Practice Test 4 - ISEE Upper Level Reading Comprehension

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

Times New Roman, 12-point, double-spaced. [Historical Speech] We honor our graduating class today, and we should. You have finished a chapter that demanded patience, late nights, and more than a few awkward presentations. You have learned formulas, dates, and vocabulary lists. Yet the most important lesson may be simpler: you learned how to begin again. You began again after a low grade, when it would have been easier to quit. You began again after an argument with a friend, when pride wanted the last word. You began again after a season ended, when the uniform went back into the closet and the days felt strangely empty. This ability to restart is not small. It is the engine of every future success. Still, let us not pretend that the road ahead is smooth. There will be days when the world seems loud and your own voice seems quiet. There will be choices that look harmless but lead you away from what you value. In those moments, remember that freedom is not the same as drifting. Freedom is choosing your direction. So celebrate tonight. Laugh loudly. Take the pictures. Then, tomorrow, ask yourself a serious question: what kind of person will you practice being? The answer will not appear in one dramatic moment. It will appear in your habits. Go forward with joy, and go forward with care. What is the tone of the passage?
What transitional phrase shows a comparison in the passage about electric and hydrogen vehicles? Transportation systems are changing as engineers seek lower-emission alternatives to gasoline engines. Electric vehicles store energy in batteries and use electric motors, which can be highly efficient in city driving. Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, by contrast, store hydrogen and convert it into electricity onboard, producing water vapor as the direct exhaust. Both approaches can reduce tailpipe pollution, but their broader climate impact depends on how electricity or hydrogen is produced. Similarly, each technology faces infrastructure constraints. Electric vehicles require widespread charging stations and upgraded grids, especially for fast charging. Hydrogen vehicles require production facilities, specialized storage, and fueling stations that handle high-pressure gas. Consequently, early adoption often clusters where incentives and infrastructure already exist. The passage notes that these systems may serve different needs. Battery vehicles are often practical for daily commuting and short trips, while fuel-cell vehicles may be advantageous for certain heavy-duty routes where quick refueling matters. The author concludes that comparing technologies clarifies trade-offs and prevents the mistaken belief that one design automatically fits every transportation challenge.
Which statement best captures the main argument presented in this passage?
Read the passage and answer: Why is the first paragraph essential to the text? Paragraph 1: Every autumn, millions of monarch butterflies begin a long journey to warmer regions. Unlike many animals, monarchs travel across several generations, meaning the butterflies that arrive may not be the ones that departed. This migration has fascinated observers for centuries because it combines endurance with precise navigation. Recently, however, scientists have worried about whether the migration can continue. Paragraph 2: A major challenge is habitat loss along the route. Monarch caterpillars depend on milkweed, but milkweed is often removed from fields and roadsides. Without enough host plants, fewer caterpillars survive to become adults. Even small gaps in habitat can accumulate across thousands of miles. Paragraph 3: Weather also affects migration success. Strong winds can push butterflies off course, and sudden cold snaps can be deadly. Drought may reduce nectar-producing flowers, leaving migrants without fuel. Because climate patterns vary year to year, the journey is never identical. Paragraph 4: Conservation efforts focus on rebuilding the "stepping stones" monarchs need. Communities plant milkweed gardens and protect overwintering forests. Scientists also track butterfly numbers to see whether interventions are working. The broader goal is to preserve not only a species, but a natural phenomenon that connects many regions.
The author organizes this passage primarily by
Read the passage, then answer: What is the primary purpose of this passage? This descriptive passage invites the reader into a preserved nineteenth-century train station. The author begins at the platform, where wooden benches shine from years of polishing and the air carries a faint scent of coal smoke, even though modern trains no longer burn it. Sunlight falls through tall windows and lands in rectangles on the tiled floor. The author describes a brass clock above the ticket counter, its hands ticking steadily, as if it refuses to hurry. Moving into the waiting room, the author notes the high ceiling, painted a pale blue that makes the space feel cooler. Old travel posters line the walls, advertising seaside towns in bold colors that have softened with time. A volunteer guide explains that the station once served as a busy crossroads for soldiers, factory workers, and families traveling for holidays. The author's tone is admiring and reflective, lingering on small details like the grooves in the floor where luggage wheels once rolled. The passage ends with the author stepping outside to hear a modern train glide in, quiet and smooth, while the station stands like a "memory made of brick and glass."
The speaker's tone in this political speech is
<div style="font-size:12pt; line-height:1.5;"> <p>Passage: When a city expands its public transportation system, the most visible outcome is often new stations or buses. Yet the deeper impact is how mobility reshapes daily life for people who previously had limited options. Reliable transit can connect workers to jobs, students to schools, and families to essential services without requiring a car. Consider a suburban teen who once depended on a parent's schedule to attend after-school activities. With a new bus line running later into the evening, that student can join clubs and still get home safely. Or consider a hospital employee who used to spend a large portion of each paycheck on ride-hailing services; a monthly transit pass can free money for groceries or savings. Small changes like these may not make headlines, but they accumulate into greater independence for thousands of residents. Of course, transit projects succeed only when they are planned with the community in mind. Routes must match where people actually live and work, and schedules must be dependable. When these conditions are met, public transportation becomes more than infrastructure—it becomes a tool that expands opportunity and strengthens a city's social and economic connections.</p> <p>Question: Which of the following best captures the central idea of the text?</p> </div>
A 1978 newspaper profile of Dr. Sato, director of the city's public clinic, praised her "unwavering calm" during a summer heat wave, noting that she arrived before sunrise and left after the last patient. The reporter described how Dr. Sato kept a small notebook of addresses, but never wrote names beside them, and how she insisted that the waiting room radio remain tuned to the traffic channel rather than music. When asked about shortages, she replied that "supplies appear when routes do," and she thanked a group of bicycle couriers more formally than she thanked the hospital board. The article mentioned, almost as an aside, that Dr. Sato had once studied architecture, and that she still carried a folded street map whose creases had been reinforced with tape. At the end of the profile, the reporter attempted to photograph her; Dr. Sato stepped slightly behind a doorframe and said, "Focus on the clinic, not on me." What does the author imply about the source of Dr. Sato's effectiveness?
Read the passage, then answer: In the passage, the word ambiguous most likely refers to what? The novel's protagonist returns to her hometown after years away. She expects comfort, yet familiar streets feel strangely unfamiliar. The author describes the town square as "bright with memory, shadowed by truth," a phrase that seems deliberately uncertain. In one scene, the protagonist meets an old friend who smiles warmly but avoids direct answers. Their conversation is polite, but every compliment carries a hint of warning. The reader senses conflict, yet the cause remains unstated. Reviewers praised the writing for being ambiguous. The narrator does not explain whether the friend is loyal or deceptive. Instead, the text offers clues that can support more than one conclusion, encouraging readers to judge motives for themselves. This uncertainty is not a mistake. It creates tension, because the protagonist must act without complete information. The author's careful restraint makes the story feel realistic, since real conversations often conceal as much as they reveal. As the plot develops, some questions are resolved, but others remain open by design.
What is the author's primary argument about universal basic income policy development?
<div style="font-size:12pt; line-height:1.5;"> <p>Passage: In many workplaces, remote meetings have become common, but their success depends on more than a stable internet connection. Clear communication requires deliberate habits, especially when people cannot rely on body language or quick side conversations. Teams that treat online meetings as casual replacements for in-person discussions often experience confusion, repeated work, and frustration. Several simple practices can make a difference. One manager begins each meeting with a brief agenda and ends by restating decisions, so no one leaves uncertain about next steps. A project group uses shared notes that are visible during the call, allowing participants to correct misunderstandings immediately. Another team rotates the role of "timekeeper," which prevents discussions from drifting and ensures quieter members have a chance to speak. These examples suggest that remote collaboration works best when it is structured. By adopting intentional routines, teams can make online meetings efficient, inclusive, and less exhausting.</p> <p>Question: Which sentence best summarizes the passage?</p> </div>
The author's presentation of the standardized testing debate suggests which perspective on educational assessment?
The museum's new security guard, Anton, insisted on walking the same route each hour: first the gallery of maritime paintings, then the glass case of ancient coins, and finally the modern sculpture wing, where he paused longest. He claimed the sculptures were "hardest to watch," though they were bolted to the floor and roped off. Anton rarely spoke to visitors, except to ask, politely, that they step back from the ropes; yet with the janitor he became unexpectedly talkative, asking whether the building's cameras "ever blink" and whether the night shift's logs were stored digitally or on paper. When the curator introduced a temporary exhibit of borrowed artifacts, Anton requested the shipping manifests "for practice," and he copied the crate numbers into his phone before deleting them, then emptying the trash folder. During lunch he sat where he could see the staff entrance, and he flinched whenever the freight elevator chimed. One afternoon, after a child dropped a brochure and it skittered under a bench, Anton retrieved it quickly, smoothing the paper with his palm as if flattening fingerprints. The curator praised his diligence, but the janitor later remarked that Anton never removed his gloves, even when the building's heat failed and everyone else rubbed their hands for warmth.
Times New Roman, 12-point, double-spaced. [Magazine Article Excerpt] The first week of a new semester always comes with promises. Planners are clean. Pens still have full ink. Students swear they will not procrastinate, as if procrastination were a villain that can be defeated with a strong speech. By the second week, reality returns. A quiz appears unexpectedly. A long reading assignment sits in the corner of your mind like an unopened box. After-school plans collide with study time. The schedule becomes a crowded hallway, and you are trying to move through it without dropping anything. This is the part many students misunderstand: struggling with organization does not mean you are lazy. It means you are learning a skill that takes practice. The students who seem "naturally" organized usually have systems. They write tasks down. They break big assignments into smaller steps. They choose one priority for the day instead of chasing ten. If you want a practical start, try this. Each afternoon, list three tasks you must complete. Then estimate how long each will take, and add ten extra minutes, because life is rarely exact. When you finish, stop. Rest is not a reward for perfection. It is fuel. The semester will still be busy. But busy does not have to mean chaotic. The tone of the passage can best be described as...?
Read the passage, then answer the question. The kitchen glowed with December light. Cinnamon and roasting oranges drifted through the warm air, wrapping the room like a soft scarf. When the front door opened, a gust of cold followed, but it was quickly chased away by laughter. "You made it!" Aunt Lila called, her voice bright as the string lights along the window. Boots thumped on the mat. Coats piled up like friendly chaos. Someone shook snow from their hat, and the flakes melted on the tiles, leaving tiny, sparkling beads. Mateo stepped inside and stopped. For a moment he simply listened: the clink of dishes, the low hum of conversation, the sudden burst of a cousin's giggle. His chest loosened, as if he had been holding his breath for weeks. He caught the scent of pine from the tree in the next room and felt a smile arrive before he even chose it. The living room was crowded. Hands reached for him. Hugs came quick and sure. Even the old clock seemed to tick more kindly, keeping time for a house that felt full in every corner. Question: What is the effect of the language choice in the sentence: "Cinnamon and roasting oranges drifted through the warm air"?
Read the passage, then answer: Which of the following best describes the author's intent? This expository piece explains photosynthesis by clarifying what happens to matter and energy. The author states that plants do not "create" mass from nothing; instead, they rearrange atoms from carbon dioxide and water to build glucose. The author explains that sunlight provides the energy to drive these chemical changes, much like a spark starts a reaction that would not occur on its own. The tone is careful and corrective, focusing on common misconceptions. The author then walks through the process. Carbon dioxide enters the leaf, water arrives from the roots, and chlorophyll captures light. During the light-dependent reactions, water molecules are split, releasing oxygen. During the Calvin cycle, carbon atoms are linked together into sugar. The author includes a brief text diagram: "Matter in: $CO_2$ and $H_2O$ ; matter out: glucose and $O_2$ ." The author concludes by connecting photosynthesis to climate and food webs, noting that the process helps remove carbon dioxide from the air and stores energy in plant tissue. The final sentence encourages readers to think of leaves as "busy laboratories" rather than passive decorations.
Based on both passages, which statement best synthesizes the authors' perspectives on technological change?
What can be inferred about some of the library's former computer users?
Read the passage, then answer the question. The living room shimmered with tinsel and soft lamplight. A record played in the corner, its music slightly scratchy, like a familiar story told again. On the coffee table, cookies cooled, sending up a buttery scent that made the whole house feel kinder. When the doorbell rang, everyone paused for half a second—then the room burst into motion. Chairs scraped. Feet hurried. The door opened, and cold air rushed in, carrying snow and the bright surprise of a voice that had been missed. "Look at you!" someone said, and the words were instantly followed by laughter. Coats were tugged off. Hands squeezed shoulders. A younger cousin bounced on her toes, unable to contain herself. Mira stood near the tree, watching. She felt a sudden warmth behind her eyes. It wasn't sadness. It was relief, the kind that arrives when you realize you are not alone. The lights on the tree blinked steadily, as if agreeing. Question: How does the author's language in paragraph 4 contribute to the overall mood?

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