VSTEP READING TEST

Directions: In this section of the test, you will read FOUR different passages, each
followed by 10 questions about it. For questions 1-40, you are to choose the best answer
A, B, C, or D, to each question. Then, on your answers sheet, find the number of the
question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen.
Answer all questions following a passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in that
passage.

You have 60 minutes to answer all the questions, including the time to transfer your
answers to the answer sheet.

Passage 1

Wild pigs

Throughout history, pigs have been useful to humans. Their bodies work much like ours.
Doctors have used chemicals from pigs’ bodies to help treat diseases in

people. We also use pigs for food. We even make objects from their skin, such as bags
and balls. Domestics pigs live on farms. These kinds are useful for people. Wild pigs live
in the mountains and forests. They are causing big problems in the United States.

In the early 1900s, wild pigs - called boars - were brought from Europe to North
Carolina. Boars have two sharp horns, or tusks, on each side of their mouth. They are
aggressive and mean. At first, people kept the boars together in a forest. Hunters enjoyed
trying to shoot them. But by the 1920s, some boars had escaped. Boars have lived in the
mountains of North Carolina ever since. Problems began when the boars entered a
national park. They dug holes in the soil and destroyed plants that other animals need for
food.

California has the same problem. (A) Wild pigs in that state are not just hurting national
parks. They are destroying the grass on golf courses and eating plants in people’s
gardens. (B) Some more of these pigs came from North Carolina in 1925. Some hunters
brought them. They built a fence around the boars. However, several pigs escaped. (C)
Later, some, of the wild pigs mated with escaped domestic pigs. Today, the number of
wild pigs keeps growing. (D) They are ruining lots of land. A scientist found 2,000 rare
flowers in the stomach of one dead boar.

How can people stop these hungry pigs? There are no easy answers. One national park in
Hawaii built a 15-meter fence around its entire 28,000 acres. Other states encourage

1
hunters to kill the animals. However, pigs are intelligent, stubborn, and tough. We
domesticated them for use on the farm. Now, our challenge is to control them when they
leave the barnyard.

1. All of the following are mentioned in the passage EXCEPT

A. How boars came to the US
B. How boars got to Europe
C. The types of damage boars cause
D. The characteristics of boars
2. How long have wild pigs been a problem in the US, according to the passage?
A. 50 to 55 years
B. 70 to 75 years
C. 80 to 85 years
D. More than 100 years

3. What is the topic of paragraph 4?

A. Differences between domestic pigs and wild pigs

B. How Californian pigs are different from other pigs

C. The problems pigs are making in one state

D. Why people in California like wild pigs

4. The word “ours” in paragraph 1 refers to

A. People

B. Pigs

C. Bodies

D. Doctors

5. What does the word “them” in the last sentence refer to?

A. Hunters

B. National parks

C. Pigs

D. States

2
 6. Which statement best reflects the author’s opinion?

A. Wild pigs are a necessary part of nature

B. All wild boars should be killed

C. Domestic pigs are dangerous

D. Controlling wild pigs is a challenge

7. From paragraph 3, we can infer that

A. There are many farms in North Carolina

B. Wild pigs first came from Europe

C. North Carolina is not very beautiful

D. Wild pigs eat flowers

8. The word “escaped” could best be replaced by which of the following?

A. Got away

B. Become lost

C. Rebelled

D. Died

9. The word “rare” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to which of the following?

A. Beautiful

B. Exquisite

C. Common

D. Special

10. The word “entire” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to

A. Very large

B. Whole

C. Make sleepy

D. Hot
3
Passage 2

Look at the stars in the night sky. Do some of them seem to form patterns or designs?
Can you see animals, people, or objects? These patterns are called constellations.

(A) Constellations are not real animals, people, or objects. We imagine them to
help us make a map of the sky. On a dark night, you can see almost 1,500 stars.
Trying to distinguish which is which can be difficult. Constellations make it easier
for us to identify stars.
People began seeing patterns in the stars about 6,000 years ago. (B) Three of the
first constellations they imagined were a lion, a bull, and a scorpion. In ancient
times, farmers used constellations to know which month it was. We can see some
constellations only one season each year. Farmers knew it was time to plant when
they saw a certain constellation. They knew it was time to harvest when they saw a
different one.
(B)People in different countries can look at the same constellation and imagine
different things. Someone in China might think a constellation looks like a dragon.
Someone in Australia might think the same pattern is a horse. Each country has its
own ideas. Many constellations get their names from the myths of ancient Greece
and Rome. A constellation called Aquarius is named after a Greek boy who
carried water. A constellation called Taurus is named after a god who came to
earth as a bull.
Constellations are not stationary. The stars in them are gradually moving. It is
difficult to know the boundaries of many constellations. In 1929, international
astronomers, scientists who study stars, agreed on official boundaries for the 88
constellations that exist today. (D) However, by the time your children grow up,
these boundaries could change. We might also find new constellations. We will
always use our imaginations to help understand the world around us.
1. According to the passage, about how many constellations exist today?
A. 90
B. 100
C. 1,500
D. 6,000

2. All of the following are true EXCEPT that

A. Constellations have a long story

B. Scientists agree on constellation boundaries

4
 C. Constellations are groups of stars

D. Constellations never change

3. This passage mainly discusses

A. The names of constellations

B. The history of constellations

C. How to see constellations

D. Greek and Roman myths

4. What does the word “which” in paragraph 2 refer to

A. Constellations

B. Maps

C. People

D. Stars

5. In paragraph 3, the word “one” in the last sentence refers to a

A. farmer

B. star

C. season

D. constellation

6. Based on information in paragraph 2, we can infer that

A. there are only 1,500 stars

B. we can see different numbers of stars depending on how bright the moon is

C. All constellations are animals

D. we need a map of the sky to see the stars

7. Based on the information in paragraph 3, what can we infer about ancient farmers?
A. they were not very intelligent

5
 B. They did not have calendars

C. They worked very hard

D. They grew food

8. Which of the following could best replace the word “identify” as used in paragraph
2?

A. Recognize

B. name

C. count

D. number

9. As used in paragraph 3, what is the meaning of the word “ancient”?

A. old

B. Modern

C. Prehistoric

D. Good

10. The word “boundaries” as used in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to which of

the following?
A. dimensions

B. properties

C. borders

D. Shapes

6
Passage 3

Migration

A widely held theory today is that the ancestors of today’s Native American people
travelled to the Western Hemisphere form Asia between 25,000 and 30,000 years ago,
which was around the same time that Japan was being settled by Stone Age inhabitants.
There is dental evidence and blood-type evidence to support this theory. A dental pattern
that is found among most ancient human fossils in the America is consistent with the
dental pattern of ancient human fossils in northeastern Asia. In blood type, the fact that
blood type B is almost nonexistent among Native American population but exists in
Asian population leads to the conclusion that migrations to America from Asia took place
before the evolution of blood type B, which is believed to have occurred around 30,000
years ago. In addition to the dental and blood-type evidence, more general evolutionary
evidence suggests that it took more than 20,000 years for the variety of physical traits
common to Native American population to evolve, and linguists broadly concur that the
development of the approximately 25,000 years.

The proposed migration from Asia to the Americas took place during the Ice Age that
characterized the Pleistocene epoch. During that period of time, there were huge glaciers
holding enormous volumes of water, and because of the huge glaciers, sea levels were as
much as 10 meters lowers than they are today. The reduced sea levels meant that Asia
and North America were linked with a 750-mile-wide landmass, named Beringia after the
Bering Straits that now cover it, and consisted of treeless grassland with warm summers
and cold dry winters. Because of the geographical features of Beringia during the
Pleistocene epoch, it was an environment well-suited to the large mammals of the time,
such as mammoth, mastodon, bison, horse, and reindeer as well as to the Stone Age
hunters who depended on these animals for their existence. The Stone Age inhabitants of
the area used these animals not only for food but also for shelter, clothing, and weapons;
they were able to spread out and expand their hunting areas as their populations grew,
and their populations most likely grew at a very high rate because of the huge amount of
territory available for expansion.

In spite of the evidence, not all anthropologists are convinced that the migrations from
Asia to the Americas took place as early as 25,000 to 30,000 years ago. There is general
agreement that the migrations took place, but some believe that the migrations took place
much later…

7
 1. The word “held” in paragraph 1 could best be replaced by
A. Accepted
B. Possessed
C. Contained
D. Carried
2. The word “support” in paragraph 1 could best be replaced by
A. Hold
B. Finance
C. Confirm
D. Stiffen
3. Which of the following is NOT provided as evidence to support the hypothesis
that the migration discussed in the passage occurred 25,000 to 30,000 years ago?
A. dental patterns common to Asians and Native Americans
B. variations in blood types between Asians and Native Americans
C. The number of Native American languages in existence today
D. The human bones found in Beringia

4. The phrase “broadly concur” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

A. have the contrary idea

B. have extensive debates

C. openly question

D. are in general agreement

5. In paragraph 2, what best paraphrases the sentence “During that period of time,
there were huge glaciers holding enormous volumes of water, and because of the huge
glaciers, sea levels were as much as 10 meters lower than they are today.”?

A. Since the Ice Age, the amount of water in the oceans has decreased
dramatically

B. During the Ice Age, sea levels were low because much water was frozen

C. Glaciers have grown tremendously since the last Ice Age

D. During the Ice Age, huge glaciers displaced a lot of water, causing the oceans
to rise

6. It is stated in the passage that Beringia

8
 A. was the source of the name of Bering Straits

B. used to be covered with trees

C. is now submerged

D. was unable to support animal life

7. The phrase “well-suited” in paragraph 2 is closest meaning to

A. equal to

B. appropriate for

C. flattering to

D. modified for

8. The word “they” in paragraph 2 refers to

A. Stone Age inhabitants

B. animals

C. weapons

D. their hunting areas

9. It is implied in the passage that the Stone Age inhabitants of Beringia were most
likely

A. dependent on agriculture

B. poor hunters

C. involved in raising livestock

D. mobile

10. The author begins paragraph 3 with the expression “In spite of” to show that the
fact that some anthropologists were not convinced by the evidence was

A. unexpected

B. a natural conclusion

C. Unsurprising
9
 D. logical

Passage 4

Ketchup

The sauce that is today called ketchup (or catsup) in Western cultures is a tomato-based
sauce that is quite distinct from the Eastern ancestors of this product. A sauce called ke-
tiap was in use in China at least as early as the seventeenth century, but the Chinese
version of the sauce was made of pickled fish, shellfish, and spices. The popularity of this
Chinese sauce spread to Singapore and Malaysia, where it was called kechap. The
Indonesian sauce ketjab derives its name from the same source as the Malaysian sauce
but it made from very different ingredients. The Indonesian ketjab is made by cooking
black soy beans, fermenting them, placing them in a salt brine for at least a week,
cooking the resulting solution further, and sweetening it heavily; this process results in a
dark, thick, and sweet variation of soy sauce.

Early in the eighteenth century, sailors from the British navy came across this exotic
sauce on voyages to Malaysia and Singapore and brought samples of it back to England
on return voyages. English chefs tried to recreate the sauce but were unable to do so
exactly because key ingredients were unknown or unavailable in England chefs ended up
substituting ingredients such as mushrooms and walnuts in an attempt to recreate the
special taste of the original Asian sauce. Variations of this sauce became quite the rage in
eighteenth-century England, appearing in a number of recipe books and featured as an
exotic addition to menus from the period.

The English version did not contain tomatoes, and it was not until the end of the
eighteenth century that tomatoes became a main ingredient, in the ketchup of the newly
created United States. It is quite notable that tomatoes were added to the sauce in that
tomatoes had previously been considered quite dangerous to health. The tomato had been
cultivated by the Aztecs, who had called it tomatl; however, early botanists had
recognized that the tomato was a member of the Solanacaea family, which does include a
number of poisonous plants. The leaves of the tomato plant are poisonous, though of
course the fruit is not.

(A) Thomas Jefferson, who cultivated the tomato in his gardens at Monticello
and served dishes containing tomatoes at lavish feasts, often receives credit for
changing the reputation of the tomato. (B) Soon after Jefferson had introduced the
tomato to American society, recipes combining the newly fashionable tomato with
the equally fashionable and exotic sauce known as ketchap began to appear. (C)

10
 By the middle of the nineteenth century, both the tomato and tomato ketchup were
staples of the American kitchen. (D)
1. The word “ancestors” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. Predecessors
B. Descendants
C. Creators
D. Ingredients
2. It is NOT stated in the paragraph 1 that
A. The Chinese sauce was in existence in the seventeenth century
B. The Malaysian sauce was similar to the Chinese sauce
C. The Chinese sauce was made from seafood and spices
D. The Indonesian sauce was similar to the Chinese sauce
3. The word “it” in paragraph 1 refers to
A. A salt brine
B. A week
C. The resulting solution
D. This process
4. The expression “came across” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by
A. Traversed
B. Discovered
C. Transported
D. Described
5. It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that mushrooms and walnuts were
A. Difficult to find in England
B. Not part of the original Asian recipe
C. Not native to England
D. Transported to England from Asia
6. The word “rage” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by
A. Anger
B. Distinction
C. Misunderstanding
D. Fashion
7. The author mentions “The English version” at the beginning of paragraph 3 in
order to
A. Indicate what will be discussed in the coming paragraph
B. Explain why tomatoes were considered dangerous
C. Make a reference to the topic of the previous paragraph

11
 D. Provide an example of a sauce using tomatoes
8. According to paragraph 3, the tomato plant
A. Was considered poisonous by the Aztecs
B. Is related to some poisonous plants
C. Has edible leaves
D. Has fruit that is sometimes quite poisonous
9. The word “staples” in paragraph 4 could best be replaced by
A. Standard elements
B. Strong attachments
C. Necessary utensils
D. Rare alternatives
10. In which space (marked A, B, C and D in the passage) will the following sentence
fit?
It turned from very bad to exceedingly good
A. (A)
B. (B)
C. (C)
D. (D)

12