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Question ID 22e4d633

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Information and Command of


Writing Ideas Evidence

ID: 22e4d633
Although many transposons, DNA sequences that move within an organism’s genome through shuffling or duplication, have become corrupted and inactive over time, those
from the long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE) family appear to remain active in the genomes of some species. In humans, they are functionally important within the
hippocampus, a brain structure that supports complex cognitive processes. When the results of molecular analysis of two species of octopus—an animal known for its
intelligence—were announced in 2022, the confirmation of a LINE transposon in Octopus vulgaris and Octopus bimaculoides genomes prompted researchers to hypothesize
that that transposon family is tied to a species’ capacity for advanced cognition.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the researchers’ hypothesis?

A. The LINE transposon in O. vulgaris and O. bimaculoides genomes is active in an octopus brain structure that functions similarly to the human hippocampus.

B. The human genome contains multiple transposons from the LINE family that are all primarily active in the hippocampus.

C. A consistent number of copies of LINE transposons is present across the genomes of most octopus species, with few known corruptions.

D. O. vulgaris and O. bimaculoides have smaller brains than humans do relative to body size, but their genomes contain sequences from a wider variety of transposon
families.

ID: 22e4d633 Answer


Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The text says that LINE transposons are important in the human hippocampus, which supports complex cognition. If the LINE transposon found
in octopuses is active in a similar part of their brain, that would suggest that LINE transposons support complex cognition in octopuses too, which in turn supports the
hypothesis that LINE transposons are linked to advanced cognition in general.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the hypothesis. It doesn’t include anything about how LINE transposons function in species other than humans. Choice C is
incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the hypothesis. It doesn’t include anything about how the LINE transposon in octopuses might support advanced cognition. Choice D is
incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the hypothesis. It doesn’t include anything about how the LINE transposon in octopuses might support advanced cognition.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 602b47c7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Information and Central Ideas and


Writing Ideas Details

ID: 602b47c7
Biologists have predicted that birds’ feather structures vary with habitat temperature, but this hadn’t been tested in mountain environments. Ornithologist Sahas Barve studied
feathers from 249 songbird species inhabiting different elevations—and thus experiencing different temperatures—in the Himalaya Mountains. He found that feathers of high-
elevation species not only have a greater proportion of warming downy sections to flat and smooth sections than do feathers of low-elevation species, but high-elevation
species’ feathers also tend to be longer, providing a thicker layer of insulation.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Barve’s investigation shows that some species of Himalayan songbirds have evolved feathers that better regulate body temperature than do the feathers of other species,
contradicting previous predictions.

B. Barve found an association between habitat temperature and feather structure among Himalayan songbirds, lending new support to a general prediction.

C. Barve discovered that songbirds have adapted to their environment by growing feathers without flat and smooth sections, complicating an earlier hypothesis.

D. The results of Barve’s study suggest that the ability of birds to withstand cold temperatures is determined more strongly by feather length than feather structure,
challenging an established belief.

ID: 602b47c7 Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The text describes how Barve found an association between habitat temperature and feather structure among Himalayan songbirds, which
supports the general prediction that birds’ feather structures vary with habitat temperature.

Choice A is incorrect. Barve’s study isn’t said to contradict previous predictions. In fact, the study supports the prediction described in the first sentence, which is that birds’
feather structures vary with habitat temperature. Choice C is incorrect. Barve’s study isn’t said to “complicate an earlier hypothesis.” In fact, the study supports the earlier
prediction described in the first sentence, which is that birds’ feather structures vary with habitat temperature. Choice D is incorrect. The text doesn’t compare the importance
of feather length and feather structure, and it doesn’t say that Barve’s study challenges any established beliefs. In fact, the study supports the prediction described in the first
sentence, which is that birds’ feather structures vary with habitat temperature.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID 702eb7e3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Information and Command of


Writing Ideas Evidence

ID: 702eb7e3

Economic Policy Uncertainty in


(larger values = more uncertainty)

the United Kingdom, 2005–2010


200

150
Uncertainty

100

50

0
005 006 007 008 009 010
2 2 2 2 2 2

Year

tax and public spending policy


trade policy
general economic policy

High levels of public uncertainty about which economic policies a country will adopt can make planning difficult for businesses, but measures of such uncertainty have not
tended to be very detailed. Recently, however, economist Sandile Hlatshwayo analyzed trends in news reports to derive measures not only for general economic policy
uncertainty but also for uncertainty related to specific areas of economic policy, like tax or trade policy. One revelation of her work is that a general measure may not fully
reflect uncertainty about specific areas of policy, as in the case of the United Kingdom, where general economic policy uncertainty ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to illustrate the claim?

A. aligned closely with uncertainty about tax and public spending policy in 2005 but differed from uncertainty about tax and public spending policy by a large amount in 2009.

B. was substantially lower than uncertainty about tax and public spending policy each year from 2005 to 2010.

C. reached its highest level between 2005 and 2010 in the same year that uncertainty about trade policy and tax and public spending policy reached their lowest levels.

D. was substantially lower than uncertainty about trade policy in 2005 and substantially higher than uncertainty about trade policy in 2010.

ID: 702eb7e3 Answer


Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because it uses data from the graph to effectively illustrate the text’s claim about general economic policy uncertainty in the United Kingdom. The
graph presents values for economic policy uncertainty in tax and public spending policy, trade policy, and general economic policy in the UK from 2005 to 2010. The graph
shows that in 2005, the value for general economic policy uncertainty (approximately 90) was substantially lower than the value for uncertainty about trade policy specifically
(approximately 160). It also shows that in 2010, the value for general economic policy uncertainty (approximately 120) was substantially higher than the value for uncertainty
about trade policy (approximately 70). The substantial differences between these values in 2005 and 2010 support the claim that a general measure may not fully reflect
uncertainty about specific areas of policy.

Choice A is incorrect because the graph shows that the level of general economic policy uncertainty was similar to the level of uncertainty about tax and public spending
policy in both 2005 (with values of approximately 90 and 100, respectively) and 2009 (with values of approximately 80 and 75, respectively). Choice B is incorrect because the
graph shows that general economic policy uncertainty was higher than uncertainty about tax and public spending policy in 2006, 2007, and 2009, not that it was lower each
year from 2005 to 2010. Choice C is incorrect because the graph shows that general economic policy uncertainty reached its highest level in 2010, which was when
uncertainty about tax and public spending policy also reached its highest level, not its lowest level.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID d83c3d54
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Information and Command of


Writing Ideas Evidence

ID: d83c3d54

Characteristics of the Banks of the


Provo River Downstream of the
Jordanelle Dam
140,000
Area (square meters)

120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
1987 1993 2006
Year

grass cover
bare soil
forest cover

The Jordanelle Dam was built on the Provo River in Utah in 1992. Earth scientist Adriana E. Martinez and colleagues tracked changes to the environment on the banks of the
river downstream of the dam, including how much grass and forest cover were present. They concluded that the dam changed the flow of the river in ways that benefited
grass plants but didn’t benefit trees.
Which choice best describes data from the graph that support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion?

A. The lowest amount of grass cover was approximately 58,000 square meters, and the highest amount of forest cover was approximately 75,000 square meters.

B. There was more grass cover than forest cover in 1987, and this difference increased dramatically in 1993 and again in 2006.

C. There was less grass cover than bare soil in 1987 but more grass cover than bare soil in 1993 and 2006, whereas there was more forest cover than bare soil in all three
years.

D. Grass cover increased from 1987 to 1993 and from 1993 to 2006, whereas forest cover decreased in those periods.

ID: d83c3d54 Answer


Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because it describes data from the graph that support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion that the Jordanelle Dam led to changes that benefited
grass plants but not trees. The graph shows characteristics of the banks of the Provo River downstream of the Jordanelle Dam in three different years—1987, 1993, and 2006.
Specifically, the graph shows the amount of grass cover, bare soil, and forest cover in those years. The text indicates that the Jordanelle Dam was built in 1992, meaning that
the data from the graph for 1987 reflect conditions before the dam was built, whereas the data for 1993 and 2006 reflect conditions after the dam was built. The data show
that grass cover increased substantially from 1987 to 1993 and again from 1993 to 2006. The data also show that forest cover declined over those periods. Together, these
data support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion that the dam was beneficial for grass plants but not for trees—grass cover increased significantly after the dam was built,
while forest cover declined.

Choice A is incorrect. Although it is true that, in the graph, the lowest value for grass cover is approximately 58,000 square meters and the highest value for forest cover is
approximately 75,000 square meters, both values are from 1987, before the Jordanelle Dam was built in 1992. Therefore, this information alone cannot support Martinez and
colleagues’ conclusion about changes in grass and tree cover following the construction of the dam. Choice B is incorrect because it presents an inaccurate description of
data from the graph. The graph shows that there was more forest cover than grass cover in 1987, not that there was more grass cover than forest cover that year. Choice C is
incorrect because, while it accurately reflects data from the graph when it compares grass cover and forest cover to bare soil, these data alone cannot support Martinez and
colleagues’ conclusion that the dam led to changes that benefited grass plants but not trees. An increase in grass cover relative to bare soil following the construction of the
dam might indicate that the dam benefited grass plants, but the fact that there was more forest cover than bare soil in all three years doesn’t indicate that the dam failed to
benefit trees.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID 403fb4e4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Information and Command of


Writing Ideas Evidence

ID: 403fb4e4
Percentage of Ondo State
Small-Scale Farmers Who Are
Female, by Main Crop Grown
60
55
as a percentage of total

50
45
Female farmers

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
ndo ndo ndo
O lO O
rth ra
ou
th
no ent s
c
Ondo State region

cereals
root crops
non–root vegetables

Geographer Adebayo Oluwole Eludoyin and his colleagues surveyed small-scale farmers in three locations in Ondo State, Nigeria—which has mountainous terrain in the north,
an urbanized center, and coastal terrain in the south—to learn more about their practices, like the types of crops they mainly cultivated. In some regions, female farmers were
found to be especially prominent in the cultivation of specific types of crops and even constituted the majority of farmers who cultivated those crops; for instance, ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the example?

A. most of the farmers who mainly cultivated cereals and most of the farmers who mainly cultivated non–root vegetables in south Ondo were women.

B. more women in central Ondo mainly cultivated root crops than mainly cultivated cereals.
C. most of the farmers who mainly cultivated non–root vegetables in north and south Ondo were women.

D. a relatively equal proportion of women across the three regions of Ondo mainly cultivated cereals.

ID: 403fb4e4 Answer


Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it uses data from the graph to effectively complete the example of Eludoyin and his colleagues’ findings concerning female farmers in
some regions of Ondo State, Nigeria. The graph presents values for the percentage of Ondo State small-scale farmers who are female, by type of crop and region. The graph
shows that of the farmers mainly cultivating non-root vegetables, approximately 57% in north Ondo and approximately 54% in south Ondo are female; in other words, most of
those farmers are female, which exemplifies the idea that female farmers make up the majority (more than half) of the farmers cultivating specific types of crops in some
regions.

Choice A is incorrect because it inaccurately cites data from the graph: the graph shows that in south Ondo, most of the farmers mainly cultivating non-root vegetables are
women (approximately 54%), but that only about 35% (less than half) of the farmers mainly cultivating cereals are women. Choice B is incorrect because it inaccurately cites
data from the graph: the graph shows that more women in central Ondo mainly cultivate cereals than mainly cultivate root crops (approximately 36% and 20%, respectively).
Additionally, it doesn’t effectively complete the example because the graph shows that female farmers don’t make up the majority (more than half) of the farmers for any type
of crop in central Ondo. Choice D is incorrect because it doesn’t effectively complete the example; it simply states that a relatively equal proportion of women across the three
regions mainly cultivate cereals, which doesn’t address the value for that proportion and thus doesn’t show that a majority (more than half) of the farmers cultivating certain
crops are female.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID 94c54577
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Information and Command of


Writing Ideas Evidence

ID: 94c54577
While attending school in New York City in the 1980s, Okwui Enwezor encountered few works by African artists in exhibitions, despite New York’s reputation as one of the best
places to view contemporary art from around the world. According to an arts journalist, later in his career as a renowned curator and art historian, Enwezor sought to remedy
this deficiency, not by focusing solely on modern African artists, but by showing how their work fits into the larger context of global modern art and art history.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the journalist’s claim?

A. As curator of the Haus der Kunst in Munich, Germany, Enwezor organized a retrospective of Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui’s work entitled El Anatsui: Triumphant Scale,
one of the largest art exhibitions devoted to a Black artist in Europe’s history.

B. In the exhibition Postwar: Art Between the Pacific and the Atlantic, 1945–1965, Enwezor and cocurator Katy Siegel brought works by African artists such as Malangatana
Ngwenya together with pieces by major figures from other countries, like US artist Andy Warhol and Mexico’s David Siqueiros.

C. Enwezor’s work as curator of the 2001 exhibition The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa, 1945–1994 showed how African movements for
independence from European colonial powers following the Second World War profoundly influenced work by African artists of the period, such as Kamala Ibrahim Ishaq
and Thomas Mukarobgwa.

D. Enwezor organized the exhibition In/sight: African Photographers, 1940 to the Present not to emphasize a particular aesthetic trend but to demonstrate the broad range
of ways in which African artists have approached the medium of photography.

ID: 94c54577 Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it presents a finding that, if true, would most directly support the arts journalist’s claim about Enwezor’s work as a curator and art
historian. In the text, the arts journalist asserts that Enwezor wished not just to focus on modern African artists but also to show “how their work fits into the larger context of
global modern art and art history,” or how their work relates to artistic developments and work by other artists elsewhere in the world. The description of Postwar: Art
Between the Pacific and the Atlantic, 1945–1965 indicates that Enwezor and Siegel’s exhibition brought works by African artists together with works by artists from other
countries, thus supporting the arts journalist’s claim that Enwezor sought to show works by African artists in a context of global modern art and art history.
Choice A is incorrect because it describes a retrospective that wouldn’t support the arts journalist’s claim that Enwezor wanted to show how works by modern African artists
fit into the larger context of global modern art and art history. The description of El Anatsui: Triumphant Scale indicates that the retrospective focused only on the work of a
single African artist, El Anatsui. The description doesn’t suggest that the exhibition showed how El Anatsui’s works fit into a global artistic context. Choice C is incorrect
because it describes an exhibition that wouldn’t support the arts journalist’s claim that Enwezor wanted to show how works by modern African artists relate to the larger
context of global modern art and art history. The description of The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa, 1945–1994 indicates that the
exhibition showed how African artists were influenced by movements for independence from European colonial powers following the Second World War. Although this
suggests that Enwezor intended the exhibition to place works by African artists in a political context, it doesn’t indicate that the works were placed in a global artistic context.
Choice D is incorrect because it describes an exhibition that wouldn’t support the arts journalist’s claim that Enwezor wanted to show how works by modern African artists
relate to the larger context of global modern art and art history. The description of In/sight: African Photographers, 1940 to the Present indicates that the exhibition was
intended to reveal the broad range of approaches taken by African photographers, not that the exhibition showed how photography by African artists fits into a global artistic
context.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID ce4448b7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Information and Inferences


Writing Ideas

ID: ce4448b7
Researchers recently found that disruptions to an enjoyable experience, like a short series of advertisements during a television show, often increase viewers’ reported
enjoyment. Suspecting that disruptions to an unpleasant experience would have the opposite effect, the researchers had participants listen to construction noise for 30
minutes and anticipated that those whose listening experience was frequently interrupted with short breaks of silence would thus ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. find the disruptions more irritating as time went on.

B. rate the listening experience as more negative than those whose listening experience was uninterrupted.

C. rate the experience of listening to construction noise as lasting for less time than it actually lasted.

D. perceive the volume of the construction noise as growing softer over time.

ID: ce4448b7 Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. It most logically completes the text. The text tells us that disruptions to an enjoyable experience increase viewers’ enjoyment. It also says that
researchers suspect the opposite is true for disruptions to an unpleasant experience. Thus, we can infer that the researchers expect to find that the interrupted unpleasant
experience was worse for listeners than the uninterrupted unpleasant experience.

Choice A is incorrect. It doesn’t logically complete the text. The text never makes any claims about how irritating the disruptions themselves are perceived to be. Rather, the
text says that pleasant experiences are perceived as more enjoyable with interruptions, and that the opposite is suspected to be true of unpleasant experiences. Choice C is
incorrect. It doesn’t logically complete the text. The text never makes any claims about how long any experience is perceived to be. Rather, the text says that pleasant
experiences are perceived as more enjoyable with interruptions, and that the opposite is suspected to be true of unpleasant experiences. Choice D is incorrect. It doesn’t
logically complete the text. The text never makes any claims about how interruptions affect the perceived volume of the unpleasant or pleasant experience. Rather, the text
says that pleasant experiences are perceived as more enjoyable with interruptions, and that the opposite is suspected to be true of unpleasant experiences.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID b13378c8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Craft and Text Structure


Writing Structure and Purpose

ID: b13378c8
Early in the Great Migration of 1910–1970, which involved the mass migration of Black people from the southern to the northern United States, political activist and Chicago
Defender writer Fannie Barrier Williams was instrumental in helping other Black women establish themselves in the North. Many women hoped for better employment
opportunities in the North because, in the South, they faced much competition for domestic employment and men tended to get agricultural work. To aid with this transition,
Barrier Williams helped secure job placement in the North for many women before they even began their journey.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To introduce and illustrate Barrier Williams’s integral role in supporting other Black women as their circumstances changed during part of the Great Migration

B. To establish that Barrier Williams used her professional connections to arrange employment for other Black women, including jobs with the Chicago Defender

C. To demonstrate that the factors that motivated the start of the Great Migration were different for Black women than they were for Black men

D. To provide an overview of the employment challenges faced by Black women in the agricultural and domestic spheres in the southern United States

ID: b13378c8 Answer


Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately describes the text’s purpose, which is to discuss the important role Barrier Williams played in supporting many other
Black women as they relocated to the northern United States during the early years of the Great Migration. After introducing Barrier Williams, the text describes how she
helped find jobs for other Black women, who in many cases relocated in search of better employment prospects than the South could offer at the time. The text indicates that
by doing so, she eased these women’s transition as their circumstances changed.

Choice B is incorrect. Although the text mentions Barrier Williams’s work as a political activist and writer for the Chicago Defender, it doesn’t discuss any professional
connections she made in these roles or indicate that she used any such connections in her work to secure employment for other Black women. Choice C is incorrect. Although
the text discusses a factor that caused many women to relocate during the Great Migration, their difficulty finding employment in the South, the text doesn’t indicate that this
factor motivated the start of the Great Migration. Moreover, the text doesn’t discuss the factors that motivated Black men to migrate. Choice D is incorrect. Although the text
mentions the difficult employment prospects for Black women in the domestic and agricultural sectors in the South during the Great Migration, the text’s main purpose isn’t to
provide an overview of the employment challenges Black women faced in these sectors. Rather, it provides this information to show that Barrier Williams played a crucial role
in supporting many Black women who relocated to the North by helping them achieve one of their main goals, securing a job.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID 97e5bf55
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Craft and Cross-Text


Writing Structure Connections

ID: 97e5bf55
Text 1
In 1916, H. Dugdale Sykes disputed claims that The Two Noble Kinsmen was coauthored by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher. Sykes felt Fletcher’s contributions to the
play were obvious—Fletcher had a distinct style in his other plays, so much so that lines with that style were considered sufficient evidence of Fletcher’s authorship. But for the
lines not deemed to be by Fletcher, Sykes felt that their depiction of women indicated that their author was not Shakespeare but Philip Massinger.
Text 2
Scholars have accepted The Two Noble Kinsmen as coauthored by Shakespeare since the 1970s: it appears in all major one-volume editions of Shakespeare’s complete
works. Though scholars disagree about who wrote what exactly, it is generally held that on the basis of style, Shakespeare wrote all of the first act and most of the last, while
John Fletcher authored most of the three middle acts.

Based on the texts, both Sykes in Text 1 and the scholars in Text 2 would most likely agree with which statement?

A. John Fletcher’s writing has a unique, readily identifiable style.

B. The women characters in John Fletcher’s plays are similar to the women characters in Philip Massinger’s plays.

C. The Two Noble Kinsmen belongs in one-volume compilations of Shakespeare’s complete plays.

D. Philip Massinger’s style in the first and last acts of The Two Noble Kinsmen is an homage to Shakespeare’s style.

ID: 97e5bf55 Answer


Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. Text 1 states that Sykes felt Fletcher’s contributions to the play were obvious because he had a distinct style in his other plays. Text 2 states that
scholars generally agree “on the basis of style” that Fletcher wrote most of the three middle acts. Both texts imply that Fletcher’s writing has a unique, readily identifiable style
that can be used to distinguish his work from others.
Choice B is incorrect. While Text 1 refers to the women in Massinger plays, neither text compares the women of Fletcher’s plays to the women of Massinger’s plays. Text 2
doesn’t mention Massinger at all. Choice C is incorrect. Text 1 states that Sykes disputed that Shakespeare coauthored the play, and implied that it was coauthored by
Fletcher and Massinger instead. Sykes, therefore, would disagree that The Two Noble Kinsmen belongs in a Shakespeare compilation. Choice D is incorrect. Text 1 doesn’t
suggest that Massinger was inspired by Shakespeare, and Text 2 doesn’t mention Massinger at all.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID 84ece3f6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Craft and Words in Context


Writing Structure

ID: 84ece3f6
The following text is adapted from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1844 short story “Drowne’s Wooden Image.” Drowne, a young man, is carving a wooden figure to decorate the front
of a ship.
Day by day, the work assumed greater precision, and settled its irregular and misty outline into distincter grace and beauty. The general design was now obvious to the
common eye.

As used in the text, what does the word “assumed” most nearly mean?

A. Acquired

B. Acknowledged

C. Imitated

D. Speculated

ID: 84ece3f6 Answer


Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because as used in the text, “assumed” most nearly means acquired, or came to possess. The text portrays a character named Drowne carving a
figure out of wood. At first “irregular and misty,” or haphazard and indistinct, the figure’s outline gradually showed “distincter grace and beauty” until the general design of the
carved object “was now obvious to the common eye,” or plainly recognizable to anyone. In other words, as Drowne continued to carve, the wooden object came to possess, or
acquired, greater precision, changing from an indistinct outline or shape into a graceful, beautiful, and clearly recognizable form.

Choice B is incorrect. Although in some contexts “assumed” can mean acknowledged, or recognized, it doesn’t have that meaning in this context because an inanimate object
like the wooden figure can’t acknowledge its own precision. Choice C is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest that the wooden figure merely imitated, or
mimicked, precision. Rather, the text suggests that as Drowne carved his wooden figure, it gradually became more precise. Choice D is incorrect. Although in some contexts
“assumed” can mean speculated, or supposed based on incomplete information, it doesn’t have that meaning in this context because an inanimate object like the wooden
figure can’t speculate about its own precision.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID d4732483
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Craft and Text Structure


Writing Structure and Purpose

ID: d4732483
Studying late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century artifacts from an agricultural and domestic site in Texas, archaeologist Ayana O. Flewellen found that Black women
employed as farm workers utilized hook-and-eye closures to fasten their clothes at the waist, giving themselves a silhouette similar to the one that was popular in
contemporary fashion and typically achieved through more restrictive garments such as corsets. Flewellen argues that this sartorial practice shows that these women
balanced hegemonic ideals of femininity with the requirements of their physically demanding occupation.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To describe an unexpected discovery that altered a researcher’s view of how rapidly fashions among Black female farmworkers in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-
century Texas changed during the period

B. To discuss research that investigated the ways in which Black female farmworkers in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Texas used fashion practices to resist
traditional gender ideals

C. To evaluate a scholarly work that offers explanations for the impact of urban fashion ideals on Black female farmworkers in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century
Texas

D. To summarize the findings of a study that explored factors influencing a fashion practice among Black female farmworkers in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century
Texas

ID: d4732483 Answer


Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The text provides an overview of a scholarly work discussing the fashion practices of Black female farmworkers in late 19th- and early 20th-
century Texas, and how these practices were influenced by both the fashion ideals of the time and the demands of farmwork.

Choice A is incorrect. The text never discusses the rate of fashion change among Black female farmworkers. The text also never categorizes Flewellen’s findings as
"unexpected." Choice B is incorrect. The text actually explains that Black female farmworkers were trying to achieve traditional feminine ideals, not resist them. Choice C is
incorrect. The text doesn’t evaluate a scholarly work but rather simply describes it. Furthermore, the text is focused on "agricultural and domestic" fashion, not urban fashion
as this choice suggests.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID e818241b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Craft and Text Structure


Writing Structure and Purpose

ID: e818241b
Astronomers are confident that the star Betelgeuse will eventually consume all the helium in its core and explode in a supernova. They are much less confident, however,
about when this will happen, since that depends on internal characteristics of Betelgeuse that are largely unknown. Astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance and colleagues
recently investigated whether acoustic waves in the star could be used to determine internal stellar states but concluded that this method could not sufficiently reveal
Betelgeuse’s internal characteristics to allow its evolutionary state to be firmly fixed.

Which choice best describes the function of the second sentence in the overall structure of the text?

A. It describes a serious limitation of the method used by Nance and colleagues.

B. It presents the central finding reported by Nance and colleagues.

C. It identifies the problem that Nance and colleagues attempted to solve but did not.

D. It explains how the work of Nance and colleagues was received by others in the field.

ID: e818241b Answer


Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it best describes how the second sentence functions in the text as a whole. The first sentence establishes something astronomers
believe with some certainty: that Betelgeuse will explode in a supernova. The second sentence then introduces a problem: astronomers aren’t certain when Betelgeuse will
explode because they don’t have enough information about the star’s internal characteristics. Finally, the third sentence indicates that researcher Sarafina El-Badry Nance and
colleagues investigated a possible method of obtaining the necessary information about Betelgeuse’s internal characteristics, though they found that the method wouldn’t be
sufficient. Thus, the function of the second sentence is to identify the problem that Nance and colleagues attempted to solve but didn’t.

Choice A is incorrect because the second sentence introduces the general problem Nance and colleagues hoped to solve, not a serious limitation of how Nance and
colleagues tried to solve it. It is the third sentence that introduces Nance and colleagues, but no serious limitation of their approach to studying a method of determining
internal stellar states is described. Choice B is incorrect because the second sentence introduces the general problem Nance and colleagues hoped to solve, not the central
finding they ultimately reported. It is the third sentence that presents Nance and colleagues’ conclusion that a potential method for determining internal stellar states would be
insufficient. Choice D is incorrect because the second sentence doesn’t indicate how other astronomers or astrophysicists responded to the work done by Nance and
colleagues; the text doesn’t address this information at all.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID 236fee8e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Craft and Text Structure


Writing Structure and Purpose

ID: 236fee8e
Archeological excavation of Market Street Chinatown, a nineteenth-century Chinese American community in San Jose, California, provided the first evidence that Asian food
products were imported to the United States in the 1800s: bones from a freshwater fish species native to Southeast Asia. Jinshanzhuang—Hong Kong–based import/export
firms—likely coordinated the fish’s transport from Chinese-operated fisheries in Vietnam and Malaysia to North American markets. This route reveals the (often overlooked)
multinational dimensions of the trade networks linking Chinese diaspora communities.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?

A. It explains why efforts to determine the country of origin of the items mentioned in the previous sentence remain inconclusive.

B. It provides information that helps support a claim about a discovery’s significance that is presented in the following sentence.

C. It traces the steps that were taken to locate and recover the objects that are described in the previous sentence.

D. It outlines a hypothesis that additional evidence discussed in the following sentence casts some doubt on.

ID: 236fee8e Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The underlined sentence provides information about import/export firms, showing how Chinese communities across the world were connected
by trade routes.

Choice A is incorrect. The underlined sentence never suggests that the countries of origin of the fish are in question—in fact, it tells us exactly where they came from. Choice C
is incorrect. The passage never describes the steps taken to discover the fish bones described in the previous sentence. Choice D is incorrect. The underlined sentence
doesn’t outline a hypothesis but instead provides evidence. And the following sentence agrees with the underlined sentence, so we could eliminate this choice just for saying
that the following sentence "casts some doubt on" the underlined one—partly wrong is all wrong.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID 93665100
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Craft and Words in Context


Writing Structure

ID: 93665100
Seminole/Muscogee director Sterlin Harjo ______ television’s tendency to situate Native characters in the distant past: this rejection is evident in his series Reservation Dogs,
which revolves around teenagers who dress in contemporary styles and whose dialogue is laced with current slang.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

A. repudiates

B. proclaims

C. foretells

D. recants

ID: 93665100 Answer


Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Sterlin Harjo’s approach to representing Native characters on television. As used in
this context, “repudiates” means rejects or refuses to have anything to do with. The text indicates that television shows tend to depict Native characters as living long ago, but
that Harjo’s series Reservation Dogs focuses on Native teenagers in the present day, representing a “rejection” of the typical approach to depicting Native characters. This
context thus indicates that Harjo repudiates television’s general tendency regarding Native characters.

Choice B is incorrect because the text describes Harjo’s “rejection” of the typical approach to representing Native characters on television, so it wouldn’t make sense to say
that Harjo “proclaims,” or declares or affirms, television’s general tendency regarding Native characters. Harjo is described as refusing to follow the pattern of depicting Native
characters in the distant past, not as proclaiming that pattern. Choice C is incorrect because the text describes television’s tendency to represent Native characters in the
distant past as something that is already occurring, not as something that Harjo “foretells,” or predicts will happen in the future. The text is focused on Harjo’s “rejection” of
this pattern, not on any predictions he may have about it. Choice D is incorrect because saying that Harjo “recants” something would mean that he withdraws a previously held
belief, and it wouldn’t make sense to say that Harjo recants television’s tendency to represent Native characters as living in the past. No beliefs previously held by Harjo are
mentioned. Additionally, a tendency isn’t a belief and thus isn’t something that can be recanted.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID a40c7aa3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Expression of Transitions


Writing Ideas

ID: a40c7aa3
Most of the planets that have been discovered outside our solar system orbit G-type stars, like our Sun. In 2014, ______ researchers identified a planet orbiting KELT-9, a B-type
star more than twice as massive and nearly twice as hot as the Sun. Called KELT-9b, it is one of the hottest planets ever discovered.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. likewise,

B. however,

C. therefore,

D. for example,

ID: a40c7aa3 Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The word “however” logically signals that the information in this sentence about the planet KELT-9b—that it orbits a B-type star—contrasts with the
previous information about planets discovered outside our solar system. Most of these planets orbit G-type stars, not B-type stars.

Choice A is incorrect because “likewise” illogically signals that the information about the planet KELT-9b is similar to the previous information about most planets outside our
solar system. Instead, it contrasts with that information. Choice C is incorrect because “therefore” illogically signals that the information about the planet KELT-9b is a result of
the previous information about most planets outside our solar system. Instead, it contrasts with that information. Choice D is incorrect because “for example” illogically
signals that the information about the planet KELT-9b is an example of the previous information about most planets outside our solar system. Instead, it contrasts with that
information.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID 00221c00
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Expression of Transitions


Writing Ideas

ID: 00221c00
In 1815, while in exile in Jamaica, Venezuelan revolutionary Simón Bolívar penned a letter praising England’s republican government and expressing hope that Latin American
nations seeking independence from Spain might achieve something similar. The letter was addressed to a local merchant, Henry Cullen; ______ though, Bolívar’s goal was to
persuade political leaders from England and Europe to support his cause.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. additionally,

B. ultimately,

C. accordingly,

D. consequently,

ID: 00221c00 Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. “Ultimately” means “in the long run” or “at the highest level.” Although Bolívar wrote to a local merchant, his ultimate goal was to send a message
to political leaders in Europe. Therefore, “ultimately” fits perfectly in this context.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice uses a transition that indicates the addition of an agreeing idea. However, the second part of the sentence actually disagrees with the first
part. Bolívar addressed the letter to Cullen, but he was really sending a message to someone else. Notice how the contrast word “though” also acts as a transition between
these ideas. Choice C is incorrect. This choice uses a cause-and-effect transition. Bolívar’s writing of the letter to Cullen would not cause him to have a goal of persuading
European powers to support him. Choice D is incorrect. This choice uses a cause-and-effect transition. Bolívar’s writing of the letter to Cullen would not cause him to have a
goal of persuading European powers to support him.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID af89fa02
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Expression of Transitions


Writing Ideas

ID: af89fa02
The Babylonian king Hammurabi achieved much during his forty-year reign. He conquered all of Mesopotamia and built Babylon into one of the most powerful cities of the
ancient world. Today, ______ he is mainly remembered for a code of laws inscribed on a seven-foot-tall block of stone: the Code of Hammurabi.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. therefore,

B. likewise,

C. however,

D. for instance,

ID: af89fa02 Answer


Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. “However” logically signals that the information in this sentence—that Hammurabi is mainly remembered for just a single achievement, the Code
of Hammurabi—is contrary to what might be assumed from the previous information about Hammurabi’s many achievements.

Choice A is incorrect because “therefore” illogically signals that the information in this sentence is a result of the previous information about Hammurabi’s many
achievements. Instead, this sentence makes a point that is contrary to what might be assumed from the previous information. Choice B is incorrect because “likewise”
illogically signals that the information in this sentence is similar to the previous information about Hammurabi’s many achievements. Instead, this sentence makes a point
that is contrary to what might be assumed from the previous information. Choice D is incorrect because “for instance” illogically signals that this sentence exemplifies the
previous information about Hammurabi’s many achievements. Instead, this sentence makes a point that is contrary to what might be assumed from the previous information.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID 16631d34
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Expression of Rhetorical


Writing Ideas Synthesis

ID: 16631d34
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
The Million Song Dataset (MSD) includes main audio features and descriptive tags for popular songs.
Audio features include acoustic traits such as loudness and pitch intervals.
Many algorithms use these audio features to predict a new song’s popularity.
These algorithms may fail to accurately identify main audio features of a song with varying acoustic traits.
Algorithms based on descriptive tags that describe fixed traits such as genre are more reliable predictors of song popularity.

The student wants to explain a disadvantage of relying on audio features to predict a song’s popularity. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the
notes to accomplish this goal?

A. Many popularity-predicting algorithms are based on a song’s audio features, such as loudness and pitch intervals.

B. Algorithms based on audio features may misidentify the main features of a song with varying acoustic traits, making such algorithms less reliable predictors of popularity
than those based on fixed traits.

C. Audio features describe acoustic traits such as pitch intervals, which may vary within a song, whereas descriptive tags describe fixed traits such as genre, which are
reliable predictors of popularity.

D. The MSD’s descriptive tags are reliable predictors of a song’s popularity, as the traits they describe are fixed.

ID: 16631d34 Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. This choice uses relevant information from the notes to explain a disadvantage of relying on audio features to predict a song’s popularity—
namely, that it may misidentify features of certain songs. It also contrasts audio features with descriptive tags, which are more reliable predictors.
Choice A is incorrect. This choice only states a fact about the algorithms without evaluating their reliability or accuracy. Choice C is incorrect. This choice only describes the
difference between audio features and descriptive tags without indicating why this difference matters for predicting popularity. Choice D is incorrect. This choice only
mentions descriptive tags, which are not the focus of the student’s rhetorical goal.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID 601b9d18
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Expression of Transitions


Writing Ideas

ID: 601b9d18
Some members of the US Supreme Court have resisted calls to televise the court’s oral arguments, concerned that the participants would be tempted to perform for the
cameras (and thus lower the quality of the discourse). ______ the justices worry that most viewers would not even watch the full deliberations, only short clips that could be
misinterpreted and mischaracterized.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. However,

B. Additionally,

C. In comparison,

D. For example,

ID: 601b9d18 Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. “Additionally” logically signals that the claim in this sentence—that some Supreme Court justices worry that viewers (of televised court
arguments) would watch only short, misleading clips—adds to the information in the previous sentence. Specifically, the previous sentence indicates one concern raised by
those opposed to televising the court’s oral arguments, and the claim that follows indicates a second, additional concern.

Choice A is incorrect because “however” illogically signals that the claim in this sentence contrasts with the information in the previous sentence. Instead, the claim adds to
the information, indicating a second, additional concern that some Supreme Court justices have about televising the court’s arguments. Choice C is incorrect because “in
comparison” illogically signals that the claim in this sentence is being compared to the information in the previous sentence. Instead, the claim adds to the information,
indicating a second, additional concern that some Supreme Court justices have about televising the court’s arguments. Choice D is incorrect because “for example” illogically
signals that the claim in this sentence exemplifies the information in the previous sentence. Instead, the claim adds to the information, indicating a second, additional concern
that some Supreme Court justices have about televising the court’s arguments.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID ec3d7605
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Expression of Transitions


Writing Ideas

ID: ec3d7605
Award-winning travel writer Linda Watanabe McFerrin considers the background research she conducts on destinations featured in her travel books to be its own reward.
______ McFerrin admits to finding the research phase of her work just as fascinating and engaging as exploring a location in person.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. By contrast,

B. Likewise,

C. Besides,

D. In fact,

ID: ec3d7605 Answer


Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. “In fact” logically signals that the information in this sentence—that McFerrin finds the research phase of her work to be just as fascinating as
travel—emphasizes and elaborates on the previous sentence’s point that McFerrin regards background research as a rewarding activity.

Choice A is incorrect because “by contrast” illogically signals that the information in this sentence contrasts with the previous sentence’s point about McFerrin’s attitude
toward background research. Instead, it emphasizes and elaborates on that point. Choice B is incorrect because “likewise” illogically signals that this sentence merely adds a
second, similar point to the previous sentence’s point about McFerrin’s attitude toward background research. Instead, it emphasizes and elaborates on that point. Choice C is
incorrect because “besides” illogically signals that this sentence provides a separate point in addition to, or apart from, the previous sentence’s point about McFerrin’s attitude
toward background research. Instead, it emphasizes and elaborates on that point.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID a819d8b6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Expression of Transitions


Writing Ideas

ID: a819d8b6
In 1873, Spanish scientist Santiago Ramón y Cajal observed that brain fibers have distinct boundaries with clear end points, a finding that went against earlier assumptions
about the brain. ______ scientists had assumed that the brain was a continuous web of fused fibers, not a vast network of distinct, individual cells.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. However,

B. Previously,

C. As a result,

D. Likewise,

ID: a819d8b6 Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. “Previously” logically signals that the fused fiber theory came before Ramón y Cajal’s discovery.

Choice A is incorrect. “However” illogically signals that the fused fiber theory in this sentence contrasts with the information in the previous sentence. While this theory does
contrast with Ramón y Cajal’s discovery, the previous sentence concludes by stating that his discovery went against prior assumptions about the brain. The fact that the fused
fiber theory was one of those earlier assumptions makes “however” an illogical choice. Choice C is incorrect because “as a result” illogically signals that the fused fiber theory
in this sentence was a result of the discovery in the previous sentence. Instead, the fused fiber theory came before Ramón y Cajal’s discovery. Choice D is incorrect because
“likewise” illogically signals that the fused fiber theory in this sentence was similar to the discovery in the previous sentence. Instead, the fused fiber theory, which came
before Ramón y Cajal’s discovery, was very different from it.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID 1ee7b429
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Standard English Form, Structure,


Writing Conventions and Sense

ID: 1ee7b429
Bonnie Buratti of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory ______ data about Saturn’s rings collected by the Cassini spacecraft when she made an interesting discovery: the tiny
moons embedded between and within Saturn’s rings are shaped by the buildup of ring material on the moons’ surfaces.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. studies

B. has been studying

C. will study

D. was studying

ID: 1ee7b429 Answer


Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense in a sentence. In this choice, the past progressive tense verb “was studying” is
consistent with the other past tense verbs (e.g., “made” and “collected”) used to describe Buratti’s discovery. Further, the past progressive tense correctly indicates that an
ongoing action in the past was occurring (she was studying) at the same time that another event occurred in the past (she made an interesting discovery).

Choice A is incorrect because the present tense verb “studies” isn’t consistent with the past tense verbs used to describe Buratti’s discovery. Choice B is incorrect because the
present perfect progressive tense verb “has been studying” isn’t consistent with the past tense verbs used to describe Buratti’s discovery. Choice C is incorrect because the
future tense verb “will study” isn’t consistent with the past tense verbs used to describe Buratti’s discovery.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID aaa1907f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Standard English Boundaries


Writing Conventions

ID: aaa1907f
To serve local families during the Great Depression, innovative New York City librarian Pura Belpré offered storytelling in both English and Spanish, an uncommon ______
celebrated el Día de los Tres Reyes Magos, an important community holiday; and put on puppet shows dramatizing Puerto Rican folktales.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. practice, at the time

B. practice at the time;

C. practice, at the time,

D. practice at the time,

ID: aaa1907f Answer


Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of elements in a complex series. It’s conventional to use a semicolon to separate items in a
complex series with internal punctuation, and in this choice, the semicolon after "time" is conventionally used to separate the first item ("offered…time") and the second
("celebrated…holiday") in the series of activities that librarian Pura Belpré offered. Moreover, the semicolon after "time" matches the semicolon used later to separate the
second item ("celebrated...holiday") and the third ("and...folktales") in the series.

Choice A is incorrect because it fails to use appropriate punctuation to separate the first item and the second item in the complex series. Furthermore, a comma isn’t needed
between the noun "practice" and the prepositional phrase "at the time" because the prepositional phrase is essential to the full meaning of the phrase "an uncommon practice
at the time." Choice C is incorrect because a comma after "time" doesn’t match the semicolon used later to separate the second ("celebrated...holiday") and third
("and...folktales") items in the series. Furthermore, a comma isn’t needed between the noun "practice" and the prepositional phrase "at the time" because the prepositional
phrase is essential to the full meaning of the phrase "an uncommon practice at the time." Choice D is incorrect because a comma after "time" doesn’t match the semicolon
used later to separate the second ("celebrated...holiday") and third ("and...folktales") items in the series.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID 7f48b098
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Standard English Boundaries


Writing Conventions

ID: 7f48b098
Photosynthesis, the mechanism by which plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into ______ is fueled in part by an enzyme called Photosystem II that harvests
energy-giving electrons from water molecules.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. nutrients

B. nutrients and

C. nutrients,

D. nutrients—

ID: 7f48b098 Answer


Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of a supplementary element within a sentence. The comma after “nutrients” pairs with the comma
after “photosynthesis” to separate the supplementary element “the mechanism by which plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into nutrients” from the rest of
the sentence. This supplementary element functions to define the term “photosynthesis,” and the pair of commas indicates that this element could be removed without
affecting the grammatical coherence of the sentence.

Choice A is incorrect because it fails to use appropriate punctuation to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence. Choice B is incorrect because a
conjunction can’t be paired with a comma in this way to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence. Choice D is incorrect because a dash can’t be
paired with a comma in this way to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID 0f39b19c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Standard English Boundaries


Writing Conventions

ID: 0f39b19c
After a spate of illnesses as a child, Wilma Rudolph was told she might never walk again. Defying all odds, Rudolph didn’t just walk, she ______ the 1960 Summer Olympics in
Rome, she won both the 100- and 200-meter dashes and clinched first place for her team in the 4x100-meter relay, becoming the first US woman to win three gold medals in a
single Olympics.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. ran—fast—during

B. ran—fast during

C. ran—fast, during

D. ran—fast. During

ID: 0f39b19c Answer


Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between sentences. In this choice, the period is used correctly to mark the boundary between one
sentence (“Defying…fast”) and another sentence that begins with a supplementary phrase (“During…Olympics”).

Choice A is incorrect. When a dash is present in a sentence (“ran—fast”), it’s not conventional to use another dash (“fast—during”) to mark the boundary between sentences
because it creates a potentially confusing sentence. In this context, a period, semicolon, or colon would be clear and more conventional. Choice B is incorrect because it
results in a run-on sentence. The sentences (“Defying…fast”) and (“during…Olympics”) are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction. Choice C is incorrect because it
results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences.

Question Difficulty: Medium


Question ID f0864217
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Standard English Form, Structure,


Writing Conventions and Sense

ID: f0864217
Rabinal Achí is a precolonial Maya dance drama performed annually in Rabinal, a town in the Guatemalan highlands. Based on events that occurred when Rabinal was a city-
state ruled by a king, ______ had once been an ally of the king but was later captured while leading an invading force against him.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Rabinal Achí tells the story of K’iche’ Achí, a military leader who

B. K’iche’ Achí, the military leader in the story of Rabinal Achí,

C. the military leader whose story is told in Rabinal Achí, K’iche’ Achí,

D. there was a military leader, K’iche’ Achí, who in Rabinal Achí

ID: f0864217 Answer


Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be next to the subjects they describe, so
“Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma.

Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing
the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma. Choice C is incorrect. This
doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.”
Modifiers need to be next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma. Choice D is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a
way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be next to the
subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma.

Question Difficulty: Hard


Question ID c91ef0f0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Standard English Form, Structure,


Writing Conventions and Sense

ID: c91ef0f0
During the American Civil War, Thomas Morris Chester braved the front lines as a war correspondent for the Philadelphia Press. Amplifying the voices and experiences of
Black soldiers ______ of particular importance to Chester, who later became an activist and lawyer during the postwar Reconstruction period.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. were

B. have been

C. are

D. was

ID: c91ef0f0 Answer


Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "was" agrees in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Gerunds
such as "amplifying" are always singular.

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "were" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "have been"
doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "are" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject
"amplifying."

Question Difficulty: Hard

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