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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
198
Practice Test Two Answers an d Exp l anations
In (A), benign people usually don't yell, so this doesn't
make sense. In (B), how would yelling help identify, or
diagnose, a problem? Choice (C) works. Something that is
inefficacious is ineffective and a poor way to go about doing
something. In (D), though any reaction is discretionary,
this answer is clearly not the best fit. In (E), yelling can be
therapeutic in the right context, but not yelling at a child for
the purpose of helping him learn.
Questions 6-9
These paired passages are both about the French
Revolution. While the authors of both passages believe
the Revolution was important, they disagree on its catalyst.
In Passage 1, the writer believes that theatre groups who
staged shocking things against the royalty gave people the
courage to rise up. Passage 2's writer believes poverty and
hunger led people to revolt.
6. B
Difficu l ty: Low
Be sure you can find the support in each passage for the
answer you choose. Though they disagree about its causes,
both authors certainly seem to think the French Revolution
had a significant impact on the world.
Choice (A) is a distortion; only Author 2 supports this.
Choice (B) is correct; both authors would agree with
this statement. Choice (C) is a distortion; only Author 1
supports this. Choice (D) is out of scope; the American
Revolution is not addressed in either passage. Choice
(E) is an opposite; Author 2 thinks it was inevitable, not
unlikely.
7. B
Difficu l ty: High
Have a very clear idea of the author's overall purpose
when answering a Function question. Author 1 mentions
the fact that commoners rarely spoke out against the king
in order to demonstrate how the theatre helped peasants
begin the Revolution-it freed them from this obstacle
that had kept them so docile. It is valuable to the passage
because it suggests the obstacle that the peasants had to
overcome.
Choice (A) is out of scope; there is no indication of whether
this attitude developed gradually or not. Choice (B) matches
your prediction. Choice (C) is a misused detail; this custom
may seem severe, but that isn't why the author included the
reference to it. Choice (D) is out of scope; no conclusion is
made in this sentence that could be characterized as false
based on the information in the passage. Choice (E) is out
of scope; this is not the purpose of the reference.
8. E
Difficu l ty: High
Be careful not to confuse the two authors' viewpoints.
The shocking things are elements of the performances
put on by the guerilla theatre troupes that mocked the
royalty. Author 2 says that those performances reflected the
growing discontent of the people but didn't directly cause
the revolution.
Choice (A) is an opposite; this fits the opinion of Author
1. Choice (B) is out of scope; no mention is made of the
appropriateness of the plays. Choice (C) is out of scope;
the commoners' opinions of the performances are not
addressed in either passage. Choice (D) is extreme; Author
2 would say that the plays did represent the peasants'
reasons for revolting, even if it didn't cause them to do so.
Choice (E) is supported by the passage.
9. D
Difficu l ty: High
Beware of going too far afield from what is directly stated
in the text. Author 1 thinks that, while the people of France
were indeed oppressed, it took the voice of the guerilla
theatre to give them the courage to act. Look for a choice
that says she thinks they were contributing causes but not
the primary spur for revolution.
Choice (A) is an opposite; Author 1 acknowledges that
the commoners were downtrodden. This contradicts any
contention that she feels those pressures played no part.
Choice (B) is out of scope; Author 1 never mentions
perceived exaggeration of the pressures on the peasants.
Choice (C) is an opposite; Author 1 believes that the
peasants were oppressed and that they revolted, in part,
because of this. Choice (D) works; the author says we are
indebted to renegade artists for the Revolution, implying
that social injustice alone was not enough to make the
people revolt. Choice (E) is an opposite; Author 1 does
not dwell on these factors for any length of time, speaking
instead about the theatre of the time as a prime cause.