PSAT Reading Practice Test 35: Social Science

Questions 1-10 refer to the following information.

The following excerpt is from a 2013 history article titled "The Great Seal."

In the wake of the wild and lucrative conspiracy theories that swept through our nation's
popular culture in the last decade, widely disseminated misinformation seems still to
haunt an alarming portion of our national symbols. Yet in many cases the reality behind
these symbols is far richer in meaning and profundity than any farfetched tale spun by a
05Hollywood screenwriter; and while the truth may not ensnare our sense of fantasy, it can
still capture our imaginations with an illuminating insight into our nation's history, and the
minds of early American patriots.
Take for instance the Great Seal of the United States, which was first commissioned by
the Continental Congress on the very day that they declared independence from Great
10Britain (though it was not fully completed for another six years). For the most part, the symbolism
of the obverse side is readily discernible to those versed in the story of the American
Revolution; the bald eagle—our ubiquitous symbol for natural power and majesty—is displayed
with a striped escutcheon and splayed wings in a formation that echoes (but is distinct
from) English heraldry. The eagle was selected over the traditional heraldic animal of
15power—the lion—both because it is native to North America, and to avoid the overtones of
kingship historically associated with the lion. The thirteen red and white stripes (or Pieces)
and single blue cap (or Chief) of the escutcheon are described by Charles Thomson—who
presented the final design of the Seal before Congress in 1782—as representing "the several
states all joined in one solid compact entire, supporting a Chief, which unites the whole
20and represents Congress".
The constellation of thirteen stars in a blue field above the eagle also signify the colonies,
and their capacity to shine independently while remaining integral components of a
larger structure. The number appears again in the thirteen arrows and thirteen leaves of
the olive branch clutched, respectively, in the left and right talons of the eagle. Together,
25the branch (which is said to derive from the Judeo-Christian symbol of peace in the story
of Noah) and arrows represent a dichotomy—a national preparedness in both times of
war and peace. Surrounding the stars above the eagle is a design described in heraldry as
clouds and glory, another symbol of religious origin (meant to invoke the Saint's Halo of
Judeo-Christian iconography) that alludes to a belief held by many American revolutionaries
30that the victory of their new nation was the result of "divine providence". The arrangement
of the stars themselves mimics the geometry of the Star of David.
The reverse side of the Great Seal is slightly more esoteric in its significance, and as
such has been more vulnerable to exploitation at the hands of those who would popularize
baseless myth at the expense of obscuring our national symbols. The "Eye of Providence"—
35which floats near the top of the Seal—is admittedly a derivative of the ancient Egyptian
symbol for the Eye of Horus (which stood for royal power and good health), but it is also a
symbol of tremendous distribution that has meant many different things to many different
cultures. The incarnation of the Eye that appears on the Great Seal emerges from the far
more recent Christian tradition of the European Renaissance, in which the eye symbolized
40the universal presence of the Judeo-Christian God, and the triangle surrounding it the Holy
Trinity. If one takes into account the motto above the Eye—"Annuit C?ptis", or "[He] has
approved our undertakings"—as well as the prevalent belief among those American
revolutionaries of the Christian persuasion that the founding of the United States was a literal
act of Providence, there is little room for doubt that the Eye of Providence itself is meant
45to symbolize the "grace of God" as it were, and not, by any means, the nobility of ancient
Egyptian monarchy.
The absurd suggestion that the Eye is meant to invoke Horus would likely never have
been uttered but for the inclusion of an unfinished pyramid—consisting of thirteen steps—
at the Seal's base. However, Charles Thomson describes the pyramid explicitly as signifying,
50Strength and Duration, while, "the Eye over it & the Motto allude to the many signal
interpositions of providence in favour of the American cause". In light of these words, one can
surmise that the pyramid was selected because it is a worldwide symbol for a remarkable
and enduring civilization—a thing manmade that stands the test of unfathomable time. In
contrast to the pyramid's (in this case) wholly secular implications, the Eye of Providence
55hovers above it near the heavens; together they constitute another symbolic duality: the
secular and spiritual foundations of our nation as envisioned by many of the Founding
Fathers. The true symbolic beauty of the Seal's pyramid lies rather in its unfinished aspect;
it demonstrates that—for all their accomplishments—the American Revolutionaries recognized
that their work was but a beginning. To achieve its full splendor, the pyramid would
60require the equally impactful contributions of countless generations, building a still greater
nation onward throughout time.