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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test One Answers and Explanations I
123
grammatical structure. Choice (D) fails to correctly complete
the comparative construction as . .. as. Choice (E) changes
the meaning of the original selection.
8. D
Difficulty: Medium
If you don't spot a grammatical error, look for errors in style.
The sentence as written is unnecessarily wordy. Choice (D)
is concise and contains no additional errors. Choice (B) is
even wordier than the original. Choice (C) is awkwardly
structured. Choice (E) changes the meaning of the sentence
by suggesting that Stalin, not the murder, is the mystery.
9. E
Difficulty: Medium
There are a number of ways to correct a run-on sentence,
but only one answer choice will do so without introducing
additional errors. As written, this is a run-on sentence.
Additionally, the plural pronoun they is used to refer to the
United States, which is grammatically singular when used
to refer to the country as a whole. Choice (E) corrects both
errors. Choice (B) does not address the pronoun error
and uses a transition word that is inappropriate in context.
Choice (C) does not address either error. Choice (D) also
inappropriately uses a cause-and-effect transition.
10. A
Difficulty: Medium
Expect to encounter between five and eight sentences
without errors on your SAT. This sentence is correct as
written.
Choice (B) is unnecessarily wordy. Choice (C) is a sentence
fragment. Choices (D) and (E) use verb tenses that are
inappropriate in context; additionally, (D) creates a run-on
sentence.
11. D
Difficulty: High
Make sure the correct noun is placed after a modifying
phrase. As written, this sentence tells us that most artists,
rather than Manet's Olympia, were dismissed by Salon
attendees. Only (D) corrects this error without introducing
any additional issues. Choice (B) does not address the error.
In (C), groundbreaking work is the noun modified by the
initial clause. Choice (E) is a sentence fragment.
12. A
Difficulty: Low
Some idiomatic phrases may be grammatically correct,
but inappropriate in context. Although someone could be
wanted for questioning, in this context, the verb wanted
requires the infinitive verb form. The error is in (A), which
should read to portray.
Choice (B) correctly uses an adjective to modify a noun.
Choice (C) properly uses that as a conjunction and uses the
correct verb tense in context. In (D), the past had saddened
is correctly used to describe an action completed prior to
another stated past action (The director wanted).
13. A
Difficulty: Low
In a compound subject containing a pronoun, read the
sentence with the pronoun as the subject to make sure it
is in the subjective case. Since you wouldn't say "Me was
delighted ...," me is incorrect as part of the compound
subject; "I" would be correct in (A). The plural verb were
in (B) is used correctly to agree with its compound (and
therefore plural) subject. In (C), since correctly establishes
the relationship between the ideas in the sentence.
Choice (D) is a properly used prepositional phrase.
14. D
Difficulty: Low
In a compound verb construction, the verbs must be
parallel in form. In (D), the two verb forms to establish
and maintain are not parallel; the first verb should simply
be establish. Choice (A) properly sets up the relationship
between the two clauses, and the verb agrees with its
subject. In (B), the infinitive verb form is used correctly.
Choice (C) is a correct prepositional phrase.
15. B
Difficulty: Low
A sentence can have numerous nouns and verbs and still
be a fragment. As written, this sentence is a fragment, since
it has no independent clause. Changing (B) to thought
would make the second clause independent, correcting the
error. Choice (A) uses the correct preposition in context.
Choice (C) is correct usage of the infinitive. The pronoun in
(D) agrees with its plural antecedent walls.