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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test Twelve Answers and Explanations I
1083
17. l. or .5
2
Difficulty: High
Strategic Advice: You may not have talked about equations
that look like this in your math class, but try plugging in
points to draw a sketch. x = 3 and x = 1 1 are good ones to
start with, since these are the ones relevant to the problem.
Getting to the Answer:
If you plug in x = 3:
3=y2 +2
1 =y2
y=±l
This means that (3, 1) and (3, - 1) are both on the curve.
Next, try x = 11 :
ll= y2 +2
9=y2
y=±3
This means that (1 1, 3) and (1 1, -3) are both on the curve.
At this point, you could plot the four points and figure out
how to get the largest slope possible. This happens with
points (1 1, -3) and (3, 1).
18. 2 < x < 6
Difficulty: High
Strategic Advice: Draw some diagrams to solve this
question.
Getting to the Answer:
The circumference of a circle is 2nr. Since the
circumference of circle A is 4n, its radius is 2; since the
circumference of circle 8 is Sn, its radius is 4. The circles
intersect at two points, so they must overlap. If they were
tangent (that is, touch at one point) with circle A inside
circle 8, the distance between their centers would be 2;
if they were tangent with circle A outside circle 8, the
distance between their centers would be 6.
SECTION 6
1. E
Difficulty: High
Even a sentence with multiple verbs and verb forms can
be a fragment; look for a subject and predicate verb in an
independent clause.
As written, this sentence is a fragment·since none of its
clauses are independent. There is no main verb following
the subject bars. Choice (E) corrects this error without
introducing any new ones. Choices (B) and (C) are
unnecessarily wordy and fail to relate the two clauses. The
pronoun they in (D) has no clear antecedent.
2. A
Difficulty: High
If you don't spot an error, don't be afraid to select (A).
This sentence is correct as written. The verb offer is in
agreement with the plural subject movie screenings, and the
idiom both . .. and is used correctly. Choices (B), (D), and
(E) all incorrectly change the plural verb offer to the singular
offers; additionally, the singular pronouns it in (D) and this
in (E) do not agree with the plural screenings. Choice (C) is
incorrect grammatical structure.
3. D
Difficulty: High
If you don't spot a grammar or usage error, look for an error in
style. As written, this sentence is unnecessarily wordy. Choice
(D) makes the sentence more concise without introducing
any grammatical errors. Choice (B) is a sentence fragment.
Choices (C) and (E) are incorrect grammatical structure
4. D
Difficulty: Medium
Not all long selections denote wordiness issues, but always
check for a more concise version of the sentence.
As written, this sentence is overly wordy. Choice (D) is concise
and doesn't lose any of the meaning of the original sentence.
Choices (B), (C), and (E) are all still awkward and wordy.
5. D
Difficulty: Medium
The gerund (-ing) verb cannot be the main verb of a
sentence.