. Those sugars provide energy for growth, much like food fuels an athlete. When temperatures become extreme, a plant may close tiny pores on its leaves to conserve water. However, closing those pores can reduce carbon dioxide intake. With less carbon dioxide available, photosynthesis slows, and the plant may struggle even if it is watered. The students compared shaded and unshaded beds. They noticed that some shade reduced heat stress, but too much shade limited sunlight. The healthiest plants received moderate light and adequate water. The class left understanding that plant health depends on a balance of conditions, not one single factor.
When Noor transferred midyear, she introduced herself to teachers with the same sentence: "I'm catching up, but I'm on track." She carried a binder whose tabs were labeled not by subject but by date, and she never removed papers in front of other students, sliding them out only after turning her chair slightly toward the wall. In English class, she volunteered to read aloud, yet she chose passages with dialogue rather than narration, and she stumbled on few words except proper nouns. During group work, she listened attentively but avoided writing on shared poster paper, offering instead to "type it up later." After school, she waited near the main office until the late bus arrived, even on days when clubs met, and when a classmate suggested joining, Noor said she had "forms to finish" and tapped the binder twice. The passage suggests that Noor's guarded habits most likely reflect what situation?
A food blogger writes: 'This restaurant's attempt at fusion cuisine is a catastrophic failure that insults both culinary traditions it claims to honor. The chef's reckless experimentation with sacred recipes shows complete disregard for cultural authenticity. Diners seeking genuine flavor should avoid this establishment entirely.' The blogger's primary purpose is to
A chemistry text described a student attempting to separate a mixture of sand, salt, and iron filings using only a magnet, water, a funnel, and filter paper. The student first passed the magnet over the dry mixture and removed most of the iron, though a few grains clung stubbornly to the sand. Next, the student poured the remaining solids into a beaker, added water, and stirred until the water looked clear but tasted "salty" when touched to a fingertip. The directions then jumped to a later moment: the student had poured the mixture through filter paper, leaving damp sand on the paper and a clear liquid in the beaker below. Without explaining why, the text warned that rinsing the sand "must be done sparingly," and it noted that the student placed the beaker on a warm hotplate until a crust formed at the bottom. Finally, the student scraped the crust into a labeled vial and left the sand to dry overnight on a watch glass. The text never stated what happened to the water during heating, but it emphasized that the vial's mass was recorded only after it cooled to room temperature.
What evidence most effectively supports the claim that mirror neurons play a fundamental role in social understanding and empathy?
Read the passage, then answer the question. The station was bright, but the brightness felt cold, like light reflected off snow. Nadia stood near the edge of the platform, watching the departure board blink and rearrange names. The letters changed without apology. Her mother smoothed Nadia's sleeve again and again, a small habit that used to mean comfort. Now it felt like counting down. Nadia tried to speak, but her words crowded behind her teeth. The train arrived, and the wind it carried tugged at Nadia's hair. People stepped aside, then forward. The world moved with practiced efficiency. Nadia's mother leaned in and whispered, "Remember who you are." Nadia nodded, and the nod felt heavy. When Nadia boarded, she turned back immediately. Her mother was still there, hands clasped, smiling too hard. The doors slid shut, and Nadia watched the smile stay in place as the train pulled away. Question: What is the effect of the language choice in the sentence: "The letters changed without apology"?
The committee's tone regarding the university's conduct is
Read the passage, then answer: What is the primary purpose of this passage? This descriptive passage portrays a historical site: an old stone fort overlooking a harbor. The author guides the reader through the entrance arch, where the stones are pitted like weathered coral and cool to the touch. Inside, the courtyard opens into bright sunlight, and gulls circle above, calling sharply as if they are announcing visitors. The author describes cannons lined along the wall, their iron surfaces dulled by salt air, and explains that the fort once guarded merchant ships that carried goods across the sea. As the author walks along the ramparts, the view widens. Below, waves strike the rocks in steady bursts, and the air smells of seaweed and distant rain. A small museum room displays maps, uniforms, and a faded journal, its ink thin but still readable. The author's tone is reverent and attentive, pausing to notice details that modern visitors might overlook, such as the grooves worn into the steps by centuries of boots. The passage ends with the author leaning on the stone wall at sunset, watching the harbor lights flicker on, and feeling the past "press gently against the present."
What mood do the author's language choices create in this courtroom scene?
What is the key difference in how the passages frame the economic implications of transitioning to renewable energy?
The tone of this advertisement is best described as
Times New Roman, 12-point, double-spaced. [Literary Excerpt] The old basketball court behind the apartments was cracked in a dozen places, and the paint lines had faded into pale ghosts. Still, every evening, the same group showed up. They came with scuffed shoes, dented water bottles, and the kind of determination that does not need a coach to announce it. Tariq arrived late, as usual, jogging in with his backpack bouncing. "Traffic," he said, which was his way of admitting he had been finishing homework at the last minute. No one teased him. Someone tossed him the ball, and the game resumed as if his presence had been expected all along. The sun lowered, and the light turned the court a warm orange. The players argued about fouls, then laughed and played on. When the ball bounced wrong and rolled toward the weeds, a younger kid sprinted after it, proud to be useful. The court did not look impressive, but it held a kind of promise. Tariq missed two shots in a row. He shook his head, muttered something under his breath, and tried again. The third shot fell cleanly through the hoop. The sound was crisp, and for a second, everything felt possible. He glanced at the cracks under his feet and thought, not sadly but firmly, that broken places could still be used. What is the tone of the passage?
The author's explanation of increased mental health service demand suggests which perspective on causation?
Based on the context, a "hagiography" is most likely...
Read the passage, then answer the question. The ancient Olympic Games were athletic competitions held in Olympia, Greece, in honor of the god Zeus. The passage states that the games began traditionally in 776 BCE and occurred every four years. Athletes from Greek city-states competed in events such as footraces, wrestling, and the pentathlon. Victors received olive wreaths, and their achievements brought prestige to their home cities. The passage explicitly notes that the games were connected to religious rituals, including sacrifices and ceremonies at temples. During the Olympic festival, some conflicts were paused through a truce that allowed safer travel for participants and spectators. The passage states that only free Greek men could compete in the ancient games, and women were excluded from participation in these contests. Over time, additional events, including chariot racing, were added. The ancient games ended in the late Roman period, and the passage states that they were later revived in a modern form in 1896. The modern Olympics differ in rules and inclusivity, yet they draw inspiration from the ancient tradition. The passage presents the ancient games as both athletic and religious occasions. Their historical record provides insight into Greek culture and values. Question: Which statement is directly supported by the passage?
Based on the description, what can be concluded about James's musical education and abilities?
According to the passage, what specific role do ATP and NADPH molecules play in connecting the two main stages of photosynthesis?

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