SAT Study Guide/Part 5 - Practice Tests/Practice Test 1
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Section
[edit] 1
Time Limit: 25 minutes
Information: The essay gives you an opportunity to show how effectively you can develop and express ideas. You should, therefore, take care to develop your point of view, present your ideas logically and clearly, and use language precisely. Your essay must be typed into the box provided at the bottom of this page.
You have twenty-five minutes to write an essay on the topic assigned below. DO NOT WRITE ON ANOTHER TOPIC. AN OFF-TOPIC ESSAY WILL RECEIVE A SCORE OF ZERO.
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Prompt: A man who waits to believe in action before acting is anything you like, but he is not a man of action. It is as if a tennis player before returning the ball stopped to think about his views of the physical and mental advantages of tennis. You must act as you breathe. Georges Clemenceau Assignment: Is it true that acting quickly and instinctively is the best response to a crisis? Or are there times when an urgent situation requires a more careful consideration and a slower response? Plan your response...
Section
[edit] 2
Time Limit: 25 minutes 24 questions
Instructions:
Directions: For each question in this section, select the best answer from among the choices given and fill in the corresponding circle on the answer sheet.
Information:
Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E. Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
Example:
Hoping to ------- the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be ------ to both labor and management.
(A) enforce .. useful
(B) end .. divisive
(C) overcome .. unattractive
(D) extend .. satisfactory
(E) resolve .. acceptable
1. The .......... of Maria Irene Fornes' play Mud —a realistic room perched on a dirt pile—challenges conventional interpretations of stage scenery.
A. appeal
B. plot
C. mood
D. setting
E. rehearsal
2. Ironically, an affluent society that purchases much more food than it actually needs suffers because of that ------ , since in conditions of affluence diseases related to overeating and poor nutrition seem to ----- .
A. lavishness .. adapt
B. overabundance .. thrive
C. corpulence .. vex
D. practicality .. awaken
E. commonness .. abound
3. Because of the ......... effects of the hot springs , tourists suffering from various ailments flocked to the village's thermal pools.
A. succulent
B. redolent
C. cerebral
D. mandatory
E. therapeutic
4. More valuable and comprehensive than any previously proposed theory of the phenomenon, Salazar's research has ------- the basis for all subsequent ------ in her field.
A. undermined .. advancements
B. prepared .. debacles
C. provided .. investigations
D. dissolved .. experiments
E. reinforced .. misconceptions
5. Dangerously high winds ---------- attempts to begin the space shuttle mission on schedule, delaying the launch by nearly a week.
A. thwarted
B. forfeited
C. implemented
D. discharged
E. redoubled
6. The guest speaker on Oprah Winfrey`s talk show offended the audience by first ------ them and then refusing to moderate these ------ remarks.
A. flattering .. commendable
B. haranguing .. intemperate
C. praising .. radical
D. enraging .. conciliatory
E. accommodating .. indulgent
7. By the end of the long, arduous hike, Chris was walking with a ------- gait, limping slowly back to the campsite.
A. halting
B. robust
C. constant
D. prompt
E. facile
8. Actors in melodramas often emphasized tense moments by being ------- , for example, raising their voices and pretending to swoon.
A. imperious
B. inscrutable
C. convivial
D. histrionic
E. solicitous
The passages below are followed by questions based on their content; questions following a pair of related passages may also be based on the relationship between the paired passages. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passages and in any introductory material that may be provided.
Questions 9-12 are based on the following passages.
Passage 1
The intelligence of dolphins is well documented by science. Studies show that dolphins are able to understand sign language, solve puzzles, and use objects in their Line environment as tools. Scientists also believe that dolphins 5 possess a sophisticated language: numerous instances have been recorded in which dolphins transmitted information from one individual to another. A recent experiment proved that dolphins can even recognize themselves in a mirror— something achieved by very few animals. This behavior 10 demonstrates that dolphins are aware of their own individuality, indicating a level of intelligence that may be very near our own.
Passage 2
Are dolphins unusually intelligent? Dolphins have large brains, but we know that brain size alone does 15 not determine either the nature or extent of intelligence. Some researchers have suggested that dolphins have big brains because they need them—for sonar and sound processing and for social interactions. Others have argued that regardless of brain size, dolphins have an intelligence 20 level somewhere between that of a dog and a chimpanzee. The fact is, we don`t know, and comparisons may not be especially helpful. Just as human intelligence is appropriate for human needs, dolphin intelligence is right for the dolphin`s way of life. Until we know more, all we can say 25 is that dolphin intelligence is different.
9. In lines 2-8, the author of Passage 1 mentions activities that suggest dolphins
A. are unusually sensitive to their environment
B. do not generally thrive in captivity
C. have a unique type of intelligence
D. are uncommonly playful animals
E. have skills usually associated with humans
10. The author of Passage 2 would most likely respond to the last sentence of Passage 1 by
A. suggesting that intelligence in animals is virtually impossible to measure
B. observing that intelligence does not mean the same thing for every species
C. questioning the objectivity of the studies already conducted
D. noting that dolphin activities do not require a high level of intelligence
E. arguing that little is actually known about dolphin social behavior
11. The two passages differ in their views of dolphin intelligence in that Passage 1 states that dolphins
A. share a sophisticated culture, while Passage 2 contends that dolphin intelligence is roughly equal to human intelligence
B. are as intelligent as humans, while Passage 2 notes that dolphins outperform other animals
C. are more intelligent than most other animals, while Passage 2 points out that dolphins are less intelligent than other mammals
D. are highly intelligent, while Passage 2 suggests that there is not enough evidence to understand dolphin intelligence fully
E. have large brains, while Passage 2 argues that brain size does not signify intelligence
12. Which generalization about dolphins is supported by both passages?
A. They display self-awareness.
B. They are more emotional than other animals.
C. They learn at a rapid rate.
D. They have a certain degree of intelligence.
E. They have shown the ability to use tools.
Questions 13-24 are based on the following passage.
The following passage appeared in an essay writtenin 1987 in which the author, who is of Native Americandescent, examines the representation of Native Americans during the course of United States history.
In many respects living Native Americans remain as mysterious, exotic, and unfathomable to their contemporaries at the end of the twentieth century as they were to the Line Pilgrim settlers over three hundred fifty years ago. Native 5 rights, motives, customs, languages, and aspirations are misunderstood by Euro-Americans out of a culpable ignorance that is both self-serving and self-righteous. Part of the problem may well stem from the long-standing tendency of European or Euro-American thinkers to regard 10 Native Americans as fundamentally and profoundly different, motivated more often by mysticism than by ambition, charged more by unfathomable visions than by intelligence or introspection. This idea is certainly not new. Rousseau`s* "noble 15 savages" wandered, pure of heart, through a pristine world. Since native people were simply assumed to be incomprehensible, they were seldom comprehended. Their societies were simply beheld, often through cloudy glasses, and rarely probed by the tools of logic and deductive analysis 20 automatically reserved for cultures prejudged to be "civilized." And on those occasions when Europeans did attempt to formulate an encompassing theory, it was not, ordinarily, on a human-being-to-human-being basis, but rather through an ancestor-descendant model. Native 25 Americans, though obviously contemporary with their observers, were somehow regarded as ancient, examples of what Stone Age Europeans must have been like. It`s a great story, an international crowd pleaser, but there is a difficulty: Native Americans were, and are, 30 Homo sapiens sapiens. Though often equipped with a shovel-shaped incisor tooth, eyes with epicanthic folds, or an extra molar cusp, Native American people have had to cope, for the last forty thousand years or so, just like everyone else. Their cultures have had to make internal 35 sense, their medicines have had to work consistently and practically, their philosophical explanations have had to be reasonably satisfying and dependable, or else the ancestors of those now called Native Americans would truly have vanished long ago. 40 The reluctance in accepting this obvious fact comes from the Eurocentric conviction that the West holds a monopoly on science, logic, and clear thinking. To admit that other, culturally divergent viewpoints are equally plausible is to cast doubt on the monolithic 45 center of Judeo-Christian belief: that there is but one of everything—God, right way, truth—and Europeans alone knew what that was. If Native American cultures were acknowledged as viable, then European societies were something less than an exclusive club. It is little 50 wonder, therefore, that Native Americans were perceived not so much as they were but as they had to be, from a European viewpoint. They dealt in magic, not method. They were stuck in their past, not guided by its precedents. Such expedient misconception argues strongly for the 55 development and dissemination of a more accurate, more objective historical account of native peoples—a goal easier stated than accomplished. Native American societies were nonliterate before and during much of the early period of their contact with Europe, making the task of piecing 60 together a history particularly demanding. The familiar and reassuring kinds of written documentation found in European societies of equivalent chronological periods do not exist, and the forms of tribal record preservation available—oral history, tales, mnemonic devices, and religious rituals— 65 strike university-trained academics as inexact, unreliable, and suspect. Western historians, culture-bound by their own approach to knowledge, are apt to declaim that next to nothing, save the evidence of archaeology, can be known of early Native American life. To them, an absolute void 70 is more acceptable and rigorous than an educated guess. However, it is naive to assume that any culture`s history is perceived without subjective prejudice. Every modern observer, whether he or she was schooled in the traditions of the South Pacific or Zaire, of Hanover, New Hampshire, 75 or Vienna, Austria, was exposed at an early age to one or another form of folklore about Native Americans. For some, the very impressions about Native American tribes that initially attracted them to the field of American history are aspects most firmly rooted in popular myth and stereotype. 80 Serious scholarship about Native American culture and history is unique in that it requires an initial, abrupt, and wrenching demythologizing. Most students do not start from point zero, but from minus zero, and in the process are often required to abandon cherished childhood fantasies of 85 superheroes or larger-than-life villains.
- Rousseau was an eighteenth-century French philosopher.
13. The reference to "the Pilgrim settlers" (lines 3-4) is used to
A. invite reflection about a less complicated era
B. suggest the lasting relevance of religious issues
C. establish a contrast with today's reformers
D. debunk a myth about early colonial life
E. draw a parallel to a current condition
14. In line 12, "charged" most nearly means
A. commanded
B. indicated
C. replenished
D. inspired
E. attacked
15. In line 14, the reference to Rousseau is used to emphasize the
A. philosophical origins of cultural bias
B. longevity of certain types of misconceptions
C. tendency to fear the unknown
D. diversity among European intellectual traditions
E. argument that even great thinkers are fallible
16. The phrase "international crowd pleaser" (line 28) refers to
A. an anthropological fallacy
B. an entertaining novelty
C. a harmless deception
D. a beneficial error
E. a cultural revolution
17. The "difficulty" referred to in line 29 most directly undermines
A. the ancestor-descendant model used by European observers
B. the possibility for consensus in anthropological inquiry
C. efforts to rid popular culture of false stereotypes
D. theories based exclusively on logic and deductive reasoning
E. unfounded beliefs about early European communities
18. Lines 34-37 ("Their cultures ... dependable") describe
A. customs that fuel myths about a society
B. contradictions that conventional logic cannot resolve
C. characteristics that are essential to the survival of any people
D. criteria that Western historians traditionally use to assess cultures
E. preconditions that must be met before a culture can influence others
19. The two sentences that begin with "They" in lines 52-53 serve to express the
A. way one group perceived another
B. results of the latest research
C. theories of Native Americans about Europeans
D. external criticisms that some Native Americans accepted
E. survival techniques adopted by early human societies
20. In lines 66-70, the author portrays Western historians as
A. oblivious to the value of archaeological research
B. disadvantaged by an overly narrow methodology
C. excessively impressed by prestigious credentials
D. well meaning but apt to do more harm than good
E. anxious to contradict the faulty conclusions of their predecessors
21. The "educated guess" mentioned in line 70 would most likely be based on
A. compilations of government population statistics
B. sources such as oral histories and religious rituals
C. analyses of ancient building structures by archaeologists
D. measurements of fossils to determine things such as physical characteristics
E. studies of artifacts discovered in areas associated with particular tribes
22. The geographical references in lines 74-75 serve to underscore the
A. influence Native American culture has had outside the United States B. argument that academic training is undergoing increasing homogenization C. universality of certain notions about Native American peoples D. idea that Native Americans have more in common with other peoples than is acknowledged E. unlikelihood that scholars of Native American history will settle their differences
23. The passage suggests that "Most students" (line 82) need to undergo a process of
A. rebelliousness B. disillusionment C. hopelessness D. inertia E. self-denial 24. In line 83, "minus zero" refers to the A. nature of the preconceptions held by most beginning scholars of Native American culture B. quality of scholarship about Native American cultures as currently practiced at most universities C. reception that progressive scholars of Native American history have received in academia D. shortage of written sources available to students of Native American history E. challenges that face those seeking grants to conduct original research about Native American history
[edit] Section 5
Time Limit: 25
Instructions:
Directions: For each question in this section, select the best answer from among the choices given and fill in the corresponding circle on the answer sheet.
Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E. Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
Information:
Example:
Hoping to ------ the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be ------ to both labor and management.
(A) enforce .. useful
(B) end .. divisive
(C) overcome .. unattractive
(D) extend .. satisfactory
(E) resolve .. acceptable
1. Soon after the first visitors arrived, increasing numbers of the residents of the remote island thought it possible that the outside world, instead of being ----- , could be ------ and worth exploring.
A. insular .. unlimited
B. friendly .. wicked
C. amiable .. cooperative
D. threatening .. fascinating
E. forbidding .. harmful
2. Her dislike of .......... made her regard people who tried to win her approval through praise as ........ A. autocrats .. dictators
B. defiance .. toadies
C. tyrants .. connoisseurs
D. adulation . . superiors
E. flattery .. sycophants
3. Some scientists speculate that a small pterosaur of the Jurassic period known as Sordes pilosus had ...... wings that were thin, pliable, and somewhat transparent.
A. callous
B. arable
C. inflexible
D. membranous
E. viscous
4. To reflect the ------- of that nation's spoken languages, its writers often make use of a mixture of dialects.
A. articulation
B. intonation
C. spontaneity
D. profundity
E. heterogeneity
5. She apologized profusely, only to discover that her self-serving excuses failed to have a ------ effect.
A. reprehensible
B. palliative
C. depreciatory
D. litigious
E. compendious
Each passage below is followed by questions based on its content. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in each passage and in any introductory material that may be provided.
Questions 6-7 are based on the following passage.
Sometimes the meaning of old phrases is self-evident, as with to move like greased lightning and a close shave. But quite often we are left with language that seems to Line have sprung out of the blue and does not appear to signify 5 anything in particular— even Steven, fit as a fiddle, or to paint the town red. Explanations are frequently posited but are too often unpersuasive. One popular dictionary, for example, suggests that to be joshing might be connected to the humorist Josh Billings, but in fact the term was current 10 as early as 1845. Josh Billings was unknown outside his neighborhood until 1860. 6. Which of the following phrases would the author be most likely to add to the list in lines 5-6 ? A. To take a chance B. To jump for joy C. To lend an ear D. To talk through your hat E. To flare up 7. The last sentence of the passage primarily serves to A. cite a well-known fact B. invalidate a theory C. make a veiled accusation D. note a puzzling incident E. explain the origins of a phrase Questions 8-9 are based on the following passage. The following study is concerned with Western cities from the Middle Ages up to the twentieth century, in terms of who did what, why, where, and when. It aims to start Line with the functions that have drawn people to cities, and to 5 work outward from them to the spaces and buildings that grew up to cater to them. Savoring cities in ignorance or drinking them in visually is not enough; I want to find out not just who designed the buildings and when they were built but why they were built. 8. Which of the following would most likely be found at the beginning of this study? A. A statistical analysis of crime rates in several ancient Western cities B. A discussion of the role of central market- places in the early Middle Ages C. A series of portraits of famous people who have chosen city life D. An account of the architectural challenges involved in building large cathedrals E. An essay on ancient archaeological sites worth visiting today 9. The primary purpose of the passage is to A. criticize a study B. justify an expense C. explain an approach D. depict an era E. defend a decision Questions 10-18 are based on the following passage. In this passage, a British novelist and critic recalls a favorite painting. The first painting I ever bought was by Sheila Fell. I went to her studio in Redcliffe Square feeling uncomfortable and even embarrassed, thinking how awful to be Line an artist, having to put up with prospective buyers coming 5 to gape, whereas writers never need to see anyone read their books. I kept wishing, all the way up the steep flights of stairs, that I could go and look without Sheila being there. I imagined she must be feeling the same. I was wrong. Sheila didn`t care who looked at her 10 paintings or what they thought of them or whether she sold them. She was perfectly at ease, seemed to me to enjoy showing her work. There was a confidence about how she propped up canvas after canvas that made me in turn relax. I don`t know why I`d been so apprehensive — after all, 15 we had Cumberland in common, there was no need for me to explain why I was drawn to her work. What I missed, exiled in London , she missed: the landscape of where we had both been born and brought up. The painting was of a haystack in a field. The haystack 20 had clearly just been made, it was golden and the field flooded with a red-gold light, the whole atmosphere mellow and rich. It was a large painting and I realized as soon as it arrived at my home that however much I loved it I had no wall and 25 no room to do it justice. I put it on the largest wall we had in the biggest room and still I felt I was insulting it — the power of the picture was too huge to be contained in our ordinary house. And the light was wrong. The painting couldn`t glow, as it wanted to — it needed a vast, empty 30 room and a great distance in front of it. One day, I hoped, I`d take it back to Cumberland and find a house there where it could settle happily. But when, after thirty years, we found that house, the painting was failed again. The walls were no bigger and neither were the rooms. So I sold 35 the painting and bought another, smaller Sheila Fell. It was a terrible mistake. The moment the painting had been taken away I realized how stupid I`d been. So it had been overwhelming, too large, too dramatic to contain in either house but I shouldn`t have let that matter, I should 40 have found a way to keep it. I grieved for it and wished I could buy it back, marry it again after the folly of a divorce. But it was too late. And then, in 1990, I went to the Sheila Fell Exhibition at the Royal Academy and there, in pride of place, at the end of the longest room, the room it had 45 always needed, was my painting. Its beauty was stunning. People stopped and stared and admired and I wanted to shout that what they were looking at was mine. I am not at all possessive by nature but suddenly I felt fiercely possessive. This glorious painting had been part of my life 50 for so very long and I didn`t seem to be able to grasp that I had willfully let it go. I went back to the exhibition day after day and on the last one became almost maudlin at saying my good-byes. I don`t know who owns the painting now — it merely said 55 "Private Collection" in the catalog— but I doubt if I`ll ever see it again. In a way, that`s better than being able to go and look at it hanging in a public gallery — I`d only go on torturing myself with wanting it back. I can see every detail of it in my mind`s eye anyway. It lives in my head. I can 60 recite it like a poem, and so in a sense I can never lose it. 10. Which statement best summarizes the description of the hypothetical group of people in lines 4-5 compared to that of the actual group in line 46 ? A. The first is uneducated; the second has professional training. B. The first slights the artist; the second is overly respectful. C. The first is somewhat intrusive; the second is apparently appreciative. D. The first rejects the artist's methodology; the second praises it. E. The first is acquisitive; the second is generous and giving. 11. Line 8 ("I imagined ... the same") suggests that the narrator A. believes that most artists feel as she does in the presence of an audience B. is as excited about Sheila Fell's work as she is about her own C. is insecure about promoting her books in front of prospective buyers D. regards Sheila Fell's attitude as eccentric E. enjoys the company of artists and writers 12. The central contrast between the first paragraph (lines 1-8) and the second (lines 9-18) is best described in which terms? A. Idealism versus practicality B. Expectation versus reality C. Speculation versus investigation D. Anticipation versus disappointment E. Generosity versus possessiveness 13. In line 25, the author assumes that "justice" would be A. recognizing the unique achievements of an artist B. ensuring that a work of art reaches the widest possible audience C. displaying a work of art to its best advantage D. enhancing one's daily life with beautiful art E. providing elegant surroundings for exceptional paintings 14. "It was a terrible mistake" (line 36) because the narrator A. had no other souvenirs of Cumberland B. allowed pragmatic concerns to override her fondness for the painting C. did not realize how valuable the painting would become to collectors D. felt that she had betrayed Sheila Fell's trust E. was unable to appreciate the smaller Sheila Fell painting 15. In line 41, the metaphor describing "folly" suggests that paintings can A. lose their aura when seen too often in familiar surroundings B. reinforce misleading recollections of childhood places C. arouse strong emotions in their owners D. provoke artists to make premature decisions E. bring back painful memories of what they depict 16. The narrator says that for her the painting is "like a poem" (line 60) because it A. may be shared with others as a source of pleasure B. is essential to the narrator's sense of identity C. represents the narrator's longing for beautiful objects D. makes a powerful first impression upon the narrator E. is preserved vividly within the narrator's mind 17. In the closing paragraphs, the narrator uses the language of human interaction in describing the painting in order to emphasize the A. empathy she feels with its creator B. difficulty she encounters in maintaining it C. pressure she feels to "divorce" it D. extent to which she feels its loss E. quality of her nostalgia for what it depicts 18. The passage serves mainly to A. discuss the influence of environment on artistic achievement B. defend the works of a controversial artist C. explore the emotional context of a particular series of events D. argue against placing undue emphasis on the economic value of art E. stimulate interest in an overlooked artistic genre Questions 19-24 are based on the following passage. The following passage is excerpted from a review of a book about aviation`s early years. Aviation belonged to the new century in part because the engineering that went into flying machines was utterly different from that of the Industrial Revolution. Nineteenth- Line century engineering revolved around the steam engine. It 5 was about weight and brute power—beautifully machined heavy steel, burnished bronze, polished copper pipes, ornamental cast iron—everything built, with no expense spared, to withstand great pressures and last any number of lifetimes. Airplane construction was the opposite of all that; 10 it was about lightness. The Wright brothers, who created one of the first airplanes, started out making bicycles, which were all the rage at the turn of the century. They knew about thin-wall steel tubes, wire-spoked wheels, chain drives, and whatever 15 else it took to construct efficient machines that weighed as little as possible. In effect, they were practical engineers at the cheap end of the market, but they happened to be fascinated by flight. Says one writer, "Wilbur [Wright] spent his time studying the flight of vultures, eagles, 20 ospreys, and hawks, trying to discover the secret of their ability to maneuver with their wings in unstable air. To those who later asked him how he learned to fly, he loved to reply through his scarcely opened lips: "Like a bird." This is the point at which engineering intersects with the 25 imagination, with humanity`s ancient dream of freeing itself from gravity. Until the first fliers got to work, the body was earthbound, but it enclosed a soul that flew—in meditation, in poetry, and, as the seventeenth-century English poet Andrew Marvell showed, sometimes 30 spectacularly in both: Casting the body`s vest aside My soul into the boughs does glide: There, like a Bird, it sits and sings, Then whets and combs its silver wings, 35 And, till prepared for longer flight, Waves in its plumes the various light. At the beginning of this century, the new light engineering that allowed people to fly seemed to the uninitiated a kind of poetry. In 1913, a writer in the 40 Atlantic Monthly claimed that "machinery is our new art form" and praised "the engineers whose poetry is too deep to look poetic" and whose gifts "have swung their souls free ... like gods." One of Wright`s most eloquent admirers called him a poet and compared him to one of 45 "those monks of Asia Minor who live perched on the tops of inaccessible mountain peaks. The soul of Wilbur Wright is just as high and faraway." Wright was, in fact, "deeply middle-class and unheroic," writes one biographer, but those obsessed with the glamour of flight pretended not to 50 notice. 19. The primary purpose of the passage is to A. profile the unique personalities of aviation pioneers B. examine the theme of flight in contemporary poetry C. survey the effects of aviation on twentieth-century lifestyles D. explain important principles of flight in nontechnical language E. discuss how early aviation captured people's imagination 20. In lines 3-9, the description of the steam engine is primarily intended to illustrate A. how train engineers provided a model that aviation engineers could follow B. how the Industrial Revolution accelerated society's interest in travel C. a form of engineering that emphasized immense mass and strength D. a twentieth-century preoccupation with style over practicality E. an inefficient mode of transportation whose value was overrated 21. The author refers to "the cheap end of the market" (line 17) to make the point that A. aviation's progress was hindered by people who had little concern for quality B. the public could afford to fly because airplanes used inexpensive materials C. aviators were the target of unwarranted and petty criticism D. the pioneers of aviation had modest technological beginnings E. nineteenth-century engineering methods were too extravagant 22. In lines 31-36, the author quotes Marvell's poetry primarily to illustrate A. the contrast between imaginative and practical engineering B. the solution to the mystery of flight C. how the advantages of flight outweigh its dangers D. how those who analyze the mechanics of flight overlook its beauty E. humanity's deep longing to be able to fly 23. The quotation in lines 41-42 ("the engineers ... poetic") serves to reinforce the point that A. machines can be as inspiring as works of art B. technology and poetry are both misunderstood C. scientific practicality is more important than artistic creativity D. the technical language of engineers has a lyrical quality E. artistic pretensions are not suitable for engineers 24. In lines 47-48, the inclusion of the biographer's remarks is intended to A. criticize an instance of unimaginative thinking B. demystify the image of an individual C. reiterate a generally accepted view D. reassess the importance of an invention E. perpetuate the legacy of a scientific hero Section 7777777777777777777 Time Limit: 25 Instructions: Directions: For each question in this section, select the best answer from among the choices given and fill in the corresponding circle on the answer sheet. The following sentences test correctness and effectiveness of expression. Part of each sentence or the entire sentence is underlined; beneath each sentence are five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Choice A repeats the original phrasing; the other four choices are different. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice A; if not, select one of the other choices. In making your selection, follow the requirements of standard written English; that is, pay attention to grammar, choice of words, sentence construction, and punctuation. Your selection should result in the most effective sentence—clear and precise, without awkwardness or ambiguity. Information: EXAMPLE: Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book and she was sixty-five years old then. (A) and she was sixty-five years old then (B) when she was sixty-five (C) at age sixty-five years old (D) upon the reaching of sixty-five years (E) at the time when she was sixty-five 1. Roger had just walked into his office and that was when he was told that his plan had finally been approved. A. and that was when he was told B. and then he learned C. when it was learned by him D. and then they told him E. when he learned 2. Burdened with three pieces of luggage and a pair of skis, Sarah`s search for a baggage cart was desperate. A. Sarah's search for a baggage cart was desperate B. Sarah's desperate search was for a baggage cart C. a baggage cart was what Sarah desperately searched for D. a baggage cart for which Sarah desperately searched E. Sarah searched desperately for a baggage cart 3. Karen, James, and Sam were hiking when, stumbling over a rock, he fell down a steep embankment. A. when, stumbling over a rock, he fell down a steep embankment B. and then he fell down a steep embankment after he stumbled over a rock C. when Sam fell down a steep embankment after stumbling over a rock D. when Sam fell down a steep embankment, since he stumbled over a rock E. and, since Sam has stumbled over a rock, he fell down a steep embankment 4. By attracting new industry when the old factory closed, the council kept the economy of the town from collapsing, this was a disaster many workers had feared. A. this was a disaster many workers had feared B. because many workers had feared a disaster C. the fear many workers had would be a disaster D. a disaster that many workers had feared E. it was feared by many workers as a disaster 5. A healthy economy can be measured not only by the growth of businesses but it has a psychological effect on people. A. it has a B. as well in the C. also by the D. also the E. in the way of having a 6. Today`s political candidates may reach wide audiences by appearing on television, but old-fashioned barnstorming still has value because it allows the electorate to meet candidates face to face. A. television, but old-fashioned barnstorming still has value because it allows B. television, but old-fashioned barnstorming still would have value because of allowing C. television; however, there is still value in old-fashioned barnstorming by allowing D. television, old-fashioned barnstorming still having value because it allows E. television, when old-fashioned barnstorming still has value in allowing 7. Linguistic research often requires fieldwork where they can study and record the spoken dialects of a region. A. where they B. through which they C. and the linguist D. during which the linguist E. which they 8. The primatologist has argued that sustained observation of a few animals provides better behavioral data than does intermittent observation of many animals. A. provides better behavioral data than does intermittent observation of many animals B. provides better behavioral data than many animals are observed intermittently C. providing better behavioral data than does intermittent observation of many animals D. do provide better behavioral data than intermittent observation of many animals do E. in contrast to intermittent observation of many animals, provides better behavioral data 9. George Orwell`s term "doublespeak" referring to the intentional use of language to confuse or to mislead, as when one says "revenue enhancement" instead of "tax increase." A. referring to the intentional use of language B. referring to language which is intentionally used C. which refers to intentionally using language D. refers to the intentional use of language E. is when it refers to language used intentionally 10. Scientists predict technological changes in the next century, they will be as dramatic as was the development of the transcontinental railroad in the last century. A. century, they will be as dramatic as was B. century, these will be as dramatic as C. century; being as dramatic as was D. century will be dramatic as is E. century as dramatic as 11. With billions of tons yet to be mined, some argue that coal conservation measures are unnecessary. A. With billions of tons B. Because billions of tons of coal are C. Because of coal in billions of tons D. By considering that there are billions of tons E. Aware of the coal in billions of tons The following sentences test your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. Each sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice E. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English. EXAMPLE: The other delegates and him immediately accepted the resolution drafted by the neutral states. No error A B C D E 12. Beatrix Potter completely transformed the traditional animal fable and they had been (A) ,(B) (C) used by other writers simply to illustrate moral lessons. No error (D) E A B C D E 13. No matter where they came from or what their previous lifestyle is ,the refugees were (A) (B) (C) grateful for having been granted political asylum in the United States. No error (D) (E) A B C D E 14. Susan and Peter were inspired to become a professional writer after hearing a (A) (B) (C) famous journalist speak about the challenges of investigative reporting. No error (D) (E) A B C D E 15. Cocoa was popular with Europeans before either tea and coffee, its consumption gradually (A) (B) (C) spreading from Spain and Portugal to Italy, Austria, France, and then across the channel to the (D) British Isles. No error (E) A B C D E 16. To become a world figure-skating champion like Kristi Yamaguchi, one must be so (A) (B) dedicated that you will practice six hours a day. No error (C) (D) (E) A B C D E 17. Each time Caroline turns on her computer, she has to enter a company code, then her (A) initials, and then enters a password before she can begin working No error (B) (C) (D) . (E) A B C D E 18. A talented and versatile artist Twyla Tharp has been a dancer, choreographer, (A) (B) (C) and collaborated on various productions No error .(D) (E) A B C D E 19. The scientific writings of Edward O. Wilson, Stephen Jay Gould, and Richard Dawkins, Which has continued the discussion of genetic issues raised by Charles Darwin, are familiar (A) (B) (C) (D) to many high school and college students. No error (E) A B C D E 20. Conflicts between land developers and conservationists have repeatedly arose, causing (A) (B) Congress to reconsider legislation that prohibits building within habitats of endangered species. (C) (D) No error (E) A B C D E 21. Surely one of the most far-reaching changes in the nineteenth century will be the change (A) (B) from working at home to working in the factory. No error (C) (D) (E) A B C D E 22. Howard Gardner, an observer of Chinese elementary education, has questioned the view (A) that requiring young children to copy models prevents them from becoming a creative artist (B) (C) (D) later in life. No error (E) A B C D E 23. The governor´s aides are convinced that the announcement of the investigation, coming just (A) (B) days before the filing deadline, were calculated to discourage the governor from running for reelection. No error (C) (D) (E) A B C D E 24. Although the new device was the most clever designed bird feeder that Ms. Rodriguez (A) (B) had ever owned ,it could not keep squirrels from stealing the birdseed. No error (C) (D) (E) A B C D E 25. Whatever price the company finally sets for the fuel will probably be determined (A) (B) as much by politics as by a realistic appraisal of the market. No error (C) (D) (E) A B C D E 26. Air pollution caused by industrial fumes has been studied for years, but only recently (A) (B) has the harmful effects of noise pollution become known. No error(E) (C) (D) A B C D E 27. The historian argued that we ought to learn more about the process by which (A) (B) individuals ,like Sam Houston, were identified by others as leaders. No error (C) (D) (E) A B C D E 28. Quick to take advantage of Melanie Johnson`s preoccupation in the history of the (A) (B) (C) Johnson family, the genealogist proposed investigating that history — for a large fee. No error (D) (E) A B C D E 29. Contrasting with most other fifteenth-century rulers, Portuguese kings could count on (A) (B) (C) the support of the aristocracy in any overseas ventures. No error (D) (E) A B C D E Directions: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English. Questions 30-35 are based on the following passage. (1) Many people complain about the negative statements made by candidates that are arising during political campaigns. (2) But really, what candidate is ever going to say something nice about an opponent? (3) Their goal, after all, is if you elect them. (4) Clearly, there are times when negatives must be mentioned. (5) For example, it is only fair for a challenger to point out that an incumbent has in fact done a poor job in office. (6) Now that I am almost old enough to vote, I pay more attention to the character of candidates. (7) But there is another kind of negative campaigning, the kind known as "sleaze." (8) Instead of proposing new policies, a sleazy candidate will run a campaign aimed at smearing the opponent. (9) It has become so common that it is almost taken for granted. (10) The dirtiest kinds of campaigns use tactics such as character assassination and outright lying about an opponent. (11) The actual work of planting the lies is often done by campaign staff. (12) Then the accusing candidate denies knowing about it. (13) Meanwhile, someone's reputation is ruined because people who hear the lies believe them without checking the facts first. (14) The media report the lies, they say it is because they are newsworthy, (15) Thus the media contribute to a vicious circle. 30. In context, which of the following revisions is necessary in sentence 1 (reproduced below) ? Many people complain about the negative statements made by candidates that are arising during political campaigns. A. Delete "people". B. Change "complain" to "complained". C. Change "are arising" to "is raised". D. Delete "that are arising". E. Insert "the course of" after "during". 31. In context, which is the best version of sentence 3 (reproduced below) ? Their goal, after all, is if you elect them. A. (As it is now) B. Their goal, after all, would be if their opponent lost. C. A political candidate's goal, after all, is when the election is won. D. The goal of political candidates, after all, is to win elections. E. The goal of politics, after all, is for you to elect this person. 32. In context, which of the following most logically replaces "It" in sentence 9 (reproduced below) ? It has become so common that it is almost taken for granted. A. This strategy B. This lack of planning C. This complaint D. This lie E. This promise 33. What should be done with sentence 6 (reproduced below) ? Now that I am almost old enough to vote, I pay more attention to the character of candidates. A. Leave it as it is. B. Delete it. C. Insert "Consequently," at the beginning. D. Add "than I formerly did" at the end. E. Rephrase the sentence and begin with "Shouldn't I pay". 34. Which is the best way to deal with sentence 14 (reproduced below) ? The media report the lies, they say it is because they are newsworthy. A. Leave it as it is. B. Delete it. C. Change "report" to "verify". D. Change "they say it's because" to "saying that". E. Change "they are newsworthy" to "it is news". 35. Which of the following is best to add after sentence 15 as a concluding sentence? A. These tactics may be unnecessary, but they do have a bright side after all. B. Restrictions such as this, if rigorously enforced, will control negative campaigning. C. In conclusion, the media should refuse to participate in it. D. Therefore, as much as political campaigns cost, we deserve better. E. This practice only worsens the negative aspects of our political campaigns. Section what the heck ^^ Time limit 10 minutes 14 questions Instructions: Directions: For each question in this section, select the best answer from among the choices given and fill in the corresponding circle on the answer sheet. The following sentences test correctness and effectiveness of expression. Part of each sentence or the entire sentence is underlined; beneath each sentence are five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Choice A repeats the original phrasing; the other four choices are different. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice A; if not, select one of the other choices. In making your selection, follow the requirements of standard written English; that is, pay attention to grammar, choice of words, sentence construction, and punctuation. Your selection should result in the most effective sentence—clear and precise, without awkwardness or ambiguity. Information: EXAMPLE: Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book and she was sixty-five years old then. (A) and she was sixty-five years old then (B) when she was sixty-five (C) at age sixty-five years old (D) upon the reaching of sixty-five years (E) at the time when she was sixty-five 1. Some of the Smithsonian Institution's most prized items, from Duke Ellington's musical transcripts to First Ladies' gowns, coming from unsolicited donations. A. coming from B. they come from C. they have come from D. came from E. which came from 2. As patients, the medical directors of the clinic believe that you are entitled to know the reason for the increase in fees. A. As patients, the medical directors of the clinic believe that you B. The belief of the clinic's medical directors about patients is that you C. You, as patients, are believed by the clinical medical directors, and you D. The medical directors of the clinic, who believe that you, as patients, E. The medical directors of the clinic believe that as patients, you 3. Lecturing at the university, read the poetry of Margaret Atwood was the advice Professor Clark gave her audience . A. read the poetry of Margaret Atwood was the advice Professor Clark gave her audience B. The poetry of Margaret Atwood was what . Professor Clark advised her audience to read C. her audience was advised by Professor Clark to read the poetry of Margaret Atwood D. Margaret Atwood's poetry, advised Professor Clark, was what her audience should read E. Professor Clark advised her audience to read the poetry of Margaret Atwood 4. Lois has learned more about Arna Bontemps' writings than the rest of us because of being her favorite author . A. us because of being her favorite author B. us; this is the result of Bontemps' being her favorite author C. us because Bontemps is her favorite author D. us as a result of Bontemps' being her favorite author E. us since Bontemps is her favorite as an author 5. The five autobiographical volumes by Maya Angelou begin with her childhood in Arkansas and culminate in her adult years in Egypt and Ghana. A. begin with her childhood in Arkansas and culminate B. that begin with her childhood in Arkansas and culminate C. have begun with her childhood in Arkansas and culminating D. beginning with her childhood in Arkansas and culminating E. are begun with her childhood in Arkansas and culminated 6. Rilke, the great German poet, could not continue his search for angelic spirits until he can rely on a strength greater than his own . A. can rely on a strength greater than his own B. could rely on a strength greater than his own C. would be able to rely on a strength greater than his own D. can rely on a strength greater than his strength E. could rely on a strength greater than his strength 7. Ensuring that the bread will have the same consistency from batch to batch, it is the quality control specialist who checks small random samples of dough from each lot. A. it is the quality control specialist who checks small random samples of dough from each lot B. the quality control specialist checks small random samples of dough from each lot C. small random samples of dough being checked from each lot by the quality control specialist D. the quality control specialist checks samples of dough — small and randomly — from each lot E. the quality control specialist is the one checking small random samples from each lot of dough 8. Surface mining is safer, quicker, and cheaper than deep mining, but the greater is its toll in human misery . A. the greater is its toll in human misery B. it has a greater human misery toll C. in its human misery toll it is greater D. there is the greater toll in human misery E. its toll in human misery is greater 9. Trees are able to collect large amounts of water from fog— in some areas as much as thirty inches annually. A. in some areas as much as thirty inches annually B. in some areas having thirty inches per year C. in some places collecting about thirty inches per year annually D. collecting the equal of thirty inches annually in some places E. which in some areas amounts to thirty inches collected annually 10. Prized for their rarity, gourmets will spend a small fortune on wild truffles rather than settle for common mushrooms. A. Prized for their rarity, gourmets will spend a small fortune on wild truffles rather than settle for common mushrooms. B. Prized as rare, gourmets will spend a small fortune on wild truffles as opposed to settling for common mushrooms. C. Prized for their rarity, wild truffles command a small fortune among gourmets unwilling to settle for common mushrooms. D. As prized for rarity, wild truffles, being costly, command a small fortune for gourmets unwilling to settle for common mushrooms E. Wild truffles prized for their rarity by gourmets who will spend a small fortune but not to settle for common mushrooms. 11. Evidence from surveys and interviews shows friendships made in high school tend to last longer than those made in college. A. shows friendships made in high school tend to last B. show high school friendships tend to last C. is showing high school friendships tending to last D. shows that friendships made in high school tend to last E. shows friendships in high school tends to last 12. Growing up in a family where music was a daily part of life, Steve and Rick shared a determination to become singing duos known nationwide. A. to become a singing duo B. to become singing duos C. of becoming singing duos D. that they would become singing duos E. of becoming a singing duo 13. Before reading the front page of the newspaper, my sister reads the sports section, my brother reads the comics first. A. Before reading the front page of the newspaper, my sister reads the sports section, my brother reads the comics first. B. My sister reads the sports section before reading the front page of the newspaper and my brother, he reads the comics first. C. Before reading the front page of the newspaper, my sister reads the sports section; my brother reads the comics first. D. My brother reads the comics first with my sister reading the sports section before reading the front page of the newspaper. E. Before reading the front page of the newspaper, my sister reads the sports section; my brother reading the comics first. 14. Jacob Lawrence is best known for his depictions of modern urban life, and his celebrated painting Forward presents a rural scene from the life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman. A. Jacob Lawrence is best known for his depictions of modern urban life, and B. Jacob Lawrence is best known for his depictions of modern urban life, C. Jacob Lawrence is best known for his depictions of modern urban life, however D. Although Jacob Lawrence is best known for his depictions of modern urban life, E. Inasmuch as Jacob Lawrence is best known for his depictions of modern urban life, END OF TEST GOOD LUCK Dr. SERRY Answer booklet SECTION ONE ESSAY
Category:SAT Study Guide|Part 5 - Practice Tests/Practice Test 1]]
