2022 Shsat Sample Test B and Explanations
2022 Shsat Sample Test B and Explanations
2022 Shsat Sample Test B and Explanations
GENERAL DIRECTIONS
Student Name: ______________________________________
Identifying Information
Turn to Side 1 of the answer sheet.
Notify the proctor immediately if you are ill or should not be taking this test. Do not sign the
statement or begin the test. Return your answer sheet to the proctor.
Line 1: Read the statement and sign your name in the space following the word “signature.” Do not print your
name.
Line 2: Print today’s date, using the numbers of the month, the day, and the year.
Line 3: Print your birth date with the number of the month first, then the number of the day, then the last
two digits of the year. For example, a birth date of March 1, 2005, would be 3-1-05.
Grid 4: Print the letters of your first name, or as many as will fit, in the boxes. Write your name exactly as you
did on the application. If you have a middle initial, print it in the box labeled “MI.” Then print the letters of your
last name, or as much as will fit, in the boxes provided. Below each box, fill in the circle that contains the same
letter as the box. If there is a space or a hyphen in your name, fill in the circle under the appropriate blank or
hyphen.
Make dark marks that completely fill the circles. If you change a mark, be sure to erase the first mark
completely.
Grid 5:
1. Print the name of the school where you are now enrolled in the space at the top of the grid.
2. In the boxes marked “SCHOOL CODE,” print the six-digit code that identifies your school and fill in the circle
under the corresponding number or letter for each digit of the school code. (You can find your school code on
your Test Ticket. If it is not there, tell the proctor, and the proctor will get the school code for you.)
3. If you attend a private or parochial school, fill in the circle marked “P.”
Grid 6: Complete the grid with your date of birth. Print the first three letters of the month in the first box, the
number of the day in the next box, and the year in the last box. Then fill in the corresponding circles.
Grid 7: Print your student ID number in Grid 7. You can find your student ID number on your Test Ticket. In the
boxes, print your nine-digit student ID number. Below each box, fill in the circle containing the same number as
in the box.
Grid 8: In most cases, Grid 8 is already filled in for you. If it is not, copy the letter and numbers shown in the
upper-right corner of your test booklet into the boxes. Below each box, fill in the circle containing the same letter
or number as the box.
Now review Side 1 to make sure you have completed all lines and grids correctly. Review each column to see that
the filled-in circles correspond to the letters or numbers in the boxes above them.
Turn your answer sheet to Side 2. Print your test booklet letter and numbers, and your name, first name first, in
the spaces provided.
You can use your test booklet or the provided scrap paper to take notes or solve questions; however, your answers
must be recorded on the answer sheet in order to be counted. You will not be able to mark your answers on
the answer sheet after time is up, and answers left in the test booklet will not be scored.
DO NOT MAKE ANY MARKS ON YOUR ANSWER SHEET OTHER THAN FILLING IN YOUR ANSWER CHOICES.
mechanical.
REVISING/EDITING
QUESTIONS 1-10 (PART A AND PART B)
REVISING/EDITING PART A
DIRECTIONS: Read and answer the following questions. You will be asked to recognize and correct
errors so that the sentences or short paragraphs follow the conventions of standard written English.
You may write in your test booklet as needed to take notes. You should reread relevant parts of the
sentences or paragraphs, while being mindful of time, before marking the best answer for each
question.
(1) Flyby missions near Jupiter have been happening since 1973.
(2) Flyby missions allow scientists to collect data about Jupiter and its moons.
What is the best way to combine the sentences to clarify the relationship between the ideas?
A. While flyby missions near Jupiter have been happening since 1973, scientists collect data
about the planet and its moons.
B. Although there have been flyby missions near Jupiter since 1973, they have allowed
scientists to collect data about the planet and its moons.
C. Flyby missions near Jupiter, which allow scientists to collect data about the planet and its
moons, have been happening since 1973.
D. Flyby missions have been happening near Jupiter, but scientists have been collecting data
about the planet and its moons since 1973.
(1) In 1976, the National Basketball Association (NBA) absorbed several teams of the
American Basketball Association (ABA), including the New York Nets, who played in the Long
Island area at the time. (2) The owner of the Nets decided to take the team to New Jersey
after the team had financial troubles, where the team played for thirty-five seasons. (3) The
New Jersey Nets had sixteen playoff appearances, including two appearances in the NBA
finals. (4) In 2012, the team changed ownership and returned to New York, where the team
now plays under the name the Brooklyn Nets.
E. sentence 1
F. sentence 2
G. sentence 3
H. sentence 4
(1) Danielle spent several hours preparing for an upcoming audition for a play at the
community theater. (2) First she did vocal exercises to practice her diction and projection so
that her words would carry clearly throughout the large auditorium. (3) Then she studies the
text of the monologue to better understand the emotions, and motivations of the character
she plans to portray. (4) Finally she recited her monologue in front of a mirror many times,
making slight adjustments and improvements to her performance each time.
A. Sentence 1: Change spent to had spent, AND insert a comma after play.
B. Sentence 2: Change did to does, AND insert a comma after projection.
C. Sentence 3: Change studies to studied, AND delete the comma after emotions.
D. Sentence 4: Change recited to recites, AND delete the comma after times.
(1) Both Italian gelato and American ice cream are delightful treats to have on a hot summer
day, but many people wonder: what is the difference between the two? (2) To start with, the
butterfat content is much higher in ice cream than it is in gelato, making the Italian treat a
wiser decision for people looking to make healthier choices. (3) Additionally, the mixing
process, which adds less air to the frozen treat, makes gelato denser than ice cream.
(4) Finally, gelato is served 10 to 15 degrees warmer than ice cream, which enhances the
texture and flavor of the gelato, and allow it to melt more quickly.
(6) Discipline, focus, and respect are important qualities for everyone to have. (7) However, for
most people these qualities are not innate; they must be learned and practiced. (8) The study of
martial arts can provide an opportunity to develop these skills. (9) Students are rewarded for their
dedication by passing tests and advancing to higher levels. (10) For example, in a typical tae kwon
do class, students learn discipline by diligently practicing moves, improve focus by listening
carefully, and demonstrate respect by bowing to the instructor and following directions.
(11) For teenagers, martial arts classes provide a safe and structured environment for gaining
physical skills, building confidence, and enjoying a sense of community. (12) A lot of teens go
through hard situations as they try to do well in school and in life. (13) A karate class can provide
teens with a physical outlet for stress while also challenging them mentally. (14) Participating in a
martial arts program also helps children and teens focus on self-improvement rather than on
competition. (15) Progressing through levels of achievement involves mastering more physically
demanding techniques. (16) It requires students to take responsibility and be accountable for
achieving set goals. (17) Students gain confidence and experience companionship with other
students who are progressing through the ranks.
(18) Adults who practice martial arts can experience many of the same benefits that younger people
do, but perhaps the greatest of these is health and fitness. (19) Adult martial arts students often
see changes in their body within weeks of beginning a program.
(20) For people interested in studying a martial art, there are many ways to learn and practice.
(21) In addition to private studios, community recreation centers often offer low-cost or free martial
arts classes. (22) There are even online videos that introduce students to the basic concepts.
(23) People should study martial arts.
A. Historians, who are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used, know that
martial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries.
B. While historians are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used, they do
know that martial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries.
C. Because historians know that martial arts have been practiced by several different societies
for many centuries, they are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used.
D. Martial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries, and
historians are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used.
6. Where should sentence 10 be moved to improve the organization of the second paragraph
(sentences 6–10)?
7. Which revision of sentence 12 best maintains the formal style established in the passage?
A. A lot of teens have to put up with difficult things while trying to do well in school and in life.
B. Many teenagers deal with tough situations as they try to stay on top of their studies and do
well in life.
C. Many teenagers encounter challenges as they work to succeed both academically
and personally.
D. A lot of teens face problems as they work to keep up with their schoolwork and find
personal success.
E. Over time
F. In fact
G. Even so
H. For instance
A. Adult students gain discipline, focus, self-control, and respect, which are qualities that help
them advance in their careers.
B. Many adults initially train in a martial art simply to get exercise without realizing that the
training also helps develop other skills.
C. The exercise involved in training helps people strengthen their heart, boost endurance,
improve balance, and develop muscle tone.
D. People who commit to training in the martial arts are usually concerned about improving their
overall physical health.
10. Which concluding sentence should replace sentence 23 to best support the topic presented in
the passage?
E. With so many ways to begin studying martial arts, people can easily discover how the skills
needed to progress in rank may help them in life.
F. By taking advantage of opportunities to practice martial arts, people can experience the
satisfaction of achieving goals while also improving themselves.
G. Because people are eager to reap the mental and physical benefits of studying martial arts,
enrollment in martial arts courses has increased.
H. While taking martial arts classes can improve health for both young people and adults, the
effects are clearly more immediate for adults.
2 Starr asked Darimont which wolves he and his team were going to study—the timber wolves
(mainland wolves) or the coastal wolves on the islands. The question took Darimont by surprise.
Biologists had always believed that the wolves that are sometimes spotted swimming between
islands and eating salmon are the same wolves that live on the mainland. Darimont was intrigued
by Starr’s classification of the wolves as two different groups. At first, he was hesitant to accept
the idea. The distances between the mainland and the islands are small, less than a mile. Why
would the wolves on the islands be any different from the wolves on the mainland? To find out,
Darimont and his research team studied the wolves on the islands and in the densely forested
territory of the Great Bear Rainforest for ten years.
3 Throughout the study, Darimont recorded several significant, observable differences between the
“sea wolves,” as they are nicknamed, and the mainland wolves. Compared with the mainland
wolves, the sea wolves are smaller in size and are strong swimmers. In 1996 sea wolves were
spotted on an island nearly eight miles from any other land formation. While mainland wolves
almost exclusively eat meat, such as deer and elk, and teach their young to hunt for land animals,
sea wolves get as much as 90 percent of their nutrition from the sea and teach their young to dig
for clams and to catch fish. Sea wolves regularly swim between islands and have been known to
sneak up on a seal sunning itself on a rock and make a leaping attack from the water. Some
salmon-eating mainland wolves come and go from the islands with the fish-spawning season, but
the sea wolves are full-time island residents. Darimont suspects that some sea wolves live their
entire life on the islands.
4 The sea wolves displayed not only physical and behavioral differences but also genetic variations
from the mainland wolves. After collecting and analyzing the DNA in 800 samples of gray fur and
wolf waste, researchers could produce hard biological evidence that sea wolves had genetic
markers that made them distinct from the mainland wolves. A genetic marker is a variation in a
DNA sequence that can be used to identify individuals or a species because it is passed down to
offspring. Darimont hypothesizes that a change in habitat led to the eventual genetic differences
between sea wolves and mainland wolves. Many years ago, loss of habitat and food sources
forced some mainland wolves out to the islands. They learned to eat everything from kelp and fish
eggs to the remains of sea creatures that washed up on the beach. Wolves living on the islands
and mainland wolves became more isolated and rarely mated with each other. Over time the two
types of wolves became more distinct.
5 It turned out that Chester Starr was right all along. “It sounded totally bizarre at first,” admits
Darimont, “that there could be two versions of the species.” But he now realizes that this
skepticism “definitely reflected my ignorance of indigenous knowledge at the time.” Learning to
trust the wisdom of the Heiltsuk people opened Darimont up to knowledge accumulated over
11. The details in paragraph 1 contribute to a central idea of the passage by showing that Darimont
A. believed the Great Bear Rainforest was an ideal location to study wolves in their natural
habitat because it is a protected area.
B. values different perspectives, because the information that Starr provided influenced the
focus of Darimont’s research.
C. thought the Great Bear Rainforest would provide opportunities to study different groups of
wolves because the area includes forests and islands.
D. understands the importance of respecting local community members, because Darimont
sought permission from an elder of the Heiltsuk Nation before starting his research.
12. Why does the author include details about the conversation between Starr and Darimont in
paragraph 2?
E. to explain why Starr had closely observed the relationship between the two groups of wolves
Darimont wanted to study
F. to show that Darimont was hoping to work with Starr and to study both groups of wolves in
the area
G. to highlight that Darimont was unfamiliar with the area and expected Starr to help him find
wolves to study
H. to emphasize that the question asked by Starr caused Darimont to review his initial
assumption about the wolves
After collecting and analyzing the DNA in 800 samples of gray fur and wolf waste,
researchers could produce hard biological evidence that sea wolves had genetic
markers that made them distinct from the mainland wolves.
The phrase “hard biological evidence” conveys that the goal of the research team was to
A. develop a procedure in order to ensure their study yielded plentiful data about the wolves.
B. seek definitive scientific proof of the number of wolf species present in the area of the study.
C. conduct a study to evaluate multiple theories about the diets of different wolf species.
D. discover if the new data would provide information different from that of previous studies.
E. note that Darimont’s genetic research verified a theory based solely on field observations.
F. imply that Darimont’s study was disappointing because the conclusion that he reached was
not original.
G. emphasize that Darimont’s study ultimately confirmed an idea that he had initially doubted.
H. highlight that Darimont’s results led him to draw a conclusion from his research that his team
did not agree with.
15. Which sentence from the passage best supports the idea that sea wolves had successfully
adapted to living on the islands?
A. “While mainland wolves almost exclusively eat meat, such as deer and elk, and teach their
young to hunt for land animals, sea wolves get as much as 90 percent of their nutrition from
the sea and teach their young to dig for clams and to catch fish.” (paragraph 3)
B. “Sea wolves regularly swim between islands and have been known to sneak up on a seal
sunning itself on a rock and make a leaping attack from the water.” (paragraph 3)
C. “Darimont suspects that some sea wolves live their entire life on the islands.” (paragraph 3)
D. “Darimont hypothesizes that a change in habitat led to the eventual genetic differences
between sea wolves and mainland wolves.” (paragraph 4)
16. How did a change in habitat most affect the wolf population of the Great Bear Rainforest
over time?
E. It caused some of the wolves to learn new hunting techniques in order to catch increasingly
scarce prey.
F. It caused the wolves to form smaller packs and eventually separate, establishing distinct
territories.
G. It caused some of the wolves to gradually become a new, genetically distinct species as they
adapted behaviorally.
H. It caused the wolves to adapt their diet as different food sources became available in
the area.
1 During the night of December 16, 1903, a strong cold wind blew from the north. When we arose
on the morning of the 17th, the puddles of water, which had been standing about camp since the
recent rains, were covered with ice. The wind had a velocity of 10 to 12 meters per second (22 to
27 miles an hour). We thought it would die down before long, and so remained indoors the early
part of the morning. But when ten o’clock arrived, and the wind was as brisk as ever, we decided
that we had better get the machine out and attempt a flight. We hung out the signal for the men
of the Life Saving Station.1 We thought that by facing the flyer into a strong wind, there ought to
be no trouble in launching it from the level ground about camp. We realized the difficulties of
flying in so high a wind, but estimated that the added dangers in flight would be partly
compensated for by the slower speed in landing.
Final Preparations
2 We laid the track on a smooth stretch of ground about one hundred feet north of the new building.
The biting cold wind made work difficult, and we had to warm up frequently in our living room,
where we had a good fire in an improvised stove made of a large carbide2 can. By the time all
was ready, J. T. Daniels, W. S. Dough and A. D. Etheridge, members of the Kill Devil3 Life Saving
Station; W. C. Brinkley of Manteo, and Johnny Moore, a boy from Nags Head,4 had arrived.
3 We had a “Richard” hand anemometer with which we measured the velocity of the wind.
Measurements made just before starting the first flight showed velocities of 11 to 12 meters per
second, or 24 to 27 miles per hour. . . .
Audacity—and Calculation
4 Wilbur having used his turn in the unsuccessful attempt on the 14th, the right to the first trial now
belonged to me. After running the motor a few minutes to heat it up, I released the wire that held
the machine to the track, and the machine started forward in the wind. Wilbur ran at the side of
the machine, holding the wing to balance it on the track. Unlike the start on the 14th, made in a
calm, the machine, facing a 27-mile wind, started very slowly. Wilbur was able to stay with it till it
lifted from the track after a forty-foot run. One of the Life Saving men snapped the camera for us,
taking a picture just as the machine had reached the end of the track and had risen to a height of
about two feet. The slow forward speed of the machine over the ground is clearly shown in the
picture by Wilbur’s attitude. He stayed along beside the machine without any effort.
1
Life Saving Station: one of the rescue stations along the Atlantic coastline that provided
assistance to mariners in distress
2carbide: a very hard material composed of carbon and other heavy metals
3Kill Devil: the town of Kill Devil Hills in eastern North Carolina
4Nags Head: a town in eastern North Carolina
5 The course of the flight up and down was exceedingly erratic, partly due to the irregularity of the
air, and partly to lack of experience in handling this machine. The control of the front rudder was
difficult on account of its being balanced too near the center. This gave it a tendency to turn itself
when started; so that it turned too far on one side and then too far on the other. As a result the
machine would rise suddenly to about ten feet, and then as suddenly dart for the ground. A
sudden dart when a little over a hundred feet from the end of the track, or a little over 120 feet
from the point at which it rose into the air, ended the flight. As the velocity of the wind was over
35 feet per second and the speed of the machine over the ground against this wind ten feet per
second, the speed of the machine relative to the air was over 45 feet per second, and the length
of the flight was equivalent to a flight of 540 feet made in calm air. This flight lasted only
12 seconds, but it was nevertheless the first in the history of the world in which a machine
carrying a man had raised itself by its own power into the air in full flight, had sailed forward
without reduction of speed and had finally landed at a point as high as that from which it started.
From “How We Made the First Flight” by Orville Wright—Public Domain/Federal Aviation
Administration
17. How does paragraph 1 introduce the idea that the Wright brothers knew that their flight attempt
was risky?
A. through the mention of a signal to notify lifesaving experts that the flight attempt was about
to begin
B. by providing specific details about the speed of the wind and the Wright brothers’ response to
the windy conditions
C. by suggesting that a slower landing would be necessary at the end of the flight in order to
maintain safety
D. through the indication that the Wright brothers waited indoors for most of the morning
because of the poor weather
Wilbur having used his turn in the unsuccessful attempt on the 14th, the right to
the first trial now belonged to me.
E. demonstrating the challenge of the extreme winter conditions during the flight.
F. revealing how many tries it took for Wilbur Wright to finally get the machine to take flight.
G. demonstrating that both Orville and Wilbur Wright were eager to pilot what could potentially
be the first flight.
H. suggesting a sense that both brothers felt confident they would soon succeed in completing
the first flight.
A. documents that the machine rose into the air as soon as the tethering wire was released.
B. provides proof of the critical moment the machine took flight.
C. documents that the wind reduced the speed of the plane at the start of the flight.
D. provides proof that the pilot had to gradually increase the height of the plane in the air.
20. How do the details in paragraph 5 about the uneven nature of the flight convey a central idea of
the excerpt?
E. by explaining how the flawed design of the machine caused it to turn unpredictably in the air
and brought the first flight by a person to an abrupt end
F. by indicating that the difficulty in controlling the flight was caused by the rudimentary
instruments of the machine and the inexperience of the pilot
G. by explaining how the pilot and the plane overcame adverse conditions in order to complete
the first piloted flight
H. by indicating that the gradual change in wind velocity created an extreme environment in
which to maneuver the plane and maintain its flight
As the velocity of the wind was over 35 feet per second and the speed of the
machine over the ground against this wind ten feet per second, the speed of the
machine relative to the air was over 45 feet per second, and the length of the
flight was equivalent to a flight of 540 feet made in calm air.
How does the sentence help convey Orville Wright’s perspective about this first flight?
A. It suggests that he was frustrated by the poor flying conditions on the day of the flight.
B. It emphasizes that he believed the flight was successful despite its short distance.
C. It provides a comparison between flight distances under calm and high wind conditions.
D. It highlights the importance of such calculations in the success of future flights.
A sudden dart when a little over a hundred feet from the end of the track, or a
little over 120 feet from the point at which it rose into the air, ended the flight.
E. It details the need for the pilot to have quick reflexes while flying the machine.
F. It presents the idea that the difficulty of operating the machine shortened the flight.
G. It describes the shift in wind speed that made flying nearly impossible.
H. It provides an overview of the flight’s progression from takeoff to landing.
This flight lasted only 12 seconds, but it was nevertheless the first in the history
of the world in which a machine carrying a man had raised itself by its own power
into the air in full flight, had sailed forward without reduction of speed and had
finally landed at a point as high as that from which it started.
The words “only,” “nevertheless,” and “finally” most clearly convey the idea that
A. even a flight of such minor duration had taken a long time to achieve.
B. the short flight gave the Wright brothers hope for longer ones in the future.
C. the flight proved that the machine was, at last, capable of becoming airborne.
D. although it was brief, the flight was a remarkable accomplishment.
E. “When we arose on the morning of the 17th, the puddles of water, which had been standing
about camp since the recent rains, were covered with ice.” (paragraph 1)
F. “We realized the difficulties of flying in so high a wind, but estimated that the added dangers
in flight would be partly compensated for by the slower speed in landing.” (paragraph 1)
G. “After running the motor a few minutes to heat it up, I released the wire that held the
machine to the track, and the machine started forward in the wind.” (paragraph 4)
H. “The course of the flight up and down was exceedingly erratic, partly due to the irregularity
of the air, and partly to lack of experience in handling this machine.” (paragraph 5)
25. The use of chronological structure contributes to the development of ideas in the excerpt by
A. outlining the actions that the Wright brothers took to prepare for and successfully complete
the first flight.
B. identifying the primary factors that allowed the Wright brothers to overcome obstacles and
achieve the first flight.
C. showing how the Wright brothers applied lessons learned from their previous flight attempts
to accomplish the first flight.
D. demonstrating how the Wright brothers analyzed the impact of wind velocity to identify the
ideal conditions for the first flight.
1 Along with the wagon had come the fresh horses—one of them being Peroxide Jim, a supple,
powerful, clean-limbed buckskin, a horse, I think, that had as fine and intelligent an animal-face
as any creature I ever saw. Wade had been saving this horse for emergency work. And why
should he not have been saved fresh for just such a need as this? Are there not superior horses as
well as superior men—a Peroxide Jim to complement a Wade?
2 The horse knew the cattle business and knew his rider perfectly; and though there was nothing
like sentiment about the boss of the P Ranch riders, his faith in Peroxide Jim was complete. . . .
3 The desert, where the herd was camped, was one of the highest of a series of tablelands,1 or
benches; it lay as level as a floor, rimmed by sheer rock, from which there was a drop to the
bench of sage below. The herd when overtaken by the dusk had been headed for a pass
descending to the next lower bench, but was now halted within a mile of the rim rock on the east,
where there was a perpendicular fall of about three hundred feet. . . .
4 In the taut silence of the stirless desert night, with the tension of the herd at the snapping-point,
any quick, unwonted sight or sound would stampede them. The sneezing of a horse, the flare of a
match, would be enough to send the whole four thousand headlong—blind, frenzied,
trampling—till spent and scattered over the plain.
5 And so, as he rode, Wade began to sing. The rider ahead of him took up the air and passed it on
until, above the stepping stir of the hoofs rose the faint voices of the men, and all the herd was
bound about by the slow plaintive measures of some old song. It was not to soothe their savage
breasts that the riders sang to the cattle, but rather to preempt the dreaded silence, to relieve the
tension, and so to prevent the shock of any sudden startling noise.
6 So they sang and rode and the night wore on to one o’clock, when Wade, coming up on the rim-
rock side, felt a cool breeze fan his face, and caught a breath of fresh, moist wind with the taste
of water in it.
7 He checked his horse instantly, listening as the wind swept past him over the cattle. But they
must already have smelled it, for they had ceased their milling, the whole herd standing
motionless, the indistinct forms close to him in the dark showing their bald faces lifted to drink the
sweet wet breath that came over the rim. Then they started on again, but faster, and with a
rumbling now from their hoarse throats that tightened Wade’s grip on the reins.
8 The sound seemed to come out of the earth, a low, rumbling mumble, as dark as the night and as
wide as the plain, a thick, inarticulate bellow that stood every rider stiff in his stirrups. . . .
1
tablelands: plateaus, flat areas of land sharply elevated from the surrounding area
10 There was a snort from the steers, a quick clap of horns and hoofs from far within the herd, a
tremor of the plain, a roar, a surging mass—and Wade was riding the flank of a wild stampede.
Before him, behind him, beside him, pressing hard upon his horse, galloped the frenzied steers,
and beyond them a multitude borne on, and bearing him on, by the heave of the galloping herd.
11 Wade was riding for his life. He knew it. His horse knew it. He was riding to turn the herd, too,
back from the rim, as the horse also knew. The cattle were after water—water-mad—ready to go
over the precipice to get it, carrying horse and rider with them. Wade was the only rider between
the herd and the rim. It was black as death. He could see nothing in the sage, could scarcely
discern the pounding, panting shadows at his side. He knew that he was being borne toward the
rim, how fast he could not tell, but he knew by the swish of the brush against his tapaderos2 and
the plunging of the horse that the ground was growing stonier, that they were nearing the rocks.
12 To outrun the herd was his only chance for life. If he could come up with the leaders he might not
only escape, but even stand a chance of heading them off upon the plain and saving the herd.
There were cattle still ahead of him; how many, what part of them all, he could not make out in
the dark. But the horse knew. The reins hung on his straight neck, where his rider had dropped
them, as, yelling and firing over the wild herd, he had given this horse the race to win, to lose.
13 They were riding the rim. Close on their left bore down the flank of the herd, and on their right,
under their very feet, was a precipice, so close that they felt its blackness—its three hundred feet
of fall! . . .
14 . . . Then Wade found himself racing neck and neck with a big white steer, which the horse, with
marvelous instinct, seemed to pick out from a bunch, and to cling to, forcing him gradually ahead,
till, cutting him free from the bunch entirely, he bore him off into the swishing sage.
15 The steers coming on close behind followed their leader, and in, after them, swung others. The
tide was turning from the rim. More and more were veering, and within a short time the whole
herd, bearing off from the cliffs, was pounding over the open plains.
16 Whose race was it? It was Peroxide Jim’s, according to Wade, for not by word or by touch of hand
or knee had the horse been directed in the run. From the flash of the lightning the horse had
taken the bit, had covered an indescribably perilous path at top speed, had outrun the herd and
turned it from the edge of the rim rock, without a false step or a tremor of fear.
E. “Are there not superior horses as well as superior men—a Peroxide Jim to complement a
Wade?” (paragraph 1)
F. “Before him, behind him, beside him, pressing hard upon his horse, galloped the frenzied
steers, and beyond them a multitude borne on, and bearing him on, by the heave of the
galloping herd.” (paragraph 10)
G. “He knew that he was being borne toward the rim, how fast he could not tell, but he knew by
the swish of the brush against his tapaderos and the plunging of the horse that the ground
was growing stonier, that they were nearing the rocks.” (paragraph 11)
H. “From the flash of the lightning the horse had taken the bit, had covered an indescribably
perilous path at top speed, had outrun the herd and turned it from the edge of the rim rock,
without a false step or a tremor of fear.” (paragraph 16)
27. Paragraphs 1–2 contribute to the development of the central idea of the excerpt by
28. How does paragraph 3 convey the effect of the setting on the cattle drive?
E. It shows how the growing darkness created challenges for the riders in getting the herd
to move.
F. It describes how the changing elevation contributed to the dangerousness of the
environment.
G. It describes how the desert created an uncomfortable feeling of isolation for the riders and
the cattle.
H. It shows how the steep terrain made it difficult for the cattle to keep moving forward.
A. It hints at the change in the setting that caused Wade to suddenly become alert.
B. It creates a false sense of calm that shows how unprepared the men were for what was
about to happen.
C. It introduces the idea that Wade was a skillful leader in unpredictable circumstances.
D. It presents the incident that caused the main conflict Wade and Peroxide Jim addressed.
Close on their left bore down the flank of the herd, and on their right, under their
very feet, was a precipice, so close that they felt its blackness—its three hundred
feet of fall!
The phrase “bore down the flank of the herd” conveys that Wade
He was riding to turn the herd, too, back from the rim, as the horse also knew.
(paragraph 11)
It was Peroxide Jim’s, according to Wade, for not by word or by touch of hand or
knee had the horse been directed in the run. (paragraph 16)
A. They suggest that Wade would have been unable to save the herd without Peroxide Jim.
B. They imply that Wade spent many hours training Peroxide Jim to herd cattle.
C. They show that Peroxide Jim was able to understand a situation and take action.
D. They indicate that Peroxide Jim was unafraid of the dangers presented by the stampede and
the cliff.
33. Which sentence from the excerpt best reveals the mood on the drive before the lightning struck?
A. “The herd when overtaken by the dusk had been headed for a pass descending to the next
lower bench, but was now halted within a mile of the rim rock on the east, where there was a
perpendicular fall of about three hundred feet.” (paragraph 3)
B. “It was not to soothe their savage breasts that the riders sang to the cattle, but rather to
preempt the dreaded silence, to relieve the tension, and so to prevent the shock of any
sudden startling noise.” (paragraph 5)
C. “He checked his horse instantly, listening as the wind swept past him over the cattle.”
(paragraph 7)
D. “Then the breeze caught the dust and carried it back from the gray-coated, ghostly shapes,
and Wade saw that the animals were still moving in a circle.” (paragraph 9)
2 Roger Bannister had tasted failure during the 1952 Olympics. There, he was favored to win the
1,500-meter competition, a distance slightly shorter than a mile, but he finished in a dismal fourth
place instead. Bannister’s performance was a disappointment for him and his country, Great
Britain. Determined to redeem himself, Bannister postponed his plans to retire from racing and
focused on the ultimate prize—breaking the four-minute-mile barrier.
3 Bannister attacked the elusive milestone with a positive attitude and logical planning. The
amateur athlete decided to use intensive interval training to develop endurance and speed. For
these workouts, Bannister ran an interval of ten consecutive laps on a quarter-mile track, aiming
for sixty seconds each lap. In between intervals, he let his body recover for two minutes.
4 By early 1954, Bannister had succeeded in lowering his quarter-mile pace to sixty-one seconds,
but he had to shave off at least one more second in order to reach his target. Frustrated by the
plateau he had reached, Bannister took a break from training and went mountain climbing for
three days. The rest from running permitted his muscles to recuperate and left him feeling
refreshed. When Bannister returned to the track, he completed ten quarter-mile-long intervals at
fifty-nine seconds each. He finally felt prepared to attempt to break the world record.
5 As a member of the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA), Bannister joined the AAA team for a
track meet against Oxford University. The event took place on a cinder track in Oxford on May 6,
1954. Bannister and his two AAA teammates, Chris Chataway and Chris Brasher, were close
friends and frequent running partners. Chataway and Brasher agreed to help Bannister accomplish
his goal by being his “rabbits.”
6 In track and field, rabbits are runners who enter the race solely to pace a teammate for a
segment of the course. Typically, a runner settles in behind the rabbit and allows the rabbit to set
an appropriate tempo. Additionally, by running behind the rabbit, the runner conserves about
15 percent of his or her effort. When the starting pistol fired, Brasher pounced into the lead, and
Bannister followed behind his first rabbit.
7 Propelled by the excitement, Bannister lost his instinctive feel for his pace and shouted “Faster!”
at Brasher. Brasher, however, remained composed and maintained his current steady but grueling
pace, completing the first two laps in a desirable one minute and fifty-eight seconds. Then
Chataway surged forward, leading Bannister at this same punishing rate for another lap and a
half. At the beginning of the back straightaway of the track, Bannister bolted past Chataway.
Bannister said, “I felt that the moment of a lifetime had come. There was no pain, only a great
unity of movement and aim.” Bannister crossed the finish line in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. The
ecstatic crowd erupted the moment the timekeeper announced the word “three.”
8 Soon after Bannister’s achievement, four other athletes matched his performance. A new mindset
had taken root among runners. Over the years, the record continued to fall. However, the current
record, 3 minutes 43.13 seconds, has stood unbroken since 1999. Some question whether this
34. The words “feat,” “humanly impossible,” and “impenetrable barrier” in paragraph 1 affect the
tone of the paragraph because they
E. highlight the idea that only the most skilled runners would be able to run a four-minute mile.
F. emphasize the idea that running a mile in less than four minutes was a seemingly
unattainable goal.
G. convey the competitiveness among elite runners to consistently set and break speed records.
H. show the intensity of the training programs athletes endure in order to achieve their goals.
35. Which sentence best supports the idea that Bannister needed an alternative to “logical
planning” (paragraph 3) in order to accomplish his goal?
A. “Bannister’s performance was a disappointment for him and his country, Great Britain.”
(paragraph 2)
B. “The amateur athlete decided to use intensive interval training to develop endurance and
speed.” (paragraph 3)
C. “For these workouts, Bannister ran an interval of ten consecutive laps on a quarter-mile
track, aiming for sixty seconds each lap.” (paragraph 3)
D. “Frustrated by the plateau he had reached, Bannister took a break from training and went
mountain climbing for three days.” (paragraph 4)
Bannister said, “I felt that the moment of a lifetime had come. There was no pain,
only a great unity of movement and aim.”
The sentences contribute to the development of ideas in the passage by showing that Bannister
E. knew that he was about to achieve the goal he had worked toward.
F. was no longer experiencing personal disappointment from his past failure in the Olympics.
G. felt grateful to his teammates for helping him take the lead.
H. was satisfied that his training had helped him perfect his running technique.
A. runners recognized that running a mile in under four minutes was physically possible.
B. breaking the four-minute-mile barrier was no longer considered an impressive feat for
elite runners.
C. runners understood how hard they would have to train in order to run a mile in under
four minutes.
D. elite runners entered races in an attempt to break the four-minute-mile barrier.
38. Which sentence from the passage indicates that Bannister nearly made a mistake that would
have cost him the world record?
E. “By early 1954, Bannister had succeeded in lowering his quarter-mile pace to sixty-one
seconds, but he had to shave off at least one more second in order to reach his target.”
(paragraph 4)
F. “When the starting pistol fired, Brasher pounced into the lead, and Bannister followed behind
his first rabbit.” (paragraph 6)
G. “Propelled by the excitement, Bannister lost his instinctive feel for his pace and shouted
‘Faster!’ at Brasher.” (paragraph 7)
H. “At the beginning of the back straightaway of the track, Bannister bolted past Chataway.”
(paragraph 7)
39. Bannister’s loss in the 1952 Olympics influenced his decision to pursue breaking the four-minute-
mile barrier by
A. allowing him to recognize his weaknesses and improve his running ability.
B. prompting him to take a different approach to his regular training.
C. motivating him to prove to himself that he could set and achieve a goal.
D. giving him the opportunity to reach a goal no runner had ever accomplished.
41. How does the author’s use of chronological structure contribute to the development of ideas in
the passage?
Serpent Mound
Ohio, 1846
E. The use of one continuous stanza and the pattern of the lines mimic the long and winding
shape of the mound.
F. The uneven line lengths emphasize the variety of ways people interpret the meaning of
the mound.
G. The dashes throughout the poem highlight the speaker’s changing thoughts about the
significance of the mound.
H. The lack of a regular rhyme scheme and meter convey that the speaker struggles to
comprehend the vastness of the mound.
43. Which lines reveal how the setting affects the speaker and the men from the museum?
A. “It being winter, / there was little underbrush to speak of—” (lines 8–9)
B. “but the winter silence of the creek pressed / down on all of us like a weight.” (lines 14–15)
C. “The humps in the ground were all but / invisible until you were right up on them.”
(lines 16–17)
D. “In the summer the creek bottom was crowded / with so much life that you could trip”
(lines 21–22)
E. suggesting that the men are too busy with their work to talk to the speaker.
F. helping establish the reason for the men’s visit and purposeful behavior.
G. hinting that the men have hidden motives for studying the mound.
H. indicating why the speaker is fascinated by the men and wants to help them.
How does the line contribute to the development of ideas in the poem?
A. It describes a feature of the mound that the men from the museum need to document.
B. It introduces a comparison of the body of the mound with the head of the mound.
C. It introduces a feature of the mound that has a different meaning to different people.
D. It describes a part of the mound that is difficult to see from far away.
E. They indicate that viewing the full size and shape of the mound is difficult.
F. They suggest that the location of the mound is unknown to most people.
G. They imply that the speaker wants the location of the mound to remain a secret.
H. They reveal that the speaker is unfamiliar with the significance of the mound.
47. What impact do the words “swish,” “chitter,” and “cry” in lines 12–13 have in the poem?
A. They illustrate how lively the mound’s surroundings are during the summer.
B. They show how the mound disrupts natural life in the marsh.
C. They indicate the variety of wildlife found in the area around the mound.
D. They suggest that the speaker prefers the mound’s appearance in winter.
48. How does the speaker’s interaction with Ruth in lines 37–41 convey a central idea of the poem?
E. It suggests that the most accurate interpretations of the mound come from knowing the
purpose of the mound.
F. It emphasizes that there are multiple interpretations of the mound based on feelings and
experiences.
G. It reveals the benefit of considering different interpretations of the mound’s significance.
H. It implies that scientific study of the mound’s purpose will affect what the mound symbolizes
to people.
49. The poet contrasts the speaker’s and Ruth’s points of view regarding the mound by using
dialogue to
A. imply that Ruth is worried that her interpretation of the mound will be seen as too abstract.
B. indicate that Ruth hopes her interpretation of the mound will be shared by the men from
the museum.
C. suggest that Ruth wants the speaker to agree with her interpretation of the mound.
D. show that Ruth has already decided on her interpretation of the mound.
2 Psychologist Benjamin Storm from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and researchers Sean
Stone and Aaron Benjamin devised an experiment to study students’ tendency to depend on the
Internet for facts. To begin, the scientists divided sixty participants into multiple groups, including
an “Internet” group and a “memory” group, and placed them in front of computers. The Internet
group was required to use the search engine Google to answer eight challenging trivia questions.
In contrast, participants in the memory group were permitted to use only their personal
knowledge to answer the questions. In the second round, the researchers administered notably
easier questions. This time, they allowed each group the option of using Google as they answered.
Their results showed that 83 percent of the Internet group continued to consult Google in the
second round, while only 63 percent of the memory group chose to do so.
3 People’s growing inclination to rely on the Internet in order to retrieve information, particularly
facts and figures, is called cognitive offloading. Canadian researcher Evan F. Risko and British
researcher Sam Gilbert, who have written extensively about the topic, say a similar process has
been taking place for centuries. In the past, people used resources like encyclopedias to assist
their memories; however, today the Internet, serving as a vast extended memory, allows people
to digitally access and retrieve much larger volumes of information. Consequently, people’s minds
are free for other cognitive feats, such as connecting data, learning new information, or solving
problems.
4 The use of the Internet also appears to be modifying the strategies people use to store
information in their mind. Researchers Betsy Sparrow from Columbia University, Jenny Liu from
the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Daniel Wegner from Harvard University conducted
several studies to discover how people efficiently manage their information intake.
5 To begin, the researchers examined how people evaluate which information deserves their effort
to remember. For this experiment, participants read forty trivia facts, such as “An ostrich’s eye is
bigger than its brain,” and typed the statements into a computer file. Half the participants had
been previously told the file would be saved, while half believed it would be erased. Next, the
participants wrote down every fact they could recall. Those who believed the information would be
erased and no longer available could recall 40 percent more facts than those who thought the
information would be saved.
7 As the Internet’s resources continue to expand our “external” memory, some question whether
the process may cause people to depend too heavily on technology. However, Steven Pinker, a
professor of psychology at Harvard University, says, “Knowledge is increasing exponentially;
human brainpower and waking hours are not. Fortunately, the Internet and information
technologies are helping us manage, search and retrieve our collective intellectual output at
different scales, from Twitter and previews to e-books and online encyclopedias. Far from making
us stupid, these technologies are the only things that will keep us smart.”
Rehearsal
Retrieval
Unrehearsed Some information
information is may be forgotten
forgotten. over time.
50. The details in paragraph 3 about cognitive offloading convey a central idea of the passage by
A. They suggest that the act of repeating information by typing it on a keyboard may improve a
person’s memory.
B. They explain that a person will forget information faster if the information is considered
unimportant.
C. They indicate that a person may start to forget details when the amount of information
becomes overwhelming.
D. They suggest that memory is affected by whether a person expects to have access to the
information in the future.
How does the sentence contribute to the structure and development of ideas in the passage?
E. It presents a claim about the risks of relying on the Internet that prompted the research
described in paragraphs 2 and 6.
F. It contrasts a disadvantage of relying on the Internet with the benefits of Internet use that
are described in paragraphs 2 and 6.
G. It signals a shift from a neutral viewpoint in paragraphs 2 and 6 to a presentation of an
argument and a counterargument.
H. It introduces a counterargument and marks a transition from an optimistic tone in
paragraphs 2 and 6 to a cautious tone as the counterargument is developed.
53. The study described in paragraph 6 influenced researchers’ ideas about memory in the digital
age by
E. It reveals why human brains must adapt to obtaining information from the Internet as
opposed to other sources.
F. It indicates how people can use the Internet to help improve their long-term recollection of
information.
G. It shows how study participants’ brains distinguished between important and
unimportant details.
H. It depicts the idea that repetition and rehearsal are necessary to recall information when
tools such as search engines are unavailable.
55. Which evidence from the passage is most relevant to the claim in paragraph 7 that “ ‘far from
making us stupid, these technologies are the only things that will keep us smart’ ”?
A. the revelation that most people opted to use the Internet to answer relatively easy trivia
questions rather than relying on their own brainpower (paragraph 2)
B. the assertion that the storage of information on the Internet frees people to focus on higher-
order tasks such as problem solving (paragraph 3)
C. the connection between how people organize information in their mind and their ability to
recall that information (paragraph 5)
D. the description of transactive memory as an expansive external source that people can use to
store information (paragraph 6)
E. “In the past few decades, the Internet has become an integral component of daily life for
many people.” (paragraph 1)
F. “The Internet group was required to use the search engine Google to answer eight
challenging trivia questions.” (paragraph 2)
G. “Their results showed that 83 percent of the Internet group continued to consult Google in
the second round, while only 63 percent of the memory group chose to do so.” (paragraph 2)
H. “For this experiment, participants read forty trivia facts, such as ‘An ostrich’s eye is bigger
than its brain,’ and typed the statements into a computer file.” (paragraph 5)
57. The effect of the Internet on a person’s memory is illustrated in the passage through the
presentation of studies that
A. examine how the use of search engines changes the way people evaluate and store
information for future access.
B. highlight the difference between the capacity of the Internet and the ability of the human
brain to locate information.
C. compare the type of information that can be obtained from the Internet with the type of
information that is stored in the human brain.
D. emphasize the ease of obtaining information through search engines rather than
remembering it without assistance.
IMPORTANT NOTES
(1) Formulas and definitions of mathematical terms and symbols are not provided.
(2) Diagrams other than graphs are not necessarily drawn to scale. Do not assume any relationship in
a diagram unless it is specifically stated or can be determined from the information given.
(3) Assume that a diagram is in one plane unless the question specifically states that it is not.
(4) Graphs are drawn to scale. Unless stated otherwise, you can assume relationships according to
appearance. For example, lines on a graph that appear to be parallel can be assumed to be
parallel. This is also true for concurrent lines, straight lines, collinear points, right angles, etc.
(5) Reduce (simplify) all fractions to lowest terms.
Negative
sign → ← Decimal
point
Negative
sign → ← Decimal
point
147 − x
59. = 12
12
30°
y° 60°
P
25°
A. 18
Based on the statement above, which
B. 45
variable has the greatest value?
C. 144
D. 207 A. M
B. N
C. P
D. R
64.
Q R
50°
70°
P T S
E. 60°
F. 70°
G. 80°
H. 120°
G. −7°
The table above shows the number of H. 5°
times that different desserts were ordered
at a restaurant. Based on this information,
what is the probability of a customer
ordering ice cream as a dessert?
A. 3:1
67. To make party invitations, Macie could buy B. 5:1
a package of paper for $10.50, or she C. 15:3
could buy x individual sheets of the same D. 45:11
paper for $0.15 each. What is the largest
value of x that would make buying the
individual sheets less expensive than
buying the package?
A. 60
B. 65
C. 69
D. 70
F. 12 apple juice?
G. 13
1
H. 14 A.
9
5
B.
14
9
C.
14
2
D.
71. What is the least common multiple of 24, 3
6, and 18?
A. 36
B. 48
C. 72
74. A large circular dinner plate has a radius
D. 144
of 20 centimeters. A smaller circular plate
with a circumference of 20π centimeters
is placed in the center of the larger dinner
plate. What is the area of the part of the
larger dinner plate that is not covered by
72. One day, the Early Bird Restaurant used the smaller plate?
15 dozen eggs for 200 breakfast
customers. At this rate, approximately E. 20π sq cm
how many dozen eggs are needed for 300 F. 100π sq cm
breakfast customers?
G. 200π sq cm
E. 20
H. 300π sq cm
F. 23
G. 25
H. 30
1
page $ 350
2
3
A. 1 pages
4 78. Points X , Y , and Z are on a straight line,
B. 10 pages and Y is between X and Z . Length
3
1 YZ = XY , and length
C. 16 pages 5
2
XY = 20 centimeters. What is the length
1
D. 17 pages
2 of XZ ?
E. 12 cm
F. 24 cm
G. 30 cm
H. 32 cm
what was the total cost of the cloth? manganese, and nickel—with weights in
the ratio of 177:12:7:4, respectively. The
A. $12.96
coin weighs a total of 8 grams. What is
B. $14.08
the weight of the zinc in this coin?
C. $15.12
D. $16.08 A. 0.28 g
B. 0.48 g
C. 0.96 g
D. 48 g
80.
M N
82. Jack scored a mean of 15 points per game
11 in his first 3 basketball games. In his
3
4th game, he scored 27 points. What is
1 G. 18
E. −7
6 H. 21
1
F. − 4
2
1
G. 4
2
1
H. 7
6
when it is completely full. Currently, the the following must be an even integer?
1
drum is full of oil. How many kiloliters
3 E. w + 1
of oil need to be added in order to fill the
F. 2w − 1
drum completely?
G. 2w − 2
A. 1.44
H. 2w + 1
B. 2.88
C. 4.32
D. 14.10
A. 40%
B. 60%
C. 64%
D. 80%
89.
PET SURVEY
1
91. 5x 3 + 3x + 9 +
Number of x2
Number of Pets
Students
0 12
If x = 10 , what is the value of the
1 16
expression above?
2 7
3 or more 5 A. 2,539.01
B. 5,039.01
Amy surveyed students at her school C. 5,039.1
about the number of pets they have. D. 5,139
What is the probability that a student
who participated in the survey has at
least 2 pets?
7
A.
40
1
B.
12
1
C.
8
3
D.
10
E. 6
F. 21
G. 63
H. 126
M T Q
A. $1,850 A. 7%
B. $3,700 B. 10%
C. $5,920 C. 17%
D. $18,500 D. 20%
100.
97. On a bike trip, Rajiv traveled 65
kilometers in 5 hours, while Shaina
traveled 72 kilometers in 4 hours. How
much less was Rajiv’s mean speed, in
kilometers per hour (kph), than Shaina’s?
A. 1
B. 5 1
x+
C. 7
D. 9
y 2
E. 1
F. x +1
F. 2
x +1
G. 3 G.
2
H. 4
H. ( x + 1) 2
2
M R T y
−1 5
4 8
4
The hash marks on the number line above
are evenly spaced. What is the coordinate
of point R? x
O m n
7
A.
40
9
B.
40 What is the area of the shaded triangle
11 shown above?
C.
40
21 A. m + n
D.
40
B. n − m
C. 2 ( n − m)
D. 4 ( n − m)
E. 50 G. 12
F. 60 H. 30
G. 100
H. 500
3
A. The cards in the table above are mixed in
5
16 a box. Which animal pictured on a card
B.
25 has exactly a 1 in 4 chance of being
19 picked at random from the box?
C.
25
4 E. cat
D.
5 F. dog
G. fish
H. horse
A. –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
B. –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
C. –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
D. –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
1
A.
6
1
B.
5
1
C.
3
5
D.
6
A. 14
A. r − v ≥ 3
B. 16
B. r − v ≤ 3
C. 18
C. 3 − v ≤ r D. 22
D. 3 − r ≤ v
E. 0.43 E. 72
F. 2.30 F. 108
G. 7.28 G. 144
H. 18.48 H. 158
1. The question asks for the best way to combine the sentences to clarify the relationship between
the ideas.
A. Incorrect. Even though the two ideas from the original sentences are incorporated into the
combined sentence, the use of the conjunction “while” in the first part of the sentence
suggests that there is a simultaneous but unrelated relationship between the two ideas,
which is incorrect.
B. Incorrect. The combined sentence incorporates the ideas from both sentences, but the
conjunction “although” suggests that scientists were allowed to collect data even though
there were flyby missions, which is an inaccurate way to express the relationship between
the ideas.
C. CORRECT. This sentence is the best way to combine the sentences because it accurately
reflects the relationship between the ideas by using the nonrestrictive clause “which allow
scientists to collect data about the planet and its moons” to describe the purpose of the flyby
missions. (Nonrestrictive clauses are adjective clauses that give additional information about
a word or phrase. They sometimes begin with the relative pronoun “which” and are set off by
commas.) The idea that the missions “have been happening since 1973” follows the
nonrestrictive clause.
D. Incorrect. The combined sentence uses the conjunction “but” to connect the ideas in the two
original sentences. This suggests an adverse relationship between ideas, which is an
inaccurate way to connect the ideas expressed in the original sentences.
192
2. The question asks for the identification of the sentence that has an error in its construction and
should be revised.
E. Incorrect. There are no errors in the structure of sentence 1. The clause “who played in the
Long Island area at the time” correctly modifies the noun “New York Nets.” “Who” is the
correct relative pronoun to serve as the subject of the modifying clause because it refers to
people rather than objects or things.
F. CORRECT. Sentence 2 contains a structural error. The current placement of the clause
“where the Nets played for thirty-five seasons” suggests the clause is modifying the term
“financial troubles,” which is illogical. The clause “where the Nets played for thirty-five
seasons” should immediately follow the location, “New Jersey.” A revised version of the
sentence might read, “After the team had financial troubles, the owner of the Nets decided to
take the team to New Jersey, where the Nets played for thirty-five seasons.”
G. Incorrect. There are no errors in the structure of sentence 3. The phrase “including two
appearances in the NBA finals” is a nonrestrictive phrase that provides further detail about
the team’s “sixteen playoff appearances.” The phrase is set off by a comma because it is not
essential to understanding the meaning of the sentence.
H. Incorrect. There are no errors in the structure of sentence 4. The clause “where the team
now plays under the name the Brooklyn Nets” is a nonrestrictive clause that provides further
detail about the team after its move back to New York in 2012. The phrase is set off by a
comma because it is not essential to understanding the meaning of the sentence.
A. Incorrect. The revisions in this option introduce new errors. The word “spent” is correct in the
past tense because that is the tense used throughout the rest of the paragraph. Additionally,
adding a comma after the word “play” would be incorrect because it would separate the
prepositional phrase “at the community theater” from the rest of the sentence.
B. Incorrect. The revisions in this option introduce new errors. The word “did” is correct as
written in the past tense because the past tense is used throughout the paragraph. There
is no comma needed after the word “projection” because “so” is not functioning as a
conjunction but rather as part of the conjunction phrase “so that,” which does not take
a comma.
C. CORRECT. Changing the word “studies” from the present tense to the past tense “studied” is
necessary to match the past tense established in the paragraph (“spent,” “recited”).
Additionally, the comma after the word “emotions” needs to be removed because the words
“emotions and motivations” are part of a group (series) of two elements, and when there are
only two elements in a series, a comma is not used.
D. Incorrect. The revisions in this option introduce new errors. The word “recited” is correct as
written in the past tense because the past tense is used throughout the paragraph. Also,
removing the comma after “times” is incorrect because the comma is needed in order to
separate the modifying phrase “making slight adjustments and improvements to her
performance each time” from the main clause.
193
4. The question asks for the revisions that are needed to correct errors in the paragraph.
E. Incorrect. The revisions introduce new errors. The colon after “wonder” is needed to set off
the question “what is the difference between the two?” from the rest of the sentence. In
addition, changing the verb “is” to “are” would be incorrect with the use of the singular noun
“difference,” which is the subject in the question.
F. Incorrect. The revisions introduce new errors. The comma following the introductory phrase
“To start with” helps with clarity and is needed to separate the phrase from the rest of the
sentence. Changing “it is” to “they are” would be incorrect with the use of the singular noun
“butterfat content,” which is what the words “it is” refer to in the sentence.
G. Incorrect. The revisions introduce new errors. The comma following “process” is necessary to
set off the nonrestrictive clause “which adds less air to the frozen treat” from the rest of the
sentence. This clause is considered a nonrestrictive clause because it provides additional, but
not essential, information about the mixing process. Changing the verb “makes” to “make”
would be incorrect with the use of the singular noun “mixing process,” which is the subject of
the sentence.
H. CORRECT. Deleting the comma after “gelato” would include the clause “and allow it to melt
more quickly” with the first part of the clause “which enhances the texture and flavor of the
gelato.” The word “and” between the two verb phrases (“enhances the texture and flavor of
the gelato” and “allow it to melt more quickly”) indicates that the two verb phrases share a
subject, “which” (referring to the act of serving gelato 10 to 15 degrees warmer than ice
cream). The two ideas should not be separated by a comma within the clause. The entire
clause “which enhances the texture and flavor of the gelato and allow it to melt more quickly”
should be separated from the main clause only by the comma after “cream” because the
entire clause is a nonrestrictive clause. This clause provides additional, but not essential,
information about the purpose of serving gelato at a warmer temperature than when serving
ice cream. Changing the verb “allow” to “allows” is also necessary to match the use of the
singular noun “gelato,” which is the subject of the sentence.
194
REVISING/EDITING PART B
5. The question asks for the best way to combine sentences 2 and 3.
195
6. The question asks where sentence 10 should be moved to improve the organization of the
second paragraph.
E. Incorrect. Starting this paragraph with sentence 10 would weaken the paragraph’s
organization because it would place a supporting detail sentence (sentence 10) before the
topic sentence (sentence 6). Sentence 6 belongs at the beginning of the paragraph because it
introduces the topic—the qualities of discipline, focus, and respect. Sentence 10 supports the
key idea of the paragraph, that these qualities can be developed through the study of martial
arts. If sentence 10 preceded sentence 6, the transitional phrase “for example” would refer to
an unspecified topic and idea.
F. Incorrect. Sentence 6 presents the idea that “discipline, focus, and respect are important
qualities for everyone to have,” but the example in sentence 10 does not directly relate to
this idea. Sentence 10 explains how martial arts develop these qualities, not why they are
important qualities to have. Because sentence 10 is not directly related to the idea in
sentence 6 (the qualities are important), it should not follow sentence 6.
G. Incorrect. Sentences 7 and 8 should not be separated, because the idea presented in
sentence 8—that “the study of martial arts can provide an opportunity to develop these
skills”—is directly related to the idea from sentence 7—that the skills of discipline, focus, and
respect “are not innate; they must be learned and practiced.” Sentence 10 supports the idea
from sentence 8 by describing an example from a typical martial arts class, so sentence 10
should not precede sentence 8.
H. CORRECT. This option is correct because sentence 10 logically follows and supports the idea
in sentence 8 that “the study of martial arts can provide an opportunity to develop” the
qualities of discipline, focus, and respect. Sentence 10 explains this idea with examples,
describing three specific ways that students in a typical tae kwon do class develop discipline,
focus, and respect—by “diligently practicing,” “listening carefully,” and “bowing to the
instructor and following directions.”
7. The question asks for the revision of sentence 12 that best maintains the formal style
established in the passage.
A. Incorrect. The phrases “A lot,” “put up with,” “difficult things,” and “do well in school” are
worded informally; therefore, this sentence does not consistently maintain the formal style
established in the passage.
B. Incorrect. The phrases “deal with,” “tough situations,” “stay on top of,” and “do well in life”
are worded informally; therefore, this sentence does not consistently maintain the formal
style established in the passage.
C. CORRECT. This option is correct because it uses clear and scholarly wording throughout the
whole sentence. The phrases “many teenagers,” “encounter challenges,” and “succeed both
academically and personally” make the sentence’s style more consistently formal than the
other options.
D. Incorrect. The phrases “A lot,” “face problems,” and “keep up with” are worded informally;
therefore, this sentence does not consistently maintain the formal style established
in the passage.
196
8. The question asks for the transitional phrase that should be added to the beginning of
sentence 17.
E. CORRECT. This option is correct because it best shows the chronological progression
between the ideas in sentence 16—progressing through levels of achievement “requires
students to take responsibility and be accountable for achieving set goals”—and the ideas in
sentence 17—“students gain confidence and experience companionship with other students
who are progressing through the ranks.” The transitional phrase “over time” shows the
gradual nature of the relationship between the cause in sentence 16 and the effect in
sentence 17.
F. Incorrect. Though the ideas in sentences 16 and 17 are related, “in fact” does not show the
correct relationship between the ideas. The transitional phrase “in fact” emphasizes an idea
by giving a detail or example of greater intensity, but the ideas in sentence 16—progressing
through levels “requires students to take responsibility and be accountable for achieving set
goals”—and the ideas in sentence 17—“students gain confidence and experience
companionship with other students who are progressing through the ranks”—are related by
cause and effect rather than by (degree of) intensity.
G. Incorrect. The transitional phrase “even so” is used to connect opposing ideas, but the ideas
in sentence 16—progressing through levels “requires students to take responsibility and be
accountable for achieving set goals”—does not contrast with the ideas in sentence 17—
“students gain confidence and experience companionship with other students who are
progressing through the ranks.”
H. Incorrect. Although the transitional phrase “for instance” connects an idea with a related
example, it does not show the cause-and-effect relationship between the ideas in
sentence 16—progressing through levels “requires students to take responsibility and be
accountable for achieving set goals”—and the ideas in sentence 17—“students gain
confidence and experience companionship with other students who are progressing through
the ranks.”
9. The question asks for the sentence that would best follow and support sentence 18.
A. Incorrect. Though the idea of advancing one’s career is certainly appealing for adults, this
benefit is not directly tied to “health and fitness” and, therefore, does not support
sentence 18.
B. Incorrect. While the passage does discuss potential benefits related to discipline, focus, and
confidence (sentences 6 and 11), sentence 18 is solely related to health and fitness benefits
and should not be followed by a description of “other skills.”
C. CORRECT. This option is correct because sentence 18 conveys that the greatest benefit of
practicing martial arts is “health and fitness,” and the sentence illustrates some specific ways
that martial arts training helps improve physical fitness—“strengthen their heart, boost
endurance, improve balance, and develop muscle tone.”
D. Incorrect. Some readers may choose this option because sentence 5, sentence 15, and
sentence 18 discuss the physical aspects of practicing martial arts, but the idea that people
who practice martial arts are concerned about their overall health does not provide further
details about the connection between training and health.
197
10. The question asks for the concluding sentence that best replaces sentence 23 and supports the
topic presented in the passage.
E. Incorrect. The phrase “the skills needed to progress in rank” is vague, and progressing in
rank is not related to the overall topic of the passage, which is the benefits of studying
martial arts. The topic of the passage is not the “many ways to begin studying martial arts”
or how “people can easily discover” the benefits of martial arts.
F. CORRECT. This option is correct because it best supports the topic of the passage—the
benefits of studying martial arts—by stating two reasons why people should study martial
arts: to “experience the satisfaction of achieving goals while also improving themselves.”
G. Incorrect. Some readers may choose this option because it refers to the benefits of martial
arts, but the word “because” and the detail that “enrollment in martial arts courses has
increased” make this sentence unrelated to the overall topic of the passage, which is about
the benefits of studying martial arts, not the number of people who participate.
H. Incorrect. Although the benefits of studying martial arts are described for both teens (in the
third paragraph) and adults (in the fourth paragraph), the topic of the passage is the overall
benefits of studying martial arts, which include mental discipline (discussed in the first,
second, and third paragraphs) in addition to health benefits. Furthermore, the passage does
not compare the health effects of studying martial arts across age groups.
198
READING COMPREHENSION
11. The question asks how the details about Darimont in paragraph 1 contribute to a central idea of
the passage.
A. Incorrect. Although paragraph 1 includes the detail that the Great Bear Rainforest is a
protected area, finding an ideal location to study wolves is not a central idea of the passage.
Additionally, the paragraph does not describe Darimont’s beliefs about the Great Bear
Rainforest.
B. CORRECT. Paragraph 1 explains why Darimont wanted to consult with Chester Starr, an
elder of the Heiltsuk Nation: “When biologist Chris Darimont began to study these wolves, he
wanted to confer with local First Nations groups, as aboriginal Canadians are known, in order
to learn what they knew about these wolves.” The details in paragraph 1 show that Darimont
valued Starr’s perspective (“What Starr had to say about the wolves changed Darimont’s
perception of the animals”), even though it was different from Darimont’s own perspective at
that time.
C. Incorrect. Paragraphs 1 and 2 show that Darimont did not initially believe that the mainland
wolves and the coastal wolves were different groups. Therefore, the details in paragraph 1do
not provide evidence that Darimont chose Great Bear Rainforest because of an expectation
that there were separate groups of island wolves and timber wolves. Instead, he chose the
Great Bear Rainforest for the opportunity to study what he had presumed to be one group
of wolves.
D. Incorrect. Although Darimont sought out Chester Starr, an elder of the Heiltsuk Nation,
before beginning his research, Darimont’s purpose in doing so was not to request Starr’s
permission to study the wolves but to learn from Starr’s expert knowledge of the area and its
wolves (“When biologist Chris Darimont began to study these wolves, he wanted to confer
with local First Nations groups, as aboriginal Canadians are known, in order to learn what
they knew about these wolves” [paragraph 1]).
199
12. The question asks why the author includes details about the conversation between Starr and
Darimont in paragraph 2.
E. Incorrect. The details in paragraph 2 do not explain why Starr had closely observed the two
groups of wolves. Instead, they convey that Starr believed the wolves to be separate groups
(“Starr asked Darimont which wolves he and his team were going to study—the timber
wolves (mainland wolves) or the coastal wolves on the islands”), a supposition that intrigued
Darimont and ultimately changed the course of his research study.
F. Incorrect. Although paragraph 1 indicates that Darimont did hope to work with Starr (“he
wanted to confer with local First Nations groups, as aboriginal Canadians are known, in order
to learn what they knew about these wolves”), Darimont did not initially plan to study both
groups of wolves in the area because, as the conversation in paragraph 2 indicates, he did
not initially know they were two distinct groups of wolves.
G. Incorrect. The details about the conversation in paragraph 2 highlight that Darimont was
eager to learn from Starr’s knowledge of the wolves (“Darimont was intrigued by Starr’s
classification of the wolves as two different groups”), but they do not indicate that Darimont
expected Starr’s help to find the wolves.
H. CORRECT. According to paragraph 2, Starr wanted to know which group of wolves Darimont
planned to study—“the timber wolves (mainland wolves) or the coastal wolves on the
islands.” The author states that the question “took Darimont by surprise,” adding that
“Darimont was intrigued by Starr’s classification of the wolves as two different groups.” The
author adds that Darimont was initially “hesitant to accept the idea” that the wolves were
separate groups but ultimately spent years studying the two groups of wolves. These details
indicate that the question Starr posed to Darimont forced Darimont to reevaluate his initial
assumption “that the wolves that are sometimes spotted swimming between islands and
eating salmon are the same wolves that live on the mainland” and investigate Starr’s
observation that the wolves had separated into two distinct groups.
200
13. The question asks what the phrase “hard biological evidence” in the sentence from paragraph 4
conveys about the goal of the research team.
A. Incorrect. Although the research team followed a labor-intensive procedure, the phrase “hard
biological evidence” refers to the product of their scientific research (the genetic markers
revealed within the DNA samples), not the process by which they collected it. Their goal was
not to develop a procedure for data collection but to determine precisely how many species
of wolf were present in the area.
B. CORRECT. The research team wanted to prove or disprove the theory that two separate
groups of wolves were present in the area, an idea that was already supported by the
observations of scientists and local indigenous people. The phrase “hard biological evidence”
conveys that the scientists wanted to bolster their observations of the wolves with concrete
scientific data about the wolves’ biological makeup. The goal of the researchers was to use
the data to prove how many species of wolf were present in the area of the study.
C. Incorrect. The research team gathered extensive data during their study (“After collecting
and analyzing the DNA in 800 samples of gray fur and wolf waste” [paragraph 4]), and their
goal in doing so was to evaluate a single theory about the wolves: that the wolves had
evolved into two separate and genetically distinct species. The research team did not conduct
the study in order to evaluate multiple theories about the diets of the wolves.
D. Incorrect. The phrase “hard biological evidence” does not suggest that the research team
was hoping to discover if the new data would provide information that was different from
previous studies. In fact, the goal of the research team was to use the genetic data to
supplement their initial sources of information about the wolves and their own observations
from the field.
201
14. The question asks for the most likely reason why the author uses the word “admits” in
paragraph 5.
E. Incorrect. The word “admits” highlights the surprising difference between Darimont’s initial
idea and the conclusion he ultimately drew from the results of the study. Though Darimont’s
genetic research did, in fact, verify the field observations of the wolves, this does not explain
the author’s use of the word “admits” in paragraph 5.
F. Incorrect. The conclusion that Darimont reached was actually quite original, since biologists
widely believed the two separate groups of wolves to be one (“Biologists had always believed
that the wolves that are sometimes spotted swimming between islands and eating salmon
are the same wolves that live on the mainland,” [paragraph 2]). The author uses the word
“admits” in paragraph 5 to emphasize how unexpected Darimont found the conclusion to be
(“The distances between the mainland and the islands are small, less than a mile. Why would
the wolves on the islands be any different from the wolves on the mainland?” [paragraph 2]),
not to indicate that the study was a disappointment.
G. CORRECT. The use of “admits” emphasizes that Darimont found the idea of two species of
wolves “ ‘totally bizarre at first’ ” (paragraph 5) but ultimately proved it to be correct.
Paragraph 2 suggests that Darimont, like other scientists, “had always believed that the
wolves that are sometimes spotted swimming between islands and eating salmon are the
same wolves that live on the mainland.” Therefore, the results of the study were likely to
strike biologists as bizarre, and the use of the word “admits” in paragraph 5 highlights
Darimont’s shift from doubt to confirmation.
H. Incorrect. Darimont’s team conducted the research that helped him confirm Starr’s idea and
draw the conclusion that the wolves were separate species (“After collecting and analyzing
the DNA in 800 samples of gray fur and wolf waste, researchers could produce hard biological
evidence that sea wolves had genetic markers that made them distinct from the mainland
wolves” [paragraph 4]). However, the opinions of Darimont’s research team are not described
in the passage, and the word “admits” does not indicate that they disagreed with his
conclusion.
202
15. The question asks for the sentence from the passage that best supports the idea that sea wolves
had successfully adapted to living on the islands.
A. CORRECT. This sentence from paragraph 3 describes a significant difference in the diets of
the mainland and sea wolves: the mainland wolves “almost exclusively eat meat, such as
deer and elk, and teach their young to hunt for land animals,” whereas the sea wolves had
adapted to the point where they derive “as much as 90 percent of their nutrition from the sea
and teach their young to dig for clams and to catch fish.” This sentence emphasizes the
dietary difference between the two groups of wolves and best supports the idea that sea
wolves had successfully adapted to living on the islands.
B. Incorrect. Although this sentence from paragraph 3 describes one technique that the sea
wolves used to hunt, it does not offer evidence as strong as that provided by the preceding
sentence, which explains that sea wolves were able to derive “as much as 90 percent”
(paragraph 3) of their sustenance from the sea alone (versus the mainland wolves, which
“almost exclusively eat meat” from land animals [paragraph 3]).
C. Incorrect. Although this sentence from paragraph 3 states that “some sea wolves live their
entire life on the islands,” it does not provide strong evidence of the necessary adaptations—
namely, how these wolves were able to successfully live their whole lives on the islands.
Living on the islands was not necessarily an adaptation in and of itself; the adaptation was
the sea-based diet that enabled the sea wolves to live on the islands without access to land
animals.
D. Incorrect. Although this sentence from paragraph 4 presents Darimont’s hypothesis that “a
change in habitat led to the eventual genetic differences” between the wolves, the sentence
does not describe any of the sea wolves’ adaptations nor best support the idea that the sea
wolves successfully adapted to living on the islands.
16. The question asks how a change in habitat most affected the wolf population of the Great Bear
Rainforest over time.
E. Incorrect. Although the island wolves learned new hunting techniques (“dig for clams and to
catch fish,” “sneak up on a seal sunning itself on a rock and make a leaping attack from the
water” [paragraph 3]), there is no evidence in the passage that these hunting techniques
were developed in response to scarcity of prey. The most significant effect of the change in
habitat was not an influence on hunting techniques but the behavior differences that evolved
because of the isolation of the groups of wolves from each other.
F. Incorrect. The change in habitat did not cause the wolves to form smaller packs but rather
served to create distinctive behaviors because of the isolation of one pack from another,
eventually causing the groups of wolves to became distinct species.
G. CORRECT. The change in habitat caused the wolves to gradually become two distinct
species. Though the “sea wolves regularly swim between islands” and “some salmon-eating
mainland wolves come and go from the islands,” the “sea wolves are full-time island
residents” (paragraph 3). This behavioral adaptation to their environment caused the seas
wolves to “became more isolated” from the mainland wolves; as a result, the two groups
“rarely mated with each other,” and “over time the two types of wolves became more
distinct” (paragraph 4).
H. Incorrect. Only the sea wolves adapted their diet. They did this not because different food
sources became available in the area but because they were in an entirely different area from
the mainland wolves.
203
Excerpt from “How We Made the First Flight”
17. The question asks how paragraph 1 introduces the idea that the Wright brothers knew that their
flight attempt was risky.
A. CORRECT. Paragraph 1 describes the Wright brothers hanging out “the signal” to notify the
lifesaving crew to stand by as they attempted flight; the need for lifesaving experts to be
available in case of an accident introduces the idea that the attempted flight might crash.
B. Incorrect. The specifics on the speed of the wind by themselves do not emphasize the danger
of the flight. While the brothers admitted that the strong wind posed certain risks, they also
noted that the windy conditions might make landing safer (“estimated that the added
dangers in flight would be partly compensated for by the slower speed in landing”
[paragraph 1]).
C. Incorrect. A slower landing was expected as a result of the windy conditions, but it was not
part of a plan to increase the safety of the flight.
D. Incorrect. While the Wright brothers’ initial decision to wait to see whether the wind would
die down does suggest they were concerned about the safety of the flight, the explanation of
their decision to proceed with the flight shows that they expected one benefit from the poor
weather: “the slower speed in landing” (paragraph 1).
18. The question asks how the sentence from paragraph 4 contributes to the development of ideas in
the excerpt.
E. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 4 does not refer to the challenge of the winter
conditions during the flight attempt.
F. Incorrect. While the sentence from paragraph 4 specifically references a previous flight
several days earlier, it does not state how many attempts came before Wilbur’s attempt on
December 14.
G. CORRECT. The sentence from paragraph 4 indicates that the Wright brothers had agreed to
take turns attempting to achieve the first flight, which suggests their eagerness to each be
the first to successfully fly the machine.
H. Incorrect. Orville’s trial came about simply because the brothers took turns, which would
suggest that there was no greater likelihood of success or reason to be more confident at
that moment than there had been for previous attempts.
204
19. The question asks why the photograph mentioned in paragraph 4 is significant.
A. Incorrect. According to paragraph 4, the photograph was not taken immediately after the
tethering wire was released but rather after an intervening period during which “Wilbur ran at
the side of the machine, holding the wing to balance it on the track.” The picture was not
taken until “the machine had reached the end of the track,” which occurred after a “forty-foot
run” (paragraph 4).
B. CORRECT. The photograph mentioned in paragraph 4 is significant because it provides proof
that the machine did, in fact, take flight: “One of the Life Saving men snapped the camera
for us, taking a picture just as the machine had reached the end of the track and had risen
to a height of about two feet. The slow forward speed of the machine over the ground is
clearly shown in the picture by Wilbur’s attitude. He stayed along beside the machine without
any effort.”
C. Incorrect. The photograph mentioned in paragraph 4 is described as showing the plane
moving forward through the air at a height of two feet, but while the effect of the wind may
be visible, it is not why the photo is significant. Instead, the photograph provides proof that
the plane is, in fact, moving through the air (“One of the Life Saving men snapped the
camera for us, taking a picture just as the machine had reached the end of the track and had
risen to a height of about two feet. The slow forward speed of the machine over the ground is
clearly shown in the picture by Wilbur’s attitude”).
D. Incorrect. Although the plane is shown at a height of two feet in the photograph mentioned in
paragraph 4, the picture documents only one moment of the plane’s flight and does not
provide proof that the pilot had to gradually increase the height of the plane in the air.
20. The question asks how the details in paragraph 5 about the uneven nature of the flight convey a
central idea of the excerpt.
E. Incorrect. Paragraph 5 explains that the rudder was unbalanced and the effect that this issue
had on the flight, but the rudder was only part of the reason for the short flight. The length
of the flight is not a central idea of the excerpt.
F. Incorrect. Although paragraph 5 does explain that the equipment contributed to the difficulty
of controlling the plane’s flight, the lack of control over the flight is not a central idea of the
excerpt, which is the fact that the Wright brothers achieved a successful flight in spite of the
challenges involved.
G. CORRECT. The details in paragraph 5 describe the difficulties that the weather conditions
and mechanical issues presented and how Orville’s flight was successful despite the issues.
The ability of the Wright brothers to overcome difficult circumstances and complete the first
flight is a central idea of the excerpt.
H. Incorrect. While paragraph 5 does emphasize the difficulty caused by the wind, it does not
describe a “gradual change” in the wind, only that it was “irregular.”
205
21. The question asks how the sentence from paragraph 5 helps convey Orville Wright’s perspective
about the first flight.
A. Incorrect. Although the sentence from paragraph 5 refers to the velocity of the wind during
the flight, there is no indication that Orville felt a sense of frustration with the windy
conditions. Instead, the sentence emphasizes the “speed of the machine relative to the air”
and presents the equivalent flight length if the machine had flown through calm air (“the
length of the flight was equivalent to a flight of 540 feet made in calm air”), details that
emphasize the importance of the Wrights’ accomplishment.
B. CORRECT. In the sentence from paragraph 5, Orville uses the wind velocity and the machine
speed to highlight the distance that the plane covered while in the air and to determine the
distance that it would have flown on a day with calm winds, which emphasizes the magnitude
of the accomplishment.
C. Incorrect. Since Orville does not suggest in the sentence from paragraph 5 how far the plane
traveled under the actual conditions of high winds, the comparison is incomplete.
Additionally, this statement does not address the reason that he would make such a
comparison, which allowed him to describe the flight in more impressive terms (540 feet
versus 120 feet).
D. Incorrect. Unlike the wind velocity calculations made in preparation for the flight, which
might help in determining the success of future flights, the comparative calculations that
Orville provides in the sentence from paragraph 5 help interpret the results of the first flight
(by describing how fast and far the machine flew relative to the flying conditions) and
thereby communicate its success. The calculations of the first flight's relative speed and
equivalent distance would not affect the success of future flights, but the information does
provide context for understanding the Wright brothers' accomplishment.
E. Incorrect. The sentence focuses on the “sudden dart” of the plane, which ended the flight.
According to the paragraph, this sudden dart was caused by the difficulty of controlling the
front rudder “on account of its being balanced too near the center.” The sentence does not
detail the need for the pilot to have quick reflexes.
F. CORRECT. The sentence presents the idea that the difficulty of operating the machine
brought the flight to a quicker end than it might otherwise have had. According to
paragraph 5, “control of the front rudder was difficult on account of its being balanced too
near the center. This gave it a tendency to turn itself when started.” These sentences show
that one such “dart” shortened the flight.
G. Incorrect. Although it describes the abrupt end of the flight, the sentence does not describe
the shift in wind speed. The word “dart” refers instead to a change in the height, or altitude,
of the machine.
H. Incorrect. Although it includes the detail that the flight ended “a little over 120 feet from the
point at which it rose into the air,” the sentence does not provide an overview of the entire
flight’s progression. The sentence from paragraph 5 omits the flight’s takeoff and only
describes its rather abrupt ending.
206
23. The question asks what idea is most clearly conveyed by the words “only,” “nevertheless,” and
“finally” in the sentence from paragraph 5.
A. Incorrect. Although the duration of the flight was short and a successful flight had taken a
long time to achieve, the words in the sentence from paragraph 5 are used to emphasize the
remarkable nature of the flight, not the length of time it had taken the Wright brothers to be
successful.
B. Incorrect. While it is easy to imagine that the Wright brothers had hope for longer flights, the
words in the sentence from paragraph 5 do not relate directly to this sentiment; instead, they
describe the groundbreaking success of their flight.
C. Incorrect. While the capabilities of the aircraft were demonstrated during the flight, the words
in the sentence from paragraph 5 apply not only to the machine but also to the efforts of the
people who designed it, built it, and actually made it fly.
D. CORRECT. The words in the sentence from paragraph 5 suggest that, though the first flight
may not have lasted very long or taken the pilot very far, the Wright brothers accomplished
something no one had been able to do before: successfully pilot an airplane in flight.
24. The question asks which sentence from the excerpt best supports the idea that the Wright
brothers had to adapt their plans for the flight in order to accommodate weather conditions.
E. Incorrect. Although the sentence from paragraph 1 mentions the rainy weather and frozen
puddles, it does not specifically explain how these weather conditions forced the brothers to
adapt their plans for the flight.
F. CORRECT. The sentence from paragraph 1 reveals that the Wright brothers adapted by
making a risk calculation, based on the wind speed, before the flight. The high speed of the
wind could cause difficulties in flight while simultaneously allowing for a slower, more
controlled landing.
G. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 4 does mention wind, but it describes what Orville
was doing during the attempted flight, not the factors he considered before the flight in order
to adapt the plan.
H. Incorrect. Although the sentence from paragraph 5 mentions the “irregularity of the air”
during the flight, the sentence does not describe how the brothers adapted their plans for the
flight based on the weather.
207
25. The question asks how the use of chronological structure contributes to the development of ideas
in the excerpt.
A. CORRECT. Through the chronological structure, Orville addresses all stages of the flight in a
way that builds from flight concerns and preparations for takeoff to his experiences during
the flight and his successful landing.
B. Incorrect. While obstacles are presented within the excerpt, the chronological structure
emphasizes the events that ended in the successful achievement of flight on that day rather
than how the Wright brothers overcame obstacles.
C. Incorrect. The chronological structure of the excerpt does not show that the Wright brothers
applied lessons learned from their previous attempts at flight; instead, the structure
describes Orville’s December 17 attempt.
D. Incorrect. While Orville’s narrative certainly shows a strong need to analyze wind speed, this
idea is not conveyed through the chronological structure of the excerpt. Additionally, the
description of the first flight on December 17 indicates that it did not take place in ideal
conditions (“We realized the difficulties of flying in so high a wind” [paragraph 1] and “The
course of the flight up and down was exceedingly erratic, partly due to the irregularity of the
air” [paragraph 5]).
208
Excerpt from “The Spirit of the Herd”
26. The question asks which sentence from the excerpt best explains why Wade reserved Peroxide
Jim for “emergency work” (paragraph 1).
E. Incorrect. While the sentence from paragraph 1 refers to Peroxide Jim as being a superior
horse, it does not tell why he would be useful in an emergency. The mention of Peroxide Jim’s
superiority does not describe the attributes that would make him an appealing choice for use
in an emergency.
F. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 10 does not describe the actions of Peroxide Jim.
The sentence describes what Wade and the horse were experiencing, but it does not include
any reference to how Peroxide Jim was responding to the situation.
G. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 11 describes Wade’s experiences and does not focus
on the actions of Peroxide Jim. It reveals Wade’s awareness of the danger he was in, but the
only reference to Peroxide Jim in this sentence is the description of the horse having to work
harder to run on the stonier ground as they neared the edge: from “the plunging of the
horse,” Wade knew “that the ground was growing stonier, that they were nearing the rocks.”
This quotation does not show that Peroxide Jim was the right horse to use for emergency
work because it does not indicate, at this point in the text, that he was responding in a way
that saved the herd or Wade.
H. CORRECT. The sentence from paragraph 16 describes Peroxide Jim’s high level of skill and
ability to perform in a life-and-death situation. Not only did Peroxide Jim recognize the
emergency immediately (“From the flash of the lightning the horse had taken the bit”), but
the horse also proved to have the physical capability (“had covered an indescribably perilous
path at top speed, had outrun the herd and turned it from the edge of the rim rock”) and the
mental toughness (“without a false step or a tremor of fear”) required to respond
appropriately to the dangerous situation.
209
27. The question asks how paragraphs 1–2 contribute to the development of the central idea of
the excerpt.
A. CORRECT. The description of Peroxide Jim in paragraph 1 indicates that the horse was a fine
animal (“Along with the wagon had come the fresh horses—one of them being Peroxide Jim,
a supple, powerful, clean-limbed buckskin, a horse, I think, that had as fine and intelligent an
animal-face as any creature I ever saw” [paragraph 1]). The statement in paragraph 2 that
Wade’s “faith in Peroxide Jim was complete” supports the central idea of the excerpt that
Wade believed in Peroxide Jim’s abilities even before the horse turned the herd and saved
the cattle.
B. Incorrect. Paragraphs 1–2 do not emphasize Wade’s high expectations for himself, nor are
these expectations a central idea of the excerpt. The narrator expresses a high opinion of
Wade’s abilities in his comparison of Peroxide Jim and Wade, referring to the horse as a
“complement” (paragraph 1) for Wade; however, Wade showed complete trust in the horse’s
ability to save the herd without his help, as evidenced by Wade dropping the reins to allow
the horse to control the situation (paragraph 12).
C. Incorrect. The paragraphs refer to Peroxide Jim’s ability to handle cattle; in fact, paragraph 2
says that “the horse knew the cattle business.” It can be inferred that Wade had this
knowledge as well, but this idea is not the focus of paragraphs 1–2 and is not the central idea
of the excerpt.
D. Incorrect. Wade’s ability to judge a horse’s competence is not a central idea of the excerpt.
The event described in the text is proof that Wade knew how to judge a horse’s ability: Wade
trusted Peroxide Jim, and Peroxide Jim did not let him down. The option puts the focus on
Wade and one of his strengths, when the central idea and focus of the excerpt is Peroxide
Jim’s abilities and strengths, not Wade’s.
210
28. The question asks how paragraph 3 conveys the effect of the setting on the cattle drive.
E. Incorrect. The riders were not trying to move the herd through the darkness. Instead, the
reference to the growing darkness (“overtaken by the dusk”) indicates that the riders had
halted the animals for the night because moving the herd across the desert in the darkness
would have been much too dangerous because of the sheer drop-off at the edge of the
tableland. The riders needed the daylight to navigate the herd safely through the “pass
descending to the next lower bench.”
F. CORRECT. Paragraph 3 describes the land where the herd was as being “as level as a floor”
but “rimmed by sheer rock, from which there was a drop to the bench of sage below.” The
drop was “a perpendicular fall of about three hundred feet”—any animal or person could fall
over that edge. It was the change in height, from flat tableland to sheer drop-off, that made
the terrain so dangerous.
G. Incorrect. The use of the word “desert” in the first sentence of the paragraph does not
highlight the isolation of the setting or indicate that the riders and the herd were
uncomfortable being alone. Instead, the word merely establishes the setting where the action
occurred: “it lay as level as a floor, rimmed by sheer rock, from which there was a drop to
the bench of sage below.”
H. Incorrect. The excerpt does not indicate that the steep terrain made it difficult for the herd to
move forward. The herd was not expected to navigate the steep terrain. Instead, the steep
terrain presented a danger to the herd that must be avoided. The riders intended to move
the herd safely through passes that descended gradually to lower elevations.
211
29. The question asks how paragraph 9 fits into the overall structure of the excerpt.
A. Incorrect. Wade was alert long before the events of paragraph 9. In paragraph 4, he began
singing to the cattle because he knew that they were on the verge of stampeding. He was
even more alert when he “caught a breath of fresh, moist wind with the taste of water in it”
(paragraph 6) and heard thunder in paragraph 8: “The sound seemed to come out of the
earth, a low, rumbling mumble.”
B. Incorrect. Wade and the other riders were not calm; rather, they were alert and attempting
to keep the cattle calm by singing to them. They were as prepared as they could be for what
was about to happen, as shown in paragraph 1, through the selection of fresh horses and,
specifically, Wade’s choice to ride Peroxide Jim in the face of possible danger: “Wade had
been saving this horse for emergency work.”
C. Incorrect. Although Wade’s leadership is implied in paragraph 9 (“He must keep them going.
He touched his horse to ride on with them”), his leadership is revealed in earlier portions of
the excerpt as well (“Wade had been saving this horse” [paragraph 1]; “Wade began to sing”
[paragraph 5]), so this is not new information being introduced in paragraph 9 of the excerpt.
D. CORRECT. Paragraph 9 describes the lightning strike that made the cattle panic and
stampede. The stampede is the main conflict Wade and Peroxide Jim addressed in the
excerpt; and therefore, paragraph 9 fits into the overall structure of the excerpt by
presenting the incident that caused the main conflict.
30. The question asks what the phrase “bore down the flank of the herd” (paragraph 13) conveys
about Wade.
E. Incorrect. While Wade struggled to see the front of the herd, the words “bore down the flank
of the herd” (paragraph 13) are meant to convey the intensity of the situation Wade was in,
not the way the herd is blocking his vision.
F. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 13 states that the herd was “close on their left” and
includes the phrase “bore down.” Both of these phrases indicate that Wade was trapped
between the stampeding herd and the steep cliff. Wade and Peroxide Jim were struggling to
reach the very front of the herd to turn it away from the edge.
G. CORRECT. The phrase “bore down the flank of the herd” from paragraph 13 conveys the
overwhelming strength of the herd. The herd was forcing Wade toward the cliff. The wording
in the quotation emphasizes the immediate danger of the situation and conveys the idea
that Wade and Peroxide Jim were almost forced over the edge of the precipice by the
stampeding herd.
H. Incorrect. The phrase “bore down the flank of the herd” (paragraph 13) does not indicate
anything about the fear felt by the herd. The phrase is about Wade’s position between the
edge of the stampeding herd and the drop-off. Wade was aware of the danger the herd was
in if he and Peroxide Jim could not turn the cattle from the edge.
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31. The question asks how the sentences from paragraph 11 and paragraph 16 develop a central
idea in the excerpt.
A. Incorrect. While Peroxide Jim’s presence was critical to saving the herd, the details in
paragraph 11 and paragraph 16 do not focus on this idea. The primary idea is that the horse
was so intelligent and aware that he acted on his own.
B. Incorrect. The excerpt does not tell who trained Peroxide Jim. It can be inferred that Peroxide
Jim had been well trained and was knowledgeable of working cattle; however, there is no
indication that Wade was the person who trained Peroxide Jim, only that Wade knew of
Peroxide Jim’s abilities, respected the skilled horse, and was “saving this horse for emergency
work” (paragraph 1). Because the reader cannot infer from the excerpt that Wade was the
trainer, this idea cannot be considered central to the excerpt.
C. CORRECT. Wade recognized that Peroxide Jim knew to turn the herd without any instruction
from him. Throughout the excerpt, Wade exhibited confidence in his horse, Peroxide Jim. For
example, the narrator says that Wade’s “faith in Peroxide Jim was complete” in paragraph 2.
After Wade let go of the reins (paragraph 12), the horse took over, doing exactly what
needed to be done to save Wade, the herd, and himself: “a big white steer, which the horse,
with marvelous instinct, seemed to pick out from a bunch, and to cling to, forcing him
gradually ahead, till, cutting him free from the bunch entirely, he bore him off into the
swishing sage” (paragraph 14).
D. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 11 and the sentence from paragraph 16 show that
Peroxide Jim acted skillfully and with the knowledge that the ride was dangerous (“Wade was
riding for his life. He knew it. His horse knew it” [paragraph 11]). There is no indication that
Peroxide Jim was not afraid; in fact, it is likely the awareness of the danger and the fear
associated with that knowledge contributed to the horse’s motivation to turn the herd.
213
32. The question asks how the details in paragraphs 14–16 help convey a central idea of the excerpt.
E. CORRECT. Paragraphs 14–16 describe how Peroxide Jim’s “marvelous instinct” headed off
the herd and drove it away from the cliff. Wade acknowledged that without his instruction,
Peroxide Jim knew to find the leader of the herd, cut him off from the rest of the herd, and
then lead him to safety, confident that the remainder of the herd would follow. Paragraph 16
confirms this: “Whose race was it? It was Peroxide Jim’s, according to Wade, for not by word
or by touch of hand or knee had the horse been directed in the run.” This reinforces a central
idea of the excerpt regarding the horse’s amazing intellect and ability.
F. Incorrect. Although paragraphs 14–16 mention the “rim,” the “cliffs,” and the “indescribably
perilous path,” these details are not the focus of the paragraphs. They are descriptions of the
setting where Peroxide Jim’s able and effective actions saved the stampeding herd, and it is
these actions that are the central idea being conveyed.
G. Incorrect. Although Peroxide Jim is called “powerful” in paragraph 1, his physical strength is
neither a central idea of the excerpt nor the focus of paragraphs 14–16. His success at
turning the herd was attributed to his intellect and instinct, not his physical strength.
H. Incorrect. The excerpt does not suggest that Peroxide Jim anticipated the herd’s stampede
before the men did. In fact, the excerpt indicates that Wade led the men in singing to cover
sudden noises that might cause the herd to stampede, indicating that Wade was alert to that
possibility. Paragraph 7 also indicates that Wade anticipated the stampede, as he “checked
his horse instantly” and “tightened [his] grip on the reins” as soon as he smelled the rain and
heard the low rumble of thunder that preceded the lightning strike. The narrator notes
Wade’s actions well before the horse’s actions. Paragraphs 14–16 describe how Peroxide Jim
acted after the stampede began.
33. The question asks which sentence from the excerpt best reveals the mood on the drive before
the lightning struck.
A. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 3 describes the setting but does not contain words
that create a strong mood. In fact, this sentence shows that while there were dangerous
surroundings, the riders and the herd were “now halted.”
B. CORRECT. The sentence from paragraph 5 describes the riders singing “to preempt the
dreaded silence, to relieve the tension” and to prevent “shock” from any sudden noise. These
words provide a strong sense of the tense, heavy mood in which a terrible event such as a
stampede could quickly happen.
C. Incorrect. In the sentence from paragraph 7, Wade has become aware of a change in the
weather (“caught a breath of fresh, moist wind with the taste of water” [paragraph 6]) and is
seeking to verify it. Even though a rainstorm was one concern the riders had, the words
describing Wade’s immediate reaction to his discovery do not best convey the mood of dread
and foreboding that the men and horses feel just before the lightning strike.
D. Incorrect. While the words “ghostly” and “still moving in a circle” in the sentence from
paragraph 9 create a strange and mysterious image, the mood before the lightning struck
was not one of mystery or suspense. Instead, these descriptive words are used to indicate
Wade’s faint ability to see the herd moving in the dark.
214
A Miracle Mile
34. The question asks how the words “feat,” “humanly impossible,” and “impenetrable barrier” in
paragraph 1 affect the tone of the paragraph.
E. Incorrect. Although paragraph 1 states that “several elite runners aimed to break that
supposedly impenetrable barrier,” the words “feat,” “humanly impossible,” and “impenetrable
barrier” suggest that the goal was unattainable even for the most skilled runners.
F. CORRECT. No one had ever been able to run a mile in less than four minutes, and the words
“feat,” “humanly impossible,” and “impenetrable barrier” imply that the goal seemed
unattainable. These words also reinforce the comparison of running a four-minute mile to
“scaling Mount Everest” (paragraph 1).
G. Incorrect. The words “feat,” “humanly impossible,” and “impenetrable barrier” describe how
challenging and almost impossible running a four-minute mile seemed, and while other elite
runners “aimed to break that supposedly impenetrable barrier” (paragraph 1), the paragraph
focuses on Roger Bannister, not the competition among elite runners seeking to break the
record.
H. Incorrect. Bannister’s training program is described in paragraphs 3 and 4, and the words
“feat,” “humanly impossible,” and “impenetrable barrier” are used in paragraph 1 to describe
the magnitude of Bannister’s goal to run a four-minute mile. Though his training program
was intense, these words relate to the intensity of the goal itself, not to the intensity of
his training.
35. The question asks which sentence best supports the idea that Bannister needed an alternative to
“logical planning” (paragraph 3) in order to accomplish his goal.
A. Incorrect. The outcome of the 1952 Olympics, referenced in the sentence from paragraph 2,
is what prompted Bannister to seek a new goal: “Determined to redeem himself,
Bannister . . . focused on the ultimate prize—breaking the four-minute-mile barrier”
(paragraph 2).
B. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 3 does not show an alternative to Bannister’s
training plan to “develop endurance and speed” (paragraph 3) and his focus on using logical
planning in order to accomplish his goal.
C. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 4 focuses on details of his training plan, explaining
the “intensive interval training” (paragraph 3) that Bannister used to build his endurance and
speed, not an alternative form of preparation.
D. CORRECT. The sentence from paragraph 4 explains that Bannister reached a point where he
could not improve his time despite the strict training plan he had created. Taking a break
from his training to spend time mountain climbing “permitted his muscles to recuperate and
left him feeling refreshed” (paragraph 4).
215
36. The question asks how the sentences from paragraph 7 contribute to the development of ideas in
the passage.
E. CORRECT. The sentences from paragraph 7 show that toward the end of the race, Bannister
knew that the goal of breaking the four-minute-mile barrier was within his grasp and that he
had the focus necessary to achieve it. The sentence following Bannister’s quotation states
that he did indeed meet his goal, crossing “the finish line in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds”
(paragraph 7).
F. Incorrect. The feelings Bannister expressed in the sentences from paragraph 7 did not erase
those feelings related to his loss at the 1952 Olympics, which were what drove him to the
achievement he was about to make.
G. Incorrect. While the quotation states that Bannister felt “unity,” this pertains to his running,
not to his work with the team. The sentences from paragraph 7 capture Bannister’s focus on
his chance to break the barrier and what he was feeling at that moment.
H. Incorrect. The sentences from paragraph 7 express Bannister’s realization that he was on the
verge of reaching a goal. The sentences show that in the seconds before crossing the finish
line, Bannister was fully focused on the end goal and was not thinking about his training or
his running technique.
37. The question asks what idea is conveyed by the phrase “a new mindset had taken root” in
paragraph 8.
A. CORRECT. After Bannister ran the mile in under four minutes, it became clear to other
runners that this goal was within the realm of human ability, and “soon after Bannister’s
achievement, four other athletes matched his performance” (paragraph 8).
B. Incorrect. While the passage states that runners broke the four-minute-mile barrier after
Bannister initially broke it (“Soon after Bannister’s achievement, four other athletes matched
his performance” [paragraph 8]), running a four-minute mile is still impressive and a
challenge for elite runners.
C. Incorrect. Although runners most likely knew that the training needed in order to break the
four-minute-mile barrier was difficult and intensive, the phrase “a new mindset had taken
root” focuses on their belief in the possibility of breaking the four-minute-mile barrier, which
had been viewed as a “supposedly impenetrable barrier” (paragraph 1), not the idea that the
training was difficult.
D. Incorrect. Even though “four other athletes matched his performance” and “the record
continued to fall” (paragraph 8), the phrase “a new mindset had taken root” does not refer to
the idea that there was an increase in the number of runners entering races just to try
breaking the four-minute-mile barrier.
216
38. The question asks which sentence indicates that Bannister nearly made a mistake that would
have cost him the world record.
E. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 4 describes a challenge Bannister faced during his
training period, when he used “intensive interval training to develop endurance and speed”
(paragraph 3). Bannister ran laps on a “quarter-mile track” (paragraph 3) and was able to
control his pace at this time―unlike during the actual race to break the record.
F. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 6 describes the start of the race and Brasher’s role
as “first rabbit” for Bannister. Bannister was behind Brasher, following their plan for breaking
the record.
G. CORRECT. If Bannister had begun running faster than the “steady but grueling pace”
(paragraph 7) set by his “rabbit,” he would likely not have had enough energy to finish the
race. As paragraph 6 notes, “the runner conserves about 15 percent of his or her effort” by
allowing the rabbit to set the pace. Bannister had "lost his instinctive feel for his pace"
(paragraph 7) in the excitement of the race. If he had given in to his impulse to run faster
and bypassed the rabbit at that point in the race, it would have cost him energy, and, in turn,
the record.
H. Incorrect. The sentence from paragraph 7 describes how Bannister leaped ahead of
Chataway, his second “rabbit,” at the appropriate time in the effort to break the record.
Chataway had “surged forward, leading Bannister at this same punishing rate for another lap
and a half” (paragraph 7) before Bannister moved past him.
39. The question asks how Bannister’s loss in the 1952 Olympics influenced his decision to pursue
breaking the four-minute-mile barrier.
A. Incorrect. While Bannister recognized the weaknesses that led to his poor performance in the
Olympics and worked “to develop endurance and speed” (paragraph 3), the loss made him
“determined to redeem himself” (paragraph 2). The desire for redemption influenced
Bannister to focus specifically on running a mile in under four minutes, rather than on
winning other races or training for other distances.
B. Incorrect. Although Bannister developed an “intensive interval training” plan to improve his
“endurance and speed” (paragraph 3), he applied a different approach only after his progress
toward a four-minute mile reached a “plateau” (paragraph 4) in 1954. It was his desire to
“shave off at least one more second in order to reach his target” (paragraph 4) that
prompted him to take a break from interval training and go mountain climbing for three days.
C. CORRECT. Bannister sought to redeem himself after “he finished in a dismal fourth place” at
the Olympics (paragraph 2). He thought that his performance “was a disappointment for him
and his country, Great Britain,” and he responded by setting a goal to successfully conquer
the four-minute mile, which was considered the “ultimate prize” (paragraph 2).
D. Incorrect. Bannister’s loss at the 1952 Olympics motivated him to change his training focus
to reaching the “ultimate prize” (paragraph 2) of breaking the four-minute-mile barrier, which
no other runner had accomplished. His loss at the Olympics did not present him with a
specific opportunity to reach this goal.
217
40. The question asks how interval training affected Bannister’s performance.
E. Incorrect. The moderation of his pace was achieved through the use of “rabbits,” described in
paragraph 6, more than through his method of interval training.
F. Incorrect. Bannister worked individually during the interval training period and then paced
himself with a two-person team of “rabbits,” which were introduced in paragraph 5 and
explained in paragraph 6. It was the use of “rabbits” during the race that helped him
conserve some of his effort, not the interval training.
G. CORRECT. As paragraph 3 states, the goal of Bannister’s training program was to “develop
endurance and speed,” which are synonyms of the words “stamina” and “pace.”
H. Incorrect. Although Bannister “let his body recover for two minutes” (paragraph 3) during
interval training, this was not the primary effect of the training on Bannister’s performance.
Instead, interval training allowed him to develop greater endurance and speed.
41. The question asks how the author’s use of chronological structure contributes to the
development of ideas in the passage.
A. Incorrect. While paragraph 4 mentions the “plateau” Bannister dealt with and the break that
“permitted his muscles to recuperate,” the chronological structure of the passage focuses
mainly on the progression of Bannister’s process over time.
B. Incorrect. Even though the passage suggests that Bannister’s ability to break the four-
minute-mile barrier improved and that he felt “prepared to attempt to break the world
record” (paragraph 4), the chronological structure of the passage primarily serves to show
how Bannister’s progress over time led to his success.
C. Incorrect. The chronological structure of the passage begins with an acknowledgment that
Bannister was inspired to break the four-minute-mile barrier by his loss at the 1952 Olympics
(paragraph 2); however, the overall organization of the passage highlights his dedicated
efforts over time to break the four-minute-mile barrier.
D. CORRECT. The chronological structure of the passage follows the progression of Bannister’s
training from his loss at the 1952 Olympics to the race where he ran the first sub-four-minute
mile on May 6, 1954 (paragraph 5).
218
Serpent Mound
42. The question asks how the poem’s form contributes to the poem’s meaning.
E. CORRECT. The poem is structured as one long stanza. The line lengths throughout the poem
and the line indents (such as those in lines 7–10) create a visual effect so that the poem
itself mimics the shape of the Serpent Mound.
F. Incorrect. The uneven line lengths in the poem do not indicate the different interpretations of
the mound; separate stanzas or other stopping points would more effectively point to
contrasting ideas.
G. Incorrect. The dashes in the poem lead to further explanation of a thought, not a change of
thought.
H. Incorrect. The lack of regular rhyme and meter is intended to create a conversational tone
rather than show the speaker’s struggle to grasp how large the mound is.
43. The question asks which lines reveal how the setting affects the speaker and the men from
the museum.
A. Incorrect. The words “being winter” (line 8) work to establish the setting, but lines 8 and 9
do not describe the effect the winter setting has on the speaker and the men.
B. CORRECT. The imagery in lines 14 and 15 describes how the winter silence makes the
speaker and the men feel emotional heaviness: it “pressed / down on all of us like a weight.”
C. Incorrect. Although the words “the humps in the ground were all but / invisible” describe how
the setting appears to the speaker and the men, lines 16 and 17 do not describe how the
setting affects them.
D. Incorrect. Although lines 21 and 22 do describe the setting, the lines do not describe how the
setting affects the speaker and the men. The lines describe the setting in the summer, which
is before the men from the museum show up.
219
44. The question asks how lines 1–2 contribute to the development of ideas in the poem.
E. Incorrect. The idea that the men are too busy with their work to talk to the speaker is not
conveyed in the poem, and, in fact, one of the museum men discusses the oval mound with
the speaker (“as if swallowing the sun, one of the museum / men suggested” [lines 32–33]).
F. CORRECT. The lines, with their mention of measuring tapes and sketchbooks, indicate that
the reasons the museum men came were to measure the mound and to draw sketches of it.
G. Incorrect. There is little indication in the poem that the museum men have a hidden motive
for studying the mound. Lines 1–2 present a straightforward description of the men and their
equipment, which emphasizes the men’s academic interest in studying the mound.
H. Incorrect. While the speaker displays some curiosity about the work the museum men are
doing (“one of the museum / men suggested, taking notes with his quill pen, / an old-style
inkhorn slung at his side. / I liked that” [lines 32–35]), lines 1–2 focus on introducing the
idea that the mound is a formation that is worth formal study and examination by experts.
45. The question asks how line 28 contributes to the development of ideas in the poem.
A. Incorrect. Although the museum men are documenting the shape of the mound in line 33,
lines 29–32 and 35–41 focus on what the oval mound represents as interpreted by the
museum men, the speaker, and the speaker’s sister.
B. Incorrect. While the lines preceding line 28 describe the body of the snake in detail (“you
could climb / a tree and get some idea of the whole thing: / the serpent’s body undulating,
slithering / silently across the ancient / earth” [lines 24–28]), the purpose of line 28 is to
begin the development of the ideas about the oval shape at the end of the mound: the
serpent’s mouth.
C. CORRECT. Line 28 introduces the presence of the oval mound at the mouth of the snake.
The meaning of this oval is of great interest to the museum men and the speaker. Line 28
leads to the idea that there is speculation about the oval mound (“as if the snake were about
to swallow an egg” [line 29], “as if swallowing the sun” [line 32], and “It is singing to the
sun” [line 38]).
D. Incorrect. The speaker does not say that the oval shape near the end of the mound is difficult
to see. Earlier, the speaker says that the ridges of earth are difficult to see unless you are
near them, but the speaker does not say this about the oval shape.
220
46. The question asks what impact the phrases “all but / invisible” and “even less obvious” in
lines 16–18 have on the meaning of the poem.
E. CORRECT. The words “all but / invisible” indicate that a person must be close to see the
humps in the ground, while the phrase “even less obvious” indicates that a person must be
far away to see the overall snake shape of the mound.
F. Incorrect. While the speaker has to lead the museum men to the mound because they did
not know the exact location, the words in lines 16–18 are related to the difficulty in viewing
the mound from the immediate surrounding area.
G. Incorrect. The speaker is willing to take the museum men out to study the mound, so there is
no indication in the poem that the speaker wants the location of the mound to remain a
secret. The words in lines 16–18 convey the idea that the mound is difficult to see.
H. Incorrect. While the speaker contemplates the significance of certain elements of the mound,
the phrases in lines 16–18 relate to a viewer’s ability to see the physical shape of the mound,
not its deeper meaning.
47. The question asks what impact the words “swish,” “chitter,” and “cry” in lines 12–13 have in
the poem.
A. CORRECT. The words highlight the sounds of the animals that visit the mound in the
summer: the “swish of a beaver’s heavy tail” (line 12), the “chitter of a chickadee” (line 13),
and the “cry of a hawk” (line 13). These words help contrast the quiet stillness of the setting
around the mound in the winter.
B. Incorrect. While the words in lines 12–13 convey the sounds certain animals make in the
summer, the sounds of the animals that live near the mound are a natural part of life in the
area, not a disruption.
C. Incorrect. The speaker is contrasting the sounds of the animals around the mound during
the rest of the year with the silence of the winter months, not merely indicating the variety
of wildlife.
D. Incorrect. The speaker expresses the idea that the mound is more visible in the winter
because of the lack of brush (“It being winter, / there was little underbrush to speak of”
[lines 8–9]). Then lines 12–13 describe sounds, not the appearance of the mound in winter.
221
48. The question asks how the interaction between the speaker and Ruth in lines 37–41 conveys a
central idea of the poem.
E. Incorrect. While there are many different interpretations of the mound’s meaning, there is no
way to determine which of the interpretations is most accurate, and there is no way to know
the mound’s true purpose.
F. CORRECT. The interaction references Ruth’s interpretation of the open-mouth shape as a
serpent singing to the sun. This interpretation creates a joyful mood. The speaker contrasts
this perspective with the idea that the mound is swallowing the sun, which creates a more
aggressive feeling. These various interpretations of a physical shape arise out of what the
individuals feel when they look at the mound.
G. Incorrect. The speaker does not describe any benefit to considering what different people
imagine when they see the mound. Instead, the speaker is simply describing different
interpretations.
H. Incorrect. Ruth’s interpretation of the mound’s shape is fanciful and symbolic. It is unlikely
that scientific study would change the minds of people such as Ruth about the meaning of
the mound.
49. The question asks how the poet uses dialogue to contrast the points of view of the speaker and
Ruth regarding the mound.
A. Incorrect. The interpretation Ruth offers of the mound as a snake singing is abstract, but
Ruth does not seem concerned that it is an overly metaphorical or figurative interpretation.
The dialogue serves to highlight that Ruth is firm in her belief.
B. Incorrect. There is no indication that the museum men are considering Ruth’s interpretation
of the mound or that Ruth wants them to share her interpretation. Ruth’s interpretation is
meant to convey an abstract idea, while the museum men would be looking for a firm
academic explanation of the mound. Ruth is persistent in her belief, and the dialogue does
not suggest that she is concerned with the museum men’s interpretation or findings.
C. Incorrect. Ruth merely states her interpretation and says that she thinks she hears the
Serpent Mound singing sometimes. She does not seek to make the speaker agree with her.
D. CORRECT. Beginning in line 37, after the speaker suggests the mound is swallowing the sun,
Ruth disagrees. The poet uses the word “insisted” in line 39 to show that Ruth firmly believes
in her own interpretation of the mound.
222
A Memory Revolution
50. The question asks how the details in paragraph 3 about cognitive offloading convey a central
idea of the passage.
E. Incorrect. Although paragraph 3 describes the Internet as “a vast extended memory,” it does
not discuss reliance on the Internet for information. The paragraph states that the Internet
“allows people to digitally access and retrieve much larger volumes of information” and
indicates that this benefit leaves people free to focus on “connecting data, learning new
information, or solving problems.” However, these details about the benefits of the Internet
do not express an opinion about the inevitability of Internet reliance.
F. CORRECT. A central idea of the passage is that the Internet is changing how people retain
information. Paragraph 3 supports this idea by stating that “a similar process has been taking
place for centuries” and that “in the past,” resources such as encyclopedias were used to
store and find information. The details provided in paragraph 3 about encyclopedias and the
Internet show that people have always used resources to remember information and that
these resources change over time as people develop new ways to “assist their memories.”
G. Incorrect. While paragraph 3 does compare the use of encyclopedias to obtain information in
the past with the use of today’s Internet, this comparison fails to convey the central idea of
the passage that the Internet is changing how people remember information.
H. Incorrect. Although paragraph 3 states that “much larger volumes of information” are
available on the Internet than what has been available in previous methods of information
storage, such as encyclopedias, this fact does not relate to an increase in the ability to
understand that information and is not a central idea of the passage.
223
51. The question asks how the details of the experiment described in paragraph 5 convey a central
idea of the passage.
A. Incorrect. Although paragraph 5 states that participants read the trivia facts and then “typed
the statements into a computer file,” it does not explain the impact of repetition on memory,
nor does this convey a central idea of the passage.
B. Incorrect. Paragraph 5 acknowledges that people evaluate which information is important
enough to remember, but it does not describe the rate at which people forget unimportant
information. According to the paragraph, information is considered less important to
remember if a person believes that he or she will be able to retrieve that information easily in
the future. This does not mean the information is unimportant but rather that it is readily
available for future access.
C. Incorrect. Paragraph 5 specifies the number of trivia facts that study participants were given
to read (forty), but it does not describe the amount of information as a factor in the
participants’ memory performance. According to the paragraph, it was not the amount of
information but rather the expectation of future availability that affected how much
information participants were able to recall.
D. CORRECT. A central idea of the passage is that the way the human memory stores
information is changing because of the Internet. The details of the experiment support this
idea by indicating that study participants remembered different amounts of information
based on whether they “thought the information would be saved” (paragraph 5). Those who
“believed the information would be erased and no longer available” (paragraph 5)
remembered 40 percent more than those who expected to be able to access the information
again in a saved computer file. Therefore, paragraph 5 conveys the central idea that the
expectation of future access to information is a key element in “how people evaluate which
information deserves their effort to remember.”
224
52. The question asks how the sentence from paragraph 7 contributes to the structure and
development of ideas in the passage.
E. Incorrect. Although the studies showed, in part, that reliance on the Internet is increasing
(“participants recalled the information’s location more often than the content itself”
[paragraph 6]), the studies were not conducted in order to determine the risks of Internet
use. The claim in the sentence did not prompt the research described in paragraphs 2 and 6.
F. Incorrect. While the sentence in paragraph 7 poses a question about the disadvantages of
relying on the Internet, paragraphs 2 and 6 present the study data on Internet use and
memory in a neutral tone (“correctly identifying 49 percent of the folders for specific facts
while remembering only 23 percent of the actual trivia” [paragraph 6]). Neither study
describes the availability of information on the Internet as an advantage or a disadvantage.
G. CORRECT. Paragraphs 2 and 6 describe the results of experiments related to the Internet’s
effect on memory without commenting on the advantages or disadvantages of relying on that
technology, and the sentence in paragraph 7 presents a questioning viewpoint that moves
away from the neutral perspective of the broader passage. The opinion in the sentence is
directly argued against in the three sentences that follow it, which present an extended quote
from Steven Pinker, a psychology professor at Harvard University. Pinker refutes the idea
expressed by the sentence, stating that “knowledge is increasing exponentially; human
brainpower and waking hours are not.” He adds that technologies such as the Internet “are
the only things that will keep us smart.”
H. Incorrect. Although the sentence in paragraph 7 expresses caution about the possible effects
of the Internet on memory, the passage does not shift from an optimistic tone to a cautious
tone. Actually, paragraph 6 provides the data on Internet use and memory in a neutral tone.
The argument expressed by the sentence is also not elaborated on in the sentences that
follow, but is immediately argued against by Steven Pinker, a professor of psychology. The
last sentence of paragraph 7 in fact refutes the culled sentence: “ ‘Far from making us stupid,
these technologies are the only things that will keep us smart.’ ”
225
53. The question asks how the study described in paragraph 6 influenced researchers’ ideas about
memory in the digital age.
A. Incorrect. The study required participants to organize information into folders, but the results
suggest that organizing the information did not make the information easier to remember;
instead, participants remembered the folder in which to find the information but forgot the
information itself.
B. Incorrect. Although the participants in the study were given a keyword, such as “ostrich,”
when asked to remember “which folder contained a particular fact,” the study was significant
for researchers because it demonstrated that “our memory is adapting to the Internet age by
prioritizing where to locate information even when the specific details are forgotten”
(paragraph 6). The study confirmed that participants were remembering where the
information was stored, because they were able to provide the name of the folder (keyword)
where the information was stored.
C. CORRECT. The study in paragraph 6 demonstrated that participants were better able to
recall where to find certain information than to recall the information itself. This influenced
researchers’ ideas about memory in the digital age: “Overall, participants recalled the
information’s location more often than the content itself, correctly identifying 49 percent of
the folders for specific facts while remembering only 23 percent of the actual trivia”
(paragraph 6).
D. Incorrect. The study did not examine the relative importance of remembering basic
information or storing detailed information. It examined the effect of the Internet on the
information that people remember and concluded that human memory “is adapting to the
Internet age by prioritizing where to locate information” (paragraph 6).
54. The question asks how the diagram provides additional support for the topic presented in
the passage.
E. Incorrect. While the diagram indicates that the human brain has the ability to maintain
different types of memory, the diagram does not show the need for the brain to adapt to
obtaining information from the Internet rather than from other sources.
F. Incorrect. The diagram enhances the reader’s understanding of how long-term memories are
formed, but it does not provide details about how the Internet can be used to improve long-
term recollection of information.
G. Incorrect. The diagram provides an understanding of how details that are important to people
can become stored because of an effort made to recall them. However, the diagram does not
show how people decide which information is important and which is not.
H. CORRECT. The diagram depicts the connections that the human brain maintains between the
different forms of memory. It also illustrates the idea that repetition and rehearsal are
important steps in creating memories, as unrehearsed information will be forgotten. This
supports the passage by highlighting the idea that access to search engines and other tools
leads people to skip rehearsal and repetition steps that create memories, because people
know that the information is readily accessible.
226
55. The question asks for the evidence from the passage that is most relevant to the claim in
paragraph 7 that “ ‘far from making us stupid, these technologies are the only things that will
keep us smart.’ ”
A. Incorrect. Whether the participants decided to use the Internet to answer easy trivia
questions varied based on the options that the participants were given during the first part of
the experiment and, therefore, cannot be relevant to the claim in paragraph 7. Even when
given the option of using the Internet, some participants chose to recall information from
memory instead.
B. CORRECT. The assertion made in paragraph 3 that states that cognitive offloading allows for
“people’s minds [to be] free for other cognitive feats, such as connecting data, learning new
information, or solving problems” is relevant to the claim in paragraph 7 because it indicates
that the ability to store large amounts of information within the brain does not necessarily
make someone smart. It also suggests that if people did not have to use so much effort
simply organizing and storing information, their brain would be free to conduct higher-order
tasks: “the Internet, serving as a vast extended memory, allows people to digitally access
and retrieve much larger volumes of information. Consequently, people’s minds are free for
other cognitive feats, such as connecting data, learning new information, or solving
problems” (paragraph 3).
C. Incorrect. The discussion in the passage connecting how people organize information in their
mind and their ability to recall that information focuses on the process of organizing
information within human memory rather than on how technology helps keep people’s minds
available for complex thoughts.
D. Incorrect. Although the passage provides an accurate description of transactive memory, it
provides no indication of how using such memory would advance a person’s ability to
maintain or improve intelligent thought.
227
56. The question asks which sentence from the passage suggests that using Internet search engines
may lead people to rely less on their own ability to recall information.
E. Incorrect. While the sentence in paragraph 1 refers to the increase in use that has made the
Internet “an integral component” of everyday life for many people, it does not address
memory or explain the effect of Internet use on a person’s ability to recall information.
F. Incorrect. Although the sentence in paragraph 2 refers to research that was conducted to
determine how the use of the Internet affects a person’s memory, the sentence simply
explains one guideline of the study. The fact that the study required one group of participants
to use Google does not indicate whether using a search engine affects the degree to which
people rely on their own ability to recall information.
G. CORRECT. The sentence in paragraph 2 reveals the results of a study that allowed half the
participants to use Google to obtain answers to trivia questions and initially required the
other half to use only their memory to answer questions. The sentence states that
“83 percent of the Internet group continued to consult Google in the second round” and that
“only 63 percent of the memory group chose to do so.” These statistics demonstrate that
using Google in the first round resulted in participants in the Internet group relying more
heavily on the Internet search engine to recall information in the second round, whereas
participants who had not used Google in the first round were more likely to rely on their own
ability to recall information.
H. Incorrect. The sentence in paragraph 5 describes a task presented to participants in a
research study. Although the study was designed to examine “how people evaluate which
information deserves their effort to remember” (paragraph 5), the sentence does not indicate
that use of Internet search engines prompted people to rely less on their own ability to recall
information.
228
57. The question asks how the studies presented in the passage are used to illustrate the effect of
the Internet on a person’s memory.
A. CORRECT. The study described in paragraph 5 examined the effect of computer use on the
way people evaluate information, specifically “which information deserves their effort
to remember,” and determined that “those who believed the information would be erased
and no longer available could recall 40 percent more facts than those who thought the
information would be saved.” The study described in paragraph 2 established that the use of
Internet search engines increases the “inclination to rely on the Internet in order to retrieve
information” (paragraph 3), and the study in paragraph 6 examined how this reliance on
technology affects the way people store information: “Overall, participants recalled the
information’s location more often than the content itself.”
B. Incorrect. Although a difference in the ability of the human brain and the capacity of the
Internet to locate information might seem evident, the studies cited in the passage did not
examine the ability or the capacity of either. The studies did not measure what the human
brain is capable of but rather how memory is affected by the use of the Internet.
C. Incorrect. While the studies explored the Internet’s effect on the way information is stored in
human memory, the type of information was not described or compared. Instead, the studies
indicated that location is the main difference between the information stored in the Internet
and the information stored in human memory, noting that the Internet has become “an
external source of the recollections and associative networks that constitute memory”
(paragraph 6).
D. Incorrect. Although it is increasingly common to use the Internet to obtain information
(paragraph 2) rather than try to memorize information (paragraph 5), the studies did not
examine the difficulty or ease of obtaining/recalling information using either method.
229
FORM B SAMPLE TEST – MATHEMATICS
EXPLANATIONS OF CORRECT ANSWERS
58. (120) There are 5 choices for the first 62. (65) Call the missing angle in the top
digit, 4 choices for the second digit, 3 half of the figure x . The sum of the
choices for the third digit, 2 choices for four angles on the top of the figure is
the fourth digit, and 1 choice for the final equal to 180°.
digit. The total number of possibilities is
x + y + 30 + 60 = 180
5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 120.
60. ( ) ( )
(-3.4) −6 − −5 + 4.2 − 3 − 9.6 =
63. (D) x ( x − 2y ) = 9 ⎡9 − 2 ( −7) ⎤ =
3.2 − −6.6 = 3.2 − 6.6= −3.4 ⎣ ⎦
9 (9 + 14) = 9 (23) = 207
6,000
x = = 300 pages
20
230
65. (D) Break the equations apart to each 66. (F) The total number of desserts ordered
equal M : is 42 + 23 + 47 + 48 = 160.
M = Q+5
R
M =
7 67. (C) Set up an inequality to compare
the costs:
Pick a number to substitute into the
0.15x ≤ 10.50
equations, and solve the equations to find
x ≤ 70
the values of M, N, P, Q, and R.
Let M = 2 . Since all the equations are
Therefore, 70 individual sheets of paper
equal to 2, substitute 2 to find each
would cost $10.50, so 69 is the greatest
variable.
number of individual sheets of paper that
2
= N
3
P 68. (F) 7:00 p.m. is 6 hours after 1:00 p.m.
M =
4
Calculate the number of degrees the
P
2 = temperature dropped in 6 hours:
4
8 = P 3 × 6 = 18 degrees. Subtract that from
231
69. (D) The ratio of red to blue to green is 71. (C) Since 18 and 24 are both multiples of
15:7:3. Find the proportion of blue 6, find the least common multiple of only
232
74. (H) The radius of the large plate is 20 cm. 75. (D) The question says that an equal
Use 20 cm to find the area of the large number ( x ) of each type of page space
plate: was purchased. To find the number of
each type of page space that was
A = πr 2
( ) = 400π sq cm
= π 20 2
purchased, multiply the price per type by
x and set it equal to the total amount
The circumference of the smaller plate is spent, then solve for x :
20π cm. Use that to find the radius, and
200x + 350x + 600x = 11,500
then the area, of the smaller plate:
1,500x = 11,500
C = 2π x = 10
20π = 2πr
The store purchased 10 units of each type
r = 10
of page space. To find the total amount of
A = πr = 10 ( 2 ) = 100π sq cm
page space purchased, multiply each type
of page space by 10, and add:
Subtract the area of the small plate from
the area of the large plate: ⎛ 1 ⎞ ⎛ 1 ⎞
⎜⎝10 × page⎟ + ⎜10 ×
⎠ ⎝
page⎟ +
⎠
4 2
400π − 100π = 300π sq cm
(10 × 1 page ) = 17 12 pages
3x + 8 ≤ 92
3x ≤ 84
x ≤ 28
233
77. (A) Substitute 3 for y and solve for x : 80. (F) To find M , subtract N − M and set it
equal to the length:
36
= 4x
y
1 5
36 1 −M= 5
= 4x 3 6
3
12 = 4x −M = 5 5 − 1 1
6 3
3= x
−M = 5 5 − 1 2
6 6
−M = 4 3
6
78. (H) Since XY = 20 cm, use that to
1
find YZ : M = −4
2
3 3
YZ = XY = (20) = 12 cm
5 5
XZ = XY + YZ = 20 + 12 = 32 cm
81. (B) Add the four values in the ratio
(177 + 12 + 7 + 4 = 200) and use the sum
as the denominator. Use that to find the
fraction of zinc in one of the coins. Then
79. (C) Calculate the cost of the cloth before
reduce the fraction:
tax:
12 3
=
3 7 200 50
1 ×8 = × 8 = $14
4 4
234
82. (G) Jack scored a mean of 15 points per 85. (C) Let x be the original amount of the
game in each of the first 3 games, so he chemical. It loses 20% after each week,
earned a total of 45 points for the first 3 which means 80% of the chemical
remains at the end of each week. End of
games. Use that information to calculate
first week: 0.80x
the mean over the four games:
45 + 27 72
= = 18 At the end of the second week, 80% of
4 4
the amount left at the end of the first
week remains.
83. (B) Find the number of liters that need to End of second week:
1 0.80 (0.80x ) = 0.64x or 64%
be added. Since of the oil drum is full,
3
2
of the drum remains empty:
3 86. (G) One more than an odd integer must
2
× 4,320 = 2,880 liters. be even.
3
84. (F) To find out how old Nicole was 5 years Therefore, 2w − 2 must be even.
ago, find out how old Nicole and Carmen
are now. 87. (B) Find the least common multiple of 2,
3, and 4 — which is 12. So, it takes 12
Let N = Nicole’s age now.
minutes before all three are back at the
Let C = Carmen’s age now. starting line. Ann completes 1 lap every 2
minutes, so in 12 minutes she has
C + 2 = 17 completed 6 laps.
N = 3C
years ago)
235
89. (D) Add the number of students for each 90. (E) Let x be the total number of liters
category to find out how many total the container can hold.
students were in the survey:
n + 10 n + 16
12 + 16 + 7 + 5 = 40 = 60% and = 75%
x x
Equation 2:
n + 16 75
=
x 100
n + 16 3
=
x 4
3x = 4(n + 16)
4n + 64
x =
3
5n + 50 4n + 64
=
3 3
5n + 50 = 4n + 64
n + 50 = 64
n = 14 liters
236
91. (B) 3 1 94. (G) Figure out how many different
5x + 3x + 9 + 2
x
topping pairs are possible. Use 1, 2, 3, 4,
( )
= 5 10
3
+ 3 (10) + 9 +
1
10
2 5, 6, 7 to represent the toppings and
42 − 35 7 1
= = = 0.20 or 20%.
35 35 5
237
96. (H) One side of the square base is 3 ft 98. (G)
long. Since the height of the box is 3
P Q R S
times the length, then the height is
3 × 3 = 9 ft. The volume of a rectangular –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
prism is length × height × width. The
volume of the wooden box is:
Find the midpoint of PQ and RS:
V = 3 × 3 × 9 = 81 cu ft.
Midpoint of PQ =
( )
−1 − −3
=
2
= 1 unit .
2 2
97. (B) Calculate each mean speed: The midpoint of PQ is located 1 unit from
each endpoint, so the midpoint is at −2.
65
R= = 13 kph
5 2−0 2
Midpoint of RS = = = 1 unit .
72 2 2
S = = 18 kph
4 The midpoint of RS is located 1 unit from
each endpoint, so the midpoint is at 1.
Then calculate the difference of both
The distance between the two midpoints is
mean speeds:
( )
1 − −2 = 3 units.
S − R = 18 − 3 = 5 kph
1,000 cu mm x cu mm
=
1L 1,000 cu mm
y +2 = x +1
y = x −1
238
101. (C) There are 5 sections between M and 103. (C) The height of the triangle is 4 units.
T. To find the length of one of these The length of the base is n − m. So the
sections, find the distance between M and area is
T and divide by 5:
1
A = ( n − m)(4) = 2 ( n − m).
2
⎛ 5 ⎛ 1 ⎞⎞ 5
⎜ − ⎜− ⎟⎟ ÷ =
⎝ 8 ⎝ 4 ⎠ ⎠ 1
6
104. (E) 0.06 = . Simplify the fraction to
⎛5 2⎞ 5 100
⎜⎝ + ⎟⎠ ÷ = find the answer
8 8 1
7 5 7 1 7 6 3
÷ = × = = so, x = 3.
8 1 8 5 40 100 50
R is 3 sections away from M, so add: 105. (B) Create a chart using the given
information and use subtraction to figure
⎛ ⎞
− 1 + 3 7 = − 10 + 21 = 11
⎜⎝ ⎟ out how many cars are not red and do not
4 40 ⎠ 40 40 40
have a back-up camera:
11
R is located at .
40 Red Not Red TOTAL
Back-up 6
4 10
Camera (10-4)
No back-up 32
Camera (38-6)
38
102. (H) Let x be the number of minutes Phan TOTAL 12 50
(50-12)
used his internet service in the month.
Phan’s monthly charges were 18 + 0.024x. The probability of selecting a car that
Since Deion’s charges were the same as meet both conditions from the total of 50
Phan’s, set the expression equal to 30 and cars at the dealership is:
solve for x :
32 16
= .
18 + 0.024x = 30 50 25
0.024x = 12
x = 500
239
106. (F) The total number of cards in the box 108. (G) 14 p
=
21 7
is 8 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 1 = 24 . Set up a
21p = 7 (14)
proportion to figure out which card has
21p = 98
exactly a 1 in 4 chance of being picked at 98 14
p = =
x 1 21 3
random. = or x = 6 . The dog card
24 4
has a 1 in 4 chance of being randomly
selected.
r ≥ v + 3.
r −v ≥3
240
112. (F) Since 5.6 ricks and 12.88 dalts are 114. (G) The probability of the cup landing
both equal to 1 sind, then 5.6 ricks = on its side is 72%. Carlos tossed the
12.88 dalts. To calculate the number of cup a total of 200 times (50 + 150).
dalts ( d ) in 1 rick, set up a proportion: The number of times the cup lands on
its side is 72% of 200:
5.6 1
=
12.88 d 0.72 × 200 = 144
5.6d = 12.88
d = 2.3
x − 4 = 18
x = 22
241