Is there a passing SSAT score?

No. The SSAT is not pass/fail and there is no national passing score. Students receive scaled scores and a percentile rank (1-99) that compares them to other test-takers in the same grade over the prior three years. Each school decides what scores it considers competitive, so there is no universal cutoff.

What's a good SSAT percentile?

A good SSAT percentile depends on the schools you are applying to, because the percentile compares you to a highly competitive norm group of same-grade applicants from the past three years. Many selective independent schools look for percentiles in the 50th to 80th range or higher, but each school sets its own expectations — check the ranges your target schools publish or share.

How many questions are on the SSAT and how long is it?

The Middle and Upper Level SSAT each have 150 scored questions — 60 Verbal (synonyms and analogies), 50 Quantitative across two math sections, and 40 Reading Comprehension — plus an unscored Writing Sample and an unscored experimental section, for about 3 hours and 10 minutes total. The Elementary Level is shorter (about 2 hours 5 minutes).

What sections are on the SSAT?

The Middle and Upper Level SSAT have four scored question areas: Verbal (synonyms and analogies), two Quantitative (Math) sections, and Reading Comprehension. There is also an unscored Writing Sample that schools receive a copy of, and an unscored experimental section used to try out future questions.

Can you take the SSAT more than once?

Yes. Many students take the SSAT more than once to improve their scaled scores and percentiles, and you can test on multiple dates within and across testing seasons. Schools generally consider your scores in context, so additional, well-prepared attempts can help. Confirm date availability and any limits for your chosen format at ssat.org.

What is the best way to study for the SSAT?

Because the SSAT rewards vocabulary, reasoning, and pacing across very different sections, the most effective preparation is repeated full-length, section-weighted practice tests under timed conditions. Read every explanation to learn the reasoning, build vocabulary for synonyms and analogies, and reinforce weak areas with a study guide, flashcards, and a cheat sheet between sessions.

Your FREE Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) Practice Test 2026 – 340+ Q&A

Q: How do I register for the SSAT and how much does it cost?

You register online at ssat.org and choose a format: paper at a test center, SSAT at Home, or a Prometric test center. U.S. Middle/Upper Level pricing is roughly $172 for standard paper, $242 at Prometric, and $258 for SSAT at Home, while Elementary is about $112 (verify current fees at ssat.org, since pricing changes). Fee waivers are available for qualified families.

Prepare with realistic, Secondary School Admission Test-style questions — take a full SSAT practice test or drill one section at a time.

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SSAT Practice Questions

Choose the word closest in meaning to CONCEAL.
- Enjoy
- Repair
- Hide
- Reveal
Correct answer: Hide
Hide is the best synonym. Conceal means to keep something out of sight, which is exactly what hide means. Reveal is the opposite, while repair and enjoy refer to fixing and pleasure rather than hiding.
Which word is most nearly synonymous with NOVICE?
- Beginner
- Leader
- Stranger
- Expert
Correct answer: Beginner
Beginner is the answer. A novice is someone new to an activity, and beginner means the same thing. Expert is the opposite, while leader and stranger describe roles unrelated to inexperience.
Select the closest synonym for SOLEMN.
- Tiny
- Serious
- Rapid
- Joyful
Correct answer: Serious
Serious best matches SOLEMN. Solemn describes a grave, dignified seriousness, which is what serious conveys. Joyful is the opposite mood, while tiny and rapid describe size and speed instead.
Which word means most nearly the same as STURDY?
- Weak
- Gentle
- Pale
- Robust
Correct answer: Robust
Robust is the closest synonym. Sturdy describes something strongly built, and robust conveys the same strength and durability. Weak is the opposite, while gentle and pale describe softness and color.
Choose the word that most nearly means HUMBLE.
- Loud
- Wealthy
- Proud
- Modest
Correct answer: Modest
Modest is the answer. Humble describes a lack of arrogance, and modest carries the same sense of being unpretentious. Proud is the opposite, while loud and wealthy describe volume and riches.
Which word is closest in meaning to VACANT?
- Heavy
- Empty
- Bright
- Full
Correct answer: Empty
Empty best matches VACANT. Vacant describes a space with nothing in it, which is exactly what empty means. Full is the opposite, while bright and heavy describe light and weight instead.
Select the word most nearly the same in meaning as PRAISE.
- Compliment
- Scold
- Borrow
- Ignore
Correct answer: Compliment
Compliment is the closest synonym. To praise is to express approval or admiration, and to compliment means the same. Scold is the opposite, while ignore and borrow describe neglect and lending.
Which word means most nearly the same as ANCIENT?
- Modern
- Old
- Soft
- Quick
Correct answer: Old
Old is the answer. Ancient describes something from very long ago, and old conveys the same age. Modern is the opposite, while quick and soft describe speed and texture rather than age.
Choose the word closest in meaning to BRAVE.
- Silent
- Cowardly
- Courageous
- Wealthy
Correct answer: Courageous
Courageous best matches BRAVE. Brave means showing no fear in the face of danger, and courageous conveys the same boldness. Cowardly is the opposite, while silent and wealthy describe quietness and riches.
Which word is most nearly synonymous with GRIEF?
- Sorrow
- Joy
- Anger
- Hope
Correct answer: Sorrow
Sorrow is the answer. Grief is deep sadness, especially after loss, and sorrow means the same emotion. Joy is the opposite, while anger and hope are distinct emotions that do not capture sadness.
Select the closest synonym for WITHER.
- Shout
- Shrivel
- Bloom
- Sparkle
Correct answer: Shrivel
Shrivel best matches WITHER. To wither is to dry up and shrink, especially of a plant, and shrivel conveys the same drying and shrinking. Bloom is the opposite, while sparkle and shout describe shining and yelling.
Which word means most nearly the same as MURMUR?
- Laugh
- Sing
- Shout
- Whisper
Correct answer: Whisper
Whisper is the closest synonym. A murmur is a soft, low utterance, and whisper conveys the same quiet speech. Shout is the opposite, while laugh and sing describe different vocal sounds.
Choose the word that most nearly means SUFFICIENT.
- Enough
- Sweet
- Rapid
- Lacking
Correct answer: Enough
Enough is the answer. Sufficient means as much as is needed, which is exactly what enough means. Lacking is the opposite, while sweet and rapid describe taste and speed rather than adequacy.
Which word is closest in meaning to FOE?
- Helper
- Guest
- Enemy
- Friend
Correct answer: Enemy
Enemy best matches FOE. A foe is someone who opposes or fights against you, which is exactly what enemy means. Friend is the opposite, while helper and guest describe an assistant and a visitor.
Select the word most nearly the same in meaning as COMMENCE.
- End
- Pause
- Begin
- Repeat
Correct answer: Begin
Begin is the closest synonym. To commence is to start something, and begin means the same. End is the opposite, while pause and repeat describe stopping temporarily and doing again.
Which word means most nearly the same as PECULIAR?
- Loud
- Ordinary
- Strange
- Tasty
Correct answer: Strange
Strange is the answer. Peculiar means unusual or odd, and strange conveys the same unfamiliarity. Ordinary is the opposite, while tasty and loud describe flavor and volume rather than oddness.
Choose the word closest in meaning to ASSIST.
- Hinder
- Forget
- Watch
- Help
Correct answer: Help
Help best matches ASSIST. To assist is to give support or aid, and help means the same. Hinder is the opposite, while watch and forget describe observing and failing to remember.
Which word is most nearly synonymous with MEND?
- Hide
- Break
- Sell
- Repair
Correct answer: Repair
Repair is the answer. To mend is to fix something that is damaged, and repair means the same. Break is the opposite, while sell and hide describe exchanging for money and concealing.
Select the closest synonym for QUIVER.
- Speak
- Tremble
- Freeze
- Glow
Correct answer: Tremble
Tremble best matches QUIVER. To quiver is to shake slightly, and tremble describes the same shaking. Freeze means to become still, while glow and speak describe shining and talking.
Which word means most nearly the same as INTELLIGENT?
- Kind
- Clever
- Brave
- Dull
Correct answer: Clever
Clever is the closest synonym. Intelligent describes quick understanding and good reasoning, and clever conveys the same mental sharpness. Dull is the opposite, while kind and brave describe gentleness and courage.
Choose the word that most nearly means GLOOMY.
- Dismal
- Quick
- Smooth
- Bright
Correct answer: Dismal
Dismal is the answer. Gloomy describes a dark, depressing quality, and dismal conveys the same dreariness. Bright is the opposite, while quick and smooth describe speed and texture.
Which word is closest in meaning to PLENTIFUL?
- Ample
- Faint
- Sour
- Scarce
Correct answer: Ample
Ample best matches PLENTIFUL. Plentiful means existing in large amounts, and ample means more than enough. Scarce is the opposite, while sour and faint describe taste and weakness.
Select the word most nearly the same in meaning as SELDOM.
- Quickly
- Often
- Rarely
- Loudly
Correct answer: Rarely
Rarely is the closest synonym. Seldom means not often, and rarely conveys the same infrequency. Often is the opposite, while quickly and loudly describe speed and volume.
Which word means most nearly the same as FERTILE?
- Productive
- Cold
- Barren
- Heavy
Correct answer: Productive
Productive is the answer. Fertile describes land that produces abundant growth, and productive conveys the same fruitfulness. Barren is the opposite, while cold and heavy describe temperature and weight.
Choose the word closest in meaning to ABSURD.
- Sensible
- Ridiculous
- Bright
- Tiny
Correct answer: Ridiculous
Ridiculous best matches ABSURD. Absurd describes something foolish or making no sense, and ridiculous conveys the same silliness. Sensible is the opposite, while tiny and bright describe size and light.
Which word is most nearly synonymous with HALT?
- Shout
- Continue
- Begin
- Stop
Correct answer: Stop
Stop is the answer. To halt is to bring something to a stop, and stop means the same. Continue is the opposite, while begin and shout describe starting and yelling.
Select the closest synonym for SCARCE.
- Bright
- Rare
- Heavy
- Plentiful
Correct answer: Rare
Rare best matches SCARCE. Scarce means in short supply or hard to find, and rare conveys the same uncommonness. Plentiful is the opposite, while bright and heavy describe light and weight.
Which word means most nearly the same as DREARY?
- Cheerful
- Dull
- Sharp
- Quick
Correct answer: Dull
Dull is the closest synonym. Dreary describes something bleak and lifeless, and dull conveys the same lack of brightness or interest. Cheerful is the opposite, while quick and sharp describe speed and edge.
Choose the word that most nearly means OBSTINATE.
- Agreeable
- Stubborn
- Quiet
- Generous
Correct answer: Stubborn
Stubborn is the answer. Obstinate describes a refusal to change one's mind, and stubborn conveys the same inflexibility. Agreeable is the opposite, while generous and quiet describe giving and silence.
Which word is closest in meaning to VIVID?
- Bright
- Slow
- Dull
- Heavy
Correct answer: Bright
Bright best matches VIVID. Vivid describes something strikingly bright or clear, and bright conveys the same intensity. Dull is the opposite, while slow and heavy describe speed and weight.
Select the word most nearly the same in meaning as PONDER.
- Consider
- Ignore
- Hurry
- Shout
Correct answer: Consider
Consider is the closest synonym. To ponder is to think carefully about something, and consider conveys the same reflection. Ignore is the opposite, while hurry and shout describe rushing and yelling.
Which word means most nearly the same as FEEBLE?
- Weak
- Bright
- Strong
- Tall
Correct answer: Weak
Weak is the answer. Feeble describes a lack of strength, and weak conveys the same frailty. Strong is the opposite, while tall and bright describe height and light.
Choose the word closest in meaning to AMIABLE.
- Lazy
- Friendly
- Wealthy
- Hostile
Correct answer: Friendly
Friendly best matches AMIABLE. Amiable describes a pleasant, agreeable nature, and friendly conveys the same warmth toward others. Hostile is the opposite, while lazy and wealthy describe idleness and riches.
Which word is most nearly synonymous with DEMOLISH?
- Borrow
- Destroy
- Build
- Clean
Correct answer: Destroy
Destroy is the answer. To demolish is to tear something down completely, and destroy conveys the same total ruin. Build is the opposite, while clean and borrow describe tidying and lending.
Select the closest synonym for LURE.
- Attract
- Forget
- Repel
- Shout
Correct answer: Attract
Attract best matches LURE. To lure is to tempt or draw someone in, and attract conveys the same pull. Repel is the opposite, while forget and shout describe failing to remember and yelling.
Which word means most nearly the same as CAUTIOUS?
- Joyful
- Reckless
- Loud
- Careful
Correct answer: Careful
Careful is the closest synonym. Cautious describes acting with care to avoid danger, and careful conveys the same attentiveness. Reckless is the opposite, while joyful and loud describe mood and volume.
Choose the word that most nearly means ENORMOUS.
- Quick
- Smooth
- Huge
- Tiny
Correct answer: Huge
Huge is the answer. Enormous describes something extremely large, and huge conveys the same great size. Tiny is the opposite, while quick and smooth describe speed and texture.
Which word is closest in meaning to NARRATE?
- Cook
- Hide
- Tell
- Break
Correct answer: Tell
Tell best matches NARRATE. To narrate is to give an account of events, and tell conveys the same act of relating a story. Hide is unrelated, while break and cook describe damaging and preparing food.
Select the word most nearly the same in meaning as TRANQUIL.
- Calm
- Quick
- Bitter
- Stormy
Correct answer: Calm
Calm is the closest synonym. Tranquil describes a peaceful, undisturbed state, and calm conveys the same serenity. Stormy is the opposite, while quick and bitter describe speed and taste.
Which word means most nearly the same as DEPART?
- Leave
- Arrive
- Rest
- Build
Correct answer: Leave
Leave is the answer. To depart is to go away from a place, and leave conveys the same act of going. Arrive is the opposite, while rest and build describe relaxing and constructing.
Choose the word closest in meaning to RECKLESS.
- Careless
- Wealthy
- Friendly
- Careful
Correct answer: Careless
Careless best matches RECKLESS. Reckless describes acting without thought of consequences, and careless conveys the same lack of caution. Careful is the opposite, while friendly and wealthy describe warmth and riches.
Which word is most nearly synonymous with FRIGID?
- Loud
- Warm
- Freezing
- Bright
Correct answer: Freezing
Freezing is the answer. Frigid describes intense cold, and freezing conveys the same extreme chill. Warm is the opposite, while bright and loud describe light and volume.
Select the closest synonym for GAZE.
- Jump
- Whisper
- Stare
- Cook
Correct answer: Stare
Stare best matches GAZE. To gaze is to look steadily at something, and stare conveys the same fixed looking. Whisper relates to soft speech, while jump and cook describe leaping and preparing food.
Which word means most nearly the same as ELATED?
- Tired
- Miserable
- Overjoyed
- Calm
Correct answer: Overjoyed
Overjoyed is the closest synonym. Elated describes feeling extremely happy, and overjoyed conveys the same intense delight. Miserable is the opposite, while tired and calm describe fatigue and peacefulness.
Choose the word that most nearly means VANISH.
- Shout
- Disappear
- Appear
- Build
Correct answer: Disappear
Disappear is the answer. To vanish is to cease to be visible, and disappear conveys the same sudden absence. Appear is the opposite, while shout and build describe yelling and constructing.
Which word is closest in meaning to PROHIBIT?
- Sing
- Allow
- Repair
- Forbid
Correct answer: Forbid
Forbid best matches PROHIBIT. To prohibit is to formally ban something, and forbid conveys the same refusal of permission. Allow is the opposite, while repair and sing describe fixing and singing.
Select the word most nearly the same in meaning as WEALTHY.
- Quick
- Quiet
- Rich
- Poor
Correct answer: Rich
Rich is the closest synonym. Wealthy describes having a great deal of money, and rich conveys the same abundance of wealth. Poor is the opposite, while quick and quiet describe speed and silence.
Which word means most nearly the same as STERN?
- Strict
- Gentle
- Rapid
- Bright
Correct answer: Strict
Strict is the answer. Stern describes a harsh, serious firmness, and strict conveys the same demand for discipline. Gentle is the opposite, while bright and rapid describe light and speed.
Choose the word closest in meaning to RADIANT.
- Dim
- Glowing
- Heavy
- Sour
Correct answer: Glowing
Glowing best matches RADIANT. Radiant describes shining brightly, and glowing conveys the same brilliant light. Dim is the opposite, while heavy and sour describe weight and taste.
Bird is to flock as wolf is to which of the following?
- Forest
- Howl
- Pack
- Tooth
Correct answer: Pack
The answer is pack. A group of birds is called a flock, and a group of wolves is called a pack, so the relationship is animal to its group name. Forest is a habitat, tooth is a body part, and howl is a sound, none of which name a group.
Library is to books as gallery is to which of the following?
- Walls
- Paintings
- Tickets
- Visitors
Correct answer: Paintings
Paintings is correct. A library is a place that holds books, and a gallery is a place that holds paintings, so the bridge is place to what it stores or displays. Visitors and tickets relate to people and admission, and walls are merely part of the structure.
Hot is to cold as tall is to which of the following?
- Wide
- High
- Short
- Heavy
Correct answer: Short
Short is the answer. Hot and cold are opposites, so the relationship is antonym, and the opposite of tall is short. High is a near-synonym of tall, while wide and heavy describe different dimensions entirely.
Petal is to flower as page is to which of the following?
- Reader
- Book
- Ink
- Library
Correct answer: Book
Book is correct. A petal is one part of a whole flower, and a page is one part of a whole book, so the relationship is part to whole. Reader and library relate to people and places, and ink is a material, not the whole object.
Glove is to hand as sock is to which of the following?
- Foot
- Shoe
- Wool
- Drawer
Correct answer: Foot
Foot is the answer. A glove is worn on a hand, and a sock is worn on a foot, so the relationship is garment to the body part it covers. Shoe is also footwear rather than a body part, wool is a material, and drawer is storage.
Author is to novel as composer is to which of the following?
- Orchestra
- Audience
- Piano
- Symphony
Correct answer: Symphony
Symphony is correct. An author creates a novel, and a composer creates a symphony, so the relationship is creator to the work produced. An orchestra performs music, a piano is an instrument, and an audience listens, none of which is the work created.
Rain is to flood as spark is to which of the following?
- Smoke
- Ash
- Match
- Fire
Correct answer: Fire
Fire is the answer. Heavy rain can cause a flood, and a spark can cause a fire, so the relationship is cause to its larger effect. A match is a source of a spark, while smoke and ash are byproducts that come after a fire, not the effect itself.
Happy is to joyful as sad is to which of the following?
- Calm
- Angry
- Sorrowful
- Cheerful
Correct answer: Sorrowful
Sorrowful is correct. Happy and joyful are synonyms, so the relationship is synonym, and a synonym for sad is sorrowful. Cheerful means the opposite of sad, while angry and calm are different emotions.
Knife is to cut as pen is to which of the following?
- Paper
- Desk
- Ink
- Write
Correct answer: Write
Write is the answer. A knife is a tool used to cut, and a pen is a tool used to write, so the relationship is instrument to its function. Ink is what a pen uses, paper is what it writes on, and a desk is where it rests.
Teacher is to classroom as chef is to which of the following?
- Customer
- Kitchen
- Knife
- Menu
Correct answer: Kitchen
Kitchen is correct. A teacher works in a classroom, and a chef works in a kitchen, so the relationship is worker to workplace. A menu and a knife are tools or items a chef uses, and a customer is the person served.
Whisper is to shout as walk is to which of the following?
- Stroll
- Move
- Stand
- Run
Correct answer: Run
Run is the answer. A whisper is a quiet form of speech and a shout is a loud, intense form, so the relationship is mild to intense degree; walk is a slow movement and run is its faster, more intense form. Stroll is even gentler than walk, stand is no motion, and move is too general.
Warm is to scalding as cool is to which of the following?
- Pleasant
- Freezing
- Damp
- Mild
Correct answer: Freezing
Freezing is correct. Warm is a mild degree and scalding is an extreme degree of heat, so the relationship is mild to extreme; cool is a mild degree of cold and freezing is its extreme. Mild and pleasant are gentle, not extreme, and damp describes moisture rather than temperature.
Drizzle is to downpour as breeze is to which of the following?
- Mist
- Cloud
- Gust
- Calm
Correct answer: Gust
Gust is the answer. A drizzle is light rain and a downpour is heavy rain, so the relationship is mild to intense; a breeze is a light wind and a gust is a stronger, more forceful wind. Calm means no wind, while cloud and mist are different weather features.
Like is to adore as dislike is to which of the following?
- Notice
- Enjoy
- Accept
- Detest
Correct answer: Detest
Detest is correct. To like is mild and to adore is intense, so the relationship is moderate feeling to strong feeling; dislike is mild and detest is its strong, intense form. Enjoy is positive, while notice and accept are not about intense dislike.
Doctor is to hospital as judge is to which of the following?
- Verdict
- Robe
- Law
- Courtroom
Correct answer: Courtroom
Courtroom is the answer. A doctor works in a hospital, and a judge works in a courtroom, so the relationship is professional to workplace. Law is the subject, a robe is clothing, and a verdict is the decision produced.
Fish is to swim as bird is to which of the following?
- Fly
- Sky
- Nest
- Feather
Correct answer: Fly
Fly is correct. A fish moves by swimming, and a bird moves by flying, so the relationship is animal to its means of movement. A nest is a home, a feather is a body part, and the sky is where a bird flies.
Branch is to tree as wing is to which of the following?
- Flight
- Bird
- Sky
- Feather
Correct answer: Bird
Bird is the answer. A branch is a part of a tree, and a wing is a part of a bird, so the relationship is part to whole. The sky is where the bird flies, a feather is a smaller piece of a wing, and flight is the action.
Begin is to end as enter is to which of the following?
- Open
- Stay
- Reach
- Exit
Correct answer: Exit
Exit is correct. Begin and end are opposites, so the relationship is antonym, and the opposite of enter is exit. Open relates loosely to entering, while stay and reach do not mean leaving.
Painter is to brush as carpenter is to which of the following?
- House
- Wood
- Hammer
- Plan
Correct answer: Hammer
Hammer is the answer. A painter uses a brush as a primary tool, and a carpenter uses a hammer, so the relationship is worker to tool. Wood is the material, a house is the product, and a plan is the design.
Drought is to famine as virus is to which of the following?
- Illness
- Cure
- Doctor
- Cell
Correct answer: Illness
Illness is correct. A drought can lead to a famine, and a virus can lead to illness, so the relationship is cause to effect. A cell is what a virus infects, a cure treats illness, and a doctor responds to it.
Calf is to cow as cub is to which of the following?
- Fur
- Den
- Forest
- Bear
Correct answer: Bear
Bear is the answer. A calf is the young of a cow, and a cub is the young of a bear, so the relationship is young animal to its parent type. A den is a home, a forest is a habitat, and fur is a body covering.
Hungry is to eat as tired is to which of the following?
- Work
- Laugh
- Sleep
- Run
Correct answer: Sleep
Sleep is correct. Being hungry leads a person to eat, and being tired leads a person to sleep, so the relationship is condition to the action that relieves it. Run and work would increase tiredness, and laugh is unrelated to fatigue.
Smile is to happiness as frown is to which of the following?
- Joy
- Energy
- Displeasure
- Hunger
Correct answer: Displeasure
Displeasure is the answer. A smile is an expression of happiness, and a frown is an expression of displeasure, so the relationship is facial expression to the feeling it shows. Joy is what a smile shows, while hunger and energy are not shown by frowning.
Spoke is to wheel as rung is to which of the following?
- Step
- Climb
- Ladder
- Metal
Correct answer: Ladder
Ladder is correct. A spoke is a part of a wheel, and a rung is a part of a ladder, so the relationship is part to whole. Climb is the action, step is a near-synonym for rung rather than the whole, and metal is a material.
Ancient is to modern as victory is to which of the following?
- Battle
- Honor
- Triumph
- Defeat
Correct answer: Defeat
Defeat is the answer. Ancient and modern are opposites, so the relationship is antonym, and the opposite of victory is defeat. Triumph is a synonym for victory, while battle and honor are related ideas but not opposites.
Pilot is to airplane as captain is to which of the following?
- Ocean
- Map
- Crew
- Ship
Correct answer: Ship
Ship is correct. A pilot operates an airplane, and a captain operates a ship, so the relationship is operator to the vehicle controlled. The ocean is where a ship travels, a crew works under the captain, and a map is a tool.
Soft is to silk as rough is to which of the following?
- Water
- Glass
- Cloth
- Sandpaper
Correct answer: Sandpaper
Sandpaper is the answer. Silk is an example of something soft, and sandpaper is an example of something rough, so the relationship is quality to an object that has it. Cloth, water, and glass are not typically defined by roughness.
Cold is to shiver as fear is to which of the following?
- Tremble
- Smile
- Eat
- Sleep
Correct answer: Tremble
Tremble is correct. Cold causes a person to shiver, and fear causes a person to tremble, so the relationship is cause to its physical reaction. Smile and eat are unrelated responses, and sleep is not a reaction to fear.
Honest is to truthful as wise is to which of the following?
- Sensible
- Foolish
- Wealthy
- Quick
Correct answer: Sensible
Sensible is the answer. Honest and truthful are synonyms, so the relationship is synonym, and a synonym for wise is sensible. Foolish is the opposite of wise, while quick and wealthy describe speed and riches.
Seed is to plant as egg is to which of the following?
- Nest
- Shell
- Bird
- Yolk
Correct answer: Bird
Bird is correct. A seed grows into a plant, and an egg develops into a bird, so the relationship is beginning stage to mature form. A nest holds eggs, while a shell and a yolk are parts of the egg, not what it becomes.
Conductor is to orchestra as coach is to which of the following?
- Field
- Team
- Trophy
- Whistle
Correct answer: Team
Team is the answer. A conductor leads an orchestra, and a coach leads a team, so the relationship is leader to the group guided. A field is where play happens, a whistle is a tool, and a trophy is a reward.
Question is to answer as problem is to which of the following?
- Puzzle
- Trouble
- Mistake
- Solution
Correct answer: Solution
Solution is correct. An answer responds to a question, and a solution responds to a problem, so the relationship is challenge to its resolution. Trouble and puzzle are near-synonyms of problem, and a mistake is an error rather than a resolution.
Lemon is to sour as sugar is to which of the following?
- Sweet
- Bitter
- Spicy
- Salty
Correct answer: Sweet
Sweet is the answer. A lemon is characterized by a sour taste, and sugar is characterized by a sweet taste, so the relationship is food to its taste. Bitter, salty, and spicy are different tastes not associated with sugar.
Hive is to bee as den is to which of the following?
- Forest
- Hunt
- Tree
- Fox
Correct answer: Fox
Fox is correct. A hive is the home of a bee, and a den is the home of a fox, so the relationship is dwelling to its animal occupant. A forest and a tree are broader habitats, and hunt is an action.
Generous is to selfish as brave is to which of the following?
- Strong
- Kind
- Bold
- Cowardly
Correct answer: Cowardly
Cowardly is the answer. Generous and selfish are opposites, so the relationship is antonym, and the opposite of brave is cowardly. Bold and strong are similar to brave, while kind describes a different positive trait.
Chapter is to book as scene is to which of the following?
- Script
- Stage
- Actor
- Play
Correct answer: Play
Play is correct. A chapter is a division of a book, and a scene is a division of a play, so the relationship is part to whole. An actor performs, a stage is the location, and a script is the written text.
Thermometer is to temperature as clock is to which of the following?
- Number
- Hand
- Time
- Wall
Correct answer: Time
Time is the answer. A thermometer measures temperature, and a clock measures time, so the relationship is instrument to what it measures. A wall is where a clock hangs, while a hand and a number are parts of the clock.
Sculptor is to clay as weaver is to which of the following?
- Loom
- Yarn
- Pattern
- Cloth
Correct answer: Yarn
Yarn is correct. A sculptor shapes clay as raw material, and a weaver works with yarn as raw material, so the relationship is artisan to the material used. A loom is a tool, a pattern is a design, and cloth is the finished product.
Loud is to deafening as bright is to which of the following?
- Dim
- Soft
- Blinding
- Faint
Correct answer: Blinding
Blinding is the answer. Loud is a moderate level and deafening is an extreme level of sound, so the relationship is moderate to extreme; bright is a moderate level of light and blinding is its extreme form. Dim and faint are weak, and soft refers to gentleness, not intense brightness.
Annoy is to enrage as please is to which of the following?
- Upset
- Delight
- Bore
- Calm
Correct answer: Delight
Delight is correct. To annoy is mild and to enrage is intense, so the relationship is mild to strong; to please is mild and to delight is its stronger, more intense form. Bore and upset are negative, and calm is not an intensified form of pleasing.
The prefix RE- most often signals which of the following meanings?
- Before
- Not
- Again
- Without
Correct answer: Again
Again is correct. The prefix re- means again or back, as in redo (do again) or return (turn back). Not is signaled by un- or in-, before by pre-, and without by -less, so those do not match re-.
Knowing that the prefix UN- means not, the word UNAFRAID most nearly means which of the following?
- Afraid again
- Very scared
- Slightly afraid
- Not afraid
Correct answer: Not afraid
Not afraid is the answer. The prefix un- means not, so unafraid combines un- with afraid to mean not afraid, or fearless. Very scared and slightly afraid keep the fear, and afraid again misreads un- as repetition.
The root SPECT, as in inspect and spectator, most nearly relates to which of the following?
- Looking
- Moving
- Writing
- Hearing
Correct answer: Looking
Looking is correct. The root spect means to look or see, which is why an inspector looks closely and a spectator watches. Hearing, writing, and moving correspond to other roots such as aud, scrib, and mob.
If the suffix -LESS means without, the word FEARLESS most nearly means which of the following?
- Full of fear
- Without fear
- Causing fear
- Fearing again
Correct answer: Without fear
Without fear is the answer. The suffix -less means without, so fearless means without fear, or brave. Full of fear would use -ful, fearing again misreads the suffix, and causing fear does not match without.
The prefix PRE- in the word PREVIEW most nearly means which of the following?
- Before
- After
- Without
- Against
Correct answer: Before
Before is correct. The prefix pre- means before, so a preview is a viewing that happens before the main event. After is signaled by post-, against by anti-, and without by -less, so those do not fit pre-.
The root PORT, as in transport and portable, most nearly relates to which of the following?
- Speaking
- Building
- Seeing
- Carrying
Correct answer: Carrying
Carrying is the answer. The root port means to carry, which is why to transport is to carry across and something portable can be carried. Speaking, building, and seeing belong to roots like dict, struct, and vid.
Knowing that the prefix MIS- means wrongly, the word MISLEAD most nearly means which of the following?
- Lead in the wrong way
- Lead again
- Lead correctly
- Refuse to lead
Correct answer: Lead in the wrong way
Lead in the wrong way is correct. The prefix mis- means wrongly or badly, so to mislead is to lead someone in the wrong direction or give a false impression. Lead correctly is the opposite, lead again misreads mis- as re-, and refuse to lead is unrelated.
The suffix -FUL, as in joyful and helpful, most nearly means which of the following?
- Before
- Full of
- Wrongly
- Without
Correct answer: Full of
Full of is the answer. The suffix -ful means full of or characterized by, so joyful means full of joy and helpful means full of help. Without is -less, before is pre-, and wrongly is mis-, none of which match -ful.
The root AUD, as in audible and auditorium, most nearly relates to which of the following?
- Hearing
- Writing
- Tasting
- Touching
Correct answer: Hearing
Hearing is correct. The root aud means to hear, which is why something audible can be heard and an auditorium is a place for listening. Touching, tasting, and writing belong to other roots such as tact, gust, and scrib.
Knowing that the prefix BI- means two, the word BICYCLE most nearly refers to a vehicle with how many of which feature?
- Two wheels
- Four wheels
- Three wheels
- One wheel
Correct answer: Two wheels
Two wheels is the answer. The prefix bi- means two, so a bicycle has two wheels. One wheel would be a unicycle (uni- meaning one), three wheels a tricycle (tri-), and four wheels does not match bi-.
In the sentence 'Her tireless effort impressed the judges,' the prefix in TIRELESS suggests she worked in which way?
- For a short time
- Without becoming tired
- While very tired
- Quickly but carelessly
Correct answer: Without becoming tired
Without becoming tired is correct. The suffix -less means without, so tireless means without tiring, describing someone who keeps working energetically. Working quickly but carelessly, while very tired, or for a short time all contradict the idea of unflagging effort.
The word INVISIBLE contains the prefix IN- (not) and the root VIS (see). It most nearly means which of the following?
- Easy to see
- Seen clearly
- Unable to be seen
- Seen again
Correct answer: Unable to be seen
Unable to be seen is the answer. The prefix in- means not and the root vis means see, so invisible combines them to mean not able to be seen. Easy to see and seen clearly are opposites, and seen again misreads in- as re-.
A high-frequency SSAT vocabulary word, METICULOUS, most nearly means which of the following?
- Careless
- Extremely careful
- Generous
- Cheerful
Correct answer: Extremely careful
Extremely careful is correct. Meticulous describes paying great attention to detail, so it means very careful and precise. Careless is the opposite, while generous and cheerful describe giving and mood rather than attentiveness.
The vocabulary word BENEVOLENT most nearly means which of the following?
- Silent
- Kind
- Wealthy
- Cruel
Correct answer: Kind
Kind is the answer. Benevolent describes a desire to do good and show goodwill toward others, so it means kind and generous in spirit. Cruel is the opposite, while wealthy and silent describe riches and quietness.
The word CANDOR most nearly means which of the following?
- Secrecy
- Honesty
- Anger
- Laziness
Correct answer: Honesty
Honesty is correct. Candor refers to openness and frankness in speech, so it means honesty. Secrecy is the opposite, while anger and laziness describe a strong emotion and idleness rather than truthfulness.
The vocabulary word DILIGENCE most nearly means which of the following?
- Cleverness
- Wealth
- Steady effort
- Carelessness
Correct answer: Steady effort
Steady effort is the answer. Diligence refers to careful and persistent work, so it means steady, hardworking effort. Carelessness is the opposite, while cleverness and wealth describe intelligence and riches.
The word ELOQUENT most nearly describes someone who is which of the following?
- Well-spoken
- Silent
- Clumsy
- Dishonest
Correct answer: Well-spoken
Well-spoken is correct. Eloquent describes fluent, persuasive, and expressive speech, so an eloquent person is well-spoken. Silent is the opposite of speaking persuasively, while dishonest and clumsy describe deceit and awkwardness.
The vocabulary word FRUGAL most nearly means which of the following?
- Wasteful
- Generous
- Thrifty
- Lazy
Correct answer: Thrifty
Thrifty is the answer. Frugal describes being careful with money and avoiding waste, so it means thrifty. Wasteful is the opposite, while generous and lazy describe free spending and idleness.
The word RESILIENT most nearly describes something that is which of the following?
- Brightly colored
- Easily broken
- Very heavy
- Able to recover
Correct answer: Able to recover
Able to recover is correct. Resilient describes the ability to bounce back from difficulty or hardship, so it means able to recover. Easily broken is the opposite, while very heavy and brightly colored describe weight and color.
The vocabulary word ARROGANT most nearly means which of the following?
- Tired
- Humble
- Boastful
- Gentle
Correct answer: Boastful
Boastful is the answer. Arrogant describes an exaggerated sense of one's own importance, so it means proud and boastful. Humble is the opposite, while gentle and tired describe mildness and fatigue.
The word OMINOUS most nearly means which of the following?
- Cheerful
- Tiny
- Honest
- Threatening
Correct answer: Threatening
Threatening is correct. Ominous describes something that suggests harm or trouble is coming, so it means menacing or threatening. Cheerful is the opposite, while tiny and honest describe size and truthfulness.
The vocabulary word SCRUTINIZE most nearly means which of the following?
- Destroy quickly
- Examine closely
- Ignore completely
- Praise loudly
Correct answer: Examine closely
Examine closely is the answer. To scrutinize is to inspect something with great care, so it means to examine closely. Ignore completely is the opposite, while praise loudly and destroy quickly describe approval and ruin.
The word INDIGNANT most nearly describes a person who feels which of the following?
- Angry at unfairness
- Joyful and excited
- Calm and content
- Sleepy and bored
Correct answer: Angry at unfairness
Angry at unfairness is correct. Indignant describes anger or annoyance at something considered unjust, so it means feeling resentful about unfair treatment. Calm and content is the opposite, while sleepy and joyful describe unrelated states.
In the sentence 'The audience was captivated by the daring performance,' CAPTIVATED most nearly means which of the following?
- Frightened
- Confused
- Fascinated
- Bored
Correct answer: Fascinated
Fascinated is the answer. To be captivated is to have one's attention completely held by something delightful, so the audience was fascinated and absorbed. Bored is the opposite, while frightened and confused describe fear and bewilderment.
Which word is the closest synonym for ADVERSITY?
- Wealth
- Friendship
- Comfort
- Hardship
Correct answer: Hardship
Hardship is correct. Adversity refers to a difficult or troubled situation, so its closest synonym is hardship. Comfort is the opposite, while wealth and friendship describe riches and companionship.
Select the word most nearly the same in meaning as PROVOKE.
- Irritate
- Reward
- Ignore
- Soothe
Correct answer: Irritate
Irritate is the answer. To provoke is to deliberately stir up a reaction, often anger, so it most nearly means to irritate. Soothe is the opposite, while reward and ignore describe giving a prize and overlooking.
Which word means most nearly the same as ABRUPT?
- Smooth
- Gradual
- Quiet
- Sudden
Correct answer: Sudden
Sudden is correct. Abrupt describes something happening quickly and unexpectedly, so it most nearly means sudden. Gradual is the opposite, while smooth and quiet describe evenness and low sound.
Choose the word closest in meaning to LETHARGIC.
- Cheerful
- Honest
- Sluggish
- Energetic
Correct answer: Sluggish
Sluggish is the answer. Lethargic describes a lack of energy and slowness, so its closest synonym is sluggish. Energetic is the opposite, while cheerful and honest describe mood and truthfulness.
Which word is most nearly synonymous with ABANDON?
- Repair
- Keep
- Greet
- Desert
Correct answer: Desert
Desert is correct. To abandon is to leave something behind completely, so it most nearly means to desert. Keep is the opposite, while repair and greet describe fixing and welcoming.
Select the closest synonym for VIGILANT.
- Tired
- Watchful
- Careless
- Generous
Correct answer: Watchful
Watchful is the answer. Vigilant describes keeping careful watch for possible danger, so its closest synonym is watchful. Careless is the opposite, while tired and generous describe fatigue and generosity.
Which word means most nearly the same as TRIVIAL?
- Bright
- Heavy
- Unimportant
- Important
Correct answer: Unimportant
Unimportant is correct. Trivial describes something of little value or significance, so it most nearly means unimportant. Important is the opposite, while bright and heavy describe light and weight.
Choose the word that most nearly means PROSPER.
- Rest
- Thrive
- Borrow
- Fail
Correct answer: Thrive
Thrive is the answer. To prosper is to succeed and flourish, so it most nearly means to thrive. Fail is the opposite, while rest and borrow describe relaxing and taking on loan.
Riddle is to puzzling as joke is to which of the following?
- Amusing
- Boring
- Silent
- Serious
Correct answer: Amusing
Amusing is correct. A riddle is meant to be puzzling, and a joke is meant to be amusing, so the relationship is item to its intended effect. Serious and boring are opposite to a joke's purpose, and silent is unrelated.
Microscope is to small as telescope is to which of the following?
- Sour
- Loud
- Distant
- Heavy
Correct answer: Distant
Distant is the answer. A microscope helps view things that are small, and a telescope helps view things that are distant, so the relationship is instrument to what it makes visible. Loud, heavy, and sour describe sound, weight, and taste.
Famine is to food as drought is to which of the following?
- Crop
- Water
- Heat
- Dust
Correct answer: Water
Water is correct. A famine is a severe lack of food, and a drought is a severe lack of water, so the relationship is shortage to the thing lacking. Heat and dust accompany a drought rather than being what is lacking, and a crop is affected by it.
Cautious is to reckless as humble is to which of the following?
- Quiet
- Kind
- Modest
- Arrogant
Correct answer: Arrogant
Arrogant is the answer. Cautious and reckless are opposites, so the relationship is antonym, and the opposite of humble is arrogant. Modest is a synonym for humble, while quiet and kind describe other traits.
Keyboard is to computer as steering wheel is to which of the following?
- Road
- Car
- Fuel
- Driver
Correct answer: Car
Car is correct. A keyboard is a part used to operate a computer, and a steering wheel is a part used to operate a car, so the relationship is component to its machine. A road is where a car drives, a driver controls it, and fuel powers it.
Cool is to chilly as warm is to which of the following?
- Hot
- Damp
- Cold
- Dry
Correct answer: Hot
Hot is the answer. Cool is a mild degree and chilly is a stronger degree on the cold side, so the relationship is mild to more intense; warm is mild and hot is its more intense form on the heat side. Cold is on the wrong side, and damp and dry describe moisture.
Surprised is to astonished as pleased is to which of the following?
- Thrilled
- Tired
- Annoyed
- Bored
Correct answer: Thrilled
Thrilled is correct. Surprised is mild and astonished is its intense form, so the relationship is moderate to strong feeling; pleased is mild and thrilled is its strong, intense form. Annoyed and bored are negative, and tired is not an intensified form of pleased.
Knowing that the suffix -ABLE means able to be, the word READABLE most nearly means which of the following?
- Read aloud
- Able to be read
- Read again
- Hard to read
Correct answer: Able to be read
Able to be read is the answer. The suffix -able means capable of or able to be, so readable means able to be read or easy to read. Hard to read is the opposite, read aloud changes the meaning, and read again misreads the suffix as re-.
The root DICT, as in dictate and predict, most nearly relates to which of the following?
- Speaking or saying
- Carrying
- Seeing
- Building
Correct answer: Speaking or saying
Speaking or saying is correct. The root dict means to say or speak, which is why to dictate is to speak words aloud and to predict is to say what will happen beforehand. Seeing, building, and carrying belong to roots like vis, struct, and port.
The vocabulary word PRUDENT most nearly means which of the following?
- Reckless
- Loud
- Sensible
- Generous
Correct answer: Sensible
Sensible is the answer. Prudent describes acting with care and good judgment, so it most nearly means sensible and cautious. Reckless is the opposite, while generous and loud describe giving and volume.
The word AMPLE most nearly means which of the following?
- Sour
- Insufficient
- Tiny
- Plentiful
Correct answer: Plentiful
Plentiful is correct. Ample describes more than enough of something, so it most nearly means plentiful or abundant. Insufficient is the opposite, while tiny and sour describe size and taste.
Which word is the closest synonym for COMPEL?
- Force
- Forget
- Praise
- Allow
Correct answer: Force
Force is the answer. To compel is to drive or urge someone to act, so its closest synonym is to force. Allow is nearly the opposite, while forget and praise describe failing to remember and complimenting.
Select the word most nearly the same in meaning as MONOTONOUS.
- Exciting
- Rapid
- Bright
- Boring
Correct answer: Boring
Boring is correct. Monotonous describes something dull because it never changes, so it most nearly means boring. Exciting is the opposite, while bright and rapid describe light and speed.
Drop is to deluge as crumb is to which of the following?
- Plate
- Bite
- Bakery
- Feast
Correct answer: Feast
Feast is the answer. A drop is a tiny amount of liquid and a deluge is an overwhelming flood, so the relationship is small to vast; a crumb is a tiny amount of food and a feast is an enormous quantity. A bite is small, a plate holds food, and a bakery makes it.
Pleasant is to delightful as good is to which of the following?
- Average
- Poor
- Excellent
- Plain
Correct answer: Excellent
Excellent is correct. Pleasant is moderate and delightful is its stronger form, so the relationship is moderate to intense; good is moderate and excellent is its stronger, more intense form. Poor is the opposite, while average and plain are not intensified versions of good.
The word ELABORATE, used as a verb, most nearly means which of the following?
- Forget
- Explain in detail
- Shorten
- Hide
Correct answer: Explain in detail
Explain in detail is the answer. To elaborate is to develop or add more detail to something, so it most nearly means to explain in detail. Shorten is the opposite, while forget and hide describe failing to remember and concealing.
The vocabulary word INDIFFERENT most nearly describes someone who is which of the following?
- Showing no interest
- Extremely angry
- Very generous
- Deeply caring
Correct answer: Showing no interest
Showing no interest is correct. Indifferent describes a lack of concern or interest, so it means uninterested or unconcerned. Deeply caring is the opposite, while extremely angry and very generous describe strong emotion and generosity.
A bakery sells muffins and scones in a ratio of 7 to 4. If it sells 28 muffins one morning, how many scones does it sell?
- 12
- 20
- 16
- 11
Correct answer: 16
The bakery sells 16 scones. Muffins are 7 parts equal to 28, so one part is 28 / 7 = 4, and scones are 4 parts: 4 x 4 = 16.
A photo is enlarged so that every measurement is multiplied by the same factor. A 3-inch width becomes 12 inches. What does a 5-inch height become?
- 15 inches
- 25 inches
- 18 inches
- 20 inches
Correct answer: 20 inches
The height becomes 20 inches. The width was multiplied by 4 (from 3 to 12), so the height is also multiplied by 4: 5 x 4 = 20.
On a map, 3 inches represents 75 actual miles. How many miles does 8 inches represent at the same scale?
- 150 miles
- 175 miles
- 200 miles
- 225 miles
Correct answer: 200 miles
Eight inches represents 200 miles. Each inch stands for 75 / 3 = 25 miles, so 8 inches is 8 x 25 = 200 miles.
The ratio of cats to dogs at a shelter is 5 to 8. If there are 65 cats, how many dogs are there?
- 40
- 104
- 91
- 78
Correct answer: 104
There are 104 dogs. Cats are 5 parts equal to 65, so one part is 65 / 5 = 13, and dogs are 8 parts: 8 x 13 = 104.
A snack mix combines peanuts and raisins in a ratio of 3 to 2. If a bag contains 40 ounces of mix, how many ounces are peanuts?
- 16
- 24
- 20
- 30
Correct answer: 24
The bag contains 24 ounces of peanuts. The parts total 3 + 2 = 5, so each part is 40 / 5 = 8 ounces, and peanuts are 3 parts: 3 x 8 = 24.
A bookstore had 60 customers on Monday and 96 customers on Tuesday. By what percent did the number of customers increase?
- 60%
- 36%
- 40%
- 50%
Correct answer: 60%
The increase was 60%. Customers rose by 36, and 36 divided by the original 60 equals 0.60, or 60%.
A coat originally costs $80. During a sale it is marked down to $68. What is the percent discount?
- 12%
- 20%
- 15%
- 17%
Correct answer: 15%
The discount is 15%. The price dropped by $12, and $12 divided by the original $80 equals 0.15, or 15%.
What is 60% of 85?
- 45
- 55
- 48
- 51
Correct answer: 51
Sixty percent of 85 is 51, found by multiplying 0.60 x 85 = 51.
A restaurant bill is $50, and a 18% tip is added. What is the total amount paid?
- $68
- $56
- $62
- $59
Correct answer: $59
The total is $59. The tip is 0.18 x 50 = $9, and $50 plus $9 equals $59.
If 32 is 80% of a number, what is the number?
- 25.6
- 36
- 40
- 48
Correct answer: 40
The number is 40. Since 32 represents 80%, the whole is 32 / 0.80 = 40.
A population of bacteria grows by 20% each hour. If it starts at 500, how many are there after one hour?
- 520
- 600
- 700
- 550
Correct answer: 600
After one hour there are 600. A 20% increase adds 0.20 x 500 = 100, and 500 plus 100 equals 600.
A shirt that sells for $36 was reduced from its original price by 25%. What was the original price?
- $45
- $44
- $48
- $50
Correct answer: $48
The original price was $48. After a 25% reduction the price is 75% of the original, so original = 36 / 0.75 = $48.
What is $\frac{8}{15}$ reduced to lowest terms if both numbers are multiplied by 2?
- $\frac{8}{15}$
- $\frac{16}{30}$
- $\frac{4}{15}$
- $\frac{16}{15}$
Correct answer: $\frac{8}{15}$
The fraction in lowest terms is $\frac{8}{15}$ . Although $\frac{16}{30}$ equals the same value, dividing 16 and 30 by 2 returns $\frac{8}{15}$ , which has no common factor.
What is $\frac{5}{6}$ minus $\frac{1}{4}$ ?
- $\frac{4}{2}$
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $\frac{4}{24}$
- $\frac{7}{12}$
Correct answer: $\frac{7}{12}$
The difference is $\frac{7}{12}$ . Using a common denominator of 12, $\frac{5}{6}$ = $\frac{10}{12}$ and $\frac{1}{4}$ = $\frac{3}{12}$ , so $\frac{10}{12}$ minus $\frac{3}{12}$ = $\frac{7}{12}$ .
What is 0.45 written as a fraction in lowest terms?
- $\frac{45}{100}$
- $\frac{9}{20}$
- $\frac{4}{5}$
- $\frac{1}{45}$
Correct answer: $\frac{9}{20}$
The fraction is $\frac{9}{20}$ . The decimal 0.45 equals $\frac{45}{100}$ , and dividing both by 5 gives $\frac{9}{20}$ .
Which of these numbers is the greatest?
- 0.3
- 0.29
- 0.31
- 0.305
Correct answer: 0.31
The greatest value is 0.31. Comparing the hundredths place, 0.31 exceeds 0.305, 0.30, and 0.29.
What is $2\frac{1}{3}$ plus $1\frac{1}{6}$ written as a mixed number?
- $3\frac{2}{9}$
- $4\frac{1}{6}$
- $3\frac{1}{3}$
- $3\frac{1}{2}$
Correct answer: $3\frac{1}{2}$
The sum is $3\frac{1}{2}$ . Converting to sixths, $2\frac{1}{3}$ = $2\frac{2}{6}$ and $1\frac{1}{6}$ stays, so $2\frac{2}{6}$ plus $1\frac{1}{6}$ = $3\frac{3}{6}$ , which is $3\frac{1}{2}$ .
What is $\frac{4}{5}$ multiplied by 10?
- $\frac{40}{5}$
- $\frac{4}{50}$
- $\frac{14}{5}$
- 8
Correct answer: 8
The product is 8. Multiplying $\frac{4}{5}$ by 10 gives $\frac{40}{5}$ , which equals 8.
Estimate 6.92 plus 3.05 by rounding each to the nearest whole number.
- 10
- 9
- 11
- 12
Correct answer: 10
The estimate is 10. Rounding 6.92 to 7 and 3.05 to 3 gives 7 + 3 = 10.
Which fraction is equivalent to 0.25?
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $\frac{1}{4}$
- $\frac{2}{5}$
- $\frac{1}{25}$
Correct answer: $\frac{1}{4}$
The equivalent fraction is $\frac{1}{4}$ . The decimal 0.25 equals $\frac{25}{100}$ , which simplifies to $\frac{1}{4}$ .
What is the result of dividing $\frac{3}{8}$ by $\frac{3}{4}$ ?
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $\frac{9}{32}$
- $\frac{1}{8}$
- 2
Correct answer: $\frac{1}{2}$
The quotient is $\frac{1}{2}$ . Dividing by $\frac{3}{4}$ means multiplying by $\frac{4}{3}$ , so $\frac{3}{8}$ x $\frac{4}{3}$ = $\frac{12}{24}$ , which simplifies to $\frac{1}{2}$ .
Estimate the product 48 x 21 by rounding each factor to the nearest ten.
- 900
- 1,000
- 1,200
- 1,100
Correct answer: 1,000
The estimate is 1,000. Rounding 48 to 50 and 21 to 20 gives 50 x 20 = 1,000.
A negative number is added to a smaller negative number. The result is always which of the following?
- Negative
- Positive
- Zero
- Greater than both numbers
Correct answer: Negative
The result is always negative. Adding two negative numbers moves further below zero, so the sum is negative.
What is the value of $5^{3}$ ?
- 125
- 15
- 25
- 243
Correct answer: 125
The value is 125. Multiplying 5 by itself three times gives 5 x 5 x 5 = 125.
Simplify $b^{6}$ multiplied by $b^{3}$ .
- $b^{18}$
- $b^{9}$
- $b^{2}$
- $2b^{9}$
Correct answer: $b^{9}$
The result is $b^{9}$ . When multiplying like bases, the exponents are added: 6 + 3 = 9.
What is $(5^{2})^{2}$ ?
- 100
- 50
- 625
- 125
Correct answer: 625
The value is 625. Raising a power to a power multiplies the exponents, giving $5^{4}$ = 625.
Simplify $k^{12}$ divided by $k^{7}$ .
- $k^{19}$
- $k^{84}$
- $k^{2}$
- $k^{5}$
Correct answer: $k^{5}$
The result is $k^{5}$ . Dividing like bases subtracts the exponents: 12 - 7 = 5.
What is the value of any nonzero number raised to the first power?
- The number itself
- Zero
- One
- The number squared
Correct answer: The number itself
The value is the number itself. Raising a number to the first power means using it exactly once as a factor.
Simplify $(4y)^2$ .
- $8y^{2}$
- $4y^{2}$
- $16y^{2}$
- 16y
Correct answer: $16y^{2}$
The result is $16y^{2}$ . The exponent applies to both factors: $4^{2}$ = 16 and $y^{2}$ , giving $16y^{2}$ .
What is $10^{4}$ ?
- 40
- 10,000
- 1,000
- 100,000
Correct answer: 10,000
The value is 10,000. Ten raised to the fourth power equals 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 = 10,000.
Which expression equals $2^{5}$ times $2^{2}$ ?
- $2^{10}$
- $2^{7}$
- $4^{7}$
- $2^{3}$
Correct answer: $2^{7}$
The expression equals $2^{7}$ . Multiplying like bases adds the exponents, so 5 + 2 = 7.
What is the value of $2^{6}$ ?
- 12
- 36
- 64
- 32
Correct answer: 64
The value is 64. Multiplying 2 by itself six times gives 64.
Solve for x: 5x - 7 = 28.
- 5
- 7
- 6
- 4
Correct answer: 7
The solution is x = 7. Adding 7 to both sides gives 5x = 35, and dividing by 5 yields x = 7.
If 2x + 9 = 3, what is x?
- 6
- -3
- -6
- 3
Correct answer: -3
The solution is x = -3. Subtracting 9 from both sides gives 2x = -6, and dividing by 2 yields x = -3.
Solve for n: 8n = 2n + 30.
- 6
- 5
- 4
- 10
Correct answer: 5
The solution is n = 5. Subtracting 2n from both sides gives 6n = 30, so n = 5.
What is the equation of a line with slope 3 and y-intercept -2?
- $y = -2x + 3$
- $y = 3x + 2$
- $y = 3x - 2$
- $y = 2x - 3$
Correct answer: $y = 3x - 2$
The equation is y = 3x - 2. In slope-intercept form, the slope is the coefficient of x and the y-intercept is the constant.
Solve for x: 7(x - 2) = 21.
- 5
- 3
- 4
- 7
Correct answer: 5
The solution is x = 5. Dividing both sides by 7 gives x - 2 = 3, so x = 5.
In the equation y = -4x + 11, what is the slope?
- 11
- 4
- -4
- -11
Correct answer: -4
The slope is -4. In slope-intercept form y = mx + b, the coefficient of x is the slope.
A line passes through $(2, 3)$ and $(6, 11)$ . What is its slope?
- 1
- 4
- 2
- 8
Correct answer: 2
The slope is 2. Using rise over run, (11 - 3) / (6 - 2) = 8 / 4 = 2.
A line has a slope of $\frac{1}{4}$ and a y-intercept of -3. What is its equation?
- $y = -3x + \frac{1}{4}$
- $y = 4x - 3$
- $y = \frac{1}{4}x - 3$
- $y = \frac{1}{4}x + 3$
Correct answer: $y = \frac{1}{4}x - 3$
The equation is $y = \frac{1}{4}x - 3$ . In slope-intercept form, the slope is the coefficient of x and the y-intercept is the constant term.
A line passes through $(1, 10)$ and $(3, 4)$ . What is its slope?
- 3
- -2
- -3
- 2
Correct answer: -3
The slope is -3. Using rise over run, (4 - 10) / (3 - 1) = -6 / 2 = -3.
What is the slope of a line perpendicular to a line with slope 2?
- 2
- -2
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $-\frac{1}{2}$
Correct answer: $-\frac{1}{2}$
The slope is - $\frac{1}{2}$ . Perpendicular lines have slopes that are negative reciprocals, and the negative reciprocal of 2 is - $\frac{1}{2}$ .
In which quadrant does the point $(-3, 7)$ lie?
- Quadrant I
- Quadrant III
- Quadrant IV
- Quadrant II
Correct answer: Quadrant II
The point lies in Quadrant II. A negative x-coordinate with a positive y-coordinate places a point in the upper-left quadrant.
What is the midpoint of the segment connecting $(2, 6)$ and $(10, 2)$ ?
- $(6, 4)$
- $(12, 8)$
- $(4, 6)$
- $(8, 4)$
Correct answer: $(6, 4)$
The midpoint is $(6, 4)$ . Averaging the coordinates gives ((2 + 10)/2, (6 + 2)/2) = $(6, 4)$ .
A line has a slope of 0 and passes through $(5, 4)$ . What is its equation?
- $y = 4$
- X = 5
- $y = 5x$
- $y = \times + 4$
Correct answer: $y = 4$
The equation is y = 4. A slope of 0 means a horizontal line, and since it passes through y = 4 it stays at that height.
What is the value of $|-23|$ ?
- -23
- 0
- 46
- 23
Correct answer: 23
The value is 23. Absolute value is the distance from zero, so $|-23|$ equals 23.
What is $|3 - 10|$ ?
- -7
- 13
- 7
- -13
Correct answer: 7
The value is 7. The expression 3 - 10 equals -7, and the absolute value of -7 is 7.
Evaluate $|-6|$ - $|-9|$ .
- 15
- 3
- -3
- -15
Correct answer: -3
The value is -3. The absolute values are 6 and 9, and 6 - 9 = -3.
Which values of x satisfy $|x|$ = 4?
- Only 4
- Only -4
- 0
- 4 or -4
Correct answer: 4 or -4
The solutions are 4 or -4. Both numbers lie a distance of 4 from zero, so each has an absolute value of 4.
If $|x - 3|$ = 5, which of the following is a possible value of x?
- 2
- 8
- -8
- 5
Correct answer: 8
A possible value is 8. Since 8 - 3 = 5 and the absolute value of 5 is 5, x = 8 satisfies the equation.
Evaluate 4 + $|2 - 9|$ .
- 11
- -3
- 15
- -7
Correct answer: 11
The value is 11. The expression 2 - 9 equals -7, its absolute value is 7, and 4 + 7 = 11.
What is the next number in the sequence 5, 11, 17, 23, ...?
- 28
- 30
- 26
- 29
Correct answer: 29
The next number is 29. The sequence increases by 6 each time, so 23 + 6 = 29.
What is the next term in the sequence 3, 6, 12, 24, ...?
- 36
- 30
- 48
- 60
Correct answer: 48
The next term is 48. Each term doubles the previous one, so 24 x 2 = 48.
In the sequence 100, 90, 81, 73, ..., how many are subtracted to get each term?
- A fixed 10 each time
- A fixed 9 each time
- An increasing amount each time
- A decreasing amount each time
Correct answer: A decreasing amount each time
A decreasing amount is subtracted each time. The differences are 10, 9, and 8, which shrink by one with each step.
What number is missing in the sequence 2, 5, 10, ___, 26?
- 15
- 17
- 20
- 18
Correct answer: 17
The missing number is 17. The amounts added increase by 2 each step (3, 5, 7, 9), so 10 + 7 = 17.
What is the 8th term of the sequence 5, 10, 15, 20, ...?
- 40
- 35
- 45
- 50
Correct answer: 40
The 8th term is 40. The sequence counts by 5, so the 8th term is 5 x 8 = 40.
What is the next number in the pattern 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ...?
- 30
- 36
- 49
- 32
Correct answer: 36
The next number is 36. These are perfect squares (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 squared), so the next is 6 squared = 36.
In the sequence 64, 32, 16, 8, ..., what is the next term?
- 2
- 4
- 6
- 0
Correct answer: 4
The next term is 4. Each term is half the previous one, so 8 / 2 = 4.
What is the area of a rectangle that measures 15 units by 6 units?
- 21
- 90
- 42
- 96
Correct answer: 90
The area is 90. The area of a rectangle is length times width, so 15 x 6 = 90.
What is the perimeter of a rectangle that is 13 units long and 5 units wide?
- 18
- 36
- 65
- 26
Correct answer: 36
The perimeter is 36. The formula is 2(length + width), so 2(13 + 5) = 2 x 18 = 36.
A triangle has a base of 10 and a height of 6. What is its area?
- 60
- 16
- 20
- 30
Correct answer: 30
The area is 30. The triangle area formula is one-half base times height, so $\frac{1}{2} \times 10 \times 6 = 30$ .
A square has an area of 169. What is the length of one side?
- 13
- 12
- 14
- 11
Correct answer: 13
The side length is 13. Since a square's area is the side squared and $13^{2}$ = 169, the side is 13.
What is the perimeter of a regular pentagon with each side measuring 9?
- 40
- 36
- 45
- 54
Correct answer: 45
The perimeter is 45. A regular pentagon has five equal sides, so 5 x 9 = 45.
A rectangle has an area of 96 and a width of 8. What is its length?
- 12
- 10
- 14
- 16
Correct answer: 12
The length is 12. Dividing the area by the width gives 96 / 8 = 12.
If each side of a square is doubled, by what factor does its area increase?
- 2
- 8
- 4
- 16
Correct answer: 4
The area increases by a factor of 4. Because area depends on the side squared, doubling the side multiplies the area by $2^{2}$ = 4.
What is the area of a circle with a radius of 7? (Use pi for the constant.)
- $49\pi$
- $14\pi$
- $7\pi$
- $21\pi$
Correct answer: $49\pi$
The area is $49\pi$ . The area formula is pi times the radius squared, so $\pi \times 7^{2} = 49\pi$ .
What is the circumference of a circle with a radius of 11? (Use pi for the constant.)
- $121\pi$
- $11\pi$
- $22\pi$
- $44\pi$
Correct answer: $22\pi$
The circumference is $22\pi$ . The formula is 2 times pi times the radius, so $2 \times \pi \times 11 = 22\pi$ .
A circle has a diameter of 16. What is its area? (Use pi for the constant.)
- $64\pi$
- $256\pi$
- $16\pi$
- $32\pi$
Correct answer: $64\pi$
The area is $64\pi$ . The radius is half the diameter, 8, so the area is pi x $8^{2}$ = $64\pi$ .
What is the circumference of a circle with a diameter of 20? (Use pi for the constant.)
- $40\pi$
- $20\pi$
- $10\pi$
- $400\pi$
Correct answer: $20\pi$
The circumference is $20\pi$ . The formula is pi times the diameter, so $\pi \times 20 = 20\pi$ .
If the circumference of a circle is $16\pi$ , what is its radius?
- 4
- 8
- 16
- 32
Correct answer: 8
The radius is 8. Since the circumference $2\pi$ r = $16\pi$ , then r = 8.
A circle has an area of $144\pi$ . What is its radius?
- 72
- 12
- 24
- 14
Correct answer: 12
The radius is 12. Since pi x $r^{2}$ = $144\pi$ , then $r^{2}$ = 144 and r = 12.
What is the volume of a cube with an edge length of 6?
- 216
- 18
- 36
- 120
Correct answer: 216
The volume is 216. A cube's volume is the edge cubed, so 6 x 6 x 6 = 216.
What is the volume of a box that is 8 units long, 5 units wide, and 2 units tall?
- 15
- 80
- 40
- 100
Correct answer: 80
The volume is 80. The volume of a box is length times width times height, so 8 x 5 x 2 = 80.
A cylinder has a radius of 5 and a height of 2. What is its volume? (Use pi for the constant.)
- $20\pi$
- $100\pi$
- $25\pi$
- $50\pi$
Correct answer: $50\pi$
The volume is $50\pi$ . The cylinder volume is pi times radius squared times height, so pi x $5^{2}$ x 2 = $50\pi$ .
A cube has a volume of 27. What is the length of one edge?
- 9
- 6
- 4
- 3
Correct answer: 3
The edge length is 3. Since the volume equals the edge cubed and $3^{3}$ = 27, the edge is 3.
A box has a volume of 120 and a height of 5. What is the area of its base?
- 20
- 30
- 24
- 25
Correct answer: 24
The base area is 24. Dividing the volume by the height gives 120 / 5 = 24.
If the edge of a cube is doubled, by what factor does its volume increase?
- 2
- 6
- 4
- 8
Correct answer: 8
The volume increases by a factor of 8. Because volume depends on the edge cubed, doubling the edge multiplies the volume by $2^{3}$ = 8.
A right triangle has legs of length 12 and 16. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
- 20
- 28
- 24
- 18
Correct answer: 20
The hypotenuse is 20. Since $12^{2}$ + $16^{2}$ = 144 + 256 = 400, the hypotenuse is $\sqrt{400}$ , which is 20.
A right triangle has legs of length 20 and 21. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
- 30
- 28
- 41
- 29
Correct answer: 29
The hypotenuse is 29. Since $20^{2}$ + $21^{2}$ = 400 + 441 = 841, the hypotenuse is $\sqrt{841}$ , which is 29.
In a right triangle, one leg is 8 and the hypotenuse is 10. What is the length of the other leg?
- 4
- 6
- 5
- 7
Correct answer: 6
The other leg is 6. Using $10^{2}$ - $8^{2}$ = 100 - 64 = 36, the missing leg is $\sqrt{36}$ , which is 6.
Two angles of a triangle measure $35^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$ . What is the third angle?
- $45^{\circ}$
- $65^{\circ}$
- $35^{\circ}$
- $55^{\circ}$
Correct answer: $55^{\circ}$
The third angle is $55^{\circ}$ . Since the angles total 180, the third is 180 - 35 - 90 = 55.
How many sides of an equilateral triangle are equal in length?
- All three
- Only two
- None
- Only one
Correct answer: All three
All three sides are equal. By definition, an equilateral triangle has three sides of equal length.
An isosceles triangle has two base angles each measuring $65^{\circ}$ . What is the vertex angle?
- $50^{\circ}$
- $65^{\circ}$
- $40^{\circ}$
- $55^{\circ}$
Correct answer: $50^{\circ}$
The vertex angle is $50^{\circ}$ . The two base angles total 130, so the remaining vertex angle is 180 - 130 = 50.
A boat sails 8 kilometers east and then 6 kilometers north. How far is it from its starting point in a straight line?
- 14 kilometers
- 12 kilometers
- 9 kilometers
- 10 kilometers
Correct answer: 10 kilometers
The straight-line distance is 10 kilometers. The two legs form a right triangle, so the distance is $\sqrt{8^{2} + 6^{2}}$ = $\sqrt{64 + 36}$ = $\sqrt{100}$ , which is 10.
A bag holds 3 red, 5 blue, and 2 yellow marbles. What is the probability of drawing a blue marble?
- $\frac{3}{10}$
- $\frac{1}{5}$
- $\frac{5}{8}$
- $\frac{1}{2}$
Correct answer: $\frac{1}{2}$
The probability is $\frac{1}{2}$ . There are 5 blue marbles out of 10 total, so $\frac{5}{10}$ simplifies to $\frac{1}{2}$ .
A fair six-sided die is rolled once. What is the probability of rolling a number less than 3?
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $\frac{1}{3}$
- $\frac{1}{6}$
- $\frac{2}{3}$
Correct answer: $\frac{1}{3}$
The probability is $\frac{1}{3}$ . The favorable outcomes are 1 and 2, which is 2 out of 6, or $\frac{1}{3}$ .
A spinner has 5 equal sections colored red, blue, green, yellow, and orange. What is the probability of landing on green?
- $\frac{1}{4}$
- $\frac{2}{5}$
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $\frac{1}{5}$
Correct answer: $\frac{1}{5}$
The probability is $\frac{1}{5}$ . Green is one of five equally likely sections, so the probability is $\frac{1}{5}$ .
A box has 12 cards numbered 1 through 12. What is the probability of drawing an even number?
- $\frac{1}{3}$
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $\frac{1}{4}$
- $\frac{2}{3}$
Correct answer: $\frac{1}{2}$
The probability is $\frac{1}{2}$ . Six of the twelve numbers are even, so $\frac{6}{12}$ simplifies to $\frac{1}{2}$ .
If the probability that it rains tomorrow is $\frac{3}{10}$ , what is the probability it does not rain?
- $\frac{3}{10}$
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $\frac{3}{7}$
- $\frac{7}{10}$
Correct answer: $\frac{7}{10}$
The probability is $\frac{7}{10}$ . The probability of an event not happening is 1 minus the probability it does, so 1 - $\frac{3}{10}$ = $\frac{7}{10}$ .
A jar contains 8 green and 12 purple beads. What is the probability of drawing a green bead?
- $\frac{3}{5}$
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $\frac{2}{5}$
- $\frac{1}{3}$
Correct answer: $\frac{2}{5}$
The probability is $\frac{2}{5}$ . There are 8 green beads out of 20 total, so $\frac{8}{20}$ simplifies to $\frac{2}{5}$ .
Two fair coins are flipped. What is the probability of getting at least one tail?
- $\frac{3}{4}$
- $\frac{1}{4}$
- $\frac{1}{2}$
- $\frac{2}{3}$
Correct answer: $\frac{3}{4}$
The probability is $\frac{3}{4}$ . Only one of the four equally likely outcomes is two heads, so the chance of at least one tail is $\frac{3}{4}$ .
What is the mean of the numbers 12, 18, 24, and 30?
- 20
- 22
- 21
- 24
Correct answer: 21
The mean is 21. Adding 12 + 18 + 24 + 30 = 84 and dividing by 4 gives 21.
What is the median of the data set 9, 3, 15, 7, 11?
- 7
- 11
- 15
- 9
Correct answer: 9
The median is 9. In order the values are 3, 7, 9, 11, 15, and the middle value is 9.
What is the mode of the data set 2, 5, 5, 8, 8, 8, 10?
- 5
- 10
- 8
- 2
Correct answer: 8
The mode is 8. It appears three times, more often than any other value in the set.
A table lists daily rainfall as 2, 0, 4, 1, and 3 inches over five days. What was the total rainfall?
- 8 inches
- 12 inches
- 10 inches
- 9 inches
Correct answer: 10 inches
The total is 10 inches. Adding the daily amounts gives 2 + 0 + 4 + 1 + 3 = 10.
A pictograph shows that each symbol represents 5 cars. A row has 6 symbols. How many cars does that row represent?
- 11
- 30
- 25
- 35
Correct answer: 30
The row represents 30 cars. Multiplying 6 symbols by 5 cars each gives 6 x 5 = 30.
A student's test scores are 88, 92, and 80. What score on a fourth test would give a mean of 87?
- 88
- 85
- 90
- 87
Correct answer: 88
The needed score is 88. A mean of 87 over four tests requires a total of 348, and the first three total 260, so 348 - 260 = 88.
A bar graph shows that 25% of a class chose pizza. If the class has 32 students, how many chose pizza?
- 6
- 10
- 12
- 8
Correct answer: 8
Eight students chose pizza. Twenty-five percent of 32 is 0.25 x 32 = 8.
What is the median of the data set 14, 6, 22, 10?
- 10
- 14
- 16
- 12
Correct answer: 12
The median is 12. In order the values are 6, 10, 14, 22, and the average of the two middle values 10 and 14 is 12.
Factor the expression $x^{2}$ + 7x + 12.
- $(x + 3)(x + 4)$
- $(x + 2)(x + 6)$
- $(x + 1)(x + 12)$
- $(x + 5)(x + 2)$
Correct answer: $(x + 3)(x + 4)$
The factored form is (x + 3)(x + 4). The numbers 3 and 4 multiply to 12 and add to 7, matching the expression.
Factor the expression $x^{2}$ - 9.
- $(x - 3)(x - 3)$
- $(x - 3)(x + 3)$
- $(x - 9)(x + 1)$
- $(x + 3)(x + 3)$
Correct answer: $(x - 3)(x + 3)$
The factored form is (x - 3)(x + 3). This is a difference of squares, since $x^{2}$ - 9 equals $x^{2}$ - $3^{2}$ .
Expand the product (x + 5)(x + 2).
- $x^{2} + 10x + 7$
- $x^{2} + 7x + 7$
- $x^{2} + 7x + 10$
- $x^{2} + 10$
Correct answer: $x^{2} + 7x + 10$
The expanded form is $x^{2}$ + 7x + 10. Multiplying each term gives $x^{2}$ + 2x + 5x + 10, and combining the middle terms gives 7x.
What are the solutions to the equation (x - 4)(x + 6) = 0?
- 4 and -6
- 4 and 6
- -4 and 6
- -4 and -6
Correct answer: 4 and -6
The solutions are 4 and -6. Setting each factor to zero gives x - 4 = 0 and x + 6 = 0, so x = 4 or x = -6.
Factor the expression $x^{2}$ - 5x + 6.
- $(x - 1)(x - 6)$
- $(x + 2)(x + 3)$
- $(x - 2)(x - 3)$
- $(x - 6)(x + 1)$
Correct answer: $(x - 2)(x - 3)$
The factored form is (x - 2)(x - 3). The numbers -2 and -3 multiply to 6 and add to -5, matching the expression.
Factor the greatest common factor out of $6x^{2}$ + 9x.
- $3(2x^{2} + 3x)$
- $x(6x + 9)$
- $6x(x + 3)$
- $3x(2x + 3)$
Correct answer: $3x(2x + 3)$
The factored form is 3x(2x + 3). The greatest common factor of $6x^{2}$ and 9x is 3x, leaving 2x + 3 inside.
Expand the product (x - 7)(x + 7).
- $x^{2} - 14$
- $x^{2} + 49$
- $x^{2} - 49$
- $x^{2} - 14x + 49$
Correct answer: $x^{2} - 49$
The expanded form is $x^{2}$ - 49. This is a difference of squares, since the middle terms -7x and 7x cancel, leaving $x^{2}$ - 49.
A train leaves the station and travels at a constant 60 miles per hour. How far does it travel in 3.5 hours?
- 210 miles
- 180 miles
- 240 miles
- 195 miles
Correct answer: 210 miles
The train travels 210 miles. Distance equals rate times time, so 60 x 3.5 = 210 miles.
Sarah has three times as many marbles as Ben. Together they have 48 marbles. How many does Sarah have?
- 12
- 24
- 16
- 36
Correct answer: 36
Sarah has 36 marbles. Letting Ben have b, then b + 3b = 48 gives 4b = 48, so b = 12 and Sarah has 3 x 12 = 36.
The sum of two consecutive integers is 47. What is the larger integer?
- 24
- 22
- 23
- 25
Correct answer: 24
The larger integer is 24. Letting the integers be n and n + 1, then 2n + 1 = 47 gives n = 23, so the larger is 24.
A rectangle's length is 4 more than its width, and its perimeter is 28. What is the width?
- 5
- 4
- 6
- 7
Correct answer: 5
The width is 5. With length w + 4, the perimeter 2(w + w + 4) = 28 gives 4w + 8 = 28, so w = 5.
What is the greatest common factor of 24 and 36?
- 6
- 12
- 8
- 4
Correct answer: 12
The greatest common factor is 12. The largest number that divides both 24 and 36 evenly is 12.
What is the least common multiple of 6 and 8?
- 48
- 24
- 12
- 14
Correct answer: 24
The least common multiple is 24. It is the smallest number divisible by both 6 and 8.
Which of the following is a prime number?
- 21
- 27
- 33
- 29
Correct answer: 29
The prime number is 29. It has no factors other than 1 and itself, while the others are divisible by 3.
What is the value of $\sqrt{144}$ ?
- 12
- 11
- 14
- 13
Correct answer: 12
The value is 12. Since $12 \times 12 = 144$ , $\sqrt{144}$ is 12.
A water tank loses 4% of its water each day to evaporation. If it starts with 250 gallons, how much evaporates the first day?
- 10 gallons
- 8 gallons
- 12 gallons
- 25 gallons
Correct answer: 10 gallons
Ten gallons evaporate. Four percent of 250 is 0.04 x 250 = 10 gallons.
A library increased its number of books from 400 to 500. What was the percent increase?
- 20%
- 30%
- 25%
- 10%
Correct answer: 25%
The increase was 25%. Books rose by 100, and 100 divided by the original 400 equals 0.25, or 25%.
Passage: "Maya set three alarms, laid her uniform across the chair, and packed her cleats by the door before bed. She lay awake long after the house went quiet, staring at the ceiling." It can be inferred that Maya was
- Nervous about an important game
- Dreading a punishment the next day
- Planning to sleep in late
- Uninterested in soccer
Correct answer: Nervous about an important game
It can be inferred that Maya was nervous about an important game. The cleats, uniform laid out, multiple alarms, and her inability to sleep all point to anxious anticipation of a match rather than dread of punishment or indifference.
Passage: "The waiter set down the bill, and the table fell silent. Mr. Halloran patted his jacket, then his trousers, then looked up with a thin, embarrassed smile and asked if anyone could spot him until Friday." It can be inferred that Mr. Halloran
- Disliked the meal he was served
- Had forgotten to bring any money
- Was about to leave a large tip
- Owned the restaurant himself
Correct answer: Had forgotten to bring any money
It can be inferred that Mr. Halloran had no money on him. Patting his pockets, the embarrassed smile, and asking to be "spot" until Friday all show he could not pay, not that he disliked the food or owned the place.
Passage: "Each evening the old fisherman mended the same net, though it had not touched water in years and his boat sat cracked and dry in the yard." The passage suggests that the fisherman
- Plans to sail again the next morning
- Is repairing the net to sell it
- Clings to the habits of a life now past
- Never actually fished for a living
Correct answer: Clings to the habits of a life now past
The passage suggests the fisherman clings to a past life. Mending a net that no longer touches water, with a cracked dry boat in the yard, shows he keeps an old routine long after his fishing days have ended.
Passage: "When asked how the experiment had gone, the scientist only tightened her lips, gathered her notes into a folder, and said she would need to begin again from the start." It can be inferred that the experiment
- Had succeeded beyond her hopes
- Had never actually been performed
- Was being repeated for a colleague
- Had not produced the results she wanted
Correct answer: Had not produced the results she wanted
It can be inferred that the experiment failed. Her tightened lips, silence, and decision to "begin again from the start" signal disappointment rather than success or routine repetition.
Passage: "The new student answered every question correctly but kept her eyes on her desk, spoke barely above a whisper, and slipped out the door the instant the bell rang." It can be inferred that the new student is
- Capable but shy
- Bored by the lessons
- Unprepared for class
- Angry at the teacher
Correct answer: Capable but shy
It can be inferred that the new student is capable but shy. Answering every question correctly shows ability, while her lowered eyes, whisper, and quick exit show shyness rather than boredom or anger.
Passage: "By the third day of the fair, the prize pumpkin in the corner had begun to sag, a sweetish smell hung around it, and flies gathered where its skin had split." It can be inferred that the pumpkin was
- Still growing larger
- Beginning to rot
- Made of painted wax
- About to win first prize
Correct answer: Beginning to rot
It can be inferred that the pumpkin was beginning to rot. The sagging, the sweetish smell, the split skin, and the gathering flies are all signs of decay rather than growth.
Passage: "Grandfather never spoke of the war. But on certain nights, when fireworks burst over the harbor, he would set down his cup, walk quietly to his room, and shut the door without a word." The passage suggests that the fireworks
- Frightened the rest of the family
- Were Grandfather's favorite celebration
- Reminded Grandfather of painful memories
- Signaled that it was time for bed
Correct answer: Reminded Grandfather of painful memories
The passage suggests the fireworks stirred painful memories. His silence about the war and his quiet retreat whenever fireworks burst imply the sound recalled distressing wartime experiences.
Passage: "The puppy had chewed the slipper to shreds, yet when its owner came home it bounded forward, tail whirling, and dropped the ruined slipper proudly at her feet." It can be inferred that the puppy
- Knew it had done something wrong
- Was trying to hide the slipper
- Disliked its owner
- Did not understand it had misbehaved
Correct answer: Did not understand it had misbehaved
It can be inferred that the puppy did not realize it had misbehaved. Bounding forward proudly with the ruined slipper, tail whirling, shows excitement rather than guilt, so it did not grasp that chewing the slipper was wrong.
Passage: "The mayor smiled for the cameras and shook every hand, but a reporter noticed that his speech never once mentioned the factory closing that had cost the town three hundred jobs." It can be inferred that the mayor
- Wished to avoid an uncomfortable subject
- Was unaware of the factory closing
- Had personally caused the closing
- Planned to reopen the factory soon
Correct answer: Wished to avoid an uncomfortable subject
It can be inferred that the mayor wished to avoid an uncomfortable subject. Smiling and shaking hands while never mentioning the major job losses suggests he deliberately steered clear of the difficult topic.
Passage: "Long after the other shops on the street had switched to bright signs and self-checkout machines, the corner grocer still wrote prices by hand and remembered each customer's order by heart." It can be inferred that the grocer
- Could not afford new equipment
- Valued personal, old-fashioned service
- Disliked his regular customers
- Planned to close the store soon
Correct answer: Valued personal, old-fashioned service
It can be inferred that the grocer valued personal, old-fashioned service. Keeping handwritten prices and remembering each order while others modernized shows a deliberate preference for a personal touch, not necessarily an inability to afford change.
Passage: "At the science fair, Devon stood beside a friend's volcano project, answering judges' questions about it with ease, while his friend hovered nearby looking pale and saying nothing." It can be inferred that
- The judges had asked Devon to leave
- The volcano project was not finished
- Devon understood the project better than its maker
- Devon's friend had built the project alone
Correct answer: Devon understood the project better than its maker
It can be inferred that Devon understood the project better than its maker. Devon fields the judges' questions "with ease" while the project's own creator stands pale and silent, suggesting Devon had the firmer grasp.
Passage: "The letter from the college arrived in a thin envelope. Priya weighed it in her hand for a long moment before opening it, then sank slowly into a chair." The thin envelope and Priya's reaction suggest that the news was
- A generous scholarship offer
- A request for more documents
- An invitation to visit the campus
- Probably a rejection
Correct answer: Probably a rejection
The clues suggest the news was probably a rejection. A "thin envelope" traditionally signals bad news, and Priya's hesitation and slow sinking into a chair convey disappointment rather than celebration.
Passage: "The garden gnome that had stood by the gate for years was gone. In its place were two fresh footprints in the mud and tire tracks leading down the lane." It can be inferred that the gnome was
- Taken by someone in a vehicle
- Moved indoors for the winter
- Buried beneath the mud
- Never really there at all
Correct answer: Taken by someone in a vehicle
It can be inferred that someone took the gnome in a vehicle. The fresh footprints and tire tracks leading away strongly imply a person drove up and carried off the gnome.
Passage: "During the recital, the young pianist's hands trembled over the keys at first. But by the second movement her shoulders eased, her playing flowed, and she finished with a small, private smile." It can be inferred that the pianist
- Forgot the piece entirely
- Grew more confident as she played
- Disliked performing in public
- Was only pretending to play
Correct answer: Grew more confident as she played
It can be inferred that the pianist grew more confident. Her trembling hands give way to eased shoulders, flowing playing, and a quiet smile, showing rising confidence over the course of the recital.
Passage: "Every reviewer praised the chef's daring new menu, but the dining room sat half empty night after night, and the regulars quietly went elsewhere." The passage implies that
- The food was too expensive to make
- The restaurant had closed for repairs
- Critics and customers disagreed about the menu
- The chef had stopped cooking
Correct answer: Critics and customers disagreed about the menu
The passage implies that critics and customers disagreed. Reviewers praised the daring menu, yet the regulars left and the room stayed empty, showing the public did not share the critics' enthusiasm.
Passage: "A honeybee may visit five thousand flowers in a single day, yet it produces only a fraction of a teaspoon of honey in its entire life. The jar on your shelf represents the labor of hundreds of bees and millions of tiny journeys." The main idea of the passage is that
- Honey is healthier than sugar
- Bees prefer certain flowers to others
- Bees live for only a single day
- A jar of honey represents enormous collective effort
Correct answer: A jar of honey represents enormous collective effort
The main idea is that a jar of honey represents enormous collective effort. The passage stresses the thousands of flowers, the tiny output per bee, and the "hundreds of bees and millions of tiny journeys" behind one jar.
Passage: "We praise inventors and forget the menders. Yet the person who keeps an old machine running for thirty years saves as much as the one who built it new, and wastes far less." The author's main purpose is to
- Argue that repair deserves more respect
- Explain how machines are built
- Describe a thirty-year-old machine
- Compare two famous inventors
Correct answer: Argue that repair deserves more respect
The author's main purpose is to argue that repair deserves more respect. By contrasting praised inventors with overlooked "menders" and stressing the savings of repair, the writer makes a case for valuing those who fix things.
Passage: "The octopus has three hearts, blue blood, and the ability to change its color in a fraction of a second. It can squeeze its boneless body through a gap no wider than a coin and solve puzzles that stump many mammals." The passage is mainly about
- Why octopuses are dangerous to swimmers
- The remarkable and unusual features of the octopus
- How octopuses are caught for food
- The difference between octopuses and squid
Correct answer: The remarkable and unusual features of the octopus
The passage is mainly about the octopus's remarkable features. Each detail (three hearts, blue blood, color change, boneless body, puzzle-solving) showcases how unusual the animal is.
Passage: "It costs little to say thank you, yet those two words can turn a stranger into a friend, smooth a tense moment, and brighten the dullest afternoon. We spend them too rarely." The author's main point is that
- Politeness should be taught in schools
- Strangers are not to be trusted
- Gratitude is valuable yet underused
- Afternoons are usually dull
Correct answer: Gratitude is valuable yet underused
The author's main point is that gratitude is valuable yet underused. The passage lists the benefits of saying thank you and ends by noting "we spend them too rarely," stressing both its worth and its scarcity.
Passage: "The first paragraph of the article described the storm. The second listed the homes it damaged. The third, however, told of neighbors who opened their doors to strangers and shared what little they had." The article as a whole most likely aims to show that
- Storms are becoming more frequent
- Weather forecasts are often wrong
- Houses should be built more strongly
- Disaster can bring out human kindness
Correct answer: Disaster can bring out human kindness
The article most likely aims to show that disaster can bring out kindness. After the storm and damage, the final paragraph highlights neighbors helping strangers, steering the piece toward a message of generosity in hardship.
Passage: "Forget the idea that practice must be long to be useful. Ten focused minutes a day, repeated faithfully, will carry a student further than an occasional hour of distracted effort." The main idea of the passage is that
- Short, consistent practice beats long, scattered practice
- Students should never practice for an hour
- Focus is impossible for most students
- Practice is a waste of time
Correct answer: Short, consistent practice beats long, scattered practice
The main idea is that short, consistent practice beats long, scattered practice. The passage favors "ten focused minutes a day, repeated faithfully" over an "occasional hour of distracted effort."
Passage: "A river does not rush to the sea in a straight line. It curves, doubles back, pauses in still pools, and only after many wanderings arrives. So too, perhaps, does a life well lived." The author uses the river chiefly to suggest that
- Rivers are difficult to map
- A meandering path through life can still be worthwhile
- The sea is the goal of all rivers
- Straight lines are always best
Correct answer: A meandering path through life can still be worthwhile
The author uses the river to suggest that a meandering life can still be worthwhile. By comparing a winding river that "only after many wanderings arrives" to "a life well lived," the passage values the indirect path.
Passage: "Most people think of spiders with a shudder, but a single garden spider may eat two thousand insects in a season, quietly guarding our crops and gardens without ever sending a bill." The author's main purpose is to
- Frighten readers about spiders
- Explain how spiders spin webs
- Change readers' view of spiders as helpful
- Describe a typical garden
Correct answer: Change readers' view of spiders as helpful
The author's main purpose is to change readers' view of spiders as helpful. Acknowledging the usual "shudder," the passage then highlights how spiders eat pests and protect gardens, casting them in a positive light.
Passage: "The best teachers are not the ones who know the most. They are the ones who remember what it felt like not to know, and who can lead a student gently from that confusion into understanding." The main idea of the passage is that
- Confusion cannot be overcome
- Teachers should know as little as possible
- Students learn best entirely on their own
- Good teaching depends on empathy, not just knowledge
Correct answer: Good teaching depends on empathy, not just knowledge
The main idea is that good teaching depends on empathy, not just knowledge. The passage says the best teachers "remember what it felt like not to know" and guide students from confusion, valuing understanding of the learner.
Passage: "Maps of the deep ocean remain emptier than maps of the moon. We have walked on lunar dust, yet most of the seafloor on our own planet has never been seen by human eyes." The passage is mainly intended to
- Highlight how little of the ocean floor we have explored
- Argue that the moon is unimportant
- Describe the surface of the moon
- Explain how maps are drawn
Correct answer: Highlight how little of the ocean floor we have explored
The passage is mainly intended to highlight how little of the ocean floor we have explored. The contrast with the well-mapped moon emphasizes that most of our own seafloor "has never been seen."
Passage: "Saving a single endangered species means little if its home is paved over. To protect the panda, you must protect the bamboo forest; to protect the salmon, you must protect the river." The author's central argument is that
- Pandas matter more than salmon
- Protecting an animal requires protecting its habitat
- Forests should be turned into farmland
- Rivers are more important than forests
Correct answer: Protecting an animal requires protecting its habitat
The author's central argument is that protecting an animal requires protecting its habitat. The examples of the panda's forest and the salmon's river show that saving a species means saving the place it lives.
Passage: "There is a quiet courage in finishing what no one is watching you do. The athlete who runs the last lonely mile, the writer who edits one more page at midnight, the student who reviews the chapter again though the test is passed." The passage is mainly about
- The rewards of winning competitions
- Why writers work at night
- The value of effort made without an audience
- How athletes train for races
Correct answer: The value of effort made without an audience
The passage is mainly about the value of effort made without an audience. It celebrates the "quiet courage" of the runner, writer, and student working when "no one is watching."
Passage: "Some say silence is empty. But in music, the rest between two notes shapes the melody as surely as the notes themselves, and a held pause can say more than any word." The author's main purpose is to
- Teach readers to read sheet music
- Explain how instruments are made
- Describe a particular song
- Argue that silence has meaning and value
Correct answer: Argue that silence has meaning and value
The author's main purpose is to argue that silence has meaning and value. By showing how a rest "shapes the melody" and a pause "can say more than any word," the passage counters the idea that silence is empty.
Passage: "The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived. Its heart alone can weigh as much as a small car, its tongue as much as an elephant, and a newborn calf gains roughly two hundred pounds a day on its mother's rich milk." According to the passage, how much can a newborn blue whale calf gain in a single day?
- About two hundred pounds
- As much as a small car
- As much as an elephant
- Several thousand pounds
Correct answer: About two hundred pounds
The passage states a newborn calf gains "roughly two hundred pounds a day." The car and elephant comparisons describe the heart and tongue, not the calf's daily weight gain.
Passage: "The expedition packed carefully for the climb: ropes and ice axes for the steep faces, a small stove for melting snow into water, and a single radio to call for rescue should anything go wrong." According to the passage, what did the climbers bring to obtain drinking water?
- Bottled water from the base camp
- A small stove for melting snow
- Extra ropes and ice axes
- A pump from a mountain stream
Correct answer: A small stove for melting snow
The passage says they packed "a small stove for melting snow into water." The ropes and ice axes were for the steep faces, so the stove is the item used for drinking water.
Passage: "In medieval towns, the baker rose first, often before dawn, to light the great oven. By the time the rest of the town stirred, the smell of fresh bread already drifted through the streets, and the day's first loaves were cooling on the sill." According to the passage, when did the medieval baker typically rise?
- At midday
- In the early afternoon
- Often before dawn
- Only after the town woke
Correct answer: Often before dawn
The passage states the baker rose "first, often before dawn." The rest of the town stirred later, so before dawn is the time the baker began work.
Passage: "The lighthouse used three signals. A steady white beam marked safe passage. A flashing red light warned of the reef to the east. A long, low horn sounded only in thick fog, when no light could be seen." According to the passage, when did the lighthouse sound its horn?
- When ships passed safely
- To warn of the eastern reef
- Every hour through the night
- Only in thick fog
Correct answer: Only in thick fog
The passage states the horn "sounded only in thick fog, when no light could be seen." The white beam marked safe passage and the red light warned of the reef, so fog is the horn's cue.
Passage: "To make paper by hand, the worker first soaks rags or plant fibers until they soften, then beats them into a wet pulp, spreads the pulp thin across a fine screen, and finally presses and dries the sheet." According to the passage, what is the first step in making paper by hand?
- Soaking the fibers until they soften
- Beating the fibers into pulp
- Pressing and drying the sheet
- Spreading pulp across a screen
Correct answer: Soaking the fibers until they soften
The passage says the worker "first soaks rags or plant fibers until they soften." Beating, spreading, and pressing all come afterward, so soaking is the first step.
Passage: "The ancient library at Alexandria was said to hold hundreds of thousands of scrolls. Scholars traveled there from across the known world, and any ship that entered the harbor was searched so its books could be copied before it sailed on." According to the passage, what happened to books found on ships entering the harbor?
- They were sold to the scholars
- They were copied before the ship left
- They were burned for safety
- They were returned untouched
Correct answer: They were copied before the ship left
The passage states that any ship's books were searched and "copied before it sailed on." The other choices are not mentioned, so copying is the detail asked for.
Passage: "A chameleon's eyes can move in two directions at once, letting it watch for food on one side and for danger on the other. Its tongue, longer than its body, shoots out faster than the eye can follow to catch an insect." According to the passage, what is unusual about a chameleon's tongue?
- It can change color
- It moves in two directions at once
- It is longer than the chameleon's body
- It cannot be extended
Correct answer: It is longer than the chameleon's body
The passage says the tongue is "longer than its body" and shoots out very fast. The two-directional movement describes the eyes, not the tongue, so the length is the tongue detail.
Passage: "The recipe for the festival cake had been passed down for four generations. The secret, Grandmother always said, was not the sugar or the spice but the slow baking: a full three hours at the lowest heat the oven would hold." According to Grandmother, what was the secret of the cake?
- A rare kind of sugar
- An unusual blend of spices
- Using only the freshest eggs
- Slow baking at low heat
Correct answer: Slow baking at low heat
The passage states Grandmother said the secret "was not the sugar or the spice but the slow baking." The sugar and spice are named only to be dismissed, so slow baking is the answer.
Passage: "During the long winter, the arctic fox does not hibernate. Instead it grows a thick white coat, hunts beneath the snow for small rodents, and follows polar bears at a safe distance to feed on whatever they leave behind." According to the passage, how does the arctic fox survive the winter?
- By growing a thick coat and scavenging
- By migrating to warmer lands
- By hibernating until spring
- By living inside polar bears' dens
Correct answer: By growing a thick coat and scavenging
The passage states the fox does not hibernate but grows a thick white coat, hunts under the snow, and follows polar bears to eat leftovers. That combination of warmth and scavenging is the survival method described.
Passage: "The town's old clock tower struck the hour with great bells, but it also rang once at quarter past, twice at half past, and three times at quarter to, so that even the blind baker could tell the time by ear." According to the passage, how many times did the clock ring at half past the hour?
- Once
- Twice
- Three times
- Not at all
Correct answer: Twice
The passage states the clock rang "twice at half past." One ring marked quarter past and three rings marked quarter to, so two rings is the half-past signal.
Passage: "Oh, splendid. Another committee, another five-year plan, another glossy brochure promising that this time, surely, the trains will run on time." The tone of the passage is best described as
- Hopeful
- Grateful
- Sarcastic
- Fearful
Correct answer: Sarcastic
The tone is best described as sarcastic. The mock-enthusiastic "Oh, splendid" and the weary repetition of empty promises convey biting irony rather than genuine hope or gratitude.
Passage: "I will not pretend the road ahead is easy. There will be setbacks, long nights, and moments of doubt. But we have come too far to turn back now, and I believe, with all my heart, that we will reach the end together." The tone of the passage is best described as
- Resigned
- Indifferent
- Mocking
- Determined
Correct answer: Determined
The tone is best described as determined. The speaker acknowledges hardship yet insists "we have come too far to turn back" and expresses heartfelt belief that they will succeed, conveying resolve.
Passage: "The kitten batted the ball of yarn, tripped over its own paws, tumbled into the laundry basket, and emerged with a sock draped over one ear, blinking as if to ask what had happened." The tone of the passage is best described as
- Playful
- Solemn
- Angry
- Sorrowful
Correct answer: Playful
The tone is best described as playful. The comic images of the kitten tripping, tumbling, and wearing a sock on its ear create a lighthearted, amusing mood.
Passage: "How can we keep paving over the last green fields while our children grow up never having climbed a tree or chased a firefly? We are trading something we can never buy back." The author's attitude toward paving over green fields is one of
- Approval
- Concern
- Amusement
- Indifference
Correct answer: Concern
The author's attitude is one of concern. The worried question about children losing nature and the warning that we trade "something we can never buy back" express alarm rather than approval or amusement.
Passage: "At last the box arrived. My hands shook as I tore the tape, lifted the lid, and there it was, gleaming, real, exactly as I had imagined it for so many months." The tone of the passage is best described as
- Bitter
- Bored
- Excited
- Anxious
Correct answer: Excited
The tone is best described as excited. The trembling hands, the eager tearing of the tape, and the long-imagined object "gleaming, real" convey thrilled anticipation fulfilled.
Passage: "Of course the new highway will save twelve minutes. And of course those twelve minutes are worth a flattened orchard, a silenced creek, and a meadow that will never bloom again." The author's attitude toward the new highway is best described as
- Enthusiastic
- Grateful
- Neutral and factual
- Ironic and disapproving
Correct answer: Ironic and disapproving
The author's attitude is ironic and disapproving. The repeated "of course" mocks the small time savings while listing the heavy environmental costs, signaling disapproval through irony.
Passage: "We gather today not to mourn what is lost, but to give thanks for what was shared. Every kindness she gave still lives in the people she touched, and that is a gift no ending can take away." The tone of the passage is best described as
- Comforting
- Bitter
- Fearful
- Playful
Correct answer: Comforting
The tone is best described as comforting. The passage gently reframes loss as gratitude and assures listeners that kindness "still lives," offering solace rather than bitterness or fear.
Passage: "Let me be blunt. The bridge is unsafe. Engineers have said so for years, the cracks widen every winter, and one day, if nothing is done, it will fail with people on it." The tone of the passage is best described as
- Carefree
- Urgent
- Nostalgic
- Amused
Correct answer: Urgent
The tone is best described as urgent. The blunt warning, the widening cracks, and the grim prediction that the bridge "will fail with people on it" press for immediate action.
Passage: "The negotiations had reached an impasse; neither side would yield an inch, and the talks ground to a halt." In this passage, the word "impasse" most nearly means
- A friendly agreement
- A sudden victory
- A deadlock with no way forward
- A long lunch break
Correct answer: A deadlock with no way forward
In context, "impasse" most nearly means a deadlock with no way forward. The clue that "neither side would yield" and the talks "ground to a halt" shows the negotiations were stuck.
Passage: "The old map was so cryptic, full of strange symbols and unexplained marks, that no one in the village could make sense of where it pointed." In this passage, the word "cryptic" most nearly means
- Brightly colored
- Perfectly clear
- Torn and faded
- Mysterious and hard to understand
Correct answer: Mysterious and hard to understand
In context, "cryptic" most nearly means mysterious and hard to understand. The strange symbols and the fact that "no one could make sense" of the map show it was puzzling, not clear.
Passage: "Her praise was so effusive that the embarrassed author hardly knew what to say in return." In this passage, the word "effusive" most nearly means
- Pouring out in great amounts
- Cold and reluctant
- Brief and quiet
- Sharp and critical
Correct answer: Pouring out in great amounts
In context, "effusive" most nearly means pouring out in great amounts. The author is "embarrassed" and unsure how to respond, which fits praise that gushes out overwhelmingly.
Passage: "The dictator ruled in such a despotic way that no one dared question his orders, and even his closest advisers spoke only when spoken to." In this passage, the word "despotic" most nearly means
- Gentle and fair
- Ruling with absolute, harsh power
- Weak and uncertain
- Kind and generous
Correct answer: Ruling with absolute, harsh power
In context, "despotic" most nearly means ruling with absolute, harsh power. That no one "dared question his orders" and advisers stayed silent shows a tyrannical, controlling rule.
Passage: "The instructions were so verbose that by the time she finished reading them, she had forgotten how the first step began." In this passage, the word "verbose" most nearly means
- Written in code
- Perfectly brief
- Using too many words
- Missing several pages
Correct answer: Using too many words
In context, "verbose" most nearly means using too many words. The instructions were so long that she forgot the start by the end, pointing to excessive wordiness.
Passage: "After weeks of drought, the gardener watched her wilting plants revive the moment the rain finally came, their leaves lifting and their colors returning." In this passage, the word "revive" most nearly means
- Wither away
- Grow too quickly
- Change color forever
- Come back to life
Correct answer: Come back to life
In context, "revive" most nearly means come back to life. The wilting plants' leaves "lifting" and colors "returning" after the rain show they were restored to health.
Passage: "The witness's story was so plausible, fitting every known fact, that the jury believed it without hesitation." In this passage, the word "plausible" most nearly means
- Believable and reasonable
- Clearly false
- Extremely funny
- Very short
Correct answer: Believable and reasonable
In context, "plausible" most nearly means believable and reasonable. The story "fit every known fact" and convinced the jury "without hesitation," showing it seemed credible.
Passage: "He was a frugal cook who let nothing go to waste, saving vegetable peels for soup and stale bread for crumbs." In this passage, the word "frugal" most nearly means
- Wasteful
- Sparing and thrifty
- Careless
- Wealthy
Correct answer: Sparing and thrifty
In context, "frugal" most nearly means sparing and thrifty. Letting "nothing go to waste" and reusing peels and stale bread illustrate careful economy, not waste.
Passage: "The hikers grew wary as the trail narrowed, watching each step and listening for the slightest sound after seeing fresh bear tracks in the mud." In this passage, the word "wary" most nearly means
- Cheerful
- Sleepy
- Cautious and watchful
- Bored
Correct answer: Cautious and watchful
In context, "wary" most nearly means cautious and watchful. Watching each step and listening closely after spotting bear tracks shows alert caution.
Passage: "The professor's lecture was so abstruse that even the advanced students left the hall scratching their heads." In this passage, the word "abstruse" most nearly means
- Easy and simple
- Short and clear
- Loud and lively
- Hard to understand
Correct answer: Hard to understand
In context, "abstruse" most nearly means hard to understand. Even "advanced students" left confused, showing the lecture was difficult to grasp.
Passage: "The children were so ravenous after the long hike that they finished every sandwich before the adults had unpacked the rest of the food." In this passage, the word "ravenous" most nearly means
- Extremely hungry
- Completely full
- Very tired
- Slightly bored
Correct answer: Extremely hungry
In context, "ravenous" most nearly means extremely hungry. Devouring every sandwich after a long hike, before the food was even unpacked, signals intense hunger.
Passage: "Though the storm raged outside, the captain remained serene, calmly giving orders as if it were an ordinary afternoon." In this passage, the word "serene" most nearly means
- Terrified
- Calm and untroubled
- Furious
- Confused
Correct answer: Calm and untroubled
In context, "serene" most nearly means calm and untroubled. Despite the raging storm, the captain gave orders "calmly" as if nothing were wrong, showing composure.
Passage: "We have seen how poor sleep harms memory, mood, and health. The good news is that a few simple changes can help almost anyone sleep better." The passage would most likely continue by describing
- More harms caused by poor sleep
- The history of the alarm clock
- Simple changes that improve sleep
- A story about a sleepless night
Correct answer: Simple changes that improve sleep
The passage would most likely continue with simple changes that improve sleep. Having covered the harms, the author promises "a few simple changes" can help, pointing to those tips next.
Passage: "So far we have examined the artist's early paintings, full of dark colors and heavy lines. Everything changed, however, after his journey to the southern coast." The paragraph that follows would most likely discuss
- The artist's childhood home
- A different artist entirely
- The price of his early paintings
- How his work changed after the journey
Correct answer: How his work changed after the journey
The next paragraph would most likely discuss how his work changed after the journey. After covering the dark early work, the author signals a turn with "Everything changed... after his journey," pointing to the new style.
Passage: "The recipe has three parts. First we will prepare the dough, then the filling, and finally the sauce that ties them together. Let us begin with the dough." After describing the dough, the passage would most likely turn to
- The filling
- The history of the recipe
- A list of kitchen tools
- The price of ingredients
Correct answer: The filling
After the dough, the passage would most likely turn to the filling. The author lists three parts in order (dough, then filling, then sauce), so the filling naturally follows the dough.
Passage: "We have considered the arguments in favor of the longer school day. In fairness, we must now examine the arguments against it." The passage would most likely continue by presenting
- More reasons in favor of it
- The reasons against a longer school day
- A description of the school building
- The author's summer vacation
Correct answer: The reasons against a longer school day
The passage would most likely continue with the reasons against a longer school day. Having covered the arguments in favor, the author says they must "now examine the arguments against," pointing to the opposing case.
Passage (a poem): "The fog comes / on little cat feet. / It sits looking / over harbor and city / on silent haunches / and then moves on." The poem compares the fog to
- A passing storm
- A sailing ship
- A quiet cat
- A city light
Correct answer: A quiet cat
The poem compares the fog to a quiet cat. The phrases "little cat feet," "silent haunches," and the way it "sits" and "moves on" all liken the fog to a cat's stealthy, calm movement.
Passage (a poem): "Two roads diverged, and I, / I chose the path with grass grown high, / where few had walked and none had stayed, / and that has made the difference made." The speaker suggests that choosing the less-traveled road
- Was a serious mistake
- Had little effect on his life
- Forced him to turn back
- Shaped the course of his life
Correct answer: Shaped the course of his life
The speaker suggests the less-traveled road shaped his life. Choosing the grassy path "few had walked" and saying it "made the difference" indicates the choice had a lasting, defining impact.
Passage (a poem): "The wind tonight is a restless thing, / rattling the panes, tugging the door, / pacing the eaves like a creature that wants / what no closed house can give it." The poet portrays the wind as
- Restless and almost alive
- Gentle and soothing
- Frozen and still
- Weak and distant
Correct answer: Restless and almost alive
The poet portrays the wind as restless and almost alive. Rattling, tugging, and "pacing" like "a creature that wants" give the wind animal-like restlessness and life.
Passage (science): "When a liquid is heated, its molecules move faster and spread apart, which is why most substances expand as they warm. Water is a strange exception: as it freezes, it expands instead of shrinking, so ice floats on the very water it forms from." According to the passage, why does ice float on water?
- Because water shrinks as it freezes
- Because water expands as it freezes
- Because cold water has no molecules
- Because ice is heavier than water
Correct answer: Because water expands as it freezes
The passage states water is a "strange exception" that "expands instead of shrinking" as it freezes, so ice is less dense and floats. Expansion on freezing is the stated reason.
Passage (science): "Lightning heats the air around it to about five times the temperature of the sun's surface in a fraction of a second. The air expands so violently that it creates a shock wave, and that shock wave is the thunder we hear." According to the passage, what causes the sound of thunder?
- The clash of two clouds
- Rain striking the ground
- A shock wave from rapidly expanding air
- The sun heating the atmosphere
Correct answer: A shock wave from rapidly expanding air
The passage states that lightning heats the air so it "expands so violently that it creates a shock wave, and that shock wave is the thunder." The shock wave from expanding air is the cause.
Passage (science): "Trees do far more than provide shade. Through their leaves they pull carbon dioxide from the air and release the oxygen we breathe, while their roots hold the soil in place and slow the rush of rainwater into rivers." The passage is mainly intended to explain
- How to plant a tree
- How rivers are formed
- Why some trees lose their leaves
- The many ways trees benefit the environment
Correct answer: The many ways trees benefit the environment
The passage is mainly intended to explain the many ways trees benefit the environment. It lists shade, oxygen production, soil holding, and flood slowing, presenting trees' multiple roles.
Passage (social studies): "Before paper money, people often traded with whatever was both valuable and hard to fake. In some places that meant salt, in others rare shells, and in still others small bars of silver weighed out for each purchase." According to the passage, what made an item useful as early money?
- Being valuable and hard to fake
- Being heavy and easy to carry
- Being colorful and decorative
- Being common and easy to find
Correct answer: Being valuable and hard to fake
The passage states people traded with whatever was "both valuable and hard to fake." That pairing, illustrated by salt, shells, and silver, is what made an item useful as money.
Passage (social studies): "The ancient Olympic Games were so important that wars were paused to allow athletes to travel safely to compete. Messengers carried news of a sacred truce across the land, and for the duration of the games, fighting fell silent." According to the passage, what happened to wars during the ancient Olympic Games?
- They grew more intense
- They were paused under a sacred truce
- They had no connection to the games
- They were declared by the athletes
Correct answer: They were paused under a sacred truce
The passage states that "wars were paused" under a "sacred truce" so athletes could travel safely and "fighting fell silent." The pause for the truce is the stated effect.
Passage (social studies): "Long before printed books, stories were carried in memory and passed by voice from one generation to the next. A single skilled storyteller might hold an entire history in mind, reciting it word for word at the gathering fire." The passage is mainly concerned with
- How books were first printed
- Why fires were lit at gatherings
- How histories were preserved through oral storytelling
- The lives of famous kings
Correct answer: How histories were preserved through oral storytelling
The passage is mainly concerned with how histories were preserved through oral storytelling. It describes stories "carried in memory" and "passed by voice," with storytellers reciting whole histories aloud.
Passage (science): "A spider's silk is, ounce for ounce, stronger than steel and more elastic than rubber. Engineers have long dreamed of copying it, yet no laboratory has matched what the spider spins effortlessly from its own body." The author's attitude toward spider silk is best described as
- Dismissive
- Indifferent
- Fearful
- Admiring
Correct answer: Admiring
The author's attitude is admiring. Praising the silk as stronger than steel and more elastic than rubber, and noting that no lab can match the spider's effortless skill, conveys genuine admiration.
Passage: "Tomas counted his coins twice on the shop counter, glanced at the bicycle in the window, then slid the coins back into his pocket and walked out with his head down." It can be inferred that Tomas
- Did not have enough money for the bicycle
- Had decided he no longer wanted the bicycle
- Was saving his coins for someone else
- Had stolen the coins from the shop
Correct answer: Did not have enough money for the bicycle
It can be inferred that Tomas could not afford the bicycle. Counting his coins twice, looking at the bike, then pocketing the money and leaving with his head down shows he lacked enough to buy it.
Passage: "The two sisters had not spoken in a year. So when Elena saw her sister's number light up the phone, she stared at it for a long moment before slowly reaching out to answer." Elena's hesitation before answering suggests that she
- Had forgotten who her sister was
- Felt uncertain about reconnecting
- Was too busy to talk
- Had been waiting eagerly for the call
Correct answer: Felt uncertain about reconnecting
Elena's hesitation suggests uncertainty about reconnecting. After a year of silence, staring at the phone and slowly reaching out conveys mixed feelings, not eager readiness or forgetfulness.
Passage: "A library is not merely a building full of books. It is one of the few places left where anyone, rich or poor, young or old, may walk in, sit down, and learn whatever they wish for free." The author's main point is that a library
- Is simply a storage place for books
- Is mainly useful for children
- Offers free, equal access to learning for all
- Should charge a small fee to enter
Correct answer: Offers free, equal access to learning for all
The author's main point is that a library offers free, equal access to learning. The passage stresses that "anyone, rich or poor" may come in and learn "for free," beyond merely holding books.
Passage: "The ant is small, but it is no weakling. An ant can lift fifty times its own weight, the equal of a grown person hoisting a small truck overhead, and a colony working together can move a hill of earth in a single week." According to the passage, how much can an ant lift relative to its own weight?
- Twice its own weight
- Ten times its own weight
- An entire small truck
- Fifty times its own weight
Correct answer: Fifty times its own weight
The passage states an ant can lift "fifty times its own weight." The small-truck comparison is only an illustration of that figure for a human, so fifty times is the detail asked for.
Passage: "Enough excuses. Enough delays. The river has been poisoned for ten years, and every season we promise to act and every season we do nothing. The time for talk is over." The tone of the passage is best described as
- Impatient and demanding
- Patient
- Cheerful
- Uncertain
Correct answer: Impatient and demanding
The tone is best described as impatient and demanding. The clipped phrases "Enough excuses" and "The time for talk is over" press hard for immediate action after years of delay.
Passage: "The cheetah is the fastest land animal, but its speed comes at a price. After a sprint of only twenty or thirty seconds, its body overheats so badly that it must stop and rest, often losing its prey to slower but steadier hunters." According to the passage, why must a cheetah stop running after a short sprint?
- Its legs become too weak
- Its body overheats
- It loses interest in the chase
- It cannot see its prey
Correct answer: Its body overheats
The passage states the cheetah must stop because "its body overheats so badly" after a short sprint. Overheating, not weakness or loss of interest, is the stated reason.
Passage: "It is fashionable to mock the dreamer with his head in the clouds. But every bridge, every cure, every song began as a dream in someone's head before it ever touched the ground." The author's main purpose is to
- Criticize people who daydream too much
- Explain how bridges are built
- Defend the value of dreamers and imagination
- Describe a famous song
Correct answer: Defend the value of dreamers and imagination
The author's main purpose is to defend the value of dreamers. Answering those who "mock the dreamer," the passage argues that bridges, cures, and songs all "began as a dream," praising imagination.
Passage: "The volunteers arrived before sunrise. By noon they had filled two hundred sandbags, by dusk they had ringed the entire town hall, and not one of them asked for thanks or pay." The passage as a whole portrays the volunteers as
- Reluctant and complaining
- Fearful and unsure
- Disorganized and slow
- Selfless and hardworking
Correct answer: Selfless and hardworking
The passage portrays the volunteers as selfless and hardworking. Arriving before dawn, filling hundreds of sandbags by dusk, and asking for "no thanks or pay" show tireless, unselfish effort.
Passage: "The desert tortoise can survive a year or more without drinking. It stores water in its bladder during the rare rains and draws on that supply through the long dry months when no rain falls." According to the passage, how does the desert tortoise survive long dry periods?
- By storing water from the rare rains
- By burrowing near underground streams
- By drinking morning dew
- By eating only juicy plants
Correct answer: By storing water from the rare rains
The passage states the tortoise "stores water in its bladder during the rare rains" and lives off that supply through dry months. Storing rainwater is the survival method described.
Passage: "Finally! The package I had waited six weeks for sat on the doorstep. I scooped it up, shook it gently, and grinned all the way back inside." The tone of the passage is best described as
- Disappointed
- Delighted
- Anxious
- Bored
Correct answer: Delighted
The tone is best described as delighted. The exclamation "Finally!", the eager scooping and shaking of the package, and the grin all convey happy excitement.
Passage: "The factory had been the heart of the town for sixty years. Now its windows were broken, its great gates chained, and weeds pushed up through the cracks in the empty parking lot." The passage creates a mood that is best described as
- Lively and busy
- Tense and frightening
- Desolate and sad
- Warm and welcoming
Correct answer: Desolate and sad
The mood is best described as desolate and sad. Broken windows, chained gates, and weeds in an empty lot where a once-vital factory stood create a feeling of decline and loss.
Passage: "It is tempting to judge a book by its first page. Yet many of the greatest stories begin slowly, gathering their power chapter by chapter, so that the reader who gives up early never learns what was waiting just ahead." The main idea of the passage is that
- All books begin slowly
- Short books are better than long ones
- First pages are the most important part
- One should not judge a book by its opening alone
Correct answer: One should not judge a book by its opening alone
The main idea is that one should not judge a book by its opening alone. The passage warns that great stories often "begin slowly" and that quitting early means missing what "was waiting just ahead."
Passage: "The honeyguide is a small African bird with a remarkable habit. It leads people to bees' nests, waiting while they break the nest open, and then feeds on the wax and grubs left behind, a partnership thousands of years old." According to the passage, what does the honeyguide gain from leading people to bees' nests?
- Wax and grubs left behind
- Protection from larger birds
- A safe place to build its own nest
- Help in flying long distances
Correct answer: Wax and grubs left behind
The passage states the honeyguide "feeds on the wax and grubs left behind" after people open the nest. That food is what the bird gains from the partnership.
Passage: "For years the painting was thought to be the work of a famous master. Only when an expert examined the brushwork under a microscope did the truth emerge: it was a clever forgery, made long after the master had died." According to the passage, how was the painting revealed to be a forgery?
- By comparing it with a photograph
- By examining the brushwork under a microscope
- By testing the age of the frame
- By reading a hidden letter
Correct answer: By examining the brushwork under a microscope
The passage states the truth emerged "when an expert examined the brushwork under a microscope." That close examination, not a photograph or frame test, revealed the forgery.
Passage: "There is nothing quaint about hunger. We may speak gently of 'food insecurity,' but a child whose stomach aches at night does not care what we call it. The words can wait; the meal cannot." The author's main purpose is to
- Teach readers a new vocabulary term
- Describe a particular family
- Insist that hunger demands real action, not soft language
- Praise the work of charities
Correct answer: Insist that hunger demands real action, not soft language
The author's main purpose is to insist that hunger demands real action. By rejecting the gentle phrase "food insecurity" and stressing that "the meal cannot" wait, the writer urges deeds over polite words.
Passage: "The river otter spends much of its day at play, sliding down muddy banks, juggling pebbles, and chasing its own tail through the water. Yet scientists believe this play is no waste of time: it sharpens the skills the otter needs to hunt and survive." The main idea of the passage is that
- Otters are lazier than other animals
- Play is a waste of an animal's time
- Otters live only near muddy banks
- The otter's play helps it develop survival skills
Correct answer: The otter's play helps it develop survival skills
The main idea is that the otter's play helps it develop survival skills. The passage describes the otter's playfulness and then notes scientists believe it "sharpens the skills the otter needs to hunt and survive."
Passage: "The deep-sea anglerfish lives where no sunlight ever reaches. To find food in the dark, it dangles a glowing lure in front of its mouth, drawing curious prey straight toward its waiting jaws." According to the passage, how does the anglerfish attract its prey?
- By dangling a glowing lure
- By swimming very quickly
- By making loud sounds
- By following sunlight downward
Correct answer: By dangling a glowing lure
The passage states the anglerfish "dangles a glowing lure" to draw prey toward its jaws. The glowing lure, not speed or sound, is how it attracts food in the dark.
Passage: "Why do we keep building taller towers while the parks shrink and the playgrounds vanish? A city of glass and steel may dazzle the eye, but children cannot play in a lobby." The author's attitude toward the city's growth is best described as
- Proud
- Critical
- Amused
- Indifferent
Correct answer: Critical
The author's attitude is critical. Questioning the loss of parks and playgrounds for ever-taller towers, and noting that "children cannot play in a lobby," expresses disapproval of the city's growth.
Passage: "The glacier moves so slowly that to the eye it seems frozen in place. Yet over a single year it may creep forward the length of a football field, grinding the mountain beneath it into dust." The passage is mainly intended to show that the glacier
- Never moves at all
- Melts a little each year
- Moves powerfully despite seeming still
- Is shaped like a football field
Correct answer: Moves powerfully despite seeming still
The passage is mainly intended to show the glacier moves powerfully despite seeming still. Though it appears "frozen in place," it creeps forward and grinds rock "into dust," revealing hidden, slow force.
Passage: "The migrating geese fly in a V, and there is good reason for the shape. Each bird's wings lift the air for the one behind, so the flock as a whole can travel far farther together than any single goose could alone." According to the passage, what is the advantage of the V formation?
- It makes the geese easier to count
- It frightens away predators
- It keeps the geese warmer
- It lets the flock fly farther than a lone goose could
Correct answer: It lets the flock fly farther than a lone goose could
The passage states each bird's wings "lift the air for the one behind" so the flock "can travel far farther together." Flying farther as a group is the advantage given.

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By Career EmployerUpdated Jun 14, 2026

SSAT Question of the DayNew daily

1 of 340+ free questions — a new one every day

Author is to novel as composer is to which of the following?

Pick an answer to see the explanation

Click Start Test above to launch a full-length SSAT practice test weighted exactly like the real exam, or drill a single section — Verbal (synonyms and analogies), Quantitative (Math), or Reading Comprehension. Every question includes a clear explanation so you learn the reasoning, not just the answer.

The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is a standardized admission test used by independent and private schools to evaluate applicants in grades 3 through 11 on their verbal, quantitative, and reading skills.

It is administered by the Enrollment Management Association (EMA) and offered at three levels — Elementary, Middle, and Upper.^[1] The SSAT measures reasoning and academic ability rather than memorized facts.

These practice questions follow the published SSAT structure, mirroring the content and pacing of the real exam so you can build readiness across every section.^[2] To build readiness across every section, pair these with our free study guide, flashcards, and cheat sheet.

Prices, schedules, and policies change — always verify the current details at ssat.org before registering.

SSAT at a Glance

SSAT (Middle & Upper Level) at a glance
Detail	SSAT (Middle & Upper Level)
Levels	Elementary (grades 3-4), Middle (grades 5-7), Upper (grades 8-11)
Sections	Verbal (synonyms & analogies), Quantitative (Math) ×2, Reading Comprehension, plus unscored Writing Sample & experimental section
Questions	150 scored (60 Verbal, 50 Quantitative, 40 Reading) + 16 unscored experimental
Question type	Multiple choice; 1 unscored Writing Sample essay
Time limit	About 3 hours 10 minutes total (Middle & Upper); Elementary about 2 hours 5 minutes
Result	Scaled scores + percentile rank (1-99) vs. same-grade applicants; no pass/fail
Administered by	Enrollment Management Association (EMA)
Delivery	Paper at a test center, SSAT at Home, or Prometric test center
Cost	About $172 standard paper /$ 242 Prometric / $258 at Home (Middle & Upper); verify at ssat.org

What Is on the SSAT?

The scored portion of the Middle and Upper Level SSAT totals 150 multiple-choice questions: Verbal with 60 synonym and analogy items, Quantitative (Math) with 50 questions split across two sections, and Reading Comprehension with 40 questions.^[2]

The exam also includes an unscored Writing Sample, which schools receive a copy of, and an unscored experimental section that pilots future questions. Our full practice test mirrors the scored proportions:

SSAT weighting by section (scored)

Verbal (synonyms & analogies)40% · 60 Qs

Quantitative (Math)33% · 50 Qs

Reading Comprehension27% · 40 Qs

Practice Questions by Section

Use Start Test for a full weighted SSAT simulation, or open the hub and pick a single section to drill your weak area. After each full exam, your results show a per-section breakdown so you know exactly where to focus — most students need the most reps on Verbal vocabulary and Quantitative pacing.

Which SSAT Level Should You Take?

The SSAT is offered at three levels keyed to the grade a student is currently in: Elementary for grades 3-4, Middle for grades 5-7, and Upper for grades 8-11.^[3]

The Middle and Upper Level tests share the same structure — Verbal, two Quantitative sections, and Reading, plus an unscored Writing Sample and experimental section — but draw on grade-appropriate content.^[2] The Elementary Level is shorter, with a Quantitative, Verbal, and Reading section, a picture-prompt Writing Sample, and a brief experimental section.^[4]

This practice test mirrors the Middle and Upper Level structure, which is the most widely taken version of the SSAT and the one most applicants to independent secondary schools sit for.

How Do You Register for the SSAT?

You register for the SSAT online at ssat.org and choose one of three delivery options: paper at a test center, SSAT at Home, or a Prometric test center.^[6]

For paper testing you register and schedule at the same time, while SSAT at Home and Prometric use a two-step process where you register first and then schedule a date and time. Prometric offers computer-based testing at thousands of locations worldwide.

U.S. Middle and Upper Level fees are approximately $172 for standard paper, $242 at Prometric, and $258 for SSAT at Home, with Elementary around $112.^[6] Verify current pricing at ssat.org before registering, as fees change.

Fee waivers are available for qualified families and cover the base registration fee plus the official SSAT online practice.

How Is the SSAT Scored?

The SSAT is scored on a scaled-score system and is not pass/fail — there is no national passing score.^[5]

Alongside scaled scores, every report includes a percentile rank from 1 to 99 that compares a student to a norm group of same-grade, first-time test-takers from the United States and Canada over the prior three years. A 67th percentile, for example, means the student scored equal to or higher than 67 percent of that group.^[5]

Because that norm group is highly competitive — students applying to selective independent schools — percentiles are deliberately demanding. Each school decides what scores and percentiles it considers competitive, so focus on the ranges your target schools share rather than chasing a single number.

How Hard Is the SSAT?

The SSAT is challenging mainly for its vocabulary demands and pacing — 150 scored questions across Verbal, two Quantitative sections, and Reading in about 3 hours and 10 minutes — rather than any single hard section.^[2] The practical challenge is sustaining focus and managing time across very different skills.

The 60-question Verbal section rewards a broad vocabulary, since synonym and analogy items hinge on knowing precise word meanings and the relationships between ideas.

Quantitative rewards fluency with arithmetic, algebra, and geometry without a calculator, while Reading Comprehension tests how quickly you can extract meaning, tone, and inference from short passages under time pressure.

1-99

Percentile rank

no pass/fail

150

Scored questions

across 3 sections

Verbal questions

synonyms & analogies

The takeaway: drill until you’re consistently hitting your target schools’ percentile ranges on full-length, section-weighted practice — especially Verbal vocabulary and Quantitative pacing — before you book your test date.

What to Expect on Test Day

Arrive on time and have your registration confirmation and a valid photo ID ready — paper testing happens at a school or test center, while SSAT at Home and Prometric are computer-based, with at-home testing requiring you to meet technical and room requirements.^[6]

You’ll begin with the unscored Writing Sample, then work through the scored Verbal, Quantitative, and Reading sections plus an unscored experimental section, with two short breaks built into the roughly 3 hour 10 minute appointment for Middle and Upper Level.

Calculators are not permitted in the math sections, so practice mental math and scratch-work. Simulating the full timing with practice tests makes the real clock feel routine.

How to Use This SSAT Practice Test

Recreate exam conditions. Take the full test timed, no calculator, no notes.^[2]
Diagnose, then drill. Use a full SSAT simulation to find weak sections, then drill them.
Build vocabulary. Verbal is the biggest score-mover — study synonyms and analogies daily.
Learn the why. Read every explanation — understanding beats memorizing.
Manage the guessing penalty. The SSAT deducts a quarter point for wrong answers, so only guess when you can rule out a choice.

Why the SSAT Matters

A strong SSAT score is one of the clearest ways to stand out when you apply to a competitive independent or private school — it gives admission committees an objective, section-by-section measure of academic readiness alongside grades and recommendations.^[1] Because percentiles compare you to a highly selective norm group, scoring well across Verbal, Quantitative, and Reading widens the range of schools where you’re a strong candidate. These free SSAT practice tests are the most efficient way to get there.

Conclusion

Performing well on the SSAT comes down to vocabulary, reasoning, and reading speed — and the stamina to sustain them across a long exam. Use this free SSAT practice test to find your weak sections, drill them to mastery, and pair it with our free study guide, flashcards, and cheat sheet to walk in confident on test day.

SSAT Practice Test FAQ

The SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) is a standardized admission test administered by the Enrollment Management Association (EMA) and used by independent and private schools to evaluate applicants. It is offered at three levels — Elementary (grades 3-4), Middle (grades 5-7), and Upper (grades 8-11) — and measures verbal, quantitative, and reading skills.

References

1.Enrollment Management Association. “About the SSAT.” ssat.org. ↑
2.Enrollment Management Association. “Upper Level SSAT.” ssat.org. ↑
3.Enrollment Management Association. “Middle Level SSAT.” ssat.org. ↑
4.Enrollment Management Association. “Elementary Level SSAT.” ssat.org. ↑
5.Enrollment Management Association. “SSAT Score Report Breakdown.” ssat.org. ↑
6.Enrollment Management Association. “SSAT Test Options & Pricing.” ssat.org. ↑

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