HSPT-TEST Practice Questions
Prepare for HSPT-TEST with more than an answer.
- Exam fee
- $45 USD
- Level
- Academic Placement
- Valid for
- Single test administration - scores valid for current admission cycle
Domains covered on the exam 5
- Verbal Skills20%
- Quantitative Skills17%
- Reading21%
- Mathematics21%
- Language20%
- 1
Complete the analogy.
AUDACIOUS is to CAUTIOUS as GREGARIOUS is to _______.
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Correct answer: C
The analogy is based on antonyms (opposites). 'Audacious' (bold, daring) is the opposite of 'Cautious' (careful, wary). Therefore, the correct word must be the opposite of 'Gregarious' (sociable, fond of company). 'Reclusive' means avoiding the company of other people, making it the correct antonym.
- 2
A rectangular swimming pool is 25 meters long and 10 meters wide. A concrete walkway of uniform width is built around the pool. If the total area of the walkway itself is 174 square meters, what is the width of the walkway?
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Correct answer: C
Let 'w' be the width of the walkway. The total area of the pool and walkway is (25 + 2w)(10 + 2w). The area of the pool is 25 * 10 = 250 sq meters. The area of the walkway is the total area minus the pool area: (25 + 2w)(10 + 2w) - 250 = 174. Expanding the expression gives 250 + 50w + 20w + 4w^2 - 250 = 174. This simplifies to 4w^2 + 70w = 174, or 2w^2 + 35w - 87 = 0. By testing the answers or solving the quadratic equation, we find that w = 3 meters is the correct positive solution.
- 3
Which of the following sentences uses punctuation correctly?
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Correct answer: C
This sentence correctly uses a comma after a dependent introductory clause ('Because the weather was bad'). Option A incorrectly uses a semicolon where a colon should be used to introduce a list. Option B incorrectly places the comma outside the quotation marks. Option D is a run-on sentence and needs a semicolon or a period and a new sentence.
- 4
Compare the quantities in Column A and Column B. The variable 'x' is a positive integer greater than 1.
Column A: The value of (x^2 - 1) / (x - 1)
Column B: The value of x + 1graph TD subgraph Comparison A[Column A: (x² - 1) / (x - 1)] B[Column B: x + 1] end A -- ? --> BShow answer details
Correct answer: C
The expression in Column A, (x^2 - 1), is a difference of squares and can be factored into (x - 1)(x + 1). Therefore, the expression in Column A simplifies to [(x - 1)(x + 1)] / (x - 1). Since x is greater than 1, (x - 1) is not zero, and we can cancel it from the numerator and denominator, leaving x + 1. Thus, Column A is equal to Column B.
- 5
Read the following passage and answer the question.
Photosynthesis is the remarkable process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy. This process uses sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create glucose, which serves as the plant's food, and oxygen, which is released into the atmosphere. Chlorophyll, the pigment that gives plants their green color, is crucial as it absorbs the light energy needed to drive the reaction. Essentially, photosynthesis supports nearly all life on Earth by providing the foundational energy for food chains and by producing the oxygen that most organisms need to breathe.
Based on the passage, which of the following can be most reasonably inferred?
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Correct answer: A
The passage states that chlorophyll is 'crucial as it absorbs the light energy needed to drive the reaction.' This implies that without chlorophyll, the necessary light energy cannot be absorbed, and therefore, photosynthesis cannot occur. The other options are either not supported or contradicted by the text.
- 6
A recipe for a fruit smoothie requires 1/2 cup of yogurt, 3/4 cup of strawberries, and 1/8 cup of honey. If you want to make a batch that is exactly three times the size of a single recipe, what is the total volume, in cups, of all the ingredients combined?
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Correct answer: B
First, find the total volume for one batch. Convert all fractions to a common denominator of 8: 1/2 = 4/8, 3/4 = 6/8. The total is 4/8 + 6/8 + 1/8 = 11/8 cups. To make a batch three times the size, multiply this total by 3: (11/8) * 3 = 33/8 cups. Convert the improper fraction to a mixed number: 33 ÷ 8 is 4 with a remainder of 1. Therefore, the total volume is 4 and 1/8 cups.
- 7
Which of the following sentences contains a grammatical error in pronoun case?
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Correct answer: C
This sentence has an error. To determine whether to use 'who' or 'whom', identify the pronoun's role in its own clause. The clause is '[who] is calling me'. In this clause, the pronoun is the subject of the verb 'is calling'. Therefore, the subjective case 'who' should be used. The correct sentence is: 'Who did you say is calling me at this hour?'
- 8
Read the following statements:
- All students who study for the test will pass.
- Sarah studied for the test.
- Mark passed the test.
Based only on these statements, which conclusion is certain?
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Correct answer: B
Statement 1 establishes a clear rule: if a student studies, they will pass. Statement 2 confirms that Sarah met this condition (she studied). Therefore, according to the rule, Sarah must have passed the test. We cannot be certain that Mark studied; he might have passed without studying, as the rule does not state that only those who study will pass.
flowchart TD A[Start] --> B{Did the student study?}; B -->|Yes| C[Student will pass]; B -->|No| D[Conclusion is uncertain]; subgraph Sarah S1[Sarah studied] --> B; end subgraph Mark M1[Mark passed] --> C; end - 9
A square-shaped garden has an area of 64 square feet. If a fence is to be built around the entire perimeter of the garden, and the fencing material costs $5.50 per foot, what will be the total cost of the fence?
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Correct answer: C
This is a two-step problem. First, find the length of one side of the square garden. Since the area of a square is side * side (s²), we find the square root of the area: √64 = 8 feet. So, each side is 8 feet long. Second, calculate the perimeter by multiplying the side length by 4: 8 feet * 4 = 32 feet. Finally, calculate the total cost by multiplying the perimeter by the cost per foot: 32 feet * $5.50/foot = $176.00.
- 10
The statement 'A semicolon can be used to join two closely related independent clauses' is grammatically correct.
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Correct answer: A
This statement is true. A primary function of a semicolon is to connect two independent clauses (complete sentences) that are closely related in thought, without using a coordinating conjunction like 'and', 'but', or 'so'. For example: 'The storm raged outside; we were safe and warm inside.'
