There is great unevenness in his later plays; there are moments of the greatest ____ in the midst of great ____.
A. lucidity – enlightenment
B. frivolity – triteness
C. insight – banality
D. obscurity – ambivalence
E. profundity – wisdom
If a writing is “uneven” then it is inconsistent. The two missing words are therefore going to be in opposition to one another. Let’s look at the word pairs and see which ones we can eliminate on that basis alone: “lucidity” and “enlightenment” pretty much mean the same thing, so do “frivolity” and “triteness”, as well as (to a certain extent) “profundity” and “wisdom.” This leaves us with choices (C) and (D). “Obscurity” and “ambivalence” don’t really have any kind of relationship to each other; they’re “apples and oranges,” so to speak. This leaves us with (C): occasionally the writing displayed insight, but it also had a lof of banality (which means “trite” or “devoid of freshness.” The answer is (C).
source: majortests.com
In circle O, central angle AOB measures 72 degrees. The radius of the circle is r. The perimeter of sector AOB consists of line segments AO and BO and arc AB. Which expression gives the perimeter of sector AOB in terms of r?
(A) (π + 10) · r / 5
(B) (π + 8 ) · r / 4
(C) (π + 6) · r / 3
(D) (π + 2) · r / 5
(E) (2π + 10) · r / 5
If the radius of the circle is r, then the circumference is 2πr. The angle AOB measures 72 degrees, which is 1/5 of the total degrees in a circle. Therefore, the measure of arc AB is 2πr/5. The perimeter of the whole section, then, would be 2πr/5 + 2r. If you work it through, you’ll find that the answer is (E).
The driver needs to ________ his anger before someone becomes a victim of road rage.
(a) ameliorate
(b) protract
(c) embrace
(d) venerate
(e) escalate
Here again we have a sentence completion question that is doing nothing other than testing your vocabulary. We know we’re looking for a word that has something to do with easing or lessening. If you know the definitions of these words, it’s an easy question. If you don’t, it’s not. If you go to a dictionary, you’ll see that (A) is the only choice that fits. I’ll let you l0ok up these words on your own! The answer is (A).
source: collegeapps.about.com
A wheel has a diameter of x inches and a second wheel has a diameter of y inches. The first wheel covers a distance of d feet in 100 revolutions. How many revolutions does the second wheel make in covering d feet?
A. 100xy
B. 100y – x
C. 100x – y
D. 100y / x
E. 100x/y
A wheel with a diameter of x inches covers a distance of d feet in 100 revolutions. This can be expressed in the following equation: d=100x. The second wheel, with a diameter of y inches, covers the same distance, i.e. 100x. So 100x = ?y. Using simple algebra, ? = 100x/y. The answer is (E).
Source: majortests.com
| To register as a free member, the individual has to complete a long questionnaire where a _______ of personal information has to be _______. |
| |
| A. plethora..divulged |
| B. calumny..concealed |
| C. phenomena..publicized |
| D. dearth..disclosed |
| E. penury..delineated |
|
If it is a long questionnaire, then it must be asking for a significant amount of personal information. The first blank needs to have something to do with a large quantity. The only word that fits that requirement is “plethora.” “Divulged” also works for the second blank. The purpose of any questionnaire is to get one to divulge information. By the way, notice the first word in (C): “phenomena.” The indefinite article “a” precedes the first blank, so the word following “a” must be singular. “Phenomena” is the plural form of “phenomenon.” The answer is (A).
source: syvum.com
The most important bit of information here, besides the fact the AC = 6, is the fact that the exterior angle measures 150°. This means that angle ACB measures 30° (remember, a straight line has an angle measure of 180°). Since this is a right triangle, and one of the other angles measures 90°, we know that other angle measures 60° (because a triangle always has a total of 180°). This is a 30-60-90 triangle. In a 30-60-90 triangle, the ratio of the lengths of the sides is always 1::√3::2. AC, which measures 6, is the longest side. AB is the shortest side. The longest side of a 30-60-90 triangle is always twice the length of the shortest side. Half of 6 is 3. The answer is (B).
source: charlottemathtutor.com
What is the value of (x + y)(x + y) if xy = -3 and x2 + y2 = 10?
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 E. 5
First we have to use the FOIL method for multiplying binomials.
Using that, (x + y)(x + y) becomes x2 + 2xy + y2.
If x2 + y2 = 10, and xy = -3,
then (x2 + y2) + 2(xy) = 10 + 2(-3),
or 10 – 6, which is 4.
The answer is (D).
source: math.rice.edu
Identify the error, if any, in the following sentence.
After you have writtenA a definition in your vocabulary notebook, add a fewB ways to use the word orC a sentence to illustrate it’sD meaning. No errorE
One of the most common errors students of mine have made is confusing “its” and “it’s.” We learned in grade school that an apostrophe is used to indicate possession. So when “its” is possessive, the temptation is to use “it’s.” “It’s”, of course, is actually a contraction of “it is,” whereas “its” is the possessive. The answer is (D).
source: majortests.com
Looking up from the base of the mountain, the trail seemed more treacherous than it really was.
(A) Looking up
(B) While looking up
(C) By looking up
(D) Viewing
(E) Viewed
As written, this sentence would suggest that the trail was looking up from the base of the mountain. Now, this could perhaps work as a metaphor in a poem, but it doesn’t work for an SAT Improving Sentences question. When a sentence begins with a dependent clause, the first word after the comma must be the subject of that clause. Here, however, the first two words of the independent clause are underlined, so we can’t make that change. Which choice will fix this problem? The only one that fixes the problem is (E). The answer is (E).
source: ochs.orecity.k12.or.us
| It is astonishing to see such extraordinary results from a mere _______. |
| |
| A. epicure |
| B. connoisseur |
| C. glutton |
| D. confidant |
| E. tyro |
|
First of all, an epicure is one who delights in earthly pleasures. A connoisseur is an expert in something. A glutton is one who overindulges, especially in eating. A confidant is someone you can confide in. By default, the only one that works is tyro, which comes from the Latin tiro, which means “young soldier.” It also can mean “novice,” or “beginner.” I had never heard this word before doing this question, but I knew the answer because I was able to easily eliminate all of the other choices. The answer is (E).
source: http://www.syvum.com
Line l contains the points (3,1) and (4,4).
If line m is a different line, parallel to line l in the same coordinate plane, which of the following could be the equation of line m?
A. y = 3x – 8
B. y = 1/3x – 3
C. y = -3x – 8
D. y = 3x + 1
E. y = -8x + 3
Knowing the slope formula will help tremendously here. We can determine the slope of line l by plugging in the coordinates of the two points given:
(4-1)/(4-3), which equals 3.
The equation of a line is y = mx + b, in which m is the slope. We know, then, that either (A) or (D) has to be correct. We also know that line m is a different line from line l. If you plug in the the coordinates for the equation in choice (A), you’ll see that this is the exact equation for line l. The equation for line m must therefore be the one in choice (D). The answer is (D).
source: majortests.com
Which choice most improves the underlined part of the sentence below? If the sentence is correct as is, choose (A).
A conjunction is used to connect words and sentences together.
A. words and sentences together.
B. words or sentences together.
C. words and sentences.
D. words or sentences.
E. words to sentences.
“Together” is redundant here. Would you ever connect something apart? We know then that (A) and (B) are out. Now the question is whether a conjunction is used to connect “words and sentences,” “words or sentences,” or “words to sentences.” The sentence is really trying to say that conjunctions are used to connect words to other words and sentences to other sentences. (C) and (E) both make it sound like conjunctions link words with sentences. The answer is (D).
source: majortests.com
| Whereas the Senator has proven herself a great ________, the Governor is ________ and refuses to consider any opinions other than his own. |
| |
a) compromiser…intransigent |
| |
b) autocrat…inflexible |
| |
c) arbitrator…compliant |
| |
d) mediator…conciliatory |
| |
e) negotiator…indulgent |
Like “although,” or “however,” “whereas” is a word that implies contrast, so the respective descriptions of the Senator and the Governor are going to be opposed to one another. That helps us a great deal with this question, because if you look at the choices, there’s only one that has contrasting words. Which is it? Here’s where vocabulary is so important! An autocrat, by definition, is inflexible. An arbitrator needs to be compliant (or yielding) at times; an inflexible arbitrator would not make much of an artbitrator. A mediator needs to be conciliatory (willing to compromise). A negotiator needs to be indulgent (which also means willing to compromise). The only contrasting pair of words is “compromiser” and “intransigent.” Intransigent means unwilling to compromise. The Senator is willing to compromise, whereas the Governor tends to be unyielding. The answer is (A).
Source: collegeapps.about.com
