Sociologists have found that, paradoxically, many children of unorthodox, creative parents grow up to be rather tame _______.
A. idealists
B. conformists
C. individualists
D. alarmists
E. elitists
The key word here is “paradoxically.” A paradox is an apparent contradiction, so we need to choose a word that suggests “uncreative” and “orthodox.” With that in mind, “conformists” would make the most sense. The answer is (B).
source: kaptest.com
Which choice best improves the underlined portion of this sentence? If the sentence is fine as is, choose (A).
I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music: it has given me so much pleasure.
A. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music:
B. I would like to thank whomever it was that has written that piece of music:
C. I would like to thank whomever it might be that wrote that piece of music:
D. Whoever it was that wrote that piece of music, I would like to thank because
E. I would like to thank whoever it was that wrote that piece of music,
It might suprise you to learn that this sentence is actually fine as it is. The temptation is to change “whoever” to “whomever.” However, that would be incorrect. For a good explanation of when to use “whoever” vs. “whomever,” check out this site. The answer is (A).
source: majortests.com
The vertices of rectangle ABCD are A(-1,0), B(2,0), C(s, t), and D(-1,4). How long is diagonal AC?
A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5 E. 6
The length of AC will be the same as the length of BD, so all we need to do is plug the coordinates of B and D into the distance formula, which is
X2 is -1
X1 is 2
Y2 is 4
Y1 is 0
so d = 5.
The answer is (D).
source: math.rice.edu
| It is astonishing to see such extraordinary results from a mere _______. | ||||||
|
||||||
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
This is a “student-produced response” question. In these, you have to generate an answer rather than make a choice.
Each canvas bag will hold exactly 5 pounds of Famous Joe’s tomatoes. How many bags will be necessary to hold 5 kilograms worth of these same tomatoes? (1 kilogram = 2.25 pounds
The math on this one is easy enough. A five kilogram bag would weigh 5 x 2.25, or 11.25 pounds. If one bag holds five pounds, then how many bags will we need to hold 11.25 pounds? The temptation here is to divide 11.25 by 5, which would give you 2.25. However, you need to look carefully at the wording of this question: “How many bags will be necessary to hold 5 kilograms. . .?” The tomatoes would take up 2.25 bags’ worth of space, but to do that you would need three bags. This is the nasty kind of trick that the SAT writers will send your way every once in a while. The good news is that they don’t do that too much—just enough to keep you on your toes. The answer is 3.
source: sattest.us
Frustrated council members noted that some of the strategies designed to ________ traffic congestion only served to ________ the problem.
a) ease; perpetrate
b) consolidate; fix
c) alleviate; exacerbate
d) allay; impede
e) avoid; mollify
Council members would obviously want to do something to help ease the problem of traffic congestion. The first words in choices (A), (C), and (D) would all work. (B) wouldn’t make sense. (E) wouldn’t work because you can’t avoid a problem that is already there. The members would be frustrated if their plans either didn’t work or made the problem even worse. (A) wouldn’t make sense; one who perpetrates is comitting some sort of crime. (B) would make no sense for obvious reasons. That leaves us with (D). The answer is (D).
source: homeworktips.about.com
If a cube has a volume of 64, the perimeter of one face of the cube is:
A: 8 B: 32 C: 4 D: 16 E: 24
This is about as easy as SAT math questions will get! The volume of a cube is equal to the length x the width, x the height, or, because the sides of a cube are all the same length, it would be determined by cubing one of the sides. If you’re given the volume of a cube, then you know that the length of each side is the cube root of that volume. The cube root of 64 is 4. One face of a cube is, of course, a square. A square of side 4 has a perimeter of 16. The answer is (D).
source: studyguidezone.com
Indicate which choice would best improve the underlined part of the sentence. If the sentence is ok as is, choose (A).
| In ancient times, Nubia was the principal corridor where there were cultural influences transmitted between Black Africa and the Mediterranean basin. | |||
| A. where there were cultural influences transmitted | |||
| B. through which cultural influences were transmitted | |||
| C. where there was a transmission of cultural influences | |||
| D. for the transmitting of cultural influences | |||
| E. which was transmitting cultural influences | |||
A corridor is something that you go through, not to. The word “where” doesn’t work here. The only choice that corrects this is (B). The answer is (B).
source: testprep.about.com
Identify the error, if any, in the sentence below.
Determination ofA the long-term effects ofB aerosols on the upper atmosphere isC currently one of the more challengingD problems in climate research. No errorE.
This seems ok, but there’s actually a problem. “More challenging” would only be appropriate if you were comparing two items. Here, you would need to say “most challenging.” English speakers often confuse usage of the comparative and the superlative. The comparative is used when there are two things involved; the superlative is used when there are three or more things involved. For example, you would say, “Of the twins, John is the smarter,” and “Of the triplets, John is the smartest.” The answer is (D).
source: majortests.com
The novel’s protagonist, a pearl diver, naïvely expects that the buyers will compete among themselves to pay him the best price for his pearl, but instead they ——- to ——- him.
| (A) | venture . . reward | |
| (B) | pretend . . praise | |
| (C) | conspire . . reimburse | |
| (D) | refuse . . cheat | |
| (E) | collude . . swindle |
If the diver’s expectation that the buyers will offer the best price is characterized as “naïve,” then we are to assume that the diver is too trusting about their good will. They are actually, contrary to the diver’s expectations, going to try to rip him off. The first word will have to have something to do with them working together in a negative way; the second word will have to be about their cheating him out of the true worth of the pearls. The only choice that satisfies this requirement is (E). The answer is (E).
source: collegeboard.com
If the median of x consecutive odd integers is 9, then the average is:
(A) 6 (B) 9 (C) 8 (D) 10 (E) 12
Does it matter what the value of x is here? It will be an odd number; that really all you need to know! If 9 is the median of a set of consecutive odd integers, then x will always have to be an odd number, and 9 will always be the middle term. Let’s say x = 3. The set would include 7, 9, and 11. What is the average of those numbers? It will be 9. Make x any odd value, and you’ll find that the average will always be 9. The answer is (B).
source: studyguidezone.com
Critical Reading Passage
The following speech was delivered by General Douglas MacArthur on September 2, 1945, upon Japan’s surrender to the U.S. in WWII.
1 “Men since the beginning of time have sought peace. Various methodsthrough the ages have been attempted to devise an international process to prevent or settle disputes between nations. From the very start workable methods were found in so far as individual citizens were concerned, but
5 the mechanics of an instrumentality of larger international scope havenever been successful. Military alliances, balances of power, Leagues of Nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. The utter destructiveness of war now blocks out this alternative. We have had our last chance. If we will not devise some greater and more
10 equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual recrudescence and improvement of human character that will synchronize with our almost matchless advances in science, art, literature, and all material and cultural developments of the past 2000 years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh.”
__________________________________________________________
1. The passage is best described as…
A. a history of the uses of military force
B. an argument for increasing military power
C. a summary of US efforts at diplomacy
D. a description of modern warfare
E. a caution about the continued use of force
___________________________________________________
2. In line 7, the word “crucible” most nearly means
A. a perplexing difficulty
B. a severe, searching test or trial
C. a lamp or torch that provides light
D. a puzzle or apparently insoluble problem
E. a place, time, or situation characterized by the confluence of powerful forces
_______________________________________________________
3. The examples in line 6-7 (“Military…Nations”) primarily serve to
A. offer alternatives to war
B. compare modern techniques to those of previous centuries
C. illustrate the failures of diplomacy
D. describe the success of peaceful negotiations
E. emphasize the need for a multi-national military force
source: http://www.wcboe.k12.md.us
The median of a set of 10 consecutive integers is 3.5. What is the greatest of these 10 integers?
If the median of 10 consecutive integers is 3.5, then we know that the two middle numbers are 3 and 4. We also know that, because there is a total of 10 consecutive integers, there will be four consecutive numbers less than three, and four consecutive numbers greater than four. The answer is 8.
source: majortests.com
Which of the choices best improves the sentence below? If the sentence is fine as is, choose (A).
Samuel never did come to the party however he did send along a present to give to the guest of honor.
| (A) to the party however he did | ||
| (B) to the party he did however | ||
| (C) to the party, however, he did | ||
| (D) to the party; however, he did | ||
| (E) to the party however; he did |
As it stands, this is a run-on sentence. (B) would also make it a run-on. (C) would be a comma splice; remember, you cannot separate two independent clauses with a comma. (E) puts the semi-colon in the wrong place; it needs to be before “however.” The answer is (D.)
source: mysatpractice.com
