PSAT 8/9 Reading Practice Test 2

Questions 1-9 refer to the following information.

Passage 1 is adapted from a speech delivered on April 23, 1971, by Mark O. Hatfield, "Democracy's Stake in Voluntary Armed Forces."

Passage 2 is adapted from a speech delivered on June 4, 1971, by Lloyd M. Bentsen, "The Military Selective Service Act." Hatfield served as a United States senator from 1967 to 1997. Bentsen served as a United States senator from 1971 to 1993. These speeches were given as part of an ongoing debate in the Senate about whether to extend or end the military draft (a system of required, rather than voluntary, military service).

Passage 1
Mr. President, Senate action draws nearer
on the question of military conscription and an
all-volunteer armed force. I cannot stress too
Line strongly the profound weakening of our social
05fiber, the undermining of the individual's faith in
his Government and his hope for his future, the
military draft inculcates.
Mr. Nixon's blue-ribbon Commission on an
All-Volunteer Armed Force unanimously found
10the concept of voluntary recruitment to be within
practical reach. They declared such a method to be
more acceptable and more consistent with historic
American practice and tradition than the method
of involuntary service to which we have become
15habituated since World War II.
They estimated that a modest increase in pay for
men in the lower ranks would sufficiently increase
voluntary recruitment and reenlistments to supply
manpower; and they argued that such salary scales
20for servicemen are deserved and overdue, since
today draftees and volunteers alike are paid salaries
woefully below the level of compensation for
civilian jobs which require comparable skills.
It is time to end the draft. National necessity
25does not require conscription. Personal freedom
demands that it be terminated.
It is time to stop sending to prison an increasing
flow of our best young men, men deeply opposed
to an unnecessary draft. Only a handful can
30meet the rigorous definition of the conscientious
objector, the objector to all war. But other men are
entitled to have their principled objections and
scruples respected, especially when the nation
can so easily afford to raise its army by voluntary
35means.
History has shown that Americans will
freely sacrifice their lives when they are morally
convinced that such a course is necessary and right.
Now is the time to bring the American system into
40line with our professed ideals of individual freedom
and personal choice. We must end the draft now!
Passage 2
Mr. President, there has been debate in this
body for some weeks now on the need for the
military draft. There have been arguments
45advanced that it should be terminated by the end
of this month, that such a termination would end
the war in Vietnam, that such a termination would
reassert congressional authority over military
policies and that such a termination would restore
50confidence of the young in the Government.
There have been arguments advanced in favor
of its extension. Basically, the argument is that
without the draft, our commitments as a nation
and as a world leader cannot be fulfilled. If I
55believed for one moment that the military could
meet their manpower needs fully solely through
volunteer enlistments, I would be in the forefront
leading the charge for a volunteer army. I favor a
volunteer army. And we can have such a volunteer
60military force.
Because I do believe the volunteer army is a goal
we can reach, I believe that the termination of the
draft on July 1, or within the next year, would be
folly and do great damage to the ultimate adoption
65of a sound volunteer army concept. Killing the
draft would be disastrous to the planning by the
Army which has as its goal the volunteer army. The
military must have the time to test various ideas, to
work toward the volunteer army.
70The argument that an immediate cut-off of the
authority to draft manpower for military purposes
would force the immediate adoption of the
volunteer Army has been rejected at every point of
its consideration of this legislation. I hope—and I
75predict—that it will be rejected again by the Senate
today. We must not succumb to ends without
means. Strip away all of the strong feelings, all of
the emotion, and all of the motives, understandable
and desirable as these may be, and the hard fact
80remains: the military cannot, at the present time,
without this legislation and without this draft
meet its manpower needs solely through volunteer
enlistments.

9 questions 12 minutesAll test questions

1. In Passage 1, the speaker most clearly implies that one reason that the military draft is harmful to American society is that it may

A. give citizens a false sense of hope.

B. reduce the public's trust in the government.

C. draw criticism from the nation's allies.

D. encourage men to find safety in other countries.

2. Which choice best describes the main shift in focus that occurs within lines 8-35 ("Mr. Nixon's…means") of Passage 1?

A. The passage provides an overview of careers in the military and then shifts to a discussion of the current use of the draft.

B. The passage describes equipment used by the United States during World War II and then shifts to a discussion of how that equipment could be used today.

C. The passage outlines all of the Senate's past actions related to volunteer armed forces and then shifts to a discussion of the Senate's actions on other legislation.

D. The passage praises the idea of a volunteer army and then shifts to a discussion of arguments against the military draft.

3. Based on Passage 1, raising wages for some members of the armed forces would result in which of the following?

A. It would satisfy the demands of draftees and inspire them to serve for longer.

B. It would frustrate military recruits by changing the primary motivation for military service.

C. It would leave civilians feeling underappreciated and prompt them to join the military.

D. It would encourage an adequate number of people to volunteer for the armed forces.

4. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

A. Lines 11–15 ("They declared…War II")

B. Lines 16–19 ("They estimated…manpower")

C. Lines 19–23 ("and they…skills")

D. Lines 39–41 ("Now is…now")

5. As used in line 30, "rigorous" most nearly means

A. strict.

B. harsh.

C. excessive.

D. unlikely.

6. As used in line 52, "extension" most nearly means

A. reaching.

B. addition.

C. being enlarged.

D. being continued.

7. Both speakers would most likely agree with which view of the military draft in the United States?

A. It gives the President too much power.

B. It is necessary for one more year.

C. It is not an ideal recruitment method.

D. It can replace a volunteer army.

8. Based on Passage 2, which point of view would the speaker most likely have of people who agree with Passage 1's central claim?

A. He would think that they are overestimating the amount of manpower a volunteer army could provide in the near future.

B. He would think that they are overly optimistic that the war in Vietnam will end within a year.

C. He would think that they are too focused on citizens' confidence in the government.

D. He would think that they are uninformed about the history of the military draft in the United States.

9. Which choice from Passage 2 provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

A. Lines 44–50 ("There have…Government")

B. Lines 54–58 ("If I…army")

C. Lines 65–69 ("Killing the…army")

D. Lines 70–74 ("The argument…legislation")

PSAT 8/9 Reading Practice Test 2

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