PSAT Reading Practice Test 24

Questions 1-9 refer to the following information.

When Dr. Kingston Hussein saw an
announcement for a conference titled
Ethics of Human Embryonic Research,
he booked his tickets six months in
05advance.
"We need to stop and reflect on
the ramifications of every new development
in our research," said Dr. Hussein,
the lead researcher in embryology at the
10Dampson Crockett Institute in Lewiston,
Maine. "Every researcher in our
field feels the weight of responsibility
here. It's what we talk about when we
go out for drinks after work."
15Attitudes like Dr. Hussein's stand in
stark contrast to common public perceptions
of embryonic research. "These guys think
they're gods," said Liz Goode,
chairwoman of The Center for Ethical
20and Dignified Humanity, an organization
that opposes all research on human
embryos. "They want to get rich selling
designer babies to billionaires.
It's a nightmare."
25An outside observer might expect
a researcher like Dr. Hussein to avoid
all contact with an activist like Goode.
On the contrary, Dr. Hussein wrote
to the organizers of the conference and
30requested that they invite Goode to
host a panel. "We need dialogue," he
said. "We need to hear what makes the
public uncomfortable." He chuckled. "We
also need to inform them about what we're
35actually doing."
And what are embryonic researchers
doing? "Not building designer babies,"
he said. Dr. Hussein uses words like
"run-of-the-mill medical" to describe his
40research goals. For instance, he is
seeking causes and treatments for
a variety of neurological disorders.

9 questions 12 minutesAll test questions

1. Which adjective most accurately describes the author's tone?

A. Scathing

B. Objective

C. Negative

D. Ironic

2. Use lines 11-14 ("Every researcher... after work.") to determine which adjective most accurately describes Dr. Hussein's tone.

A. Scathing

B. Apathetic

C. Earnest

D. Ironic

3. Refer to lines 17-24 to find the following quotation:

"These guys think they're gods…They want to get rich selling designer babies to billionaires. It's a nightmare."

Which adjective most accurately describes Liz Goode's tone?

A. Harsh

B. Tolerant

C. Earnest

D. Ironic

4. Which phrase functions as a transition to juxtapose dissimilar ideas in the passage?

A. Attitudes like Dr. Hussein's

B. For instance

C. An outside observer

D. On the contrary

5. Which phrase functions as a transition to introduce an example in the passage?

A. Attitudes like Dr. Hussein's

B. For instance

C. An outside observer

D. On the contrary

6. Reread lines 31-35 ("We need...doing") to determine which word or phrase functions as a transition within the sentences.

A. He said

B. He chuckled

C. Also

D. Actually

7. What information would Dr. Hussein likely present to Liz Goode to support his stance on embryonic research?

A. He is currently looking for ways to alter cells in an embryo that may influence the potential for having multiple sclerosis, a neurological disorder.

B. He is attempting to change the eye color of mice while in the embryonic state.

C. He successfully discovered how to manipulate a gene that influences human height and proportional size.

D. He is working with a team of specialists to identify how to influence the gender of an embryo.

8. The author is thinking about adding the following sentence:

"Liz Goode will likely receive backlash for her opinions because of how many people suffer from a lifetime of neurological dysfunction, such as myself while I suffer from Parkinson's disease."

Why should the author not incorporate this sentence?

A. The sentence is unrelated to the main idea of the passage.

B. It is a supporting detail, but readers may not know what Parkinson's disease is.

C. It is an unverified fact that cannot be incorporated into a formal text.

D. It is a biased opinion based on the author's personal experience.

9. The overall structure of this passage is best described as:

A. a passage outlining what problems embryonic researchers have solved

B. a compare and contrast text of opposing perspectives for embryonic research

C. a description piece about the general ethics of human embryonic research

D. a scientific article with doctor input about stages of the human embryo

PSAT Reading Practice Test 24

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