SAT Reading Practice Test 3

This passage is adapted from Saki, “TheSchartz-Metterklume Method.” Originally published in 1911. Lady Carlotta stepped out on to the platform of the small wayside station and tooka turn or two up and down its uninteresting length, to kill time till the train should be pleased to proceed on its way. Then, 5 in the roadway beyond, she saw a horse struggling with a more than ampleload, and a carter of the sort that seems to bear a sullen hatred against the animal that helps him to earn a living. Lady Carlotta promptly betook her to the roadway, and put rather a 10 different complexionon the struggle. Certain of her acquaintances were wont to give her plentiful admonition as to the undesirability of interfering on behalf of a distressed animal, such interference being “none of her business.” Only once had she putthe 15 doctrine of non-interference into practice, when one of its most eloquent exponents had been besieged for nearly three hours in a small and extremely uncomfortable may-tree by an angry boar-pig, while Lady Carlotta, on the other side of the fence, had 20 proceeded with the water-colour sketch she was engaged on, and refused to interfere between the boar and his prisoner. It is to be feared that she lost the friendship of the ultimately rescued lady. On this occasion she merely lost the train, which gave way to 25 the first sign of impatience it had shown throughout the journey, and steamed off without her.She bore the desertion with philosophical indifference; her friends and relations were thoroughly well used to the fact of her luggage arriving without her. 30 She wired a vague non-committal message toher destination to say that she was coming on “by another train.” Before she had time to think what her next move might be she was confronted by an imposingly attired lady, who seemed to be taking a 35prolonged mental inventory of her clothes and looks. “You must be Miss Hope, the governess I’ve come to meet,” said the apparition, in a tone that admitted of very little argument. “Very well, if I must I must,” said Lady Carlottato 40 herself with dangerous meekness. “I am Mrs. Quabarl,” continued the lady; “and where, pray, is your luggage?” “It’s gone astray,” said the alleged governess, falling in with the excellent ruleof life that the absent 45 are always to blame; the luggage had, in point of fact, behaved with perfect correctitude. “I’ve just telegraphed about it,” she added, with a nearer approach to truth. “Howprovoking,” said Mrs. Quabarl; “these 50 railway companies are so careless. However, my maid can lend you things for the night,” and she led the way to her car. During the drive to the Quabarl mansion Lady Carlotta was impressively introduced to the 55 nature of the charge that had been thrust upon her; she learned that Claude and Wilfrid were delicate, sensitive young people, that Irene had the artistic temperament highly developed, and that Viola was something or other else of a mould equally 60 commonplace among children of that class and type in the twentieth century. “I wish them not only to be TAUGHT,”said Mrs. Quabarl, “but INTERESTED in what they learn. In their history lessons, for instance, you must try to 65 make them feel that they are being introduced to the life-stories of men and women who reallylived, not merely committing a mass of names and dates to memory. French, of course, I shall expect you to talk at meal-times several days in the week.” 70 “I shall talk French four days of the week and Russian in the remaining three.” “Russian? My dear Miss Hope, no one in the house speaks or understands Russian.” “That will not embarrass me in the least,” said 75 Lady Carlotta coldly. Mrs. Quabarl,to use a colloquial expression, was knocked off her perch. She was one of those imperfectly self-assured individuals who are magnificent and autocratic as long as they are not 80 seriously opposed. The leastshow of unexpected resistance goes a long way towards rendering them cowed and apologetic. When the new governess failed to express wondering admiration of the large newly-purchased and expensive car, and lightly 85alluded to the superior advantages of one or two makes which had just been put on the market, the discomfiture of her patroness became almost abject. Her feelings were those which might have animated a general of ancient warfaringdays, on beholding his 90 heaviest battle-elephant ignominiously driven off the field by slingers and javelin throwers.