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SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 1

The passage discusses the increasing mechanization of jobs and tasks that were traditionally done by humans. Many factory workers in the 19th century thought their jobs were safe, but they were later replaced by machines. Similarly, some current jobs may not be as secure as believed against automation. Studies have shown machines can outperform humans at physical tasks like welding but also less expected tasks like psychological diagnosis and news reporting. A computer program called Ellie has helped diagnose mental illnesses more accurately than human observation alone. While machines excel at complex tasks, humans still maintain advantages in simpler skills learned from a young age like folding laundry or recommending scenic driving routes. The battle between human and machine abilities will continue as each adapts to changes.

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401 views2 pages

SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 1

The passage discusses the increasing mechanization of jobs and tasks that were traditionally done by humans. Many factory workers in the 19th century thought their jobs were safe, but they were later replaced by machines. Similarly, some current jobs may not be as secure as believed against automation. Studies have shown machines can outperform humans at physical tasks like welding but also less expected tasks like psychological diagnosis and news reporting. A computer program called Ellie has helped diagnose mental illnesses more accurately than human observation alone. While machines excel at complex tasks, humans still maintain advantages in simpler skills learned from a young age like folding laundry or recommending scenic driving routes. The battle between human and machine abilities will continue as each adapts to changes.

Uploaded by

ersoy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 1

More and more of our lives are mechanized, and at some point, we have to start wondering, what's
the limit of that mechanization? Many factory workers in the 19th century thought their jobs 1 were
safe but we know now that they were wrong. Many people 2 in today's world believe there jobs are
safe, but how safe are those jobs really?
Studies abound that ask whether man or machine is better at particular tasks, and the results are not
always so obvious. Sure, a machine is obviously 3 better at say, welding huge pieces of steel together,
but what would you say if someone told you people are more likely to open up to a machine than to
a psychologist? Or that a machine could write a quicker, more efficient news story than an
experienced reporter could?
1.
A. NO CHANGE
B. were safe, but we know
C. were safe; but we know
D. were safe. But we know
2.
A. NO CHANGE
B. in todays world believe their jobs
C. in todays world believe they're jobs
D. in today's world believe their jobs
3.
A. NO CHANGE
B. better at, say welding
C. better at, say, welding
D. better at say welding
These questions may seem overly pessimistic (or overly optimistic depending on 4 your point of
view); however, some recent studies have been truly remarkable. Take Ellie, a computer program
used primarily to diagnose patients with 5 depression, PTSD and other mood disorders. Many
patients found it easier to talk to "Ellie" than 6 to a real person: she didn't react in some of those
seemingly judgmental ways that a person would, and her voice 7 never broke on top of that she
could help psychologists to diagnose mental illnesses better than human observation could. She
could detect facial movements or voice tones that a person might have not heard or ignored.
4.
A. NO CHANGE
B. your point of view), however,
C. you're point of view), however,
D. you're point of view); however,
5.
A. NO CHANGE
B. depression, PTSD, and other
C. depression, PTSD, and, other
D. depression, PTSD, and other,
6.
A. NO CHANGE
B. to a real person, she
C. to a real person; but she
D. to a real person she
7.
A. NO CHANGE
B. never broke, on top of that,
C. never broke. On top of that,
D. never broke; on top, of that,
Whether Ellie is the way of the future is yet to be determined. We can't know right now, but there is
no question that she raises some interesting questions, not only about 8 the work of psychologists',
but also about all of what we think are definitively human activities.
On the other side of the discussion, however, there's some evidence that humans may have the
upper hand. In some of the more basic 9 tasks those learned before the age of about 10 humans
have a huge upper hand. Computers can do the complex thinking, but one thing with which they
have a lot of trouble is, paradoxically, simplicity. Sure, a computer 10 can tell your washer's and
dryer's what a perfect washing and drying cycle is, but can it fold your laundry? Your GPS can tell you
the fastest route to the next state, but can it tell you the prettiest way to go or the best restaurants
along the way? Not without humans!
8.
A. NO CHANGE
B. psychologists work
C. the work of psychologists
D. the work of psychologist's
9.
A. NO CHANGE
B. tasks those learned before the age of about 10, humans
C. tasks, those learned before the age of about 10 humans
D. tasks, those learned before the age of about 10, humans
10.
A. NO CHANGE
B. can tell your washer and dryer what
C. can tell you're washers and dryers
D. can tell you're washer and dryer
While the battle of man against machine rages 11 on. The questions will persist. No matter who wins,
though, humans will almost assuredly find ways to adapt: that's something we've been doing for
thousands of years, which is something that no computer can say.
11.
A. NO CHANGE
B. on; the
C. on—the
D. on, the

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