The

DSAT
Reading and Writing
Student Manual
Index.
01 Introduction Page no.01

Lesson 1-
02 Basic Grammar
Page no.04

Lesson 2-
03 Page no. 20
Verbs and Pronouns

04 Lesson 3-Punctuation Page no. 31

Lesson 4-Central Ideas

05 and Details
Page no.45

Lesson 5-
06 Words In Context
Page no.60

Lesson 6-Strengthen,
07 Weaken, & Inference Page no.70
Questions
Lesson 7-Transitions and
08 Page no.80
Rhetorical Synthesis

Lesson 8-Modifiers and

09 Page no.93
Parallel structure

Lesson 9-Text Structure

10 Page no.104
and Purpose

Lesson 10-Charts & graphs/

11 Page no.117
Cross text connections
Introduction
All you need to know about the DSAT Reading and Writing Section:

Catogory Reading & Writing section

Two stage adaptive test design:

One reading and writing section
Format
administered via two separately timed
modules

1st module: 25 operational questions and

Number of
2 pretest questions
questions
2nd module: 25 operational questions and
(per module)
2 pretest questions

1st module : 32 minutes

Time per module
2nd module : 32 minutes

Total number of
54 questions
questions

Total time allotted 64 minutes

Scores reported Total score, RW score, and Math section score

Question types Discrete; Four options multiple choice

01
Reading and Writing Section

The reading and writing section focuses on some key elements of:
Comprehension
Rhetoric
Language use

In the Reading and Writing section, you will come across short
reading passages (or paired passages) followed by a single
multiple-choice question. The length of these passages will not be
more than 150 words. The topics of these passages may include
literature, history, social studies, humanities, and science. You may
also come across informational graphics like tables, bar graphs, and
line graphs.

Questions on the Reading and Writing section represent one of four

content domains:

1. Craft and Structure

2. Information and Ideas
3. Standard English Conventions
4. Expression of Ideas

The content domains are explained below: 02

Content Domains

Number of
Domain Sub Category Skills Tested
questions

Ability to understand and

use high utility words and
Words in Context
13-15 phrases in context,
Text Structure and
1. questions evaluate text rhetorically,
Purpose
and make connections
Cross Text Connections
between related texts

Ability to locate, evaluate,

Central ideas and details
and integrate information
Command of Evidence- 12-14
2. and ideas from texts and
Textual and quantitative questions
graphs
Inferences

Core conventions of
Boundaries 11-15 Standard English
3.
Form, Structure and Sense questions sentence structure, usage
and punctuation

Revise texts to effectively

Rhetorical Synthesis 8-12
4. improve the effectiveness
Transitions questions
of written expression

How to improve Reading and Writing Score

Focus on the question and understand the question’s

objective.
Upgrade your vocabulary. Learn secondary and tertiary
meanings of common words. Improve your ability to
understand the meaning of a word from its context.
Learn Common DSAT Grammar and Punctuation Rules
Familiarize yourself with how Transition words and
connectors are used to link ideas and sentences. 03
Lesson 1-
Basic Grammar
Sentence
A simple sentence is made up of a subject + a verb + possibly an object.
Subject + Verb + object (S + V + O)

We played football in the evening.

The car stopped.
The driver stopped the car.
The girl rides her bicycle down the street everyday.

Parts of Speech
Verbs
Can express an action, possession or a state.
doing/ action having /possession being verbs

TO DO TO HAVE TO BE

live has is

walk have are

try had am

give was

were

04
Verbs express Tense:
Focus on the Verb forms and the time clues in the
following example sentences for each tense:

Perfect
Simple Simple Continuous Perfect
Continuous

She had been

She was
She helped her She had helped helping her
helping her
Past friend her friend friend when
friend when I
yesterday. before I arrived. the phone
arrived.
rang.

She has helped She has been

She helps her
She is helping her friend helping her
Present friend every
a friend now. many times friend for two
day.
before. hours.

She will have

She will be She will have been helping
She will help
helping her helped her her friend for a
Future her friend
friend when I friend by this couple of
tomorrow.
get there. time tomorrow. hours by the
time they stop.

Verbs can be singular or plural.

They must agree in number with the subject of the sentence.

Example:
I like this class; She like/likes this class too!
The bouquet of flowers smell/ smells sweet.

05
Verb forms:
Regular/ irregular verbs Both the participle forms are
used to form participial
phrases. More about this later!

Present Past Present participle Past participle

eat

wish

fly

Participle forms:
ing form - Present participle
Talk – talking
ed form - Past participle
Wash – washed
See – seen

Main verbs and helping verbs:

Sue is a sportsperson.
She is swimming in the school pool.
Harry has a new bike.
His father has given him the bike as a gift.
Tip: When you see the present and past participle without helping
verbs in a sentence, they are not actually VERBs.

Find the verbs in these sentences: What role do the highlighted

words play in these sentences?

Swimming is her hobby.

The swimming ducks look so pretty!

Given to him by his father, the bike is his favourite possession. 06

Solve the given questions in five minutes.
Verb Drill - Choose the correct verb tense:
1. I am/was/will be well-prepared to take the SAT next year.
2. He sends/sent/will send his leave letter to his teacher when he fell sick.
3. She takes/will take/ took 3 elective subjects next year.
4. Before he reached school, the teacher started/had started the class.
5. They have read/had read at least 40 pages every day of this week.
—-------------------------
Noun
A word used to denote a person , place or thing.
Nouns can act as Subjects or Objects in a sentence.
Eg:
1. The committee meets every Tuesday.
2. The police dispersed the mob.

Nouns can be singular or plural.

Nouns can be concrete or abstract

Ignorance is bliss

Abstract nouns are always singular

Countable or uncountable

There is a lot of traffic today.

Uncountable nouns are always
singular

Collective nouns are singular A flock of birds is flying in the sky.

07
Noun Drill - Identify the Nouns:

1. Unemployment saw an increase of 10 percent.

2. English is my favourite subject in school.
3. The stocks are dropping constantly due to the economy.
4. My conduct is polite and professional.
5. I conduct my work professionally.
6. Shopping online is growing in popularity nowadays.
7. Today, most people are using text messages instead of the phone.

Adjectives
describe or modify nouns.
have comparative and superlative forms.

Positive Comparitive Superlative

hot hotter the hottest

dangerous more dangerous the most dangerous
good better the best

08
Adjective Drill: Identify the Adjectives

1. The cake baking in the oven made the whole house fragrant.
2. Lack of civilian clothes was the one flaw in our escape plan.
3. This new medication fills an urgent need.
4. Our final meeting for the season is next Wednesday.
5. The climber dangled in mid-air, held by a frail rope.

Adverbs
modify verbs.
also modify other adjectives and adverbs.
Eg:
Oliver finished the work quickly
Martin is an extraordinarily talented singer.
Nat completed his test very early.
—-----------------------
Adverb Drill - Identify the adverbs:

1. Although she works hard, she does not earn enough.

2. The dilapidated town bus cruised steadily along the narrow road
up the steep hill.
3. A soldier should never behave like a coward.
4. The most interesting book in this library is, unfortunately, the
longest.
5. Although she ran fast, she could not win the race.
6. I enjoy playing with my dogs every day.
—-----------------------

09
Pronouns
Pronouns replace nouns.

Eg:
Old English is essentially a dead language.
It refers to the English developed in the period 450- 1100.

Pronoun case:

Subject Object Possessive Possessive

Pronoun Pronoun Pronoun Adjective

I Me Mine My

We

You

He

She

They

It

Who whom whose whose

Noun Pronoun agreement

A pronoun should clearly refer to a noun or pronoun

(antecedent)and should match that word in number and gender.

10
Eg:
Musicians sometimes play intricate pieces because they want to
impress the audience.
Which is the antecedent of the underlined pronoun?
Is it singular or plural?

—-----------------
Pronoun Drill- Choose the correct option:

1. After drying your dog with a towel, be sure to drop it/the

towel into the washing machine.
2. One thing everyone knows about Television news is that it/
they is biased.
3. Anyone who goes to college is in for the best years of their/
his or her life.
4. Each of the students presented their/ his or her project to
the teacher.
5. The supervisor and the employees disagreed about the
number of times they//he/she should meet each month.
6. New doctors must pass their/they’re/there certification
exams before getting licences.

Always
Each, every, nobody, somebody, everybody, everything,
Singular
nothing, something, everyone, no one, someone

11
Prepositions
are typically followed by nouns.
That noun is the object of the preposition, and it cannot be
the subject of the sentence.
Eg:
The bouquet of flowers smell/ smells sweet. —------------
--------
Preposition Drill 1:
1. I went ____ a holiday_____ Prague______my family.
2. She came ____ train ____ her sister ____ a weeks’
holiday last year.
3. I like food I can eat _____ my hands
4. The user downloaded a virus_____accident.
5. Turn____the volume, please.
6. My mother prohibits me____going out ____my friends
___ school

Prepositions Drill 2:

The sample letter contains 14 gaps. Complete it by putting a

suitable preposition in each gap.

Dear Mr. Peter,

Thank you for your letter of 20 September. I was very saddened
………. your account of what happened in our hotel last month,
and I am writing to express my apologies ………. this. I can
understand that you were shocked ………. the way the
receptionist behaved. There can be no excuse ………. such
behaviour and I fully understand why you felt you needed to
complain ………. the situation. I can provide no explanation ……….
the way the employee spoke to you. As a member of Darius
Hotels Group, we have a reputation ………. being perfect ……….
looking after our customers, and I am very sorry that your
experience ………. our service did not confirm this.

12
I intend to deal ………. staff member appropriately and I will
ensure that he does not repeat this behaviour ………. sending him
on a retraining course next week. I would like to assure you that
the behaviour you encountered is not typical ………. our staff.
As the guest service manager, I am responsible ………. all of our
employees so please accept my apologies again and this
voucher worth $100 to spend in any ………. our hotels.

Yours sincerely,
Vincent George
Guest Service Manager

Conjunctions
These are joining words that indicate the relationship between words,
phrases and clauses.

To understand the use and kinds of conjunctions let’s go back to

Sentence structure

13
 Though Ron loves Pizza Clause

•Does this have a subject? ………………

•Does it have a verb? ………………
•Does it express a complete thought? ………………
This is an example of a Dependent clause

Interchangeably used :

Independent Clause
Sentence
Complete Thought
Either a dependent clause or phrase
Fragment
Incomplete thought

Independent clauses can stand on their own.

If a sentence has more than one independent clause, it is a
Compound sentence.

Eg:
Ron loves Pizza, so he eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch
everyday.

Usually, we join two independent clauses by a Coordinating

conjunction.
Which of the following sentences is/are correct?
1. I have always found Trigonometry tough, learning the
formulas has made things much easier.
2. Although I have always found Trigonometry tough, learning
the formulas has made things much easier.
3. Since I have always found Trigonometry tough, learning the
formulas has made things much easier.

14
Ways to connect 2 independent clauses
1. Ron loves pizza. He eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch
every day. (Full stop/ period)
2. Ron loves pizza; he eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch
every day. (semicolon)
3. Ron loves pizza- he eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch
every day. (dash)
4. Ron loves pizza: he eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch
every day. (colon)
5. Since Ron loves pizza, he eats a whole pizza all by himself for
lunch every day. (Make one clause dependent)
6. Ron loves pizza, so he eats a whole pizza all by himself for
lunch every day. (Use comma followed by FANBOYS)

Improperly connected :
Ron loves pizza he eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch
every day.
Ron loves pizza, he eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch
every day.

Relative pronouns and Relative clauses:

Ron, who is one of my best friends, loves pizza.

This is a clause.
It describes the noun
(the subject).
It is a nonessential clause.
When it is removed, the
sentence still makes
grammatical sense.

Nonessential clauses usually begin with who, whose, which ,

where etc. These ‘W’ words are called Relative pronouns. They
make an idea incomplete
often introduce nonessential information enclosed by
commas. —-------------------

15
Conjunction Drill:

1. Even though/As the email can be a valuable asset in your

personal and professional life, there are drawbacks, too.
2. While/Since spam is a distraction and a nuisance, they can
also be used to spread dangerous computer viruses.
3. Americans receive more than 200 billion spam emails every
year, but/however there are some basic steps you can take to
keep your inbox spam-free.
4. Most email programs have a filter option that screens
incoming email, so/and set up your inbox to accept only email
from certain addresses.
5. Unwanted and unsolicited emails are called spam, and/but
Americans receive billions of them every year. —------------
--------

Subject verb agreement

We have learnt about subjects and verbs :

A verb expresses …………………………………………..
The Subject of a verb is ……………………………………….
Subjects are usually …………………… or …………………

16
Subject verb Agreement Drill:

Choose the correct verb which agrees with the subject:

1. Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.

2. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.
3. The dog and the cat (is, are) outside.
4. Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always on the floor.
5. George and Tamara (doesn't, don't) want to see that movie.
6. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.
7. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.
8. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.
9. The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to watch.
10. The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.
11. Either answer (is, are) acceptable.
12. Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.
13. Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.
14. (Is, Are) the news telecasted at five or six?
15. Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (is, are) Andrea's
favorite subject.
16. Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.
17. (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?
18. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.
19. There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is, are) only one
left!
20. The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.
21. The committee members (leads, lead) very different lives in private.
22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press cordially.
23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) in this case.
24. A high concentration of radioactive chemicals (has/ have) been found in
the drinking water at the administrative complex.
25. According to some children, neither a slice of apple pie nor a scoop of
chocolate ice cream (is/ are) more tempting than a big batch of chocolate
chip cookies.
26. The team of players (is/ are) arriving tomorrow.
27. My friends, who are my colleagues as well, (visit/visits/visited) me every
weekend.
28. Mary and John usually (plays/play) together.
29. _____ (Do/Does) anyone want to join me?
30. No one _____ (has/have) joined the meeting.
—-----------------
17
Practice
Fragments vs Sentences
Is it a Sentence?

For each statement below, circle "Sentence" if it can stand alone as

an independent sentence and "Fragment" if it cannot.

1. Louis Armstrong was one of the greatest jazz musicians of the

twentieth century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
2 He was one of the greatest jazz musicians of the twentieth century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
3. Louis Armstrong, who was one of the greatest jazz musicians of the
twentieth century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
4 Who was one of the greatest jazz musicians of the twentieth
century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
5. Louis Armstrong, who was one of the greatest jazz musicians of the
twentieth century, was a vocalist as well as a trumpet player.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
6. Today, he is considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of the
twentieth century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
7. He is, however, considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of the
twentieth century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
8. He is now considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of the
twentieth century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
9. Because of his virtuosic trumpet skills, Louis Armstrong is
considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of the twentieth
century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
10. Although he was one of the most virtuosic trumpet players of his
generation.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT 18
11. Many people considering Louis Armstrong the greatest jazz
musician of all time.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
12. Many of them consider him the greatest jazz musician of all time.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
13. Many consider him the greatest jazz musician of all time.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
14. Many of whom consider him the greatest jazz musician of all time.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
15. Having shown an unusual gift for music early in his childhood,
Louis Armstrong, who was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
16. Having shown an unusual gift for music early in his childhood,
Louis Armstrong, who was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901,
went on to become one of the greatest jazz musicians of the
twentieth century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
17. Moreover, Armstrong, who spent much of his early life in poverty,
went on to become one of the greatest jazz musicians of the
twentieth century.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
18. Nicknamed “Satchmo”, Louis Armstrong, who was born in New
Orleans on August 4, 1901, grew up to become one of the greatest
jazz musicians of the twentieth century and, perhaps, one of the
greatest musicians of all time.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT

19
Lesson 2-
Verbs & Pronouns
Domain : Standard English Conventions
Skill : Form, Structure, and Sense

In this lesson, you will learn how to choose

the most appropriate form of the verb
the right pronouns from the answer choices

Topic : Verbs

Remember Subject Verb

agreement from Lesson 1?

Subject Verb Agreement

⭐ Singular subjects need singular verbs

Plural subjects need plural verbs

Verb Tense:

⭐ In general, verbs should remain consistent

in tense or form throughout a sentence.

20
 Liz likes to play tennis and went on

These are wrong! long walks.

William Shakespeare, the famous
English playwright, is born in 1564.
Sometimes, however, you can have a
shift in tense and the sentence can still
be correct.
Liza bought a fancy phone because
she wants to impress her classmates.

When Verb tense is changing in the answer choices, check for

consistency .
To decide whether the tense of the underlined verb is correct, look at
Other verbs in the sentence (non-underlined parts also)
Time clues such as last year, Since 2002 etc.
If there's a shift from past to present or vice versa, determine if the
variation is acceptable given the context of the sentence.

Skill Building Exercises

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject:

1. The list of items are/is on the desk

2. In the neighborhood lives/ live two famous sportsmen.
3. Each of the members is/ are an expert
4. Thinking of my holidays makes/ make me happy.
5. Her magical plots and relatable characters makes/ make
Enid Blyton a completely appealing writer to young readers
even today.

21
Correct the tense of the underlined verbs:

1. Celebrations begun in the school after it was announced the

football team wins the championship.
2. Something weird occurs every night of the trip, which frightened
our entire group.
3. Politics has gains such a bad reputation in recent years that it
turned off many eligible voters.
4. By the time John and Mary sat in their seats, the opposing team
scored four goals.
5. Less than five people attend the event that took place six
months ago.

Strategy for Standard English Conventions - Verbs

Step 1. Read and understand the question ; Identify the question

type.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Compare Answer Choices and Identify the concept tested.

When Verbs are changing in the answer choices:

Read the sentence containing the blank ( keeping concept tested in
mind).
Trace the subject of the verb and check for subject verb agreement.
Check the tense; Look for the correct Verb tense based on the other
verbs in the sentence and / or time indicator.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

22
Questions
The golden Wattle is Australia’s 1) Which choice completes the
floral emblem and text so that it conforms to the
___________ around conventions of Standard English?
Canberra, in southern New South
Wales, in the Adelaide Hills and A) were occurring
Victoria. The flowering season is B) occurs
spring and summer, and Wattle C) are occurring
Day is celebrated on 1 September D) will have occurred
each year.

Answer explanation:

Applying the Strategy for Standard English Conventions - Verbs:

1)Read the question and identify the question type. The words ‘
Conventions of standard English’ tell you that this is a Grammar
question.

2) Do what is required: Compare answer choices and identify the

concept being tested - in this case, Verbs are changing.
Read the sentence containing the blank
Trace the subject of the verb and check for subject verb
agreement

The subject of the verb ( The golden wattle) is singular. Applying the
Subject Verb agreement rule, we can eliminate all answer choices
containing plural verbs.
Eliminate A and D. Since the rest of the sentence is in the present tense,
eliminate D because it is in the wrong tense(future).
Hence , the answer is B

23
Practice:
Working from home, often called 2) Which choice completes the text
telecommuting or working remotely, so that it conforms to the
refers to when an individual can conventions of Standard English?
complete their job out of the office
and in an environment of their A) would not have had
choosing. Many companies are now B) do not have
giving employees the option to work C) did not have
from home because when D) will not have
employees _____________ to
commute long distances to work,
they are likely to be more
productive.

During the negotiations to end 3) Which choice completes the

apartheid, the Interim Constitution text so that it conforms to the
was enacted. It ___________ conventions of Standard English?
universal suffrage on a non-racial A) was introducing
basis and replaced first-past-the- B) introduces
post voting with party-list C) had introduced
proportional representation. D) introduced

A review into animal management 4 ) Which choice completes the

in Townsville has been completed text so that it conforms to the
with Townsville City Council conventions of Standard English?
proposing changes to better protect
the community, the environment, A)has been
and pets with irresponsible owners. B)will have been
The amendments _________ C)have been
recommended in a committee D)had
meeting today and will go to Full
Council on September 22 before
inviting residents to provide
feedback through Have Your Say
Townsville
24
Every Non Governmental 5 ) Which choice completes the
organisation seeking Government text so that it conforms to the
funds _______ required to be conventions of Standard English?
registered and empaneled with the A) are
concerned Government B) have been
Department. C) is
D) were

High up in eucalyptus trees of native 6 ) Which choice completes the

bushlands and forests of text so that it conforms to the
southeastern and eastern Australia, conventions of Standard English?
usually perched between the forks of A) dwell
the branches of trees, ______ the B) dwells
Koala bear. C) are dwelling
D) have dwelled

In Mancala , a two-player turn- 7) Which choice completes the

based strategy board game played text so that it conforms to the
with small stones, beans, or seeds conventions of Standard English?
and rows of holes or pits in the earth,
the objective is to capture all or A) allows
some set of the opponent's pieces. B) are allowing
Players begin by placing a certain C) have allowed
number of seeds in each of the pits D) allow
on the game board. A turn consists
of removing all seeds from a pit,
placing one in each of the following
pits in sequence, and capturing
based on the state of the board.
Ending a turn in an empty pit on his/
her own side __________ a
player to capture the opponent's
pieces directly across.

25
Pronouns
⭐ Pronouns need to
1. agree in number and gender with the noun they replace.
The tiger has been given special protection so that their
extinction can be prevented.
2. be precise ( not ambiguous)
Jack wanted to meet Harry at the skating rink, but he was late.

Can you identify the error in the above sentences?

*Refer to Pronouns from Unit 1

Skill Building Exercises

Pronoun agreement

1. Each of the teachers takes/ take a class in the morning.

2. France performed so well in the 1998 World Cup that they/ it won the
championship.
3. All of the teachers takes/ take a class in the morning.
4. Everybody takes/ take a class in the morning.
5. College board has influence over your college admissions because it/
they conducts/ conduct the SAT.

26
Strategy for Standard English Conventions - Pronouns

Step 1. Read and understand the question ; Identify question

type.

Step 2. Do what is required (varies with question type)

Compare Answer Choices and Identify the concept being
tested.

When Pronouns are changing in the answer choices:

Read the sentence containing the blank (keeping concept tested
in mind)
Trace the antecedent of the pronoun
Check for Pronoun agreement.
Check for Pronoun ambiguity

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

Questions
Although we take the internet for 1) Which choice completes the
granted, there was a time when text so that it conforms to the
___________didn’t exist. conventions of Standard English?

A) they
B) these
C) those
D) this system

27
Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Pronouns

1)Read the question and identify the question type. The words ‘
Conventions of standard English’ tell you that this is a Grammar
question.

2) Do what is required: Compare answer choices and find out what

differs - In this case, words are changing - Pronouns.

Whenever you see pronouns changing in the answer choices , find the
antecedent of the pronoun and check for Pronoun agreement and
ambiguity.
Here, the antecedent of the underlined pronoun is the internet, which
is singular.
So we can eliminate A, B , and C as they are all plural pronouns.
Hence , the answer is D

Practice
In fact, it was not until 1918 that 2) Which choice completes the
every state in America had a text so that it conforms to the
public school system to provide conventions of Standard English?
_______children at least
elementary education. A)their
B)they’re
C)its
D)it’s

28
The fact that more than a billion 3) Which choice completes the
people constantly carry around a text so that it conforms to the
device that doubles as a digital conventions of Standard English?
camera is probably the biggest A)them
factor contributing to the slew of B)digital photos
________ floating around. C)photos which are digital
D)photos that are digitised

Since bacteria reproduce via 4) Which choice completes the

binary fission—a form of asexual text so that it conforms to the
reproduction—the daughter cell conventions of Standard English?
and parent cell are genetically
identical. As a result, bacteria are A)his or her
susceptible to environmental B)one’s
pressures, an issue that is C)their
overcome by sharing genetic D)its
information via transduction,
transformation, or conjugation.
This allows for new genetic and
physical adaptations to develop,
allowing bacteria to adapt to
_________environment and
evolve.

In eighteenth century America, 5) Which choice completes the

most children were taught at text so that it conforms to the
home by their parents. Children of conventions of Standard English?
Wealthy people were often taught
by tutors, __________ were A) most of who
hired directly by the parents. B) most
C) most of whom
D) most of which

29
In 1937, Pablo Picasso was 6) Which choice completes the
commissioned by the Spanish text so that it conforms to the
government to create a large conventions of Standard English?
mural for the Spanish pavilion at
the 1937 Paris World's Fair to help A) he accordingly titled it
raise awareness of the war and B) which he accordingly titled
raise necessary funds. Picasso C) accordingly he titled it
was asked to make the 26 April D) it was accordingly titled
bombing of the city of Guernica
the topic of his work,
______________
"Guernica."

Relative Pronouns:

⭐ When you see a relative pronoun on the SAT, make sure that it is
the correct one to describe the type of thing that it is referring to.
Who and whom — a person
When — a point in time
Where — a place (To refer to something which isn't actually a
place, use "in which" instead)
Which and that — anything else

In this lesson , we have learnt how to use strategy to answer

questions testing Verbs and Pronouns.

30
Lesson 3-
Punctuations
Domain : Standard English Conventions
Skill :Boundaries

In this lesson, you will learn

how to answer questions dealing with punctuation
to differentiate between colon, semicolon, and dash
the different uses of the comma
the uses of the apostrophe

Topic : Sentences and Fragments

1. Abraham Lincoln was an American lawyer and statesman, 2.

who served as the 16th President of the United States.

Which of the above is a complete thought?

1. or 2.
Independent clause Dependent clause
Sentence Fragment
Complete thought Incomplete thought

31
Classify as sentence (complete thought)
or fragment:

They were often illustrated.

He is a hero.

Harry likes science

When Kevin wants to travel

has no time

Complete thoughts & Fragments

An incomplete thought cannot

A complete thought can stand
stand on its own and must be
on its own (even if it forms part
properly linked to other words
of another sentence).
to form a complete thought.

Complete thought Dependent clause /

Independent clause phrase
Sentence Fragment
Incomplete thought

32
What can come in between 2 complete thoughts?

1. Ron loves pizza____ He eats a whole pizza all by himself for

lunch every day.
2. Ron loves pizza ___ he eats a whole pizza all by himself for
lunch everyday.
3. Ron loves pizza , ____ he eats a whole pizza all by himself for
lunch everyday.
4. Does Ron like pizza ____ Yes, he eats a whole pizza all by
himself for lunch everyday.
5. Ron loves pizza ! He eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch
every day.

Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Punctuation : Period, Semicolon, Colon, Dash

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question type.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Compare Answer Choices and Identify the concept being tested.

When you see only punctuations changing in answer choices, if you see
periods or semicolons, then :
Read the sentence containing the blank.
Check what comes before and after the point where punctuation
changes.
Check if the thoughts are complete or incomplete.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

TIP: The SAT DOES NOT test you on Period VS

Semicolon. On the SAT , a period and semicolon
are used in the exact same way. If two answer
choices have only a period VS semicolon
difference, BOTH are to be eliminated.
33
Question:
In recent years, the 3D bioprinting 1) Which choice completes the
system has been text so that it conforms to the
____________ we will be conventions of Standard English?
able to use it to print body parts
and organs from living tissue in A) developed, hopefully
the future. B) developed; hopefully
C) developed, hopefully;
Compare answer choices: D) developed, hopefully,
What’s changing?

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Punctuation - Period, Semicolon, Colon, Dash:

1)Read the question; identify the question type. The words ‘

Conventions of standard English’ tell you that this is a Grammar
question.

2) Do what is required.
Compare answer choices and identify the concept being tested -
Punctuation - semicolon and commas.
Read the sentence containing the blank.
Check what comes before and after the point where punctuation
changes.

The punctuation changes at 2 places. Let’s consider the first one -

punctuation after the word ‘developed’:
Before: In recent years, the 3D bioprinting system has been
developed - this is a complete idea/sentence.
After: Hopefully, we will be able to use it to print body parts and
organs from living tissue in the future is also a complete thought
/sentence.
34
3) Eliminate wrong answers.
What will not work between 2 complete thoughts? A comma!
So,eliminate A , C, and D.
B has a semicolon, which can connect two complete thoughts.
Hence, the answer is B.

Topic : Colons and Dashes

⭐ Colons and dashes are used after complete thoughts. They can be
followed by either a complete or an incomplete thought

Ron loves pizza: he eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch everyday.
Ron loves pizza- he eats a whole pizza all by himself for lunch
everyday.

The second clause explains, illustrates, or expands on the first.

Ron loves pizza: the thin crust and the hand tossed varieties.
Ron loves pizza- the thin crust and the hand tossed varieties.

The Colon/ dash can introduce lists, emphasize on the first clause etc.

These are right:

Always wrong:
Complete thought. Complete thought
Complete thought; Complete thought Complete thought,
Complete thought ,FANBOYS Complete thought complete thought
Complete thought: Complete thought Fragment: anything
Complete thought- Complete thought Fragment – anything
Complete thought: Complete Fragment
Complete thought – Complete Fragment

35
Question:
Throughout the United States and 2) Which choice completes the
Canada, pockets of citizens want text so that it conforms to the
to reduce cormorant populations, conventions of Standard English?
they deem overabundant, for the
same ____________of A) reasons; destruction
vegetation, unfair competition B) reasons. Destruction
with more-valued species, and C) reasons, destroying
overindulgence in fish. D) reasons: destruction

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Punctuation -Period, Semicolon, Colon, Dash:

Step 1: Read the question; identify the question type.

The words ‘ Conventions of standard English’ tell you that this is a
Grammar question.

Step 2 : Do what is required:

Compare answer choices and identify the concept being tested -
Punctuation - semicolon, colon, and commas.
Read the sentence containing the blank.
Check what comes before and after the point where punctuation
changes.

The punctuation is changing after the word 'reasons' .The part from
‘ Throughout….reasons’ is a sentence/ complete thought. The part
from ‘destruction…’ is a fragment listing out the reasons.

36
Step 3: Eliminate wrong answers :
A and B can be eliminated as both semicolons and periods
can only come in between 2 complete thoughts. C is not
suitable because the comma separates items of the list. To
introduce the list after a complete sentence, a dash(-) or a
colon(:) should be used.
Hence, the answer is D.

Practice:
But, bacteria don’t have to resist 3) Which choice completes the
antibiotics to defy them. There is text so that it conforms to the
another conventions of Standard English?
______________and
largely unappreciated one. A) way; a much simpler, very
common,
B) way. A much simpler — very
common —
C) way , a much simpler, very
common,
D) way— a much simpler, very
common,

After having worked in a variety of 4) Which choice completes the

engineering fields, Jeff Bezos, an text so that it conforms to the
American-born ________ conventions of Standard English?
decided to found Amazon,
currently the world’s largest online A) entrepreneur. He
sales company. B) entrepreneur:
C) entrepreneur; he
D) entrepreneur,

37
Topic :Comma

What do you already know about commas?

1.They cannot come in between two ..........................

2.A comma followed by ..............can replace a semicolon or period
( to join 2 complete thoughts)

Commas are also used to :

3. Separate three or more items of a series.

Joey packed a raincoat, a sleeping bag, and some tins of food for his
camping trip.
4. Enclose nonessential elements.
Joey, who is my best friend at school, plays the guitar really well!
5. Separate an introductory word or phrase from the rest of the
sentence.
For instance, flashcards can be a useful way to learn and remember
new words.
6. Separate an introductory dependent clause from an independent
clause.
Though it was cloudy , we decided to go ahead with our picnic.

Unnecessary commas

X
Dont use punctuation to separate:
1.Subject and verb
⨉ The games captain, called us for a meeting.
2.Verb or preposition from its object:
⨉ The games captain of the school called, us for a meeting.
⨉ The games captain of, the school called us for a meeting.
3.Essential information
⨉ Anybody ,who finishes early, can go home.

38
Relative pronouns & punctuation:

When a relative clause is essential to the definition of a noun within a

sentence, no comma is used to connect that clause to the rest of
the sentence.

The iPad that has a fancy cover is mine.

However, when the relative clause is not essential for a reader to

understand the sentence, a comma is required .

The iPad, which connects to the iCloud, was created by Apple.

Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Punctuation : Commas and apostrophes

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question type.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Compare Answer Choices and Identify the concept being tested.
When you see only commas /apostrophes changing in answer
choices, then :
Read the sentence containing the blank.
Check if the commas/ apostrophes are used correctly or if they
are unnecessary.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

39
Question:
In an abacus, each column 5) Which choice completes the
represents a different place value. text so that it conforms to the
The conventions of Standard English?
column_____________the A) to the far right represents
single unit's place value. The B) to, the far right, represents
column next to that represents C) to, the far right, represents
the tens place value. D) to the far right, represents

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Punctuation - Commas:

Step 1: Read the question; identify the question type.

The words ‘ Conventions of standard English’ tell you that this is a
Grammar question.

Step 2 : Do what is required:

Compare answer choices and identify the concept being tested -
Punctuation - Commas.
Read the sentence containing the blank.
Check if the commas/ apostrophes are used correctly or if they
are unnecessary.

We see commas changing around the phrase “to the far right”. This
phrase is essential to the meaning of the sentence - hence, no
commas are needed.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

B , C ,and D can be eliminated because they contain unnecessary
commas.
Hence, the answer is A.

40
Topic :Apostrophes
Things to remember

Apostrophes are used for possession and contraction

Nouns with apostrophes are possessives
Eg: John’s bag

Possessive pronouns never have apostrophes

The dog wagged its tail.
Pronouns with apostrophes are contractions

Plurals that end in ‘s’ get an apostrophe at the end

The students’ demands were accepted by the principal.

Don't get confused by how they sound!

their they’re = they are

its it’s = it is/ it has
your you’re = you are
whose who’s= who is/ who has

Question:
______________may vary, 6) Which choice completes the
but there are four main customer text so that it conforms to the
needs that an entrepreneur or conventions of Standard English?
small business must consider. A)Customers’ preferences
These are price, quality, choice, B)Customers preferences
and convenience. C)Customer’s preferences
D)Customers preferences’

41
Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Punctuation - Apostrophes:

Step 1: Read the question; identify the question type.

The words ‘ Conventions of standard English’ tell you that this is a
Grammar question.

Step 2 : Do what is required:

Compare answer choices and identify the concept being tested -
Punctuation - Apostrophes.
Read the sentence containing the blank.
Check if the commas/ apostrophes are used correctly or if they
are unnecessary.
Here, ‘the preferences of customers’ is being discussed. So we need
an appropriate apostrophe after the word Customers.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

B can be eliminated as it does not have any apostrophe- an
apostrophe is needed after Customers .
C can be eliminated since it mentions a single customer .
D can be eliminated because the apostrophe is after preferences .
Only A uses the apostrophe correctly after the plural noun ‘
Customers’.
Hence, the answer is A.

In 2014, the South African Post Which choice completes the text
Office issued a postage stamp to so that it conforms to the
honor Mandela’s legacy. While this conventions of Standard English?
is not the first stamp issue A) its
featuring Madiba, this one is of B) it’s
great significance C) their
because________ the first D) its’
since he passed away on 5th
December 2013. 42
Many people want to kick 8) Which choice completes the
cormorants off South Dumpling text so that it conforms to the
Island, a three-acre, uninhabited conventions of Standard English?
bump in eastern Long Island
Sound. About 500 cormorants live A)bird’s
there now, having only moved in B)birds
less than ten years ago. Members C)birds’
of the Avalonia Land D)birds’s
Conservancy, which owns South
Dumpling, observe that the
____________ feces are
slowly killing the trees and ground
cover.

Practice:
A good rule of thumb is that as 1) Which choice completes the
soon as generals and hospital text so that it conforms to the
administrators jump on conventions of Standard English?
management __________it is
time to ask questions. A)bandwagon: it is time
B)bandwagon, it is time
C)bandwagon; it is time
D)bandwagon— it is time

Reisman exposed the common 2. Which choice completes the text

gut microbe E. coli to the so that it conforms to the
antibiotic ampicillin at doses conventions of Standard English?
commonly used to treat people.
After several cycles of A)exposure as expected,
_____________the bacteria B)exposure, as expected
evolved to be resistant. C)exposure as expected;
D)exposure, as expected,

43
Almost half of those surveyed 3. Which choice completes the text
said their companies were either so that it conforms to the
in the middle of restructuring or conventions of Standard English?
about to embark
________________restruct A)on it; for the most part
uring meant putting more B)on it for the most part
emphasis on teams. C)on it as part of
D)on it, for the most part

A few years later, Burden’s 4. Which choice completes the text

__________________ so that it conforms to the
Merian Cooper— fictionalized his conventions of Standard English?
story, this time with an ape
instead of a lizard. The result, King A)friend the aviator, explorer, and
Kong, offered clear proof that director
animal fiction is often better B)friend, the aviator, explorer, and
entertainment than animal fact. director –
C)friend – the aviator, explorer,
and director
D)friend : aviator, explorer, and
director

Graphic novels and other highly 5. Which choice completes the text
produced volumes of so that it conforms to the
retrospective comic conventions of Standard English?
strip_____________are
produced by book publishers and A)material, however
are distributed as such. B) material however
C) material, however,
D) material; however

In this lesson we have learnt how to apply strategy to answer

different kinds of Punctuation based questions.

44
Lesson 4-
Central Ideas &
Details
Domain: Information and Ideas
Skill: Central Ideas and Details

In this lesson, you will learn how to answer questions dealing with
Details in the text
Main / Central idea of passage

Topic : Detail Questions

To answer these questions, students must interpret the key details

excerpted from a work of literature / essay and information
supporting that idea.

Detail questions ask us to answer a specific question about

information/ ideas contained in the passage.

The answers to these questions can be found in a particular

sentence in a passage.

These questions have lead words, phrases, or ideas that help us

locate the appropriate sentence in the passage.

45
Topic : Strategy for DETAIL questions:

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question

type.

Step 2. Do what is required :

Go back to passage and Read what you need (Keeping question
in mind).
Come up with answer to question from passage ( Predict ).

Step 3. Compare with answer choices and eliminate the ones

which don’t match your prediction. (Process of Elimination)

How to eliminate options:

Students can often eliminate 2 choices, but get stuck when they are
down to the last two! So, the elimination strategy can help get to the
right answer.

Wrong Answers may:

be partly right (but every part should match!)
contain information not given in the passage
state the reverse of what is stated in the passage
be factually correct, but don’t answer the question.
use extreme language
repeat words exactly from the passage
be too literal

Such answers are likely to be trap answers which are wrong.

46
Question:
Long before the arrival of 1) According to the text, which of
Europeans in the Americas, the following statements about
people living in western Brazil Geoglyphs is true?
carved hundreds of huge
geometric shapes into A) They were absent before the
the ground. These mysterious arrival of Europeans in the
earthworks, like Americas.
the one near the Rio Branco in B) They were constructed
the Brazilian state of Acre, are approximately 300 years ago.
called geoglyphs, and they are C) They were well-planned
one of the few clues that large- monuments.
scale, complex societies may D) They caused widespread
have once occupied the Amazon deforestation.
rainforest.
Composed of ditches precisely
laid out in circles and squares, the
monuments stretch up to 300
meters across. Scientists only
noticed them after the forest had
been cut away, implying that the
builders may have also
deforested the region.

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Detail questions

1)Read the question; identify the question type.

The words ‘According to the passage..what is true’ tell you that this is
a Detail question.

47
2) Do what is required: Go back to the passage and Read what
you need (Keeping question in mind).
Come up with answer to question from passage ( Predict ).
The entire passage talks about Geoglyphs, so let's do Process of
elimination.

3) Compare with answer choices and eliminate the ones which

don’t match your prediction.(Process of Elimination)
Choice A can be eliminated as it is the reverse of what the passage
says.

Choice B can be eliminated as the '300’ in the passage refers to width

and not time.

Choice D has the word 'widespread', which is extreme. The passage

mentions that deforestation took place during the construction of the
Geoglyphs , but does not say how much. Hence, D is not supported by
the passage and can be eliminated.

So, Choice C is the correct answer.

48
Practice:
Until 10 years ago, radio 2. According to the text, what is
astronomers thought they had true about the study of FRBs?
assembled an essentially
complete picture of the sky. In this A) It confirmed the picture of the
view, with telescopes attuned to sky that radio astronomers had
radio waves rather than visible already put together.
light, the solar system’s brightest B) It indicated that not every
radio sources—the sun and phenomenon could be accounted
Jupiter—would pale against the for in the older view.
Milky Way’s splendor. Aglow with C) It showed that the earlier
radio emissions from sizzling brightness measurements made
supernovae debris, gas-shrouded by radio astronomers were
stellar nurseries and the incorrect.
metronomic flashes of pulsars, D) It downplayed the importance
our galaxy would dominate the of the Milky Way in determining the
vista overhead. Beyond that the relative brightness of other radio
entire sky would be speckled with sources.
steady, starlike points of
luminosity from radio-belching
supermassive black holes at the
centers of distant galaxies.
It turns out, however, those
astronomers had missed
something big. The heavens also
sparkle with something entirely
unexpected: fast radio bursts, or
FRBs—flashes of radio waves as
“bright” as a half-billion suns,
which flare from seemingly
random locations and fade in just
milliseconds.

49
How did humans get to be so 3. According to the text, why is it
smart, and when did this happen? difficult to gauge the intelligence
To untangle this question, we of early humans?
need to know more about the
intelligence of our human A) because they lived 1.8 million
ancestors who lived 1.8 million
years ago
years ago. It was at this time that
B) because their intelligence was
a new type of stone tool hit the
limited to tool making
scene and the human brain
nearly doubled in size. Some C) because their remains are
researchers have suggested that insufficient sources of information
this more advanced technology, D) because of the lack of
coupled with a bigger brain, advanced technology and
implies a higher degree of infrastructure
intelligence and perhaps even the
first signs of language. But all that
remains from these ancient
humans are fossils and stone
tools. Without access to a time
machine, it’s difficult to know just
what cognitive features these
early humans possessed, or if
they were capable of language.
Difficult—but not impossible. Now,
thanks to cutting-edge brain
imaging technology, an
interdisciplinary research team is
learning just how intelligent our
early tool-making ancestors were.
By scanning the brains of modern
humans today as they make the
same kinds of tools that our very
distant ancestors did, the team is
zeroing in on what kind of
brainpower is necessary to
complete these tool- making
tasks.

50
The following text is from William 4. Based on the text, in what way is
Wordsworth’s 1803 poem “The the girl compared to a
Solitary reaper" . nightingale?
Behold her, single in the field,
Yon solitary Highland Lass! A) She sings a melancholy tune
Reaping and singing by herself;
by herself.
Stop here, or gently pass!
B) Her music reverberates across
Alone she cuts and binds the
the valley.
grain,
And sings a melancholy strain; C) Her song is as thrilling as that
O listen! for the Vale profound of springtime birds.
Is overflowing with the sound. D) Her song is sweeter than a
No Nightingale did ever chaunt nightingale’s song that refreshes
More welcome notes to weary desert travelers.
bands
Of travelers in some shady haunt,
Among Arabian sands:
A voice so thrilling ne'er was
heard
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-
bird,
Breaking the silence of the seas
Among the farthest Hebrides.

51
The following text is from Charles 5. According to the text, what is
Dickens’s 1837 novel ‘Oliver Twist’. true about the boys at the
Oliver Twist is a young orphan orphanage?
who leads a sad life in an
orphanage with other boys. A) They often washed the bowls
and dishes.
The bowls never wanted washing.
B) They were employed in different
The boys polished them with their
jobs.
spoons till they shone again; and
when they had performed this C) They did not get along well with
operation (which never took very one another.
long, the spoons being nearly as D) They are underfed and
large as the bowls), they would sit famished with hunger most of the
staring at the copper, with such time.
eager eyes, as if they could have
devoured the very bricks of which
it was composed; employing
themselves, meanwhile, in sucking
their fingers most assiduously,
with the view of catching up any
stray splashes of gruel that might
have been cast thereon. Boys
have generally excellent
appetites. Oliver Twist and his
companions suffered the tortures
of slow starvation for three
months: at last they got so
voracious and wild with hunger,
that one boy hinted darkly to his
companions, that unless he had
another basin of gruel per day, he
was afraid he might some night
happen to eat the boy who slept
next to him.

52
Topic :Central Idea Questions

To answer these questions, students must determine the central idea

of a text excerpted from a work of literature / essay.

Central idea questions ask us to identify "the main idea" of a

short passage.

The main idea has to either

Summarize the important ideas in the text.
State particular points of emphasis from the passage.

Strategy for Central Idea questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question

type.

Step 2. Do what is required :

Read the passage carefully (Keeping question in mind).
Summarize it in your own words and come up with the main idea.

Step 3. Compare with answer choices and eliminate the ones

which don’t match (Process of Elimination).

53
Question:
People often refer to taxes in 6. Which choice best states the
terms of their being much too main idea of the text?
high. In reality, they are probably
even higher than you think, A)Inheritance taxes and real
because in addition to the federal estate taxes are grossly unfair.
income tax we are now studying, B)Some taxes are hidden from
there are many other Federal, the taxpayers.
State, and local taxes, including C)Taxes are exorbitantly high.
sales taxes, inheritance taxes, D)People actually pay more taxes
state income taxes, personal than they may realize.
property taxes, real estate taxes,
and others. These are just some
of the most obvious ones.

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Central idea questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question

type.
The words ‘main idea’ indicate that it is a central idea question.

Step 2. Do what is required :

Read the passage carefully (Keeping question in mind).
Summarize it in your own words and come up with the main idea.

The passage can be summarized as ‘Taxes in reality are higher than

what people think’.

Step 3. Compare with answer choices and eliminate the ones

which don’t match (Process of Elimination).
Choice A is irrelevant, Choice B doesn't answer the question, Choice C
is an extreme option.
Hence, D is the correct answer. 54
Practice
In between school days, we 7. Which choice best states the
gathered hazelnuts, fished, had main idea of the text?
long deer-hunting weekends,
went to powwows, beaded on A) The author preferred certain
looms, and made quilts. I did not academic subjects over others.
question the necessity or value of B) The author was successful in
our school education, but learning to speak many foreign
somehow I grew up knowing it languages.
wasn’t the only education I would C) The author valued knowledge
need. I’m thankful for those of the natural world more than
experiences of my Anishinaabe book learning.
heritage, because now I know by D) The author learned many
heart not only the national important things, both in and out
anthem, but the ancient song of of school .
the loon. I recognize not only the
alphabet and the parts of an
English sentence, but the intricate
language of a beaver’s teeth and
tail.

55
Today, alternative medicine, 8. Which choice best states the
which includes a range of main idea of the text?
practices outside of conventional
medicine such as herbs, A) Alternative medicine is sought
homeopathy, massage therapy, after by every doctor in the US
yoga, and acupuncture, holds B) Doctors today don’t shy away
increasing appeal for Americans. from including alternative
Why have so many patients therapies in their practice.
turned to alternative therapies? C) Alternative medicine has
Many are frustrated by the time recently gained popularity and
constraints of managed care acceptance in the US.
and alienated by conventional D) People are tired of
medicine’s focus on technology. conventional medicines.
Others feel that a holistic
approach to healthcare better
reflects their beliefs and values.
Others seek therapies that relieve
symptoms associated with
chronic disease that mainstream
medicine cannot treat. Some
alternative therapies have even
crossed the line into mainstream
medicine, as scientific
investigation has confirmed their
safety and efficacy. For example,
physicians may currently
prescribe acupuncture for pain
management or to control the
nausea associated with
chemotherapy.

56
The Louisiana Purchase proved to 9. Which choice best states the
be one of the shrewdest business main idea of the text?
pacts in the entire history of the
United States. The purchase A)The Louisiana Purchase was a
doubled in the area of the country very good business deal for the
and provided territory from which U.S.
fourteen new states were created B)The land bought by the
either wholly or in part. It also Louisiana Purchase was rich in
gave us control over the mouth of minerals.
the Mississippi River and opened C)The land was bought by the
up the way to foreign trade. Louisiana Purchase at a
Prior to the purchase, the throwaway price.
waterway had been blocked by D)Most Americans approved of
the Spanish, probably with the the purchase.
approval of Napoleon. The land
that was bought was rich in
timber, minerals, and natural
resources of many kinds. Finally,
the cost of the transaction was
unbelievably low; the total of $15
million amounted to about four
cents an acre.

57
In earlier days, those who had 10. Which choice best states the
overseas business which they main idea of the text?
believed should be discussed
personally, took ship and set out A)Overseas telephone service
across the briny deep. Once today is ruling out all need for
aboard, they transacted their overseas travel.
affairs, engaging in commercial B)Nothing can take the place of
and social matters or conducting person-to-person conversation in
government business. Today, settling business, social, and
ships and passengers continue to government problems.
sail the seven seas and airplanes C)Many conversations which
soar overhead. But above them once required overseas travel can
all, words speed through the sky – now be conducted by telephone.
telephone conversations quickly D)Telephone conversations bring
bring together in the most people emotionally closer.
personal fashion people who are
separated by thousands of miles.

The attitudes of Americans 11. Which choice best states the

toward gambling are amazingly main idea of the text?
contradictory. You may find, for
example, that horse racing is legal A)Americans have negative
in your state, but that you cannot attitudes toward gambling.
legally play poker for money on B)Authorities face constraints
your front porch; bookies may be while enforcing gambling laws.
prosecuted by state law, but they C)The Northern states take a
are supposed to purchase a lenient view of gambling.
federal license nonetheless; one D)Gambling laws differ across
church condemns gambling, America and from community to
while another raises money by community.
sponsoring Bingo games.
Gambling laws are inconsistent
from state to state or even from
town to town and are very difficult
to enforce. 58
Daily life is overflowing with 12. Which choice best states the
mundane mental events. A paper main idea of the text?
clip gleams amid stacks of
documents, a friend’s face shines A)We should celebrate life’s
like a beacon out of a crowd, the mundane but gratifying
smell of freshly baked bread pleasures.
evokes childhood memories— B)Everyday life is filled with
thoughts and perceptions such as overwhelming confusion.
these flow by with monotonous C)Perceptual processes are
ease. So it seems, anyway. Yet complex.
given what scientists know about D)Scientific analysis of an
how brains work, even the ability automatic reflex is important.
to perceive a paper clip on a
messy desk represents an
extraordinary and mysterious
achievement.

In this lesson we have learnt how to answer main idea

and Detail questions.

59
Lesson 5-
Words In Context
Domain: Craft and Structure
Skill: Words in Context

In this lesson, you will learn how to

answer questions testing 'Words in
Context' , for which you must:
determine the meaning of a high
utility academic word or phrase in
context or
use such vocabulary in a precise,
contextually appropriate way

Strategy for WORDS IN CONTEXT questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question type.

Step 2. Do what is required :

Read and understand the sentence .
Come up with a word/ phrase for the blank based on the clue/
clues in the sentences from the passage ( Predict ).

Step 3. Compare with answer choices and eliminate the ones which
don’t match (Process of Elimination).

60
Question:
Hiring becomes much more 1. Which choice completes the text
flexible when working with with the most logical and precise
contract workers. Companies can word or phrase?
bring on new staff quickly, and
often with less red tape than if A) threat
they were hiring a permanent B) allure
employee. In addition, for C) repulsion
companies, the biggest D) misgiving
_______ of replacing
employees with contract workers
is more control over costs. By only
bringing on contract workers
during peak times, companies
have more flexibility to shrink the
size of their employee base, pay
and benefits.

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Words In Context Questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question type.

The words ‘most logical and precise word or phrase’ tell us that it is a
Words in context question.

Step 2. Do what is required :

Read and understand the sentence.
The sentence talks about companies replacing regular employees
with contract workers.
Come up with a word/ phrase for the blank based on the clue/
clues in the sentences from the passage ( Predict).
The sentence mentions ‘ control over costs’ which is an obvious
advantage for companies. So we could think of a positive word like
benefit/advantage.
61
Step 3. Compare with answer choices and eliminate the ones
which don’t match (Process of Elimination)
A,C ,and D which have negative meanings can be eliminated.
Hence, B is the correct answer.

Skill Building Exercises

Determine the meanings of the italicized words using

contextual clues:

1. The acerbity of the lemon caused the little girl to spit out the bite
she had just taken.
2. Pablo always showed animosity toward his teachers by throwing
spitballs and mouthing off, but his sister Mary was kind and sweet.
3. The crowd rewarded the singer with plaudits, clapping and
cheering through a standing ovation.
4. From the far past to the present day, the moon has been thought
to cause lunacy. Some studies have shown that this momentary
insanity does have some association with lunar phases.
5. The teacher admonished her student for misbehaving during the
lesson.
6. “Busy as a bee” and “quiet as a mouse” are hackneyed phrases—
they’re used all the time.

62
Come up with your own word - then choose the right word from
the pair given:

1. The manager was exhausted as his new boss had decided to

_________ him with other tasks like creating security systems,
managing the bank’s deposits and refunds, securing loans, and
maintaining daily operations. (inundate/ assault)
2. After the heavy rains, the stream became________; in fact, the
water was so cloudy you couldn't see the bottom.(murky/
bottomless)
3. The family agreed to be very ________in their shopping
because they wanted to save enough money to buy a house.
(frugal/ interested)
4. Most of America's Founding Fathers did not believe in women's
__________. Only men could vote in the United states until
1920. (suffrage/ discomfort)
5. As the summer sun sent scattered rays through the maple and
oak leaves overhead, the young deer stood __________,
making it almost impossible for the hikers to see her. (petrified /
frozen)

Practice
Originating in New Orleans, Jazz 2. Which choice completes the
synthesizes features of African text with the most logical and
and European styles to make a precise word or phrase?
uniquely American form of music.
Young people in the 1920s used A) revolution
the influence of jazz to rebel B) flouting
against the traditional culture of C)apprehension
previous generations. This D) skepticism
________of traditional
conservatism of earlier years also
coincided with the growth of the
women's rights movement.

63
Just as languages such as 3. Which choice completes the
Spanish, French, Portuguese and text with the most logical and
Italian are all descended from precise word or phrase?
Latin, Indo-European languages
are believed to derive from a A) convention
hypothetical language known as B) resolution
Proto-Indo-European, which is no C) content
longer spoken. While there is D) contention
agreement on the fact that the
Indo- European languages had a
common ancestor, the exact
place of origin of these languages
is a point of
__________among
philologists.

Although Homer has secured a 4. Which choice completes the

legacy as the "quintessential text with the most logical and
American painter," two separate precise word or phrase?
trips to Europe had a
______influence on the artist's A) negligible
approach to form and content. In B) detrimental
Paris, he discovered the Realist C) undue
canvases of Gustave Courbet, D) marked
Jean-François Millet and the rising
fascination with Japonism. Over a
decade later, Homer traveled to
Cullercoats, England where he
was impressed by the lives of
those men and women whose
livelihood depended upon the
sea.

64
Virginia Woolf, considered one of the 5. Which choice completes the text
most important modernist 20th- with the most logical and precise
century authors , was born on 25 word or phrase?
January 1882 into a house full of
books and children. Virginia showed A) tendency
an early affinity for writing and B) preoccupation
books. By the age of five, she was C) fascination
writing letters and could tell her D) eminence
father a story every night. It was her
___________with books that
formed the strongest bond between
her and her father.

Whitman’s poetry was revolutionary, 6. Which choice completes the text

both in subject and style. Though with the most logical and precise
considered eccentric word or phrase?
and________ , he eventually
became known as “America’s good A)absolute
gray poet.” Whitman is now B) controversial
celebrated as one of the country's C) sublime
greatest poets, and selections from D) fascinating
"Leaves of Grass" are widely taught
in schools and universities.

Uncle Wilbur has always been a 7. Which choice completes the text
smart man. We all listened as he with the most logical and precise
dismissed the automobile as a word or phrase?
_________ fancy. Every year, it
seemed more and more Model Ts A) flowing
came rolling into town, but Uncle B) momentary
Wilbur insisted that nothing could C) progressive
replace the reliability of a good old- D) lasting
fashioned mule when it came to
transportation, work, or even
entertainment.

65
In today’s workforce, a ‘job for life’ is 8. Which choice completes the text
almost unheard of. It is more with the most logical and precise
acceptable to have quite a few jobs word or phrase?
listed on your CV in a short time
span. People are almost expected to A)consistent with
job hop – especially when it comes B)representative of
to Millennials. C)overshadowed by
But that doesn’t mean these D)irrelevant to
employees are unreliable or flippant.
In fact, most people seek to move
jobs for the right reasons, very rarely
monetary considerations.
Surprisingly, money or salary
increase is ______ other factors
such as work life balance, career
growth, or organizational culture
when considering a job change.

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an 9. Which choice completes the text
American activist in the civil rights with the most logical and precise
movement best known for her word or phrase?
pivotal role in the Montgomery bus
boycott. Parks's act of defiance and A) castigated
the Montgomery bus boycott B) endured
became important symbols of the C) suffered
movement. She became an D) speculated
international icon of resistance to
Racial Segregation. Although widely
honored in later years, she also
___________for her act; she
was fired from her job, and received
death threats for years afterwards.

66
The discovery of penicillin, which is 10.Which choice completes the text
widely ___________ as one of with the most logical and precise
the most famous accidental word or phrase?
discoveries, changed the world of
medicine enormously. While working A)acknowledged
at St Mary's Hospital in London, B)ensured
Scottish physician Alexander Fleming C)improvised
was the first to experimentally D)demonstrated
discover that a Penicillium mold
secretes an antibacterial substance,
and the first to concentrate the
active substance involved, which he
named penicillin in 1928. With its
development, infections that were
previously severe and often fatal, like
bacterial endocarditis, bacterial
meningitis and pneumococcal
pneumonia, could be easily treated.
From all the way back to World War
II till today, soldiers have
experienced injuries that would have
been fatal without penicillin and
other antibiotics that were
developed subsequently. Today, it is
really impossible for us to imagine
what the world would be like without
penicillin .

Marie Curie’s early researches, done 11. Which choice completes the text
together with her husband, were with the most logical and precise
often performed under difficult word or phrase?
conditions. Laboratory
arrangements were poor and both A) endure
had to ______ much teaching to B) undergo
earn a livelihood. C) deal with
D) undertake

67
The first skyscrapers—tall 12. Which choice completes the text
commercial buildings with iron or with the most logical and precise
steel frameworks—came about in word or phrase?
the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. High rise construction A)amplification
exploded across the US after the B)proliferation
turn of the 20th century. The result C)rejuvenation
was a __________of tall D)combination
buildings. In New York, the record for
the world's tallest building was
broken six times between 1908 and
1931 - more than doubling in height
from the 612-foot Singer Building to
the 1,250-foot Empire State Building.

It is striking how our culture has 13. Which choice completes the text
wholeheartedly adopted the with the most logical and precise
recycling ethic. Most parents have word or phrase?
probably received humbling lectures
from their children after tossing a A) emotional
glass jar or newspaper in the trash B) unethical
can. But the popularity of recycling is C) progressive
even more _________ D) surprising
considering the inconveniences
associated with it. Who hasn’t
experienced the annoyance of trying
to satisfy complicated rules about
what can and cannot be recycled?

Few ideas are more deeply 14. Which choice completes the text
_________ in our political with the most logical and precise
culture than that of impending word or phrase?
ecological doom. Beginning in 1962, A) ingrained
when Rachel Carson warned that B) influenced
pollution was a threat to all human C) effected
and animal life on the planet, D) elaborated
pessimistic appraisals of the health
of the environment have been 68
issued with increasing urgency.
Later in November, British Professor 15. Which choice completes the text
Edward B. Ross of Madras Christian with the most logical and precise
College, whom Ramanujan had word or phrase?
______ a few years before,
stormed into his class one day with A) intervened
his eyes glowing, asking his students, B) convened
"Does Ramanujan know Polish?" The C) met
reason was that in one paper, D) comprehended
Ramanujan had anticipated the
work of a Polish mathematician
whose paper had just arrived in the
day's mail. In his quarterly papers
Ramanujan drew up theorems to
make definite integrals more easily
solvable.

And on August 15,1948, with the 16. Which choice completes the text
declaration establishing a with the most logical and precise
government, a democratic system word or phrase?
was introduced and the Republic of
Korea formed. South Korean people, A) delivered
including South Korean women, were B) endowed
________ the right to vote. along C) granted
with other rights. D) authorized

In this lesson, we have learnt how to answer Words in

context questions using strategy.

69
Lesson 6-
Command of
evidence
(textual)
Strengthen , Weaken, and
Inference Questions
Domain : Information and ideas
Skill : Command of evidence ( textual)

In this lesson, you will learn how to

answer :

Command of Evidence (textual)

questions:
You need to use textual evidence (e.g.,
a fact, detail, or example) to
appropriately support, challenge, or
otherwise respond to a specified claim
or point.

Inference:
You need to draw a reasonable inference based on
explicit and/or implicit information and ideas in a text

70
Command of evidence (Textual)questions
Type 1: Science/ Social science

A hypothesis/ claim will be presented about a subject in science or

social science. You need to understand the researchers' hypothesis,
identify what the question needs you to do, and then select the
choice that offers that outcome.

Type 2: Literary

The passage will make an argument concerning a particular literary

work, like a poem or novel. The choices will then offer a set of
quotations from that literary work. You need to evaluate whether the
content of each quotation serves as direct evidence for the argument
identified in the question.

The two types of questions look very different - the skills

needed and strategy used to find the answer are similar.

Strategy for Command of Evidence (Textual)

Questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question type.

(You will see words like ‘illustrate/ support/ weaken/ ….claim/ argument)

Step 2. Do what is required.

Identify the claim/ hypothesis.
Rephrase claim.

Step 3. Compare answer choices and eliminate the ones which.

don’t answer the question (strengthen/ weaken/ illustrate etc)
are irrelevant

71
Question:
'Daffodils' is a poem by William 1. Which quotation from Daffodils
Wordsworth written in the early most effectively illustrates this
1800s. In the poem, the poet claim?
describes the experience of A)“And then my heart with
coming across a field of beautiful pleasure fills,
daffodils using hyperbole followed And dances with the daffodils.”
by personification. B)“When all at once I saw a
crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;”
C)“Ten thousand saw I at a
glance,
Tossing their heads in a sprightly
dance.”
D)“A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:”

Hyperbole: exaggerated statements or claims

Personification: the attribution of human characteristics to
something non-human

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Command of Evidence (Textual)

questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question type

(You will see words like ‘illustrate/ support/ weaken/ ….claim/ argument)
The words ‘effectively illustrates this claim’ suggest that this is a command
of evidence question.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Identify the claim/ hypothesis.
Rephrase claim.
The claim is ‘the poet describes the experience of coming across a field of
beautiful daffodils using hyperbole followed by personification’.
72
Step 3. Compare answer choices and eliminate the ones which
don’t answer the question (strengthen/ weaken/ illustrate etc.)
are irrelevant

On comparing the options, A can be eliminated as it is irrelevant.

Choice B can also be eliminated as it does not support the claim.
In C, the poet says he saw ten thousand daffodils , which sounds like
an exaggeration (hyperbole) . He also says the daffodils were ‘
tossing their heads’ , thus endowing them with human qualities
(personification).
Choice D can be eliminated as it is irrelevant.
Hence, C is the answer.

Practice:
“On Children” is a poem by Kahlil 2. Which quotation from “On
Gibran ( The Prophet,1923). In the children” most effectively illustrates
poem, Gibran suggests that parents the claim?
should not think of children as their A)“You may give them your love but
property but as a part of the not your thoughts,/For they have
universal soul , writing, _______ . their own thoughts./You may house
their bodies but not their souls.”
B)“You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you./
For life goes not backward nor
tarries with yesterday. “
C)‘Your children are not your
children/ They are the sons and
daughters of life's longing for itself/
They come through you but not from
you.”
D)“You are the bows from which
your children as living arrows are
sent forth./The archer sees the mark
upon the path of the infinite, and He
bends you with His might that His
arrows may go swift and far.”
73
NoSick, a new drug that can cure a 3. If true, which of the following most
common ailment that until now has calls into question the conclusion
been fatal for 50% of those infected, above?
is made from the root of the A)The company that holds the
Kentucky banjobush. The banjobush patent to NoSick has exclusive rights
is rare in Kentucky, and large to produce the drug for another 12
quantities of the root are necessary years.
in order to make NoSick. It can be B)NoSick is expensive, and is not
concluded, therefore, if NoSick currently covered by any major
remains in production, the insurance plans.
banjobush will eventually become C)Banjobush stems are considered
extinct. a gourmet delicacy in many
countries.
D)The banjobush, although native to
Kentucky, can easily be grown in
other parts of the United States.

Because of extreme congestion in 4. Which finding, if true, would most

the city of Nobi, it typically takes directly undermine the city official’s
close to one hour to commute at claim?
rush hour to the downtown business A)a large percentage of commuters
area by car from the neighboring drive to the downtown area at times
suburbs that are only ten to fifteen other than rush hour.
miles away. Recently, the city B)the buses have frequent
installed separate bus lanes that departure times during rush hour.
connect these suburbs to the C)the buses used in the new
downtown area and that allow separate lanes are similar to other
buses to move unimpeded during buses used.
rush hour. A city official claims that D)the buses make frequent stops
with these new lanes, commuters when traveling between the suburbs
from the suburbs will now be able to and the downtown area during rush
use the bus to reach the downtown hour.
area during rush hour in
considerably less time than they
could previously by driving their
cars.

74
The infection of manufacturing lines 5. Which finding, if true, would most
with bacteria is a serious safety risk directly strengthen the manager’s
that many food manufacturers claim?
spend millions of dollars per year to
prevent. Because sterilizing stainless A)stainless steel containers are
steel containers with chemical more prone to contamination than
sterilizers is expensive to do every are other types of containers.
day, some analysts have B)the UV lamps tend to be effective
recommended installing UV lamps for longer than a single month.
that can effectively sterilize the C)UV radiation is harmful to workers
stainless steel containers without who come in contact with it.
affecting food production. The lamp D)appropriate cooking practices
costs the same as one month’s can effectively destroy bacteria
supply of chemical sterilizers to once food has been shipped to
sterilize the same number of consumers.
stainless steel containers. A
manager claims that the change will
be effective in decreasing the cost
of food sterilization.

A recent study has shown that, all 6) Which finding, if true, would most
other characteristics being equal, directly weaken the researcher’s
bilingual persons memorize more claim?
quickly and retain information longer A)Monolingual speakers usually
than those who speak only one score better on tests of spatial
language. Based on this study, a reasoning.
researcher has claimed that B)A study of those knowing several
learning several languages can be languages has shown that their
used as a way to improve memory. memories are no better than those
of monolingual persons.
C)None of the bilingual participants
in the study possessed particularly
good memory before starting to
learn a second language.
D)Most of the study’s participants
who speak only one language have
never tried to master another
language.
75
Inference Questions

Inference Questions provide an unfinished passage.

Based on information in the passage, you need to select the
choice that most logically completes the text.

Domain : Information and ideas

Skill : Inferences

Strategy for Inference questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question
type.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Read and understand information provided in the passage and
the connection between the points made.

Step 3. Compare answer choices and eliminate the ones

which.
Cannot be logically concluded from the given information.
Make extreme claims.
Are irrelevant.

76
Question:
The Native Americans actually 1.Which choice most logically
welcomed the pale-skinned completes the text?
visitors primarily out of curiosity
than anything else. They were A)neglected some aspects of
fascinated by the steel knives and their environment.
swords, fire spewing cannons, B)possessed weak and sickly
brass and copper utensils, etc. constitutions.
that these visitors brought with C)regarded nature worthy of
them. Eventually, cultural respect.
differences erupted. The natives D)were terrified of invaders.
could not stomach the arrogance
of the newcomers and the scant
respect they paid to nature. The
European settlers viewed every
resource — plants, animals, and
people as something to be
commercially exploited. The
native Americans, in comparison ,
____________.

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Inference questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify

question type.
The words ‘logically completes the text’ indicate that this is an
Inference question.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Read and understand information provided in the passage and
the connection between the points made.

The text talks about the cultural differences which erupted

because the newcomers did not give respect to nature . 77
Step 3. Compare answer choices and eliminate the ones which.
Cannot be logically concluded from the given information.
Make extreme claims.
Are irrelevant.

On comparison, Choice A is incorrect as it is the opposite of what the

passage says. Choice B is irrelevant to the argument. Choice D uses
extreme language.
Choice C is correct, as it says the Native Americans regarded nature
worthy of respect whereas European settlers did not respect nature.

Practice:
Researchers claim that as we 2. Which choice most logically
hold hot beverages, our completes the text?
interpersonal traits such as A) reported significantly fewer
compassion, trust, generosity, and incidents of insomnia after the
empathy are positively influenced. study.
This is because the insula, or B) chose a good gift for
insular cortex, of our brain is the themselves over one for a friend,
place where we both form after the study.
judgments of others and where C)remembered more objects in
our body’s homeostasis is the room after the study.
regulated. The researchers' claim D) chose a special gift for a friend
was based partly on the fact that over one for themselves, after the
participants of the study who held study.
a hot drink _____________

78
Cultivation of a single crop on a 3. Which choice most logically
given tract of land leads completes the text?
eventually to decreased yields. A)the number of Pseudomonas
One reason for this is that harmful fluorescent bacteria in the soil
bacterial phytopathogens, usually increases when crops are
organisms parasitic on plant rotated.
hosts, increase in the soil B)the presence of
surrounding plant roots. The phytopathogenic bacteria is
problem can be cured by crop responsible for the majority of
rotation, denying the pathogens a plant diseases.
suitable host for a period of time. C)moving crop plants around
Thus, Crop rotation can increase makes them hardier and more
yields in part because resistant to disease.
________________ D)Phytopathogens typically
attack some plant species but
find other species to be
unsuitable hosts.

The tomb of Tutankhamun, the 4. Which choice most logically

burial place of Tutankhamun, a completes the text?
pharaoh of the Eighteenth A) the body in the tomb was not
Dynasty of ancient Egypt, in the that of Tutankhamun.
Valley of the Kings , was B)malaria may have been the
discovered in 1922 by excavators cause of his death.
led by Howard Carter. C)he did not die of a broken limb.
Tutankhamun died at age 19. For D)the cause of death cannot be
many years it was believed that ascertained.
“the boy king” died of an infected
broken leg. However, in 2010,
scientists found traces of malaria
parasites in Tutankhamun's
remains, indicating that
____________

In this lesson, we have learnt how to answer

Command of evidence (textual) Questions. 79
Lesson 7-
Transitions and
Rhetorical
Synthesis
In this lesson, you learn how to:

Determine the most effective transition word or phrase to logically

connect information and ideas in a text.
Strategically integrate provided information and ideas on a topic
to form an effective sentence achieving a specified rhetorical aim.

Topic: Transitions

Transitions are words that show logical relationship such as

Contrast
Cause and Effect
Chronology
Emphasis
Continuation

It is important to know which words indicate what type of

relationship.

80
Skill Building Exercises:
Choose the right transition:
1. The cab came early; (therefore/ in addition), we arrived at our
destination well ahead of time.
2. (Since/ Although) it was raining, we still decided to go on a
picnic.
3. We need to complete the project (consequently/ before) the
deadline ends.
4. The hiking trail is tough to navigate; (finally/ indeed), it is
recommended that you take a local guide along.
5. I don’t know what happened to Robert, and (furthermore/ in
contrast), I don’t care!

Transitional Devices:
1.Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions Subordinating conjunctions

FOR after, although, as, as if, as long as,

AND because, before, despite, even if, even
NOR though, in order that, rather

BUT
than, since, so that, that, though,
OR
unless, until, when, where, whereas,
YET
whether, and while…
SO

2.Conjunctive Adverbs

Also
however furthermore
otherwise moreover
consequently therefore
indeed hence
similarly nevertheless
finally thus
likewise nonetheless
then … 81
How to punctuate conjunctive adverbs
When a conjunctive adverb connects two independent clauses in
one sentence, it is preceded by a semicolon/ period and
followed by a comma.
The flight was delayed for two hours; consequently, we missed our
connecting flight.
The flight was delayed for two hours. Consequently, we missed our
connecting flight.

If a conjunctive adverb is used in any other position in a sentence,

it is set off by commas.
Relations between the two companies had, consequently, never
been close.

Understand the difference in punctuation:

I wanted to attend the lecture. However, I could not reach on time.
I wanted to attend the lecture; however, I could not reach on time.
I wanted to attend the lecture, but I could not reach on time.
Though I wanted to attend the lecture, I could not reach on time.
I could not reach on time though I wanted to attend the lecture.

The most important thing about transitions:

Same Direction

OR
Change in
Direction

82
Some common transitions

Change in
Same Direction Cause & Effect
Direction

Add information​ Although​ As a result​

Also​ Despite​ Because​
Furthermore​ Even though​ Consequently​
In addition​ However​ Since​
Moreover​ In contrast​ So​
Give example​ Nonetheless​ Therefore​
For example​ On the other hand​ Thus​
For instance​ Rather than​ Accordingly​
Emphasize​ Though​
Certainly​ Unlike​
In fact​ While​
Indeed​ Yet​
Compare ​ On the contrary​
Similarly​
Likewise​
Sequence​
Subsequently​
Meanwhile​
Later​
Around the same
time​
Finally​

Find the direction : Same direction or Change in

direction?
1. For many years, coffees were A)for
blended to suit a homogeneous B)but
popular taste, ________ C)and
many different coffee flavors are D)because
now being produced.

2. _______researchers are A)While

unable to drill into the Earth’s core, B)Because
its chemical composition remains C)Despite
a mystery. D)Although

83
3. The Taj Mahal is regarded as A)on the other hand
one of the seven wonders of the B)for example
world; ________ , some C)indeed
people believe that its D)however
architectural splendor is yet to be
surpassed.

Strategy for Transition Questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; identify the

question type.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Check how the ideas connected by the blank relate to each
other.
Eliminate wrong direction transitions.
Eliminate answers which do not link the ideas meaningfully.
The transition must logically connect the information and ideas in the
parts before and after it.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination).

Question:
Polls show that Tony Blair is the 1.Which choice completes the text
most popular Prime Minister this with the most logical transition?
century. __________ , there A)In particular
are even members of his own B)However
party who are uneasy with his C)For instance
approach. D)Even though

84
Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Transition Questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; identify the question

type.
The words ‘most logical transition’ indicate that this is a transition
question.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Check how the ideas connected by the blank relate to each other.
Eliminate wrong direction transitions.
Eliminate answers which do not link the ideas meaningfully.
The transition must logically connect the information and ideas in the
parts before and after it.
The ideas connected by the blank , that Tony Blair was popular and
that his party members were uneasy with his approach, are in
opposite directions.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

Choice A can be eliminated as it is a same direction transition. C can
be eliminated as it is not an example.
Choice D can also be eliminated as it does not link the ideas
meaningfully.
Hence, B is the correct answer.

85
Practice:
The Vice Chancellor explained 2. Which choice completes the
that in light of the current text with the most logical
financial climate and because of transition?
unexpected bad debts, it would A)Nevertheless
be necessary to peg salary levels B)In other words
at their current level for all grades C)Similarly
of staff._______, no-one was D)However
getting a pay rise.

Conditions in the interior parts of 3. Which choice completes the

Antarctica cannot support any text with the most logical
forms of life: sub-zero transition?
temperatures, high winds, and
extreme dryness make it A)whereas
impossible for most animals to B)when
survive. The Antarctic Peninsula C)since
and the surrounding islands have D)so
relatively milder temperatures
and liquid water,
________more animals can
thrive there.

Online classes open up vast 4. Which choice completes the

opportunities for students and text with the most logical
have many advantages over transition?
regular classes. Firstly, digital
learning has made learning A)Therefore
interesting and fun for students. B)Additionally
_________ , online classes C)Accordingly
have eliminated the necessity of D)In other words
traveling daily to attend classes.

86
The Online English training course 5. Which choice completes the
includes sessions on vocabulary, text with the most logical
pronunciation, and grammar. transition?
_______ these classes are
particularly helpful to young A)Since
students in developing basic B)However,
language skills, adult learners can C)Therefore,
also benefit from them in that D)While
they can gain job related
communication skills.

Cockroaches use their antennae 6. Which choice completes the

to locate food and estimate the text with the most logical
distance and height of any transition?
obstacles in front of them. The
antennae can sense vibrations, A)For instance,
collect and interpret odors, detect B)However,
air moisture, and sense C)Similarly,
barometric pressure changes. D)As a result,
________________if a
cockroach loses its antennae, it
will be more vulnerable to
predation.

The term "CGI" is most commonly 7. Which choice completes the

used to refer to the 3-D computer text with the most logical
graphics used for creating transition?
characters, scenes and special
effects in films and television, A)In addition,
which is described as "CGI B)For instance,
animation"._____________ C)However,
____ D)Regardless,
Director Michael Bay’s sci-
fi/action-adventure, drawn from
the popular robot toy line, used
extensive CGI to bring its battling
robots to life. 87
CGI stands for computer 8. Which choice completes the
generated imagery, which is the text with the most logical
use of computer graphics in art transition?
and media. CGI soon became the
movie industry’s vanguard, A)However,
creating highly detailed models, B)Thus,
settings, and even whole C)Likewise,
characters with computer D)Moreover,
software. _________ many
filmmakers continue to use
practical and photographic
special effects.

Topic:Rhetorical Synthesis
Every rhetorical synthesis question has the same parts:
An introduction
A set of bulleted points
A question
4 answer choices

The question will ask you to effectively use relevant information from
the notes to achieve a particular objective.
You can, in most cases, answer the question without referring to the
bulleted points.

88
Strategy for Rhetorical Synthesis Questions
Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify the Question
type.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Understand the objective to be achieved.
Rephrase it.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

that don’t achieve this objective.
that are partly correct.

Question:
While researching a topic, a student 1.The student wants to compare the
has taken the following notes: Height records held in the past by
The Empire State Building is a the two structures. Which choice
102-story Art Deco skyscraper in most effectively uses relevant
Midtown Manhattan, New York information from the notes to
City. accomplish this goal?
The Empire State Building stood
as the world's tallest building, at A)Some of the world’s tallest
381 metres, until the construction structures, including the Eiffel tower
of the World Trade Center in in France, are taller than 300 metres.
1970.
B)The Empire state building stood
Its name is derived from "Empire
as the world’s tallest building till
State", the nickname of the state
1970, while the Eiffel Tower remained
of New York.
the world’s highest monument till
The Eiffel tower is a wrought-iron
1930.
lattice tower on the Champ de
C)The Eiffel Tower, named after an
Mars in Paris, France.
engineer, is located in Paris, France.
It is named after the engineer
Gustave Eiffel, whose company D)Both the Empire state Building,
designed and built the tower. which is located in New York, and
The Eiffel Tower held the title of the Eiffel tower, which is located in
tallest human-made structure in Paris , are examples of tall man
the world (330 meters) for 41 made structures.
years until the Chrysler Building
in New York City was finished in
89
1930.
Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Rhetorical Synthesis Questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify the Question

type.
The words ‘ which choice most effectively uses relevant information
from the notes to accomplish this goal’ indicate that it is a rhetorical
synthesis question.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Understand the objective to be achieved.
Rephrase it.
The objective is to compare the height records held in the past by the
two structures.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

that don’t achieve this objective.
that are partly correct.
Choices A, C and D do not show the required comparison and hence
do not achieve the objective. Therefore, Choice is the correct answer.

90
Practice:
While researching a topic, a student 2. The student wants to
has taken the following notes: emphasize the general safety of
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) MSG. Which choice most
is essentially used as a taste effectively uses relevant
enhancer often added to information from the notes to
restaurant foods, canned accomplish this goal?
vegetables, soups, deli meats
and other foods and is said to A)Created by a Japanese
impart a sixth sense, described Chemist in 1908, MSG was first
as savoury, in addition to the five commercially manufactured by
basic tastes.
the Ajinomoto company.
MSG is prepared with plant-
B)MSG adds a unique flavor to
based ingredients such as sugar
dishes , apart from the five basic
cane, sugar beets, sodium,
ones.
cassava or corn.
C)MSG is generally derived from
It was created first by Kikunae
vegetarian sources.
Ikeda, a Japanese chemist in
D)The U.S. Food and Drug
1908 after he observed that
glutamic acid gave the food a Administration (FDA) has
unique savoury umami flavour. classified MSG as a food
It was later in 1909 when a ingredient that's generally
Japanese company named recognized as safe.
Ajinomoto started commercially
manufacturing and selling MSG,
this flavouring rose to fame.
During the 1960s , the FDA has
received many reports of
concerning reactions, called
MSG symptom complex, that
people have attributed to foods
that had MSG in them.
Since researchers have found no
clear proof of a link between
MSG and these symptoms, the
FDA classifies MSG as generally
safe.
91
While researching a topic, a student 3. The student wants to compare the
has taken the following notes: sources of personal information about
During the Renaissance, the two artists
Michelangelo and Da Vinci stood Which choice most effectively uses
out as strong and mighty- relevant information from the notes to
personalities with two irreconcilably accomplish this goal?
opposed attitudes to art.
While Leonardo da Vinci is best A)Da Vinci and Michelangelo
known as an artist (one of his contributed to art in different ways:
notable works - the Mona Lisa at Michelangelo, for example, saw himself
the Louvre Museum of Paris is world primarily as a sculptor while Leonardo
famous), his work as a scientist was an artist, scientist, and inventor.
and an inventor make him a true B)Both were fascinated with the
Renaissance man human body .
Leonardo da Vinci left behind C)Little is known about Leonardo's
hundreds of notebooks and papers intimate relationships from his own
but hardly anything at all about his writing, while Michelangelo has left
inner or private life. many poems and letters about his
Michelangelo thought of himself close relationships.
primarily as a sculptor, though he D)Many Renaissance artists, including
demonstrated excellence in Da Vinci and Michelangelo, were
painting too. brilliant , but only one could create the
Unlike most Renaissance artists, Mona Lisa.
who learned about the human
body from ancient sculpture and
live models, Michelangelo
participated in dissections.
Leonardo Da Vinci was invested in
drawing and painting perfect
representations of the human body
and studied it intensely through
dissections to better understand
them.
Michelangelo left behind numerous
poems, letters and sonnets, full of
passion and love for the people he
was close to.

In this lesson, we have learnt how to answer transition and

rhetorical synthesis questions.
92
Lesson 8-
Modifiers and
Parallel
structure
Domain : Standard English Conventions
Skill : Form, Structure, and Sense

In this lesson, you will learn to

Identify and answer Modifier placement questions
Answer questions testing Comparisons and Parallel structures

Topic : Modifiers
Modifiers are words or phrases that describe or provide additional
information about another part of the sentence.

Eg: A large truck.

Playing Solitaire on the computer for 3 hours, Robin got late for
school.

A modifier must be
placed as close as
possible to the word it
describes.

How to identify Modifier errors?

Modifiers should be placed close to what they describe/modify to
avoid confusing readers about what is being modified. 93
When the order of words or phrases changes in the answer choices,
look out for misplaced modifiers.

Walking down the street, a stone hit John. X

Walking down the street, John was hit by a stone.

If the sentence with the blank contains a modifier, analyze whether

the modifier:
is placed correctly (as near as possible to the word it logically
modifies)
agrees with the word it is describing ( adjective or adverb)

Identify the modifier errors in the

following sentences:
1. Scientists recommend a new test for the disease that is painless.
2. The singer mesmerized the audience singing melodiously.
3. The council approximately spent ten million dollars on the new
complex.
4. After the injury, John was not normally able to breathe.
5. We live in a colony near the wildlife sanctuary, which has many
identical houses.
6. Eaten in Malaysia , people are divided in their opinion about the
aroma of the durian, ‘the King of fruits’.
7. Between May and June, May is the hottest month in India.

94
Strategy for Standard English Conventions:
Modifiers

Step 1. Read and understand the question.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Compare answer choices.
If you find the word order/ first few words changing in the answer
choices, the question may be testing modifiers.
Read the sentence containing the blank and identify the modifier.
Analyze whether the modifier:
- is placed correctly (as close as possible to the word it logically modifies)
- agrees with the word it is describing (adjective or adverb)

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers (Process of elimination)

Question:
One of the most influential artists of 1. Which choice completes the text
the 20th century, _________ so that it conforms to the
conventions of Standard
English?

A) the cubist movement was

cofounded by Pablo Picasso.
B) the famous cubist movement
was cofounded by Pablo Picasso.
C) the 20th century was enriched
by the cubist movement.
D) Pablo Picasso co-founded the
cubist movement.

95
Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Modifiers

1.Read the question; identify the question type.

The words ‘ Conventions of standard English’ tell you that this is a
Grammar question.

2.Do what is required:

Compare answer choices and identify the concept being tested -
Modifiers
What should the modifier (One of…century) refer to?
It should refer to Pablo Picasso.

3.Eliminate wrong answers.

Option A, B ,and C can be eliminated as neither the cubist movement
nor the 20 th century were influential artists !
Hence, the answer is D.

96
Practice:
After waiting for the next Harry 2. Which choice completes the
Potter book for nine long years, and text so that it conforms to the
attending various fan contests to conventions of Standard English?
win a limited-edition author-signed
copy of the new book, A)it was the first official Harry
____________ . Potter story to be presented on
stage.
B)readers thronged the stores to
buy J K Rowling’s Harry Potter And
The Cursed Child.
C)J K Rowling continues the
wondrous magical world that we
all know and love.
D)around the world, the book was
sought after by readers.

The League of Nations was the first 3. Which choice completes the
worldwide intergovernmental text so that it conforms to the
organization whose principal conventions of Standard English?
mission was to maintain world
peace. The onset of the Second A)fifty governments met in San
World War demonstrated that the Francisco for a conference and
League had failed in its primary started drafting the UN Charter.
purpose, the prevention of another B)the United Nations (UN) is an
world war and the League met its intergovernmental organization
end in 1947. Established after World whose stated purposes are to
War II with the aim of preventing
maintain international peace and
future world wars,
security
_____________________
C)at its founding, fifty one states
___________
were part of the United Nations.
D)UN membership grew
significantly following widespread
decolonization beginning in the
1960s.
97
Topic :Parallelism
Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words for two or
more words or ideas, in a list or comparison, in a sentence.
Using parallel structure shows that the words/ ideas have the same
level of importance and makes the sentence easier to understand.

The following examples lack parallel structure:

1. To write well and listening well are important communication skills.
2. Mark’s mother asked him to go to the laundromat, the supermarket,
and buy some medicines from the pharmacy.
3. Every morning I put on pants, socks, and I wear a T shirt.
4. The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings,
pronunciations, correct spellings, and looking up irregular verbs.

Every item in a list or comparison needs to match

Some ways to identify parallelism:

Coordinating conjunctions : In a list, pay particular attention to
conjunctions- (FANBOYS)

Fans of Teresa admire her ability to sing, her passion for performance,
and she has good looks.

Comparison: Look out for comparison words: like, more / less than,
as, similar to etc.
My cell phone, unlike John, has a superb camera.
Identify the parallelism errors in the above examples.

Correlative conjunctions (word pairs) : A and B should always be

parallel!
My dog, Rover, not only loves chicken but also chocolate.

98
Correlative conjunctions (word pairs) :
These words cannot be paired with other words:
Either …………. or …………….
Neither…………. nor …………..
Both …………….. and ………….
Not only ………..but also …………….

The words in the blanks need to always be parallel.

The key is to read what comes after each correlative

conjunction in the sentence to make sure they match.

My dog, Rover, not only loves chicken but also chocolate. X

My dog, Rover, not only loves chicken but also loves chocolate.
My dog, Rover, loves not only chicken but also chocolate.
George Balanchine was not only a great choreographer and also
a leading musical composer. X
In the United States, neither Nikola Tesla or James Joule is as
famous as Thomas Alva Edison.X

Strategy for Standard English Conventions:

Parallelism

Step 1. Read and understand the question.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Compare answer choices.
Read the sentence containing the blank.
If the answer choices/ sentence contain a list, a comparison, or
a word pair -pull out the conjunction, comparison word/ words,
or word pair and check if the items being listed/ compared are
parallel.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers (Process of elimination)

99
Question:
Our lifestyles have a profound 1.Which choice completes the text
impact on our planet. Our choices so that it conforms to the
matter. Around two-thirds of global conventions of Standard English?
greenhouse gas emissions are
linked to private households. The A)when we throw away less food
energy, food, and transport sectors B)to throw away less food
each contribute about 20 percent of C)food wastage
lifestyle emissions. D)throwing away less food
Our actions , be it saving energy at
home, walking, biking or taking
public transport,___________,
or switching to an electric vehicle,
make a difference.

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Parallelism

1.Read the question; identify the question type.

The words ‘ Conventions of standard English’ tell you that this is a
Grammar question.

2. Do what is required:
Compare answer choices and read the sentence with the blank.
You can see a list
Pull out the conjunction and check for parallelism. OR is the
conjunction here.

3.Eliminate wrong answers.

The word in the blank needs to be parallel with saving, walking etc.
A, B, and C can be eliminated as they do not satisfy this requirement.
Hence, the answer is D.

100
Topic: Comparison
On the SAT, you're likely to see questions that require you to
identify and correct illogical/faulty comparisons .
When you spot a comparison in a sentence/ answer choices,
make sure that the items are parallel – compare apples to apples
and oranges to oranges.

Comparison must be made between two things of

the same type.

These comparison errors can be corrected by

1.Adding or eliminating a demonstrative pronoun
Parrots often possess skills similar to human toddlers. 🗙
Parrots often possess skills similar to the skills of human toddlers.
Parrots often possess skills similar to those of human toddlers.
Now, try correcting the sentence below:
My cell phone, unlike John, has a superb camera. 🗙
…………………………………………………………………………..
2) Creating parallel structures

What's wrong?

It's better to work smart than working hard. 🗙

…………………………………………………………………………..

Some tips:

Look out for these comparison words : different from, similar to,
as, like, unlike, than etc.
Check the number of the demonstrative pronoun for agreement
with its antecedent.
Make the underlined part parallel to the non underlined part.

101
Question:
Mobin’s musical expertise was 2. Which choice completes the text
significantly different so that it conforms to the
___________________ conventions of Standard English?

A) from his contemporaries.

B) than his contemporaries.
C) than that of his contemporaries’.
D) from that of his contemporaries.

Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Standard English Conventions -

Parallelism

1.Read the question; identify the question type.

The words ‘ Conventions of standard English’ tell you that this is a
Grammar question.

2. Do what is required:
Compare answer choices and read the sentence with the blank.

You can see a comparison.

Pull out the comparison words and check for parallelism.

Mobin’s musical expertise is ‘ significantly different from’ his
contemporaries. Expertise cannot be compared to people. This is a
faulty comparison.

3. Eliminate wrong answers

The word in the blank needs to be parallel with saving, walking etc.
A, B, and C can be eliminated as they do not satisfy this requirement.
Hence, the answer is D.

102
Practice:
Chicken eggs are an affordable 3 . Which choice completes the
source of protein and other text so that it conforms to the
nutrients. They're also naturally high conventions of Standard English?
in cholesterol. But the cholesterol in
eggs seems less dangerous A)some other foods
than________ such as butter, B)those in some other foods
cheese, bacon, sausage, muffins, or C)that in some other foods
scones that are high in trans fats D)other food’s cholesterol
and saturated fats.

In this lesson we have learnt how to apply strategy

to answer questions based on Modifiers,
Parallelism,and Comparison.

103
Lesson 9-
Text Structure
and Purpose
Domain : Craft and structure
Skill : Text structure and purpose

In this lesson, you will learn how to:

Analyze the structure of a text

Determine the main rhetorical purpose of a text.

Text structure and purpose questions involve not just

understanding what a text says, but also analyzing why and how
the text conveys an idea.

Topic: Text Structure

Text Structure can be defined as

How the text flows from one idea to the next

How the ideas within the text relate to one another to achieve
the purpose of the author in creating the text.

104
Topic: Text Purpose

These questions ask you about the purpose of a piece of text:

Why the author has included it

How the author has used it to convey his point

Strategy for Text structure / Purpose questions

Step 1. Read and understand the question.

Step 2. Do what is required.

Read the passage carefully mapping the ideas given, in your own
words.
For Text structure questions see how the ideas relate to each other.
(focus on transition words if used)
For Text purpose questions, predict why the author wrote the passage
- what the author was trying to achieve in the text - in your
summary.

Step 3. Eliminate wrong answers. (Process of elimination)

105
Question:
The following text is from Robert 1. Which choice best states the main
Frost’s 1915 poem “The road not purpose of the text?
taken”.
A) To recount fond memories of
Two roads diverged in a yellow time spent in the woods by the
wood, writer
And sorry I could not travel both B) To establish the beauty of nature
And be one traveler, long I stood in the woods.
And looked down one as far as I C) To call attention to the writer’s
could indecisive nature.
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
D) To describe the quandary faced
Then took the other, as just as fair,
by the writer and his eventual
And having perhaps the better
decision.
claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted
wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the
same,

Answer Explanation

Apply the Basic Verbal Strategy for Text structure / Purpose

questions

Step 1: Read and understand the question;

The words ‘main purpose of the text’ indicate that it is a purpose
question.

106
Step 2: Do what is required:

Read the passage carefully mapping the ideas given, in your own
words.
For Text structure questions see how the ideas relate to each
other. (focus on transition words if used)
For Text purpose questions, predict why the author wrote the
passage - what the author was trying to achieve in the text - in
your summary

According to the text, the author comes across two roads and is
confused about which one to choose but finally chooses the less
traveled one.

3. Eliminate wrong answers

Choices A and B can be eliminated because these do not talk about

the main purpose of the passage. Choice C is a trap answer as we
cannot conclude anything about the author’s nature from one
specific incident. Hence, Choice D is the correct answer.

107
Practice:
He sounded the clacker till his arm 2. The following text is adapted
ached, and at length his heart grew from Jude The Obscure by
sympathetic with the birds' thwarted Thomas Hardy (1895). Which
desires. They seemed, like himself, to choice best states the main
be living in a world which did not purpose of the text?
want them. Why should he frighten
them away? They took upon more A) To convey Jude’s feeling of
and more the aspect of gentle kinship with the birds.
friends and pensioners—the only B) To describe how the behaviour
friends he could claim as being in of the birds has changed over
the least degree interested in him,
time
for his aunt had often told him that
C) To contrast the birds’
she was not. He ceased his rattling,
behaviour with the Jude aunt’s
and they alighted anew.
attitude.
"Poor little dears!" said Jude, aloud.
D) To depict a typical farmhouse
"You shall have some dinner—you
scene.
shall. There is enough for us all.
Farmer Troutham can afford to let
you have some. Eat, then my dear
little birdies, and make a good
meal!"
They stayed and ate, inky spots on
the nut-brown soil, and Jude
enjoyed their appetite. A magic
thread of fellow-feeling united his
own life with theirs. Puny and sorry
as those lives were, they much
resembled his own.

108
Many people who hate spam 3. Which choice best states the
assume that it is protected as free main purpose of the text?
speech. Not necessarily so. The
United States Supreme Court has A)to concede the truth of a
previously ruled that individuals may common belief
preserve a threshold of privacy. B)to defend a controversial
“Nothing in the Constitution compels technology
us to listen to or view any unwanted C)to propose a course of action
communication, whatever its merit,” D)to analyze a serious social
wrote Chief Justice Warren Burger in problem
a 1970 decision. “We therefore
categorically reject the argument
that a vendor has a right to send
unwanted material into the home of
another.” With regard to a seemingly
similar problem, the Telephone
Consumer Protection Act of 1991
made it illegal in the United States
to send unsolicited faxes; why not
extend the act to include unsolicited
bulk e-mail?

109
The following text is from Charles 4. Which choice best describes
Dickens’s 1861 novel Great the function of the underlined
Expectations. sentence in the overall structure
I give Pirrip as my father's family of the text?
name, on the authority of his
tombstone and my sister - Mrs. Joe A)It elaborates on the characters
Gargery, who married the described in the previous
blacksmith. As I never saw my sentences.
father or my mother, and never saw B)It establishes a contrast with
any likeness of either of them (for the description in the previous
their days were long before the
sentence.
days of photographs), my first
C)It sets up the descriptions of
fancies regarding what they were
the characters presented in the
like, were unreasonably derived
following sentences.
from their tombstones. The shape of
D)It introduces the situation that
the letters on my father's, gave me
follows in the next sentence.
an odd idea that he was a square,
stout, dark man, with curly black
hair. From the character and turn of
the inscription, "Also Georgiana Wife
of the Above," I drew a childish
conclusion that my mother was
freckled and sickly.

110
Dolphins are regarded as the 5. Which choice best describes
friendliest creatures in the sea and the function of the underlined
stories of them helping drowning sentence in the text as a whole?
sailors have been common since
Roman times. The more we learn A)It proves that dolphins are not
about dolphins, the more we realize the most superior species at sea
that their society is more complex B)It shows that dolphins have a
than people previously imagined. very sophisticated form of
They look after other dolphins when communication
they are ill, care for pregnant C)It implies that dolphins have
mothers and protect the weakest in
linguistic skills far beyond what
the community, as we do. Some
was previously thought.
scientists have suggested that
D)It suggests that our power to
dolphins have a language but it is
destroy dolphins does not mean
much more probable that they
we are superior to them.
communicate with each other
without needing words. Could any of
these mammals be more intelligent
than man? Certainly the most
common argument in favor of
man's superiority over them that we
can kill them more easily than they
can kill us is the least satisfactory.
On the contrary, the more we
discover about these remarkable
creatures, the less we appear
superior when we destroy them.

111
It’s looking like the 2020s will be the 6. Which choice best describes
decade of the the function of the underlined
electric car. Battery prices fell 35 sentence in the text as a whole?
percent last year and are on a
trajectory to make subsidized A)It describes a serious limitation
electric vehicles as affordable as of gasoline vehicles.
their gasoline counterparts in the B)It presents the main opposition
next six years, according to to electric vehicles by Gasoline
a new analysis of the electric- car manufacturers.
vehicle market by Bloomberg New C)It identifies the problem that
Energy Finance (BNEF). That will be
electric vehicles are facing in
the start of a real mass-market
being accepted as a viable
liftoff for electric cars.
alternative today.
By 2040, long-range electric cars
D)It explains how the market for
will cost less than $22,000 (in
electric cars will change in a few
today’s dollars), according to the
decades.
projections. Thirty-five percent of
new cars worldwide will have a plug.
This isn’t something oil markets are
planning for and it’s easy to see
why. Plug-in cars make up just one-
tenth of 1 percent of the global car
market today. They’re a rarity on the
streets of most countries and still
cost significantly more than similar
gasoline burners.

112
The following text is from the 1891 7. Which choice best describes the
poem “A Bird, came down the Walk” overall structure of the text?
by Emily Dickinson .
A) The speaker watches a bird with
A Bird, came down the Walk - fascination, then scares it off by
He did not know I saw offering it a crumb.
He bit an Angle Worm in halves B) The speaker describes the
And ate the fellow, raw, activities of a bird, then ponders over
And then, he drank a Dew the meaning of those activities.
From a convenient Grass - C) The speaker explains the
And then hopped sidewise to the Wall nervousness of a bird, then considers
To let a Beetle pass - that such behavior is not surprising.
He glanced with rapid eyes, D) The speaker examines a bird
That hurried all abroad - closely, then describes the
They looked like frightened Beads, I appearance of the bird.
thought,
He stirred his Velvet Head. -
Like one in danger, Cautious,
I offered him a Crumb,
And he unrolled his feathers,
And rowed him softer Home -

The following text is from Robert 8. Which choice best describes the
Frost’s 1915 poem “The road not overall structure of the text?
taken”. A)The speaker expresses profound
regret that he could not travel , then
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, announces the reason for his inability.
And sorry I could not travel both B)The speaker describes a dense
And be one traveler, long I stood forest, then goes on to describe the
And looked down one as far as I grassy paths.
could C)The speaker concedes that one of
To where it bent in the undergrowth; two options look better, then points
Then took the other, as just as fair, out shortcomings in one of the
And having perhaps the better claim, options.
Because it was grassy and wanted D)The speaker describes a dilemma,
wear; then explains the reasons for his
Though as for that the passing there eventual decision .
Had worn them really about the
same, 113
The following text is from a volume 9. Which choice best describes
of Maya Angelou’s autobiography. the function of the underlined
(Marguerite Johnson was her sentence in the text as a whole?
original name) .This extract is from
a memorable incident in her A)It demonstrates that Mrs.
childhood. In the text, Marguerite’s Flowers is obsessed with the
mentor, Mrs Flowers, emphasizes the importance of reading and books
importance of reading aloud, to B)It portrays Mrs. Flowers as a
Marguerite. strict and authoritarian person.
C)It conveys the idea that
“Your grandmother says you read a
Marguerite is not likely to handle
lot. Every chance you get. That’s
Mrs. Flowers’s books carelessly.
good, but not good enough.Words
D)It suggests that Marguerite is
mean more than what is set down
terrified of dying if she mistreated
on paper. It takes the human voice
Mrs. Flowers’s books.
to infuse them with the shades of
deeper meaning.” I memorized the
part about the human voice
infusing words. It seemed so valid
and poetic. She said she was going
to give me some books and that I
not only must read them, I must
read them aloud. She suggested
that I try to make a sentence sound
in as many different ways as
possible. “I’ll accept no excuse if you
return a book to me that has been
badly handled.” My imagination
boggled at the punishment I would
deserve if in fact I did abuse a book
of Mrs. Flowers’s. Death would be too
kind and brief.

114
The following text is from ”Do Social 10. Which choice best describes the
Media Threaten Democracy?” (The function of the underlined sentence
Economist, Nov, 2017) in the text as a whole?
One study found that users in rich
countries touch their phones 2,600 A)It questions the credibility of
times a day. It would be wonderful if truths that pander to people’s
such a system helped wisdom and prejudices.
truth rise to the surface. But, B)It proves that an acclaimed
whatever Keats said, truth is not literary statement is inherently
beauty so much as it is hard work— flawed.
especially when you disagree with it. C)It underscores the fact that the
Everyone who has scrolled through concept of truth is highly subjective.
Facebook knows how, instead of D)It establishes an undercurrent of
imparting wisdom, the system relevance for a common literary
dishes out compulsive stuff that idea.
tends to reinforce people’s
biases.

Social media platforms are new and 11. Which choice best describes
still poorly understood. And, the function of the underlined
because of how they work, they sentence in the text as a whole?
wield extraordinary influence. They
make their money by putting A) It warns against the intrusive
photos, personal posts, news stories capacity of social media
and ads in front of you. Because B) It emphasizes the immense
they can ​measure how you react, scope and reach of social media
they know just how to get under ​ C) It demonstrates the positive
your skin. impact of social media influence
D) It portrays how social media
greatly enhances a person’s
social appeal.

115
The following text is from an article 12. Which choice best describes
‘Here's How Electric Cars Will Cause the function of the underlined
the Next Oil Crisis’ sentence in the text as a whole?
The question then is how much oil
demand will these cars displace? A)It emphasizes the strong
And when will the reduced demand possibility of growth of EV sales
be enough to tip the 40 scales and worldwide.
cause the next oil crisis? First we C)It underplays the fears
need an estimate for how quickly surrounding an impending oil
sales will grow. crisis.
Last year EV sales grew by about 60
C)It compares the growth pattern
percent worldwide. That’s an
of EV to solar panels and LED
interesting number, because it’s also
lights.
roughly the annual growth
D)It underscores the
rate that Tesla forecasts for sales
dissimilarities between the
through 2020, and it’s the same
situation in the 1920s and that at
growth rate that helped the Ford
present.
Model T cruise past the horse
and buggy in the 1910s. For
comparison, solar panels are
following a similar curve at around
percent growth each year, while LED
light bulb sales are soaring by
about 140 percent each year

In this lesson, we have learnt how to tackle

questions about Passage Structure and purpose.

116
Lesson 10-
Charts and
Graphs/Cross
Text
Connections
Domain : Information and ideas
Skill : Command of Evidence (Quantitative)

In this lesson, you will understand how to approach and

answer questions relating to:
Charts / Graphs/ Tables
Paired Texts

Topic: Charts and Graphs

Some SAT questions contain a graph or table that presents

information about a topic
You will need to complete a sentence by effectively using data
from the graph or table

117
Strategy for Charts/ Graphs questions
Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question
type

Step 2 . Do what is required :

Skim the graph. ( use the cursor)
Read the passage carefully.
Refer back to the graph to get the information you need.

Step 3. Compare with answer choices and eliminate the ones.

that are not supported by the figure.
that are irrelevant to the argument.

Question:
Music streaming in the United States
reached a major milestone in 2016,
when it accounted for more than 50
percent of U.S. music revenues for
the first time. Figures released in
Nielsen’s 2018 Mid-Year Music
Report underline once again how
important streaming has become to 1.Which choice most effectively uses
the music industry in the few years data from the graph to complete
since its emergence. the statement?
In the first six months of 2018,
Nielsen counted 403 billion on-
A)dominated music consumption in
demand music streams (incl. video
the United States from 2016 to 2018.
and audio streams) in the United
B)increased total music
States. That equates to nearly 270
consumption in the United States
million albums sold, assuming that
since 2016.
1,500 streams are equivalent to
C)decreased total music
buying one album. As our chart
illustrates, so far streaming has consumption in the United States
_____________________ since 2016.
D)dominated music consumption in
the United States since it came into
being.
118
Answer Explanation

Applying the Basic Verbal strategy for Charts/ Graphs

questions

Step 1: Read and understand the question; Identify question

type
The words ‘most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the
statement’ indicate that it is a charts and graphs question.

Step 2 . Do what is required:

Skimming the graph, we see that it provides the details of different
kinds of music consumption in the United states between 2016 and
2018.
Reading the passage carefully , we understand that the correct
answer which fills the blank has to describe the trend in Streaming
over this period.

Step 3. Comparing the answer choices.

Choice B can be eliminated as information about total music
consumption is not provided in the graph.
Choice C uses the word ‘decreased’ to describe the trend whereas
the graph depicts the opposite.
Choice D is unclear about the time period being considered.

Choice A is supported by the graph and is the correct answer.

119
Practice:

Acidity, salinity and solonetzic soil 2. Which choice most effectively

problems can be major limiting uses data from the graph to
factors in canola production. When complete the statement?
severe, they affect soil
characteristics and crop growth in A)with pH below 5.5 can be
ways that are very visible and easily compromised by lime
determined, but at less limiting application.
levels growth and yield may still be B)with pH below 5.5 can be
reduced without these obvious substantially increased by lime
recognizable effects. Research has application.
shown that canola yields on acid
C)with pH 5.6 to 6.0 can
soils ______________
somewhat decrease due to lime
application.
D)with pH 5.0 can show negligible
increase with lime application.

120
Relative risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and heart
disease mortality by level of caffeinated beverage intake

In an analysis of more than 17,000 3.Which choice best describes

adults aged 44 and older, Laura data from the graph that support
Stevens at the University of the findings of Laura Steven ‘s
Colorado and her team found that team?
coffee-drinkers seem to have a 7
percent lower risk of developing A)For the 2 to 4 cups of coffee a
heart failure for every cup of coffee day category, the risk of death
they consume per week, compared was the same for men and
with non-coffee drinkers. It is women
unclear why coffee would cut the B)The relative risk of death was
risk of heart failure, says Stevens.
highest for the No coffee
“We don’t yet know if it is the coffee
category.
intake itself or another behavior that
C)People were found to have the
might go along with it,” she says. For
highest risk of death in the 6+
example, coffee-drinkers may
cups category.
simply have healthier lifestyles. The
D)The risk of death was not
findings are supported by two other
significantly different between the
studies published earlier this year
that found that coffee-drinking No coffee and the >4 cups a day
seems to significantly reduce the category.
chance of dying from heart disease.

121
Although engineers are often 4. Which choice most effectively
unfairly portrayed in the media as uses data from the graph to
mere number-crunchers, we all complete the statement?
depend on their work every day. The
safety of our drinking water, the A)all engineering fields are
reliability of our roads and bridges, expected to grow by at least 15%
usability of our smartphones, and per year for the foreseeable
even the sustainability of the earth’s future.
ecosystem all depend on the work B)some engineering fields will
of engineers. As we become more
more than double in size over the
dependent on technologies of all
next 10 years.
sorts, engineering fields are growing
C)some engineering fields will
quickly. In fact,
remain stagnant over the next 10
_____________________
years, while many will grow
dramatically.
D) some engineering fields are
expected to grow by over 25% in
the next 10 years.

122
Specialized software and hardware 5. Which choice most effectively
must be developed to turn uses data from the graph to
biochemical data into information complete the statement?
that doctors and researchers can
use to streamline research and A)a multitude of people have
make patients’ lives better. been able to take advantage of
Fortunately, the progress has so far genome decoding.
been good. Since the Human B)the cost per genome decoded
Genome Project was completed in has dropped well below what
2003, the National Human Genome
Moore’s Law had predicted.
Research Institute has monitored
C)the number of genomes
the cost of decoding a single
decoded has fallen well below
human-sized genome. A famous
what Moore’s Law had predicted.
law in computer science, known as
D)the cost per genome decoded
“Moore’s Law,” says that the cost of
has dropped well below that of
processing a given quantity of
information should decline by 50%
most other medical assessments.
every two years or so. In fact, with
“second generation” sequencing
techniques developed in 2009,
____________________

123
In 2017, individuals age 65 and over 6. Which choice most effectively
____________________ completes the sentence with
The U.S. Census Bureau projects relevant and accurate
that this figure will exceed 20 information based on the graph?
percent by 2030. Since people age
65 and over, on average, spend A)were mostly responsible for
more on healthcare than any other increasing the total medical
age group, growth in the number of expenditure of the nation.
older Americans is expected to B)accounted for over 10 percent
increase total healthcare costs over
of the U.S. population.
time.
C)exceeded the total population
Furthermore, as individuals turn 65,
of people below 65.
they will become eligible for
D)accounted for 16 percent of the
Medicare. As a result, the number of
U.S. population.
Medicare enrollees is expected to
increase from 57 million in 2017 to
74 million by 2027. That expansion in
enrolment is expected to
significantly increase the cost of
Medicare over time. In fact, the
Congressional Budget Office
projects that Medicare spending will
reach almost six percent of GDP by
2048, doubling from about three
percent today.

124
Domain : Craft and structure
Skill : Cross Text Connections

Topic: Cross text connection/ Paired Texts

These questions ask you to compare the points of view of the

authors of two short texts.
Both texts deal with the same subject.
Cross-text connection questions focus on the point of view of the
author of the passage or that of specific individuals named in the
passage.

Strategy for Cross Text connections

Step 1. Read and understand the question; Identify question

type.

Step 2 . Do what is required :

Read and summarize the two texts.
Identify the Point of view of the author/persons mentioned.
Figure out the relationship between the texts. ( Focus on positive
/ negative words)

Step 3. Compare with answer choices and eliminate the ones

which.
go beyond what is stated in the texts.
Use overly strong language.
Reverse the relationship / points of views between the texts.

125
Question:
TEXT 1 1.Based on the texts, how would
Jeffrey C. Goldfarb suggests public- Jeffrey (Text 1) most likely respond
spirited dialogue need not happen to the ‘ high class ‘ code of etiquette
after a traditional theater show, as it mentioned in Text 2?
is most successful when it happens
through a show. He believes that the A)By agreeing with the idea that
live component of the theater aristocratic culture needs to be
distinguishes it from other media preserved through silence
objects, and allows meaning to B)By disputing the idea that people
arise from the interaction between need to remain still and silent during
performers and audience as the
a theater performance.
performance is happening.
C)By acknowledging that theater is
Whereas television or film, for
different from television or films.
instance, has no room for active
D)By conceding that theater is for
dialogue, theater does because the
aristocrats , while television or films
performers and audience are
are for the masses.
present in the space together.
TEXT 2
Augusto Boal famously complained
about how still everyone is expected
to keep during any performance,
constantly policed by other
audience members. The high prices
on professional theater tickets and
an elitist value on cultural tradition
(versus popular, technology-based
mass media) combine to produce
an aristocratic culture surrounding
theater. In this manner, a “high class”
code of etiquette is imposed upon
the performance space, dictating
that audience members are to
remain quiet: the actors speak, the
audience listens

126
Answer Explanation

Applying the Strategy for Cross Text connections

Step 1: Read and understand the question; Identify question

type
The words ‘how would Jeffrey (Text 1) most likely respond to the ‘ high
class ‘ code of etiquette mentioned in Text 2’ indicate that this is a
cross text question.

Step 2 . Do what is required:

Text 1 considers that it is acceptable, even necessary, that people
interact during a Theater performance, whereas Text 2 speaks about
a code of etiquette which demands silence from the audience during
a performance. Hence, the texts present contrasting views on the
same topic.

Step 3. Comparing the answer choices.

go beyond what is stated in the texts.
Use overly strong language.
Reverse the relationship / points of views between the texts.

On comparing the options, Choices A can be eliminated as it

reverses the point of view presented in Text 1.
Choice C is a trap answer which uses the words Television and films
which are used in Text 1, but presents ideas not stated in the text.
Choice D also makes a claim which goes beyond what is stated in
the text.
Choice B matches the information and the views presented.
Hence, B is the correct answer.

127
Practice:
TEXT 1 2.Based on the texts, how would
Cloning creates serious issues of the author of Text 1 most likely
identity and individuality. The cloned respond to the “brouhaha’
person may experience concerns mentioned in Text 2?
about his or her distinctive identity,
not only because the person will be A) By arguing that it is based on
in genetic makeup and appearance a misconception that cloning is
identical to another human being, unethical.
but, in this case, because he or she B)By asserting that it fails to
may also be twin to the person who recognize that a clone is no
is the “father” or “mother”—if one can
different from twins or triplets.
still call them that.
C)By suggesting that further
TEXT 2
research is needed to understand
Given all the brouhaha, you’d think it
the ethical issues of cloning.
was crystal clear why cloning
D)By agreeing that it is justified
human beings is unethical. But what
as cloning creates serious issues
exactly is wrong with it? What would
of identity.
a clone be? Well, he or she would
be a complete human being who
happens to share the same genes
with another person. Today, we call
such people identical twins - no one
argues that twins are immoral. “You
should treat all clones like you would
treat all twins or triplets,” concludes
Dr. H. Tristam Engelhardt, a
professor at Baylor University.

In this lesson , we have learnt how to answer

questions dealing with Charts and graphs and Cross
text connections.

128