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SAT READING

The SAT reading section consists of 52 questions which you must complete in 65 minutes. In
this section, you must read the passages provided and then choose the best answer to each
question based on what is stated or implied in the passage and in any accompanying
graphics (such as a table or graph).

As a sample, you can try your hand at reading the following passage and answering the 10
questions beneath it. Good luck!

Questions 1-10 are based on the following passage.

This passage is an abridgment of “The Wife,” from a collection of short stories, travelogues,
and essays entitled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. by George Washington Irving
(published in 1820).
1. What is the central conflict of the story?
(A) Leslie and the author’s disagreement about women.
(B) Mary’s ability to adapt to reduced circumstances.
(C) Leslie’s need to overcome his poverty.
(D) The marital problems of Leslie and Mary.

2. What is the tone of the passage?

(A) apathetic.
(B) reflective.
(C) pedantic.
(D) cynical.
3. Why does Leslie move to the rural cottage?
(A) On the advice of the speaker.
(B) To test Mary’s character.
(C) Out of financial necessity.
(D) To enjoy the peace of the country.

4. The word “latent” in line 30 most nearly means:

(A) inherent.
(B) passive.
(C) apparent.
(D) obvious.

5. Leslie’s attitude towards his wife can be described as all of the following EXCEPT:
(A) doting.
(B) derisive.
(C) pessimistic.
(D) distressed.

6. The word “It” in line 42 refers to:

(A) the cottage.
(B) poverty.
(C) Leslie's disclosure.
(D) the author's advice.

7. The word “repined” in line 60 most nearly means:

(A) complained.
(B) ascribed.
(C) rebelled.
(D) accepted.

8. What is the purpose of including the speaker’s conversations with Leslie?

(A) The speaker makes a moral judgment about Leslie and Mary.
(B) The speaker’s opinions are a foil to Leslie’s opinions.
(C) The speaker is an unreliable narrator of the events.
(D) The speaker is the catalyst of Leslie’s action.

9. Which choice is NOT a detail that shows Mary’s attitude toward life in the cottage?
(A) The singing that was overheard.
(B) Mary tripping forth to meet Leslie.
(C) The trembling in Leslie’s arm.
(D) The picked strawberries.

10. Which of the following statements most likely represents the author’s opinion on
wealth and marriage?
(A) A husband’s duty is to support his wife in any way that he can.
(B) Wives often find poverty an opportunity to show strength.
(C) Wives are more likely to be happy in prosperity than in poverty.
(D) Poverty is a disgraceful situation, but not always an unhappy one.
 ANSWERS TO SAT READING SECTION

B B C A B C A B C B

Question 1
The correct answer is:
(B) Mary’s ability to adapt to reduced circumstances.
The main discussions of the story are between the narrator and Leslie. Choice A is incorrect because
the narrator and Leslie never argue about different opinions of women. While Leslie is struggling
with his situation of poverty, Choice C is incorrect because the main discussion is about how Mary
will react to her new circumstances. Choice D is incorrect because the story shows that Leslie and
Mary’s marriage is happy, not full of problems. Choice B best reflects the characters’ attempt to
predict whether Mary will adapt to poverty. A key phrase is here: “Who can calculate on the
fortitude of one whose life has been a round of pleasures?”

Question 2
The correct answer is:
(B) reflective.
The story is not Choice A, ‘apathetic’, since Leslie cares about his friend. Choice D is not
correct--cynical means distrustful and suspicious, always believing the worst, and the passage
seems positive about the happy ending of Leslie and Mary. Choice C, “Pedantic” is a trick, as it could
seem like the author is trying to teach a lesson about marriage in the opening. But there isn’t very
much moralizing after that—no real lesson. Rather, as the speaker says in paragraph two, he’s
meditating on the nature of husbands and wives: “These observations call to mind…” This shows
that the narrator is mainly thoughtful and reflective.

Question 3
The correct answer is:
(C) Out of financial necessity.
Financial need is the reason for the move: “when, by a succession of sudden disasters, he found
himself reduced to almost penury.”

Question 4
The correct answer is:
(A) inherent.
The speaker is addressing a power in Mary (and women) which is not usually seen but embedded in
their deeper nature. Choice A, “inherent”, captures this meaning. Choice B speaks about something
being passive rather than active, which doesn’t apply in this context. Choice C and D have similar
meanings; both are descriptions of something that is clearly evident. But the narrator’s point is that
the new situation will “call forth” hidden, deeper things inside Mary’s character.

Question 5
The correct answer is:
(B) derisive.
Leslie obviously loves and dotes on his wife, as he wants to make her life a fairy tale. He is also still
pessimistic about her ability to adapt and feels distressed about it. However, he never harshly
judges her for her perceived inability to be poor, so there is no derision or mocking here. Therefore,
choice B is the exception.
Question 6
The correct answer is:
(C) Leslie's disclosure.
To answer this question, it is important to analyze the context of the phrases of the words before
and after "it." The subject of this sentence is described as bringing relief to Mary, and Choices A and
B, the cottage and poverty, certainly don't bring relief to her even though she meets these trials
with a positive attitude. Choice D is also incorrect because there is no mention about the author.

Instead, Choice C is the best answer. A "disclosure" means to reveal something that was secret. Mary
had been worried about her husband's secret unhappiness, and his confession of the truth makes
her relieved.

Question 7
The correct answer is:
(A) complained.
The speaker never makes any judgments—as stated in #2, he is merely reflective on their situation.
He doesn’t say whether what they do is good or bad. There’s no indication that the speaker is
unreliable—we know little about his character, so Choice C is incorrect. Choice D is the trap. A
catalyst is something that speeds or greatly changes the action. The speaker does encourage Leslie
to tell Mary about being poor, but in every other action, Leslie acts for himself (losing his money,
selling his house, buying the cottage, etc.), so the speaker is not the main contributor or cause of
Leslie’s actions. Therefore, Choice B is correct. A foil is “a person or thing that contrasts with and so
emphasizes and enhances the qualities of another.” Leslie and the speakers’ discussions offer
opposing opinions on Mary’s anticipated reaction.

Question 8
The correct answer is:
(B) The speaker’s opinions are a foil to Leslie’s opinions.
The speaker never makes any judgments—as stated in #2, he is merely reflective on their situation.
He doesn’t say whether what they do is good or bad. There’s no indication that the speaker is
unreliable—we know little about his character, so choice C is incorrect. Choice D is the trap. A
catalyst is something that speeds or greatly changes the action. The speaker does encourage Leslie
to tell Mary about being poor, but in every other action, Leslie acts for himself (losing his money,
selling his house, buying the cottage, etc.), so the speaker is not the main contributor or cause of
Leslie’s actions. Therefore, choice B is correct. A foil is “a person or thing that contrasts with and so
emphasizes and enhances the qualities of another.” Leslie and the speakers’ discussions offer
opposing opinions on Mary’s anticipated reaction.

Question 9
The correct answer is:
(C) The trembling in Leslie’s arm.
Leslie’s arm trembling tells us how he is feeling, whereas the rest show that she is adjusting well.
Her acts of singing, decorating her hair with flowers, and picking strawberries all demonstrate her
positive attitude.

Question 10
The correct answer is:
(B) Wives often find poverty an opportunity to show strength.
The passage was not primarily focusing on Leslie’s efforts to support Mary but the other way
around, so Choice A is incorrect. Choice C is the opposite of what occurs in the passage; Mary finds
happiness even in poverty. Choice D is a trick question, because it is true that in this story that
poverty does not result in unhappiness, but the speaker doesn’t claim that poverty is necessarily
shameful. Choice B is the strongest answer, as the speaker’s view is expressed in the opening:
“Nothing can be more touching than to behold a soft and tender female suddenly rising in mental
force to be the comforter and support of her husband under misfortune”. This attitude is seen
throughout as Mary supports Leslie during their adjustment to poverty.
 SAT WRITING AND LANGUAGE

The SAT Writing and Language section consists of 44 questions you must answer in 35 minutes. In this section,
you are provided with a series of passages with each passage accompanied by a number of questions. For some
questions, you will consider how the passage might be revised to improve the expression of ideas. For other
questions, you will consider how the passage might be edited to correct errors in sentence structure, usage, or
punctuation. A passage or a question may be accompanied by one or more graphics (such as a table or graph)
that you will consider as you make revising and editing decisions.

Some questions will direct you to an underlined portion of a passage. Other questions will direct you to a
location in a passage or ask you to think about the passage as a whole.

After reading each passage, choose the answer to each question that most effectively improves the
quality of writing in the passage or that makes the passage conform to the conventions of standard
written English. Many questions include a “NO CHANGE” option. Choose that option if you think the best
choice is to leave the relevant portion of the passage as it is.

Questions 1-10 are based on the following passage.

The following passage is an excerpt from James Mooney’s “Myths of the Cherokee”:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/45634/45634-h/45634-h.htm
1.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) of the South, holding the entire Allegheny region from
(C) of the South, holding the entire Allegheny region. From
(D) of the South; holding the entire Allegheny region, from

2.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) sovereign
(C) essential
(D) principal

3.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) is commonly considered the capital of the Nation.
(C) had been commonly considered the capital of the Nation.
(D) was being commonly considered the capital of the Nation.

4. Which of the following sentences should be inserted at the beginning

of this paragraph?
(A) The definite history of the Cherokee begins with the year 1540, at which date we find them already
established, where they were always afterward known, in the mountains of Carolina and Georgia.

(B) Throughout the eighteenth century the Cherokee were engaged in constant warfare with their
neighbors, a stark contrast with tribes such as the Hopi, whose harmonious civilization was established
in the West.

(C) As is always the case with tribal geography, there were no fixed boundaries, and on every side the
Cherokee frontiers were contested by rival claimants.

(D) At the same time that one part of the Cherokee were raiding the Tennessee settlements others
came down upon the frontiers of Carolina and Georgia.

5.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) the Sara or Cheraw was
(C) the Sara or Cheraw had to be
(D) the Sara or Cheraw have been

6. What is the most effective way to combine these sentences?

(A) valleys, while the powerful Iroquois in the far north set up an almost unchallenged claim of
paramount lordship from the Ottawa river of Canada southward at least to the Kentucky river.

(B) valleys, however the powerful Iroquois in the far north set up an almost unchallenged claim of
paramount lordship from the Ottawa river of Canada southward at least to the Kentucky river.

(C) valleys, since the powerful Iroquois in the far north set up an almost unchallenged claim of
paramount lordship from the Ottawa river of Canada southward at least to the Kentucky river.

(D) valleys, even though the powerful Iroquois in the far north set up an almost unchallenged claim
of paramount lordship from the Ottawa river of Canada southward at least to the Kentucky river.

7. What is the best way of phrasing this sentence?

(A) NO CHANGE
(B) On account of their holding of the great mountain barrier between
(C) Since they were able to hold onto the great mountain barrier between
(D) By holding the great mountain barrier between
8.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) by whom for more than a century the French power was held
(C) by that for more than a century the French power was held
(D) by which for more than a century the French power was held

9. The author is thinking about deleting this sentence. Should the author delete the
sentence or keep it where it is?
(A) Keep it because it adds crucial explanations about the Cherokee’s influence on several
international links overseas.

(B) Keep it because it adds relevant detail contrasting efforts to organize Cherokee political power.

(C) Delete it because it goes off topic by discussing English advantages rather than the Cherokee’s
decisions.

(D) Delete it because descriptions about individuals like Priber are too minute details to include in
such an overview.

10.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) disperse
(C) glue
(D) affix

11. What is the most precise way of stating this phrase?

(A) NO CHANGE
(B) far from
(C) by far
(D) Afar
 ANSWERS TO SAT WRITING AND LANGUAGE SECTION

B D A C A A D D B A B

Question 1
The correct answer is:
(B) of the South, holding the entire Allegheny region from
Choice B is the only choice which presents a complete sentence. Choice A is incorrect because the
clause after the semicolon is not a complete sentence. Choice C is incorrect because starting a new
sentence from that point would create an incomplete sentence. Choice D, again, is incorrect
because the clause after the semicolon is not a complete sentence

Question 2
The correct answer is:
(D) principal
This sentence is discussing the main group of settlements of the Cherokee, so Choice D, “principal,”
is the only choice which makes sense. The sentence does not say that these towns are the most
important, so the current choice, “prevailing,” which means “current,” does not fit to show that the
towns are the most significant in the area. These towns are not presented as independent
governmental entities, so Choice B, “sovereign” does not fit. Choice C, “essential” also does not fit,
because these towns are not necessary for the Cherokee to exist.

Question 3
The correct answer is:
(A) NO CHANGE
This paragraph is written in the past tense, so it is correct as written. Choice B changes the tense to
present tense. Choice C changes the tense to the past perfect, while Choice D modifies the
phrasing to the past progressive.

Question 4
The correct answer is:
(C) As is always the case with tribal geography, there were no fixed boundaries, and on
every side the Cherokee frontiers were contested by rival claimants.
Choice C correctly introduces the basic topic of this paragraph, which is tribal geography. Choice A
would fit for a paragraph describing specific historical events and dates, but this paragraph is a
more general overview of the Cherokee’s tribal neighbors. Choice B is a general statement about
warfare in a certain time period which does not fit this paragraph because it does not introduce the
absence of territory boundaries as contributing to constant warfare, which is the primary topic of
the following sentences. Choice D also does not fit, as it is describing two distinct groups of
Cherokee tribes participating in raids.

Question 5
The correct answer is:
(A) NO CHANGE
This sentence asks for the correct match between the subject and verb. In this case, the noun in
question is plural: the Sara (also known as Cheraw) are plural. Although this tribe can seem
confusing because the name “Sara” may sound singular, in the context it is clearly plural, and all the
other tribes use plural tense as well. When referring to nation and people groups we use the plural
case; we say “The British ARE coming!” not “The British IS coming!” Choices B and C both use
singular verbs, so we can eliminate them. Choice D uses a plural verb, but it also uses a present
progressive conjugation, making the sentence say that the Sara or Cheraw have been continuing
their actions until today, which completely changes the meaning and tense of the text. Therefore,
this sentence is best left as is, with Choice A.
Question 6
The correct answer is:
(A) valleys, while the powerful Iroquois in the far north set up an almost unchallenged
claim of paramount lordship from the Ottawa river of Canada southward at least to the
Kentucky river.

Choice A is introducing concurrent actions with regard to territorial claims. Because of this, the
conjunction “while” is the most effective choice here. “However” in Choice B does not fit, because
the last clause is not something different from the first sentence; the actions involved are similar.
The conjunction “since” in Choice C also does not fit because the Iroquois action did not instigate
the prior actions of the Shawano. Lastly, “even though” in Choice D changes the meaning of the
construction by implying that the Iroquois action would have some tempering effect on the
territorial claims of the Chickasaw and Shawano.

Question 7
The correct answer is:
(D) By holding the great mountain barrier between
This type of question does not call for the most grammatical answer, since technically all of the
answer choices are grammatically correct. However, it is also important for good writers to use clear,
active voice and precise language. Choice A uses a modifier so far removed from the subject “they,”
that it is difficult to identify who is doing the action of ‘holding’, and its inverted placement of the
subject and verb “holding as they did” makes the phrase more confusing. Choice B turns the active
verb into a gerund--their “holding,” which we try to avoid whenever possible. Choice C is a better
option, but it is still not as precise and active as Choice D. When it comes to precision and
conciseness, choose the shortest answer SO LONG as the choice is also grammatically correct.

Question 8
The correct answer is:
(D) by which for more than a century the French power was held
This sentence explains that the Iroquois league held the French in check, so this underlined portion
would need to fit that structure. Choice D is the only choice which fits both in context and
grammatically. Choice A refers to a location with its use of “where,” so it does not fit this context.
Choice B uses “whom,” which describes an individual or individuals, also does not fit the reference
to a collective governmental body. Choice C’s “that” does not fit grammatically in this clause.

Question 9
The correct answer is:
(B) Keep it because it adds relevant detail contrasting efforts to organize Cherokee
political power.

This sentence should be kept because it gives important details relating to the “looseness of tribal
organization” introduced in the prior sentence, a situation affected by both internal Cherokee
leadership and external, foreign powers. The sentence is giving specific examples of how the
Cherokee’s political power was unorganized until the French in 1736, which directly contrasts with
the previous example of the Iroquois league mentioned in the previous sentence. This means that
Choice B is the best answer.
The sentence is not off topic, as Choice C states, and is not really talking about English benefits.
Choice D is incorrect because the rest of the text included details about earlier treaties and
unifications. Choice A is incorrect because the sentence is not discussing how the Cherokee
influenced many international links, but instead is focusing on how the lack of political unification
affected the Cherokee.
Question 10
The correct answer is:
(A) NO CHANGE
This sentence refers to efforts to forge or combine the disparate Cherokee groups into one powerful
entity, so “weld” fits best in context. Choice B is incorrect because “disperse” means “to distribute or
scatter,” which is essentially the opposite of the correct answer. Choices C and D both mean “to
attach,” which does not fit the meaning of this sentence.

Question 11
The correct answer is:
(B) far from
This sentence is contrasting two states of being for the Cherokee: the potential state of unification
and the actual disunity that emerged. Choice A is not correct because “far away from” refers to
literal distance. Choice C makes it seem like disorganization contributed the most to a unified force,
rather than showing the contradiction. Choice D is also talking about literal location and distance.
Choice B is the only correct answer, displaying that the actual outcome of the Cherokees’ fate
contrasted greatly with their potential for unified political force.
 SAT MATH (NO CALCULATOR)
)
In the Math with No Calculator section students are given 25 minutes to answer 20 questions the
majority of which are multiple choice with a proportion being straight answer questions. The below
gives you a sample of five straight answer questions from the Math No Calculator section.

Notes
1. The use of a calculator is not permitted.
2. All variables and expressions used represent real numbers unless otherwise indicated.
3. Figures provided in this test are drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated.
4. All figures lie in a plane unless otherwise indicated.
5. Unless otherwise indicated, the domain of a given function f is the set of all real numbers x for
which f(x) is a real number.

1.

2. What is the largest possible solution to the equation below?

3.

4. Which value of the constant c would create a linear equation with infinitely
many solutions?

5. In the figure below, angle GHI = 30 degrees and FEH = 140 degrees. What is
the measure of angle HBE in degrees?
 ANSWERS TO THE MATH NO CALCULATOR QUESTIONS

20 7 16 4 110

Question 1
The correct answer is:
20

Question 2
The correct answer is:
7

Question 3
The correct answer is:
16

Question 4
The correct answer is:
4

Question 5
The correct answer is:
110
 MATH (CALCULATOR)

In this section students have 55 minutes to answer 38 questions. The great majority of questions are multiple
choice. Try your hand at 5 of the multiple choice style questions below.

1.

(A) 4xy + 35x + 6y

(B) 11xy + 3x - 6y
(C) -3xy + 27x +6y
(D) -3xy + x

2.
(A) 4
(B) 6
(C) 8
(D) 12

3.

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

4. Kathy is making a sculpture in her yard. She wants to take four identical cubic
boxes, and pile them on top of each other. If she wants to place the boxes on a base
that's 3 m tall, and she wants the final structure to be taller than 5 m, but shorter than
7 m, then which of the following is a possible height of the boxes she uses?
(A) 0.3
(B) 0.7
(C) 1.4
(D) 2

5. Jack is buying gifts for his cousins, For each cousin, he either wants to buy a toy car,
which cost $4 each, or a toy truck, which cost $5 each. If he has a budget of $85, then
which of the following equations models this situation?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
 ANSWERS TO THE MATH WITH CALCULATOR QUESTIONS

B A D B A

Question 1
The correct answer is:
B

Question 2
The correct answer is:
A

Question 3
The correct answer is:
D

Question 4
The correct answer is:
B

Question 5
The correct answer is:
A