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

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112 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test Twelve Answers and Explanations
be us. Choice (A) agrees with its plural subject; (B) and (D)
are both idiomatically correct in context.
24. c
Difficulty: Medium
A noun serving as the object of a preposition cannot be the
subject of a verb.
The subject of supports is the plural habitats; (C) should
be support. Choice (A) uses the correct relative pronoun in
context. The verb in (B) agrees in number with its pronoun
subject that (referring to habitats). Choice (D) is correct
idiomatic usage.
25. c
Difficulty: Medium
A sentence can have multiple nouns and verbs and still be
a fragment.
As written, this sentence is a fragment, since it has no
independent clause. Changing (C) to is comparable
to would correct the error. Choice (A) properly uses an
adjective to modify a noun. Choice (B) agrees with its plural
subject writers. Choice (D) is idiomatically correct usage.
26. c
Difficulty: Medium
In a compound verb, all verb forms must be parallel.
The simple predicate of this sentence is paints . .. and ...
submerging. Choice (C) should read submerges. Choice
(A) properly uses the participle employing to modify artist.
Choices (B) and (D) correctly use adjectives to modify the
nouns designs and colors, respectively.
27. A
Difficulty: Medium
The relative pronoun who is only correct when used to refer
to people.
That would be the correct relative pronoun in (A). The verb
in (B) agrees with its singular subject bird. Choice (C) is an
appropriate use of so as a conjunction. Choice (D) properly
uses preferred to modify prey.
28. B
Difficulty: Medium
Items in a list or a series must have parallel structure.
Here, there are three items listed in a series: through the
courtyard, up four flights of stairs, and walks down the
hallway. The third item is not parallel with the other two;
(B) contains the error. Choices (A) and (D) agree with their
singular subjects. Choice (C) is the correct preposition in
context.
29. B
Difficulty: Medium
The phrase argue having is not idiomatically correct.
Choice (B) should read argue that having (or simply argue
that). The contrasting transition word although, (A), is used
appropriately as is the adverb in fact, (D). The phrase such
a malady is idiomatically correct.
30. B
Difficulty: Medium
In order to combine sentences, you must first understand
how the ideas in these sentences relate to one another.
Each of these sentences refers to an aspect of Today's
technology, so a sentence with Today's technology as
its subject and the various aspects listed in a series is the
simplest and most concise way to combine them. Choice
(B) does this without introducing any errors. Choice (A)
simply strings the sentences together without relating them
in any way. Choice (C) lacks a predicate (main) verb, so
it is a fragment. Choice (D) is a run-on sentence, and the
pronoun these has no logical plural antecedent. Choice (E)
is incorrect grammatical structure.
31. D
Difficulty: Medium
There are several ways to correct a run-on sentence, but
only one answer choice will do so without introducing
any additional errors. As written, this sentence consists of
three independent clauses, combined with the conjunction
and. Since the first two clauses have the same subject, the
first and and the subject pronoun they can be eliminated,
combining the first two clauses into one clause with a
compound verb (lose . .. and have). Since the third clause
introduces the topic of the next paragraph, joining that
clause to the new one with a semicolon splice is the best
option. Choice (D) does this without introducing any new
errors. The transition words in (B) do not properly relate
the ideas contained in the three clauses. Choice (C) is
somewhat more concise than the original, but it doesn't
relate the clauses as well as (D). Choice (E) misuses