DSAT Oct.

2024 US_B_W

Direction:

Reading and Writing Module 1

The following text is adapted from John Matheus's 1925 story "Fog." A train has stopped at a
station, where heavy fog has set in.

The little conductor stood on tiptoe in an effort to keep one hand on the signal rope, craning his
neck in a vain and dissatisfied endeavor to pierce the miasma of the fog. The motorman chafed
in his box, thinking of the drudging lot of the laboring man. He registered discontent.

1. As used in the text, what does the word "registered" most nearly mean?

A. Bypassed
B. Enrolled
C. Valued
D. Displayed

Answer: D. Displayed because it accurately reflects the idea that the motorman outwardly
showed or expressed his feelings of discontent. He wasn't bypassing, enrolling, or valuing
anything; he was showing his negative feelings

Explanation:

Option A. Bypassed is incorrect because it implies avoidance, which doesn't fit the context of
expressing emotion.
Option B. Enrolled is incorrect because it relates to formal registration, which is irrelevant to
showing discontent.
Option C. Valued is incorrect because it suggests appreciation, which contradicts the
motorman's negative feelings.

As a member of Indigenous Photograph, artist Tshepiso Mabula ka Ndogngeni(Xhosa) can

______________ her work more broadly than she could without the organization's reach.
Photography editors around the world can search for the indigenous photographer members on
the organization's website to find images that document and reflect the lives of Indigenous
communities.

2. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

A. empty
B. promote
C. alter
D. discover

Answer: B. promote is correct because it accurately reflects the idea that the organization
helps the artist make her work more visible and accessible to a wider audience, specifically
photography editors. The organization's website allows her work to be promoted to those who
are looking for such photographs.

Explanation:

Option A. empty is incorrect because it has no logical connection to the context of expanding
reach or making work visible.
Option C. alter is incorrect because it implies changing the work itself, which is not the focus of
the sentence. The focus is on the work being seen.
Option D. discover is incorrect because while editors might discover her work, the sentence is
about what the artist can do due to her membership, not what others can do. The membership
helps her promote her work.

Originating in the traditional stories of the Kanaka Maoli, the Native Hawaiian people, the
literature of Hawaii has a rich history that was later brought to international prominence by
writers such as Mary Kawena Pukui. Now, by producing acclaimed works, Gary Pak has
_______ his place in that literary tradition.

3. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

A. contemplated
B. subverted
C. solidified
D. extricated

Answer: C. solidified is correct because it accurately reflects that Gary Pak's acclaimed works
have strengthened and confirmed his position within the established Hawaiian literary tradition.
He has made his place firm and secure.

Explanation:

Option A. contemplated is incorrect because it means to think deeply about something, which
doesn't fit the context of establishing a place in a literary tradition.
Option B. subverted is incorrect because it means to undermine or challenge something,
which contradicts the idea of joining and strengthening a tradition.
Option D. extricated is incorrect because it means to free oneself from a difficult situation,
which is irrelevant to the context of contributing to a literary tradition.
In a 2018 article about films depicting the experience of Black Americans, critics for the New
York Times praise Madeline Anderson's 1970 film I Am Somebody as "galvanizing" and
Reginald Hudlin's 1990 House Party as "exuberant." Fans of the two films hope that such
______ will attract new audiences to these works.

4. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

A. impartiality
B. ambivalence
C. foresight
D. acclaim

Answer: D. acclaim: This word means public praise or recognition, which directly relates to the
critics' positive reviews of the films. Fans would indeed hope that such acclaim will attract new
audiences.

Explanation:
A. impartiality: This refers to being unbiased or neutral. It does not fit the context, as fans are
looking for recognition, not neutrality.
B. ambivalence: This means having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something.
This does not align with the context of hoping for something positive to attract audiences.
C. foresight: This refers to the ability to predict or plan for the future. While foresight can be
valuable, it does not relate directly to the critics’ praise or its impact on attracting audiences.

Researchers Cesar A. Hidalgo, Elisa Castaner, and Andres Sevtsuk created a computer model
to predict the mix of businesses and places of interest found in a given neighborhood. The team
used data from the Google Places API service to help identify florists, beauty salons, and other
businesses and map their locations. This approach has some limits— data from Places API
tend to be restricted to places that are customer facing— but the data set nonetheless provides
an extremely reliable source to study colocation patterns of neighborhood amenities.

5. Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

A. It describes the imprecise and subjective nature of neighborhood boundaries.

B. It introduces a model that a research team built to evaluate the mix of amenities in urban
neighborhoods.
C. It emphasizes the potential utility of the team's model.
D. It identifies a specific flaw in using a data set about amenities in cities.
Answer: D. It identifies a specific flaw in using a data set about amenities in cities: This
option accurately captures the essence of the underlined portion, which points out a limitation in
the data set being used by the researchers. It highlights that the data may not encompass all
types of businesses since it focuses on customer-facing establishments.

Explanation:
A. It describes the imprecise and subjective nature of neighborhood boundaries: The
underlined portion does not address neighborhood boundaries at all; it focuses on the limitations
of the data set.
B. It introduces a model that a research team built to evaluate the mix of amenities in
urban neighborhoods: While the overall text mentions the model, the underlined portion
specifically discusses the limitations of the data, not the introduction of the model itself.
C. It emphasizes the potential utility of the team's model: The underlined portion does not
emphasize utility; rather, it points out a flaw. While the overall text suggests the model has
utility, the underlined part specifically highlights a limitation.

Known for the albums Someday My Prince WIll Come and Milestones, jazz trumpeter Miles
Davis collaborated several times with pianist Gil Evans. Their 1958 adaptation of George
Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess bears little resemblance to the 1935 original. David and
Evans felt no desire to please listeners expecting an exact duplication of the opera. They
omitted parts, such as the aria "I Got Plenty of Nuthin'," and sometimes made only brief
gestures toward Gershwin's melodies. But Davis and Evan's willingness to recompose
Gershwin's work led to one of the most enduring albums in Davis's catalog.

6. Which choices best describe the function of the underlined sentences in the text as a whole?

A. It presents examples to support a claim made earlier in the text.

B. It shows how two artists benefited from ignoring certain conventions.
C. It proposes a reason why one work of art is widely thought to be more successful than
another.
D. It undermines an assertion made later in the text.

Answer: A. It presents examples to support a claim made earlier in the text.

✔️Strong contender. The earlier sentence states: “Their 1958 adaptation… bears little
resemblance to the 1935 original.” The underlined part gives specific examples (omitting parts,
not closely following melodies) that support this claim.

Explanation:
B. It shows how two artists benefited from ignoring certain conventions.
❌ Too interpretive. The sentences show what Davis and Evans did differently, but they don’t
state or show how they benefited from doing so in that moment.

C. It proposes a reason why one work of art is widely thought to be more successful than
another.
❌ Not accurate. There’s no comparison of success between the opera and the adaptation. Also,
“widely thought” implies public perception, which isn’t discussed here.

D. It undermines an assertion made later in the text.

❌ Chronologically and logically incorrect. The underlined portion supports what follows (that
the recomposition resulted in a lasting work), rather than undermining anything.

Scholarly interest in literary juvenilia— writings by children and teenagers— tends to focus on
unpublished works by authors who became famous as adults, such as W.H. Auden's poem
"Autumn," which he wrote around age 15, because they offer insights into their author's artistic
development. But some scholars also argue that recovering juvenilia by lesser-known writers is
essential to understanding literary history: Daisy Ashford's novels, which she published as a
child, were widely read by contemporaries and are therefore deserving of closer attention.

7. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To describe the challenges famous writers encountered when seeking to publish works
written in their childhood.
B. To argue that Ashford's novels have more literary merit than Auden's juvenilia do.
C. To compare the accomplishments of young writers with those of their adult contemporaries.
D. To present reasons why literary scholars consider juvenilia to be valuable resources.

Answer: D. To present reasons why literary scholars consider juvenilia to be valuable

resources: The whole passage is about why scholars value juvenilia, both from famous writers
(like Auden, for insight into development) and lesser-known ones (like Ashford, for historical
popularity). This choice matches the purpose of both parts of the paragraph.

Explanation:
A. To describe the challenges famous writers encountered when seeking to publish
works written in their childhood: The text does not focus on challenges faced by writers in
publishing their childhood works; it centers on the scholarly interest in those works.
B. To argue that Ashford's novels have more literary merit than Auden's juvenilia do: The
text does not make a comparative argument about the literary merit of Ashford's and Auden's
works; it simply states that both are deserving of attention.
C. To compare the accomplishments of young writers with those of their adult
contemporaries: While the text mentions young writers, it does not compare their
accomplishments directly with those of adult writers; it focuses on the importance of their works.

Superlubricity, the state of virtually no friction between materials, has desirable applications in
many industries. For example, it can make aircraft engines more efficient. To produce a coating
that achieves superlubricity, Chanaka Kumara and colleagues broke down carbon nanotubes
into fragments of graphene to fully cover two surfaces that would rub together. Friction between
pieces of graphene is generally extremely low, and when the researchers added a drop of oil as
lubrication, that friction nearly vanished. This new coating may drastically lower friction-related
energy costs.

8. According to the text, what happened when the researchers added oil to the surfaces covered
in graphene fragments?

A. All the pieces of graphene collected on just one of the two surfaces.
B. The low amount of friction between the surfaces became even lower.
C. Carbon nanotubes on the surfaces fractured into smaller pieces.
D. Friction between the surfaces did not noticeably change right away.

Answer: B. The low amount of friction between the surfaces became even lower: This is
exactly what the text says: friction was already low between graphene pieces, and after adding
oil, it "nearly vanished." That means it became even lower.

Explanation:

A. All the pieces of graphene collected on just one of the two surfaces: The text never
says anything about graphene pieces collecting on one surface. This is an unsupported
inference.
C. Carbon nanotubes on the surfaces fractured into smaller pieces: This happened earlier
in the process when they were creating the coating, not as a result of adding oil. The oil came
after the nanotubes were already broken down.
D. Friction between the surfaces did not noticeably change right away: The passage
clearly states that friction nearly vanished after adding oil, so a major change did occur.

Roy McLendon's Moonlit St. Lucie, a riverscape featuring the silhouette of a single palm tree
against the backdrop of shimmering water and a brilliant moonlit sky, is typical of paintings by
the Florida Highwaymen, an informal collective of landscape artists mainly active in the 1950s
and '60s. Remarkable for anticipating and amplifying cultural perceptions of Florida that became
pervasive in the public consciousness, paintings by the Highwaymen are readily identifiable by
the natural iconography— placid inland rivers, windswept palm trees— that McLendon and
colleagues perpetually revisited.

9. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Although similar in its subject matter to many paintings by the Florida Highwaymen, Moonlit
St. Lucie is now more highly regarded than other Florida Highwaymen paintings are.
B. Representative images found across many paintings by McLendon and other Florida
Highwaymen came to be widely associated with Florida in part due to the Florida Highwaymen's
influence.
C. Although paintings by the Florida Highwaymen were once celebrated for their depictions of
Florida's natural environments, the popularity of these paintings waned after the 1960s.
D. The placid inland rivers and windswept palm trees that are typical of McLendon's works,
which are otherwise indistinguishable from other Florida Highwaymen paintings, help to
differentiate McLendon's paintings from those of his colleagues.

Answer: B. Representative images found across many paintings by McLendon and other
Florida Highwaymen came to be widely associated with Florida in part due to the Florida
Highwaymen's influence: This matches the passage directly: the Highwaymen’s imagery
(“placid rivers, palm trees”) helped shape public perception of Florida. This is exactly what the
phrase “anticipating and amplifying cultural perceptions of Florida that became pervasive” is
referring to.

Explanation:
A. Although similar in its subject matter to many paintings by the Florida Highwaymen,
Moonlit St. Lucie is now more highly regarded than other Florida Highwaymen paintings
are: The text does not compare the regard for McLendon's painting to others; it focuses on the
collective influence of the Highwaymen.
C. Although paintings by the Florida Highwaymen were once celebrated for their
depictions of Florida's natural environments, the popularity of these paintings waned
after the 1960s: The text does not mention any decline in popularity or celebrate the paintings'
past status; it focuses on their enduring cultural significance.
D. The placid inland rivers and windswept palm trees that are typical of McLendon's
works, which are otherwise indistinguishable from other Florida Highwaymen paintings,
help to differentiate McLendon's paintings from those of his colleagues: This option
incorrectly suggests that McLendon's works are indistinguishable from others, while the text
emphasizes their collective identity and cultural impact rather than differentiation.

The following text is from George Eliot's 1857 short story "The Sad Fortunes of the Rev. Amos
Barton." In the text, the narrator addresses the reader directly and alludes to a discussion
among Rev. Amos Barton's neighbors.
It was happy for the Rev. Amos Barton that he did not, like us, overhear the conversation
recorded in the last chapter. Indeed, what mortal is there of us, who would find his satisfaction
enhanced by an opportunity of comparing the picture he presents to himself of his own doings,
with the picture they make on the mental retina of his neighbors? We are poor plants buoyed up
by the air-vessels of our own conceit: alas for us, if we get a few pinches that empty us of what
windy self-subsistence! The very capacity for good would go out of us.

10. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Although people grasp the importance of honesty, they typically resist confronting others
about their flaws.
B. Although people wish to be seen as considerate, the slightest setbacks will often discourage
them from being so.
C. People tend to fixate more often than they should on whether their acquaintances think highly
of them.
D. People are better off now knowing about the discrepancy between their own self-image and
what others think of them.

Answer: D. People are better off not knowing about the discrepancy between their own
self-image and what others think of them: This option accurately reflects the main idea of the
text. The passage discusses how it is fortunate for Rev. Amos Barton that he does not overhear
what others say about him, and then generalizes that no one would benefit from knowing how
others truly perceive them compared to their own self-image. The narrator suggests that such
knowledge would deflate our self-conceit and diminish our capacity for good, implying that
ignorance of others' opinions is preferable.

Explanation:
A. Although people grasp the importance of honesty, they typically resist confronting
others about their flaws: The text does not discuss honesty or confrontation; it focuses on
self-perception and the impact of others' opinions.
B. Although people wish to be seen as considerate, the slightest setbacks will often
discourage them from being so: The text does not address consideration or setbacks; it
centers on self-image and perceptions.
C. People tend to fixate more often than they should on whether their acquaintances
think highly of them: While this option touches on perception, it does not capture the central
theme of the text, which emphasizes the benefits of ignorance regarding others' opinions.

Neighboring Species and Target Species in Various Locations

 Neighboring Species Target Species Location

musk thistle Peruvian lily Argentina

creeping thistle wild radish United Kingdom

leafy spurge yellow evening primrose United States

[missing] of interactions between plants, researchers Carolina Laura Morales and Anna
[missing] gathered data about flowering plants growing alongside each other in various
[missing]. In each case, the researchers identified one plant as a "target species" and a
[missing] plant as a "neighboring species." An example of a neighboring species is the musk
which grows alongside the Peruvian lily in ____.

11. Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the example?

A. the United States

B. Japan
C. the United Kingdom
D. Argentina

Answer: D. Argentina: This option accurately reflects the data provided in the table. The table
shows that the "neighboring species" for the "target species" Peruvian lily is the musk thistle,
and the location where this interaction was observed is Argentina.

Explanation:
A. the United States: The table does not indicate that the musk thistle (neighboring species)
and the Peruvian lily (target species) were observed in the United States.
B. Japan: The table does not contain any information about Japan or any interactions observed
there.
C. the United Kingdom: The table shows that the creeping thistle is the neighboring species
for the wild radish target species in the United Kingdom, but it does not mention the musk thistle
and Peruvian lily interaction.

Monthly Temperature and Wing Centroid Sizes of Fruit Fly Specimens

Month Average high ℉ Average low ℉ Average male Average female

wing centroid wing centroid
size (mm) size (mm)

October 67 44 1.98 2.29

 July 87 62 2.02 2.31

June 80 56 2.01 2.31

May 73 50 1.98 2.27

Drosophila (fruit flies) have generation times of 10-12 days, so seasonal changes in humidity
and other environmental conditions can drive seasonal fluctuations in chromosome
rearrangements in species such as D. persimilis and D. mediopunctata. Drosophila body size
(for which wing centroid size serves as a proxy measure) correlates with life span. Banu
Sebnem Onder and Cansu Fidan Aksoy measured the wing sizes of members of a D.
melanogaster population in Yesiloz, Turkey, that were collected monthly between May and
October over three years. Their research suggests that Drosophila collected in relatively warmer
months should tend to have a longer life span, as is illustrated by the finding that _________

12. Which most effectively uses data from the table to complete the assertion?

A. the average monthly low temperature was higher in June than in May.
B. the average male wing centroid size was larger in July than in October.
C. the average female wing centroid size was 2.02 mm in July but was 2.31mm in June.
D. the average female wing centroid size was consistently larger than the average male wing
centroid size in all four months in the table.

Answer: B. The average male wing centroid size was larger in July than in October.
✔️True (2.02 > 1.98) and this supports the idea that in warmer months (July), flies
had larger wings, so longer life span → This directly supports the claim.

✅ This is the best answer.

Explanation:
A. The average monthly low temperature was higher in June than in May.
✔️True, but doesn't say anything about wing size/lifespan, so it's irrelevant.
C. The average female wing centroid siD. The average female wing centroid size was
consistently larger than the average male wing centroid size in all four months in the table.
✔️True, but it doesn’t help prove anything about temperature or seasonal effect — it just
compares sexes.ze was 2.02 mm in July but was 2.31mm in June.
❌ False — it’s backward: in July and June, the female size was 2.31 mm both times. Also, this
choice is factually incorrect.
D. The average female wing centroid size was consistently larger than the average male wing
centroid size in all four months in the table.
✔️True, but it doesn’t help prove anything about temperature or seasonal effect — it just
compares sexes.
A road was recently built in a Maryland woodland that is home to the house finch. Some finches'
nests were situated close to the new road and others were deeper in the woodland. Common
ravens, which eat finch eggs, can spot nests near the open spaces of roads more easily than
they can spot nests surrounded by woodland. Accordingly, researchers in Maryland trying to
predict the impact of the new road on finches have suggested that ________.

13. Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. finch eggs will make up about the same percentage of common ravens' diet as they did
before the road was built.
B. the number of finches building nests near the road will gradually increase as the finches
adapt to the presence of the common ravens.
C. finches nesting near the road will lose eggs to common ravens at a higher rate than will
finches nesting far from the road.
D. finches nesting far from the road will lay fewer eggs per nest than will finches nesting near
the road.

Answer: C. finches nesting near the road will lose eggs to common ravens at a higher
rate than will finches nesting far from the road: The passage states that common ravens
can more easily spot finch nests near the open spaces of the road compared to nests
surrounded by woodland. This suggests that finches nesting closer to the road will have a
higher rate of egg loss to the ravens than those nesting deeper in the woodland.
It directly follows from the cause-effect logic in the passage: greater visibility = greater risk =
more egg loss.

Explanation:
A. finch eggs will make up about the same percentage of common ravens' diet as they
did before the road was built: This option is not supported by the information in the passage,
which indicates that finches nesting near the road will be more vulnerable to egg predation by
ravens.
B. the number of finches building nests near the road will gradually increase as the
finches adapt to the presence of the common ravens: The passage does not provide any
information about the finches' nesting behavior or their ability to adapt to the presence of the
ravens near the road.
D. finches nesting far from the road will lay fewer eggs per nest than will finches nesting
near the road: The passage does not suggest that finches nesting farther from the road will lay
fewer eggs. It focuses on the increased vulnerability of nests near the road to raven predation.

Biologists Rebecca M. Calisi-Rodriguez and George E. Bently examined research on species

such as dark-eyed juncos and tucos, which have both been studied under laboratory conditions
as well as the wild, to see whether there were significant differences between findings in the
wild and in the lab. And, for example, they found for tucos that daytime is the most active period
for wild individuals but not for captive individuals, Calisi-Rodriguez and Bentley therefore
concluded that the laboratory setting was likely _________

14. Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. more suitable than wild settings for studying tucos' patterns of rest and activity.
B. affecting the results for both tucos and dark-eyed juncos.
C. more suitable for studying dark-eyed juncos than for studying tucos.
D. interfering with tucos' patterns of rest and activity.

Answer: D. interfering with tucos' patterns of rest and activity: The passage states that for
tucos, "daytime is the most active period for wild individuals but not for captive individuals." This
suggests that the laboratory setting was interfering with the natural patterns of rest and activity
for the tucos, leading to different findings compared to observations in the wild.

Explanation:
A. more suitable than wild settings for studying tucos' patterns of rest and activity: The
passage indicates the opposite, that the laboratory setting was not suitable for studying the
natural patterns of rest and activity for tucos.
B. affecting the results for both tucos and dark-eyed juncos: The passage only provides
information about the differences in findings for tucos between the wild and laboratory settings,
and does not mention any similar issues with dark-eyed juncos.
C. more suitable for studying dark-eyed juncos than for studying tucos: The passage
does not provide any information to suggest that the laboratory setting was more suitable for
studying dark-eyed juncos compared to tucos.

All stainless steel contains varying amounts of iron, carbon, and corrosion-inhibiting chromium.
However, ferritic stainless, often used for induction cookers, contains a higher percentage of
chromium (at least 10.5%) than does austenitic stainless steel as well as a higher concentration
of iron. Unlike ferritic stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel has a face-centered cubic
crystalline structure held stable by the presence of nickel and nitrogen. Austenitic stainless steel
has two subtypes: the 200 series, often for washing machines, and the 300 series, which has
more nickel than the 200 series and is often used for storage containers or furnaces. Thus,
stainless steel used to manufacture __________

15. Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. furnaces and stainless used to manufacture washing machines will both have a chromium
content of less than 10.5%.
B. washing machines will have a higher concentration of nickel in its composition than stainless
steel used to manufacture furnaces will.
C. induction cookers will have a face-centered cubic crystalline structure, but stainless steel
used to manufacture storage containers will not.
D. storage containers and stainless steel used to manufacture induction cookers will have a
similar concentration of nitrogen in their compositions.

Answer: B. The passage states that austenitic stainless steel, which is used for washing
machines, has a face-centered cubic crystalline structure that is "held stable by the presence of
nickel and nitrogen." It also states that the 300 series austenitic stainless steel, which is often
used for furnaces, "has more nickel than the 200 series." This suggests that the stainless steel
used for washing machines (200 series) will have a higher concentration of nickel than the
stainless steel used for furnaces (300 series).

Explanation:
A. furnaces and stainless used to manufacture washing machines will both have a chromium
content of less than 10.5%: The passage states that ferritic stainless steel, which is used for
induction cookers, contains at least 10.5% chromium, but it does not specify the chromium
content for austenitic stainless steel used in washing machines or furnaces.
C. induction cookers will have a face-centered cubic crystalline structure, but stainless steel
used to manufacture storage containers will not: The passage states that austenitic stainless
steel, which is used for storage containers, has a face-centered cubic crystalline structure, not
that it lacks this structure.
D. storage containers and stainless steel used to manufacture induction cookers will have a
similar concentration of nitrogen in their compositions: The passage does not provide any
information about the nitrogen content in stainless steel used for storage containers or induction
cookers.

An emulsifier is a type of compound that serves to stabilize an emulsion— a mixture of two or

more liquids that otherwise would not easily blend together. In the cosmetics industry,
emulsifiers such as stearyl alcohol _____ to blend oil and water into homogeneous formulations,
like lotions and perfumes.

16. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. employed
B. being employed
C. are employed
D. that they employ

Answer: ✅ C. are employed

Here's why:
The sentence is in present tense and is describing a general fact about emulsifiers in the
cosmetics industry. When describing general truths or regular practices, the present
passive tense ("are employed") is standard.

Let's look at the full sentence with each option:

A. "emulsifiers such as stearyl alcohol employed..."
❌ Incorrect. This sounds like a past-tense participial phrase, but the main verb is missing,
and it doesn’t form a complete or grammatically correct sentence.

B. "emulsifiers such as stearyl alcohol being employed..."

❌ Incorrect. "Being employed" is a participial phrase that also doesn’t form a
complete clause. It creates a fragment.

C. "emulsifiers such as stearyl alcohol are employed..."

✅ Correct. This uses the present passive voice, which is appropriate for describing standard
industry practices.

D. "emulsifiers such as stearyl alcohol that they employ..."

❌ Incorrect. This adds an unnecessary and unclear pronoun ("they") and creates an
awkward and unclear sentence structure.

The Akhundov National Library in Baku houses many historical newspapers, but it isn't
necessary to travel to Baku to access them. Because these rare items are digitized, people
around the world can access ______ regardless of where they live.

17. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. it
B. them
C. this
D. that

Answer: The correct choice to complete the sentence is B. them. The sentence is stating
that the historical newspapers housed in the Akhundov National Library in Baku can be
accessed by people around the world, because they have been digitized. The pronoun "them"
properly refers back to the "historical newspapers" mentioned earlier in the sentence.

Explanation:
A. it - This pronoun does not clearly refer to the "historical newspapers" and would be
grammatically incorrect.
C. this - "This" is a demonstrative pronoun that does not fit the context here, as it does not
clearly refer to the "historical newspapers."
D. that - Similar to "this," "that" is a demonstrative pronoun that does not fit the context as well
as the personal pronoun "them."

The constitution of Spain, enacted in 1978, enshrines 60 total rights across 17, 608 words of
text. According to constitutional scholar George Tsebelis, who examines the implications of
constitutional length on civil rights, _______ 105th in a global ranking of the shortest
constitutions.

18. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. its
B. it's
C. they're
D. their

Answer: B because "it's" is a contraction of "it is," which fits perfectly in the sentence. "It"
refers to the Spanish constitution, and "is" links it to its ranking.

Explanation:
A. its is incorrect because "its" is a possessive pronoun, indicating ownership. The sentence
requires a subject and verb, not a possessive.
C. they're is incorrect because "they're" is a contraction of "they are," which doesn't agree
with the singular subject "the constitution."
D. their is incorrect because "their" is a possessive pronoun used for plural nouns. The
subject is singular, so it doesn't fit.

Featuring works by the photographers Liselotte Grschebina and Else "Yva" Neulander-Simon,
the 2021 exhibition The New Woman Behind the Camera set out to provide a wide-ranging
overview of photography by women in the 1920s through the _____ given the collection's
breadth of more than 120 photos, its effort were largely successful.

19. Which choice completes the text it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. 1950s,
B. 1950s
C. 1950s and
D. 1950s, and

Answer: D. "1950s, and" is correct:

This sentence contains two independent clauses:

1. Clause 1:
"The 2021 exhibition... set out to provide a wide-ranging overview..."

2. Clause 2:
"Given the collection's breadth... its efforts were largely successful."

When joining two independent clauses, SAT grammar rules require:

● A comma before the coordinating conjunction ("and")

● The conjunction itself to join the ideas clearly

✍️This is called a compound sentence structure.

Why the other options are wrong:

● A. 1950s, ❌ – Missing the necessary "and" to connect the clauses.

● B. 1950s ❌ – No comma, no conjunction; results in a run-on sentence.

● C. 1950s and ❌ – Missing the comma before "and"; required when joining two
independent clauses.

The Austronesian language family comprises some 1,200 languages— including the _______
Javanese and Bikol, which are spoken by 100 million and 4.6 million speakers, respectively—
and accounts for one-fifth of the world's languages, making it of keen interest to linguists like Li
Jen-kuei.

20. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. languages
B. languages:
C. languages—
D. languages,

Answer: A. languages

You might be tempted to add punctuation like a colon or dash (B, C, or D) — but remember:
 ● The sentence already started the phrase with an em dash.

● No new punctuation is needed within the em-dash clause itself.

● Adding another punctuation mark inside the em-dash phrase breaks the flow or creates
an error.

❌ Why the other choices are wrong:

● B. languages:
🚫 You wouldn’t use a colon inside a phrase already set off by em dashes.

● C. languages—
🚫 This would wrongly insert an extra em dash inside an em-dash clause. That’s a big
SAT no-no.

● D. languages,
🚫 A comma in that spot would break the structure — the full clause is already framed by
em dashes.

Blair L.M. Kelley, a historian specializing in the history of segregation in the US, conducted
extensive research while writing a book about the landmark Brown v. Board of Education court
case. _____ when the book was released, colleagues in her field regarded it as a reliable
source of information on the subject.

21. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. Likewise,
B. Consequently,
C. Next,
D. Nevertheless,

Answer: B. Consequently, is correct because it indicates a direct result or consequence of

Kelley's extensive research. Because she did thorough research, her colleagues considered the
book a reliable source.

Explanation:
A. Likewise, is incorrect because it means "similarly" or "in the same way," which doesn't fit
the context. The second part of the sentence is not a parallel or similar action to the research.
C. Next, is incorrect because it implies a chronological sequence, but the relationship between
research and reception is causal, not temporal.
D. Nevertheless, is incorrect because it indicates a contrast or contradiction, which doesn't fit
the context. The book's positive reception is a logical outcome of the research, not something
that happened despite it.
Many English adjectives share a linguistic origin with their associated nouns, like the adjective
"monetary" and the noun "money," both of which come from the Latin "monetarius." _____
some adjectives do not share an origin with their associated nouns. For example, the adjective
"bovine" ultimately comes from the Latin "bos," while its associated noun, "cow," comes from the
Old English "cu."

22. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. Subsequently,
B. For this reason,
C. Nevertheless,
D. Specifically,

Answer: C. Nevertheless, is correct because it indicates a contrast or contradiction. It shows

that despite the general pattern, there are exceptions.

Explanation:
A. Subsequently, is incorrect because it indicates a sequence of events, which is not relevant
to the relationship between the two parts of the text.
B. For this reason, is incorrect because it indicates a cause-and-effect relationship, which
does not exist between the general pattern and the contrasting example.
D. Specifically, is incorrect because it introduces a specific example that supports the
preceding statement, but the example provided contradicts the first statement.

The decades since the Second World War have seen a range of outcomes for the
independence movements of Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Many of the regions'
islands and groups of islands have become independent nations. ________ the Northern
Mariana Islands, a commonwealth in Micronesia consisting of fifteen islands, are part of the US,
and the Society Islands, a group of islands in Polynesia including Tahiti and Bora Bora, are part
of the territory of French Polynesia.

23. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. For example,
B. Therefore,
C. In fact,
D. On the other hand,

Answer: D. On the other hand is correct:

● The sentence sets up a contrast:

 ○ First part: many islands have become independent.

○ Second part: some islands (e.g., Northern Mariana and Society Islands) are not
independent — they’re still tied to other countries.

● That’s exactly when you'd use “On the other hand,” — to contrast two differing situations.

❌ Why the others are wrong:

● A. For example → suggests you're giving an example of the previous statement
(independent islands), but you're actually giving exceptions.

● B. Therefore → implies cause and effect, but there's no causation here — just
contrast.

● C. In fact → is used to emphasize or add detail to what was already said —

again, no emphasis here, just a shift in direction.

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• A supercontinent is a single landmass made up of most or all of Earth's continents.
• Over time, continents merge together to form supercontinents, which then break apart.
• This process is believed to take hundreds of millions of years and is known as the
supercontinent cycle.
• Ur was a supercontinent that formed about 3.1 billion years ago.
• Euramerica was a supercontinent that formed about 300 million years ago.

24. The student wants to emphasize a difference between the two supercontinents. Which
choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

A. Euramerica formed about 300 millions years ago, but Ur formed much earlier— about 3.2
billion years ago.
B. Forming and breaking apart over hundreds of millions of years, supercontinents, single
landmasses made up of most or all of Earth's continents.
C. Ur and Euramerica were both supercontinents, single landmasses made up of most or all
Earth's continents.
D. Ur formed about 3.1 billion years ago but eventually broke apart.

Answer: A. Euramerica formed about 300 million years ago, but Ur formed much earlier—
about 3.1 billion years ago. is correct because it directly contrasts the formation times of the
two supercontinents, highlighting their significant age difference. This effectively emphasizes a
difference between them.
Explanation:
B. Forming and breaking apart over hundreds of millions of years, supercontinents,
single landmasses made up of most or all of Earth's continents. is incorrect because it
describes the general process of supercontinent formation and doesn't focus on the specific
differences between Ur and Euramerica.
C. Ur and Euramerica were both supercontinents, single landmasses made up of most or
all Earth's continents. is incorrect because it highlights a similarity rather than a difference. It
emphasizes that they are both supercontinents, not how they differ.
D. Ur formed about 3.1 billion years ago but eventually broke apart. is incorrect because
it only provides information about Ur and doesn't contrast it with Euramerica.

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• Ixmiquilpan is a municipality in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico.
• Municipalities are governmental regions responsible for providing many public services to their
residents.
• One service they provide is water treatment.
• Ixmiquilpan's population was 98,654 in 2020.
• Hidalgo is divided into 84 municipalities.

25. The student wants to provide an example of a public service that Ixmiquilpan is responsible
for. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this
goal?

A. As a municipality, Ixmiquilpan is responsible for providing water treatment to its residents.

B. Ixmiquilpan is one of 84 municipalities in Hidalgo providing public services to their
communities.
C. Ixmiquilpan— a government region in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico— provides public services
to its residents.
D. In 2020, the municipality of Ixmiquilpan had a population of 98,654

Answer: A. As a municipality, Ixmiquilpan is responsible for providing water treatment to

its residents. is correct because it directly links Ixmiquilpan's status as a municipality to its
responsibility for providing water treatment, which is the specific public service the student is
looking for.

Explanation:
B. Ixmiquilpan is one of 84 municipalities in Hidalgo providing public services to their
communities. is incorrect because while it states that Ixmiquilpan provides public services, it
doesn't specify which service. It's too general.
C. Ixmiquilpan— a government region in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico— provides public
services to its residents. is incorrect because it describes Ixmiquilpan's location and general
responsibility but doesn't provide a specific example of a service.
D. In 2020, the municipality of Ixmiquilpan had a population of 98,654 is incorrect
because it only provides population data and doesn't mention any public services.

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• Square Tower House is a former Ancestral Puebloan settlement in southwestern Colorado
that was inhabited from approximately 1200 - 1300 CE.
• It contained elaborate multistory buildings primarily made of adobe and stone.
•The ancestral Puebloan civilization (approximately 1200 BCE - 1600 CE) was the precursor of
modern Pueblo tribal nations.
• These modern nations include Zuni Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo.
• Buildings in Zuni Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo often incorporate traditional elements.

26. The student wants to connect Square Tower House to modern-day Pueblo buildings. Which
choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

A. Modern-day Pueblo buildings, such as those in Zuni Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo, incorporate
elements that wouldn't have been found in Square Tower House.
B. The Ancestral Puebloan settlement of Square Tower House was built with adobe and stone,
materials still used in the buildings of Zuni Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo.
C. The elaborate buildings of Square Tower House in southwestern Colorado incorporate both
traditional and modern-day elements in their design.
D. Square Tower House, located in southwestern Colorado, was inhabited from approximately
1200 - 1300 CE, but its buildings aren't actively occupied today.

Answer: B. The Ancestral Puebloan settlement of Square Tower House was built with
adobe and stone, materials still used in the buildings of Zuni Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo. is
correct because it directly connects the building materials of Square Tower House (adobe and
stone) to the materials used in modern Pueblo buildings, establishing a clear link between the
ancient and modern structures.

Explanation:
A. Modern-day Pueblo buildings, such as those in Zuni Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo,
incorporate elements that wouldn't have been found in Square Tower House. is incorrect
because it implies a contrast or difference, not a connection. It focuses on what wouldn't be
found, not what connects them.
C. The elaborate buildings of Square Tower House in southwestern Colorado incorporate
both traditional and modern-day elements in their design. is incorrect because the notes
don't mention modern elements in Square Tower House; it's a historical site, not a
contemporary structure. It also reverses the connection, implying modern elements in an
ancient structure.
D. Square Tower House, located in southwestern Colorado, was inhabited from
approximately 1200 - 1300 CE, but its buildings aren't actively occupied today. is
incorrect because it focuses on the site's history and current occupancy status, not on a
connection to modern Pueblo buildings.

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• Element abundance is a relative measure of the occurrence of a chemical element in a given
environment.
• An element's relative abundance can be expressed as a mass fraction, mole fraction, or
volume fraction.
• Mass fraction is the ratio of an element's mass to the combined mass of all elements in a
given environment.
• The mass fraction of calcium (Ca) is 17,100 parts per million (ppm), or 1.71%, on Earth.
• The mass fraction of potassium (K) is 160ppm, or 0.016%, on Earth.

27. The student wants to specify an element's relative abundance on Earth. Which choice most
effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

A. Mass fraction, mole fraction, and volume fraction can all be used to express an element's
relative abundance in a given environment.
B. Expressed as a mass fraction, the relative abundance of potassium on Earth is 160 ppm, or
0.016%.
C. The relative abundance of the element potassium on Earth can be expressed in three
different ways.
D. On Earth, the mass fraction of potassium is greater than that of calcium.

Answer: B. Expressed as a mass fraction, the relative abundance of potassium on Earth

is 160 ppm, or 0.016%. is correct because it directly provides the mass fraction of potassium
on Earth, which is a specific measure of its relative abundance. It answers the student's goal
directly.

Explanation:
A. Mass fraction, mole fraction, and volume fraction can all be used to express an
element's relative abundance in a given environment. is incorrect because it describes the
general ways to express abundance but doesn't specify the abundance of a particular element
on Earth.
C. The relative abundance of the element potassium on Earth can be expressed in three
different ways. is incorrect because it states that there are three ways to express abundance
but doesn't actually provide the abundance data.
D. On Earth, the mass fraction of potassium is greater than that of calcium. is incorrect
because this statement is factually wrong; the mass fraction of calcium is greater than
potassium. Also, the student is trying to specify an abundance, not make a comparison.