Excerpt from The Secret Stache by A. Barber​

Excerpt from The Secret Stache by A. Barber

If you are preparing for the ATI TEAS exam, you have likely come across the phrase “Excerpt from The Secret Stache by A. Barber” in practice questions. This passage appears regularly in TEAS reading comprehension sections and tends to confuse students who cannot find the full text or understand what types of questions come with it.

This guide gives you everything you need in one place: the full passage, a plain-English summary, a breakdown of the author’s purpose and tone, and practice questions with answer explanations — exactly the kind of analysis that helps you score higher on the TEAS reading section.

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The Full Passage: Excerpt from The Secret Stache by A. Barber

For thousands of years, several characteristics have been consistent across human societies around the world. Animal husbandry, agriculture, and artistic expression are some of the similarities all societies share. Another similarity is the mustache. So now I mustache a question: why have mustaches had such a notable presence in human history?

Humans have been shaving for as long as there has been facial hair to shave. However, it is in the past several centuries that mustaches have undergone a more creative transformation. Now, there are many different types of mustaches. The Handlebar, Pencil, and Walrus are only a few of the many types known today. With just a sharpened razor and some mustache wax, the creativity of people and their mustache can be endless.

Though the popularity of the mustache in different cultures varies over time, it has certainly influenced other creations. In the 1800s and early 1900s, mustaches were so popular that a new style of drinking cup — the mustache cup — was created. The mustache cup had a built-in covering over the top so mustaches would not be touched by the beverage. A more recent example of the mark of mustaches can be seen in the first World Mustache Tournament in 2013. The mustache truly is part of the human experience.

Due to its place in the human experience, the mustache is a symbol with varied significance: power, prestige, beauty. When one thinks of mustaches, one may think of a villain from silent films, twisting the ends of his mustache. One may also think of a respected leader with a mustache of prominence. Perhaps one may think of people with famous mustaches: Tom Selleck, Burt Reynolds, and Charlie Chaplin, to name a few. No matter what one pictures when thinking of mustaches, it is clear that the mustache has a substantial effect on human perception.

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Passage Summary

The Secret Stache by A. Barber is a short informational passage that explores the long and surprisingly rich history of the mustache in human civilization. The author opens by pointing out that mustaches are a shared feature across human cultures throughout history — placing facial hair alongside agriculture and art as a universal human characteristic.

The passage moves through several key ideas:

Paragraph 1 introduces the central question: why have mustaches been such a consistent and notable feature of human societies? The author uses a lighthearted pun (“I mustache a question”) to signal the informal, conversational tone of the piece.

Paragraph 2 briefly addresses the history of shaving and notes that recent centuries have brought far more creativity to mustache styling. The Handlebar, Pencil, and Walrus are cited as examples of the diverse styles that exist today.

Paragraph 3 supports the claim that mustaches have influenced culture and creativity beyond grooming. The mustache cup — a Victorian-era invention designed to protect a mustache while drinking — is given as a historical example. The 2013 World Mustache Tournament is used as a modern example.

Paragraph 4 makes the broadest claim: that the mustache is a culturally loaded symbol associated with power, prestige, and beauty. The passage ends by asserting that mustaches have a substantial effect on how people perceive one another.

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Author’s Purpose and Tone

Understanding author’s purpose is one of the most frequently tested skills on the TEAS reading section. For this passage, here is how to think about it:

Purpose: The author’s primary purpose is to inform readers about the cultural history and significance of mustaches. While the tone is casual and humorous, the overall intent is informational — the passage presents facts, examples, and a central argument.

Tone: The tone is lighthearted and conversational. The pun in the first paragraph (“I mustache a question”) is a deliberate stylistic choice that sets a humorous, informal register. However, the passage still maintains factual credibility through specific examples (the mustache cup, the World Mustache Tournament) and named individuals (Tom Selleck, Burt Reynolds, Charlie Chaplin).

Point of View: The passage is written in third person, with occasional first-person-style rhetorical engagement (“So now I mustache a question”). This keeps the text accessible while maintaining a non-personal, essay-like structure.

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Main Idea and Topic

This is another common TEAS question type. Students often confuse topic (a word or phrase) with main idea (a complete sentence that captures the central argument).

Topic of the passage: The history and cultural significance of mustaches.

Main idea of the passage: Mustaches have been a consistent and symbolically significant feature of human culture across different time periods and societies.

A common wrong answer for the main idea is: “People who have mustaches are likely to be famous.” This is too narrow — it only reflects part of the final paragraph and does not represent the passage as a whole.

Another common wrong answer: “Mustaches were more popular in the early 1900s than they are now.” This is not supported by the passage, which makes no comparative claim about present-day popularity.

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Key Vocabulary in the Passage

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Practice Questions (TEAS-Style)

The following questions are modeled on the format and difficulty level of actual TEAS reading comprehension items. Try answering each one before reading the explanation.

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Question 1: What is the main topic of the passage?

A) The history of human civilization B) Mustache styles and modern technology C) Mustaches as a constant across different time periods D) Mustaches were more popular in the early 1900s than today

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: The passage spans multiple time periods and repeatedly emphasizes that mustaches have been a shared human characteristic throughout history. Option A is too broad. Option B is not addressed — the passage does not discuss modern technology. Option D makes a comparative claim the passage does not support.

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Question 2: Which of the following best describes the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A) To persuade readers to grow a mustache B) To entertain readers with humorous stories about facial hair C) To inform readers about the cultural history and significance of mustaches D) To compare the mustache habits of different countries

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: While the tone is humorous, the overall purpose is informational. The author presents historical facts and cultural examples to build an argument about the mustache’s significance. The passage does not argue for growing a mustache (A), does not primarily tell stories (B), and does not compare country-by-country habits (D).

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Question 3: Which of the following statements can be inferred from the phrase “However, it is in the past several centuries that mustaches have undergone a more creative transformation”?

A) Individuals are creating more mustache styles than existed in ancient history B) People today are more creative than people who lived in ancient times C) Mustaches are easier to style in modern times than in ancient times D) Facial hair is more prominent today than it was in ancient times

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: The phrase directly implies that the variety and creativity of mustache styles has increased in recent centuries compared to ancient history. It makes no claim about whether people themselves are more creative (B), whether styling is easier (C), or how much facial hair exists in general (D).

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Question 4: A researcher wants to find primary sources about mustache styles that were popular during the 1920s. Which of the following would be most appropriate?

A) A magazine article about the 2013 World Mustache Tournament B) Personal letters from Charlie Chaplin to Hollywood friends C) Photographs of people at a state fair in 1924 D) A population census conducted in 1920

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: A primary source is one created at the time of the events being studied. Photographs taken in 1924 would directly show actual mustache styles of the era. Charlie Chaplin’s personal letters (B) are primary sources but would not necessarily document mustache styles. A census (D) is a primary source but would not contain information about grooming trends. The magazine article about the 2013 tournament (A) is about a different time period entirely.

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Question 5: According to the passage, which of the following is an example of how the mustache has influenced other creations?

A) The invention of the sharpened razor B) The creation of the mustache cup in the 1800s C) The popularity of Tom Selleck in Hollywood D) The use of mustache wax in styling

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: The passage directly states that the mustache cup was created specifically because mustaches were so popular — making it a clear example of the mustache influencing the creation of something else. The other options are mentioned in the passage but do not represent creations influenced by the mustache in the same direct way.

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Question 6: Based on the final paragraph, which of the following conclusions is best supported?

A) People who have mustaches tend to have more prestige B) The mustache has a significant effect on how people perceive others C) Famous people are more likely to have mustaches D) Villains in modern films have mustaches

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: The final sentence of the passage states directly: “it is clear that the mustache has a substantial effect on human perception.” This matches option B closely. Option A takes the word “prestige” out of context — the passage lists it as one possible symbolic meaning, not a guaranteed quality of mustache-wearers. Option C confuses correlation with causation. Option D changes “silent films” to “modern films,” which is not what the passage says.

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How This Passage Is Used on the TEAS Exam

The TEAS Reading section tests five main skill areas, and the Secret Stache passage is used to assess several of them:

1. Key Ideas and Details Questions ask about the main idea, supporting details, and what can be directly inferred from specific sentences or paragraphs. The mustache cup and World Mustache Tournament are frequently used as detail-based answer choices.

2. Craft and Structure Questions about the author’s tone, purpose, and use of language fall here. The pun in the opening paragraph is a common focus — expect a question about what it reveals about the author’s attitude toward the subject.

3. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Questions may ask you to evaluate what type of source would be most appropriate for further research on a topic raised in the passage. The primary source question (Question 4 above) is a classic example of this category.

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Tips for Answering TEAS Reading Questions on This Passage

Go back to the text. Every correct answer is grounded in what the passage actually says or clearly implies. Do not bring in outside knowledge — even if you know a lot about mustache history, answer based only on the passage.

Watch for “too broad” and “too narrow” traps. Wrong answers on main idea questions are often either broader than the entire passage or limited to just one paragraph. The correct main idea covers the whole passage.

Distinguish inference from assumption. A valid inference is something the text strongly suggests even if it is not stated outright. An assumption goes beyond what the text supports. When a question asks what “can be inferred,” look for the answer that follows logically from the text — not the one that sounds reasonable based on general knowledge.

Pay attention to tone words. Words like “lighthearted,” “informative,” “persuasive,” and “satirical” each mean something specific. The Secret Stache passage is informative with a lighthearted/humorous tone — not satirical, not persuasive.

Read all four answer choices before choosing. On primary source questions especially, multiple options may seem plausible. The correct answer is the one that best fits both the type of source (primary vs. secondary) and the specific topic of the research question.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is “The Secret Stache” by A. Barber? The Secret Stache by A. Barber is a short informational text about the history and cultural significance of mustaches. It appears as a reading comprehension passage in the ATI TEAS exam, used to test skills such as identifying the main idea, understanding author’s purpose, drawing inferences, and evaluating primary sources.

Is The Secret Stache a real book? The passage appears to be a purpose-written text created for standardized test use. It is attributed to “A. Barber” — notably, “a barber” is someone who cuts and styles hair, making the author’s name itself a likely pen name or fictional attribution designed to match the subject matter of the passage.

Why is this passage on the TEAS exam? The TEAS reading section uses a variety of informational and literary texts to assess students’ reading comprehension skills. Short, self-contained passages like this one test whether students can identify main ideas, understand tone and purpose, make inferences, and evaluate the relevance of sources — all without needing prior knowledge of the topic.

What TEAS reading skills does this passage test? The passage is used to test: identifying the main idea and topic, understanding author’s purpose and tone, making inferences from specific phrases, distinguishing primary from secondary sources, and identifying supporting details.

What is the main idea of the Secret Stache passage? The main idea is that mustaches have been a consistent and culturally significant feature of human civilization across different time periods and societies, influencing everything from drinking vessels to human perception of power and prestige.

What is the author’s tone in the Secret Stache passage? The tone is lighthearted and conversational. The author uses a pun in the opening paragraph (“I mustache a question”) to signal a humorous approach, while still maintaining an informational structure throughout the passage.

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Conclusion

The excerpt from The Secret Stache by A. Barber is one of the more memorable passages in TEAS reading prep — partly because of its unusual subject matter, and partly because of the variety of comprehension skills it tests. Understanding not just what the passage says, but how to approach each question type it generates, is what separates test-takers who struggle on the reading section from those who move through it confidently.

Use this guide to review the full text, practice with the sample questions, and build familiarity with the patterns the TEAS exam follows. The more passages you analyze with this level of depth, the faster and more accurately you will perform on test day.