PSAT Reading Practice Questions

Question 238 from Toni Morrison's 1970 novel The Bluest Eye, Pauline tries to ease her loneliness by going to the movies. Pauline and Cholly live

• in a two-room apartment above a store.

• in a delivery truck.

• next to a movie theater.

• with Pauline's family.

Answer explanation

Lines 6-7 reveal that there are two rooms and lines 9-10 describe the truck delivering furniture downstairs.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Question 239 from Toni Morrison's novel: Lines 1-5 suggest that just prior to Pauline's pregnancy, Cholly had

• loved Pauline dearly.

• begun to neglect Pauline.

• worked every day of the week.

• cared about Pauline's dreams.

Answer explanation

Lines 1-5 state that after Pauline became pregnant, Cholly had acted like the early days of their marriage when he would ask if she were tired or wanted him to bring her something from the store. This statement suggests that Cholly had not done that for a while; therefore neglecting Pauline.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Question 240 from Toni Morrison's novel: Pauline's loneliness is different from the loneliness she felt back home (lines 9-10) because

• she's more bored than lonely.

• her family has abandoned her.

• she wants Cholly to be more romantic.

• she shouldn't feel lonely with Cholly.

Answer explanation

Although there is a state of ease (line 5) in the relationship between Pauline and Cholly, there is intense loneliness for Pauline. There does not appear to be more intimacy because the loneliness prevails. It can be inferred that back home she was living with her family and she would expect her husband to fulfill her need for companionship.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Question 241 from Toni Morrison's novel: Pauline's earlier dreams (line 14) were of

• romance.

• being beautiful.

• having many children.

• being a famous actress.

Answer explanation

At the end of the passage, Pauline rediscovers her dreams of romance. Line 14 tells us she succumbed to her earlier dreams, and the following sentence tells us what those dreams were about: romantic love.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Question 242 from Toni Morrison's novel: The passage suggest that going to the movies will

• inspire Pauline to become an actress.

• inspire Pauline to demand more respect from Cholly.

• only make Pauline more unhappy with her life.

• create financial strain on the family.

Answer explanation

Because the narrator states that romantic love and physical beauty are probably the most destructive ideas in the history of human thought (lines 15-16) because they both originated in envy, thrived in insecurity, and ended in disillusion, it can be inferred that Pauline will become more unhappy as these ideas were introduced in the movies.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2