12.Practice.Tests.for.the.SAT_2015-2016_1128p

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test Eleven Answers and Explanations I
979
4. B
Difficulty: Medium
Sometimes the correct answer to a two-blank Sentence
Completion hinges on just one of the blanks. Four of the
five answer choices here have acceptable choices for the
second blank, so the question hinges on finding a word that
contrasts with serious. The key word though signals that the
first blank will contrast with serious. Trivial and playful are
good predictions. In the second half of the sentence, you
might predict that Franklin gained the support of the French.
In (A), disrespectful looks possible for the first blank, but the
second word doesn't quite work-why would a government
give its compliments to a cause? In (B), frivolous, or
thoughtless, is a fine match for the first blank, and support is
what you predicted for the second blank. In (C), irrelevant
doesn't contrast very clearly with serious; its tone is not
sufficiently negative. In (D), extravagant, or excessive, kind
of works for the first blank, but it doesn't make sense that
one government would need to get the permission of
another government. In (E), rebellious is not a very good
match for your prediction-it doesn't contrast with serious.
5. c
Difficulty: Low
In this sentence, we find a description of two contradictory
characteristics that exist in the same group of people. On the
one hand, they are brutal; on the other hand, they are heroic.
Such an occurrence is termed a paradox, and therefore (C),
paradoxical, is the correct answer. Choices (A), (D), and (E)
are wrong; it is unfortunate, distressing, and appalling that
they are brutal-but not that they are heroic.
6. B
Difficulty: Medium
The second part of the sentence tells you that the engineers
did something that allowed the movement of animals
around the pipeline. You can, therefore, predict that this
action would help the seasonal migration of caribou.
This prediction eliminates (A) and (D) for the first blank.
Choices (B) and (E) both fit the first blank nicely. When you
try the second blank, (B) describes how the pipeline could
be designed to accommodate the passage of animals-it
could be elevated. Choice (E) refers not to the pipeline
but to the oil delivered through the pipeline. Choice (C)
does not fit either blank. Be sure not to misread razed
(demolished, leveled to the ground) as raised.
7. E
Difficulty: Medium
The word however signals a contrast between licorice
as candy and its use in earlier times when licorice root
was used to treat a variety of medical problems. A good
prediction for the blank would be medical or healing.
Choice (E) matches the prediction. Choice (A) is too
narrow because licorice root treated conditions other than
insomnia. Choice (C) describes candy but not medicine.
Choices (B) and (D) do not match the prediction. Be sure
not to misread indelible as inedible (unfit to be eaten).
8. A
Difficulty: Hard
In this sentence, parents are doing something to legislation
that guarantees programs and services. The first part of the
sentence tells you that education is one of those services.
You're looking for a word similar to guarantee in the first blank.
Choices (A) and (E) work for the first blank. Now look
at the second blank. Choice (A) works well. Choice (E)
would deny education to the children and can, therefore,
be eliminated. To ensure free education for children with
special needs, parents have had to demand legislation
guaranteeing services and programs targeted to those
children. Choice (A) works for both blanks.
Questions 9-1 3
The passage explores the rise and fall of chain mail armor.
In paragraph 1, you learn that chain mail existed in ancient
Rome, but it was used only by cavalry and was secondary to
the lorica segmentata. In paragraph 2, the author describes
the increasing popularity of chain mail starting in the
14th century, as well some reasons for this increase. Finally,
paragraph 3 describes the laborious process of creating the
chain mail and notes that improved weapons caused chain
mail to gradually fall out of favor.
9. E
Difficulty: High
When you go back to the first paragraph, you read that
although chain mail did exist in the Roman era, it was used
primarily by cavalry. The infantry preferred something called
lorica segmentata. Look for a choice that sums this up.
Choice (A) is misuse of detail; no, it was chain mail that had
a resurgence in the medieval period. Choice (B) is out of