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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test One Answers and Explanations I
113
Getting to the Answer:
You may find it useful to isolate and rotate one of the
isosceles triangles to make it clearer. Fill in the information
for one triangle. One half of the triangle forms a 3:4:5
triangle. Thus, the height is 4 and the area
of one triangle = x 4 x 6 = 12.
In (A), a ceremony that was enormously large, or a
colossus, would not necessarily be unfortunate. In (B), a
ceremony that became a milestone, or significant event,
could have been celebratory. Choice (C) is a great match
for your prediction. In (D), a dedication ceremony is a
consecration. In (E), angry protestors would not necessarily
make a ceremony that was supposed to be celebratory into
a fabrication, or a lie or falsehood.
Since the parallelogram is made up of two triangles, the
total area is 2 x 12 = 24.
SECTION 4
1. D
Difficulty: Low
6
How would observation help an infant to walk? Because
the opening of the sentence refers to the ability to walk,
the first blank must also refer to this ability. Words such as
able or skilled are both great predictions for the first blank.
If infants become able through observation, then they must
watch their parents walk and attempt to copy or replicate
those movements. In (A), the sentence is referring to the
ability to walk, not socialize. In (B), again, the sentence is
not referring to how a baby controls or dominates his or
her parents. In (C), while an infant might become vocal by
mimicking his or her parents, this has nothing to do with the
ability to walk. Choice (D) is a great fit for your prediction.
Choice (E) is very tempting, but the sentence is only
referring to the ability to walk, not necessarily the ability to
walk quickly or nimbly.
2. c
Difficulty: Low
The words rather than signal a contrast to a celebration.
How might chanting crowds of angry protestors affect
a dedication ceremony that was supposed to be a
celebration? Most likely negatively, so look for a word that
describes how the ceremony, instead of being celebratory,
became a failure or disaster, both great fits for the blank.
5
3. c
Difficulty: Medium
How might damage caused by rampant corruption affect a
company's reputation?
Start with the second blank; you know from the words
damage and rampant corruption that it must refer to
something bad that happened to the company's reputation,
such as it becoming weakened or even ruined. If this bad
effect happened before anyone realized, then it must have
been subtly damaging. "Subtle" and "ruined" make great
predictions for the blanks.
In (A), if the damage caused by the corruption had been
manifest, or easy to understand, then it would not have
happened without anyone noticing. In (B), despicable,
or nefarious, damage would not necessarily create a
polarized reputation. Choice (C) matches your prediction
nicely. In (D), methodical, or systematic, damage would
not necessarily amalgamate, or compound, a company's
reputation. In (E), damage caused by corruption, even if
it were obvious, would not necessarily stagnate, or make
motionless, a company's reputation.
4. B
Difficulty: Medium
To be able to signals that the two blanks agree with one
another. The words instead of indicate that the two blanks
represent a contrast to analyzing their importance to his
argument. Look for two words that would allow someone
to deal more smoothly with the individual fads of the
case, something that would take a great deal of time but
that would also require something less, or more simple,
than analysis. A word like list or reel off would be a good
prediction for the first blank, making a word that means
commit to memory a good fit for the second blank.
In (A), simply regurgitating facts would not
necessarily make them easier to synthesize. Choice
(B) is a good match for your prediction. In (C),