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You can use the SSAT Upper Level Reading Comprehension Question of the Day to get into the habit of thinking about SSAT Upper Level Reading Comprehension content on a daily basis when studying for the SSAT. Varsity Tutors' SSAT Upper Level Reading Comprehension Questions of the Day are drawn from each topic and question type covered on the Upper Level Reading Comprehension section of the SSAT.
Question of the Day: SSAT Upper Level Reading
Adapted from The Idea of a University by John Henry Newman (1852)
I have been insisting, in my two preceding Discourses, first, on the cultivation of the intellect, as an end which may reasonably be pursued for its own sake; and next, on the nature of that cultivation, or what that cultivation consists in. Truth of whatever kind is the proper object of the intellect; its cultivation then lies in fitting it to apprehend and contemplate truth. Now the intellect in its present state, with exceptions which need not here be specified, does not discern truth intuitively, or as a whole. We know, not by a direct and simple vision, not at a glance, but, as it were, by piecemeal and accumulation, by a mental process, by going round an object, by the comparison, the combination, the mutual correction, the continual adaptation, of many partial notions, by the employment, concentration, and joint action of many faculties and exercises of mind.
Such a union and concert of the intellectual powers, such an enlargement and development, such a comprehensiveness, is necessarily a matter of training. And again, such a training is a matter of rule. It is not mere application, however exemplary, which introduces the mind to truth, nor the reading many books, nor the getting up many subjects, nor the witnessing many experiments, nor the attending many lectures. All this is short of enough. A man may have done it all, yet be lingering in the vestibule of knowledge. He may not realize what his mouth utters; he may not see with his mental eye what confronts him; he may have no grasp of things as they are, or at least he may have no power at all of advancing one step forward of himself, in consequence of what he has already acquired, no power of discriminating between truth and falsehood, of sifting out the grains of truth from the mass, of arranging things according to their real value, and, if I may use the phrase, of building up ideas. Such a power is the result of a scientific formation of mind; it is an acquired faculty of judgment, of clear-sightedness, of sagacity, of wisdom, of philosophical reach of mind, and of intellectual self-possession and repose—qualities which do not come of mere acquirement. The bodily eye, the organ for apprehending material objects, is provided by nature; the eye of the mind, of which the object is truth, is the work of discipline and habit.
This process of training, by which the intellect, instead of being formed or sacrificed to some particular or accidental purpose, some specific trade or profession, or study or science, is disciplined for its own sake, for the perception of its own proper object, and for its own highest culture, is called Liberal Education; and though there is no one in whom it is carried as far as is conceivable, or whose intellect would be a pattern of what intellects should be made, yet there is scarcely any one but may gain an idea of what real training is, and at least look towards it, and make its true scope and result, not something else, his standard of excellence; and numbers there are who may submit themselves to it, and secure it to themselves in good measure. And to set forth the right standard, and to train according to it, and to help forward all students towards it according to their various capacities, this I conceive to be the business of a University.
Why does Newman use the term “eye” to describe the mind?
To contrast the difference between mere experience and thinking
To touch on the way that the mind sees universal ideas in contrast to particular ones
To use a poetic metaphor to overcome the prejudices of his reader
None of the other answers
To add a mystical element to his discussion
If your high school learner is planning on enrolling in a private school or academy, they will more than likely need to take the Secondary School Admission Test. The Upper Level SSAT is made up of writing, reading, mathematics, and verbal components; there is also an experimental section to the test, which is not scored and is usually used to test new questions being considered for upcoming revisions. The Upper Level SSAT has four different versions based on the grade students will be entering in high school. Students will have just over three hours to complete the 167-question test. Sometimes, preparing for standardized tests can seem intimidating and tiresome. Because of this, Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools offer a wealth of resources designed to make your child’s SSAT Upper Level Reading study sessions simple and effective. By making use of the Learning Tools, you are able to give your child comprehensive SSAT Upper Level Reading practice they need to prepare for test day.
By accessing the Question of the Day on the Learning Tools website, your high school learner is able to maximize the time they have for SSAT Upper Level Reading practice. Each question, which is chosen randomly, covers an important concept that may be included on the Upper Level SSAT in Reading. These areas include various reading passages on the humanities, literary fiction, poetry, science, and social studies. By utilizing the Question of the Day, your learner is working to promote excellent study habits while reinforcing their knowledge of various concepts they’ll need to know on the SSAT.
When your learner accesses the Question of the Day for Upper Level SSAT Reading, they will be given a randomly chosen passage to read. After reading the passage, your learner will be asked a question regarding their understanding of the reading. This format is designed to mimic questions that will be present on the actual Upper Level Reading SSAT, which is perfect for building your learner’s confidence while helping them become comfortable with the test format. Furthermore, each problem contains a clear explanation that can help your learner understand how the correct answer was reached. By reviewing the SSAT Upper Level reading help provided, your learner can enhance their daily test practice and develop a deeper understanding of the material.
By using the Question of the Day alongside the rest of Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools, your learner can augment their preparation for the SSAT Upper Level Reading section. By accessing all of the Upper Level SSAT Reading help made available through Learn by Concept, your high school learner can find information that can help them overcome concepts that are troublesome. In addition, there are a wealth of SSAT Flashcards and Practice Tests that have been specially designed to help your high school learner prepare for their SSAT Upper Level Reading exam. Through the utilization of Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools, your learner has a great opportunity to get the most out of their SSAT Upper Level Reading practice.
All SSAT Upper Level Reading Resources
