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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
218
Practice Test Two Answers an d Exp l anations
museum exhibits cater to visitors who do not have much
specific background in a topic. It says that concepts are
introduced in a digestible format. It must have something to
do with how easily visitors can understand material from the
new exhibits.
Choice (A) is a distortion; the word is not to be taken
literally in this context. Food is not relevant to the author's
point. Choice (B) is out of scope; controversial exhibits are
not discussed in the passage. Choice (C) is out of scope;
whether or not the new exhibits present only summaries
is not addressed. Choice (D) works with your prediction.
Choice (E) is a misused detail; digestible refers to people
learning material more easily, not to the types of people
who do so.
20. E
Difficu l ty: Medium
An effective strategy for Inference questions is simply to
paraphrase the relevant material from the passage in your
own words. This will help you to draw conclusions more
easily. In the course of the paragraph, the author discusses
the much-maligned interactive stations and how they
are an improvement over the passive viewing and lobe/­
reading of other displays. The author assumes that this has
been the primary mode of exhibit for museums without
interactive stations.
Choice (A) is an opposite; the author of Passage 2 thinks
this method can be improved upon. Choice (B) is an
opposite; the interactive stations, not the label-reading
exhibits, are the innovation the author discusses. Choice
(C) is a misused detail; it is the interactive stations that the
author says will increase the value of the museum visit.
Choice (D) is extreme; the author says that innovative
museums have introduced interactive exhibits, but never
says that they have completely done away with exhibits that
rely on passive viewing and label reading. Choice (E) works
with your prediction.
21. E
Difficu l ty: High
It's worth the extra few seconds to make a prediction for
questions that ask about both passages-remember to
research as well. The author of Passage 2 says that these
exhibits were born out of improved understanding of
different peoples' learning styles (lines 95-96), and that
they engage a visitor's kinesthetic sense (line 101) to
provide a variety of experiences, not just passive viewing
and label reading (lines 104-1 05). She could defend these
exhibits by showing that they were effective teaching tools
for people with learning styles that are not purely visual.
Choice (A) is an opposite; the author of Passage 2 is against
passive learning. Choice (B) is out of scope; a measure
of the popularity of these exhibits would not support the
assertion that they are effective. Choice (C) is out of scope;
the expense of these exhibits is not discussed in either
passage. Choice (D) is out of scope; the number of such
exhibits in use is not addressed in either passage. Choice
(E) works with your prediction.
22. D
Difficu l ty: Medium
For these types of questions, try applying the author's main
argument to the relevant portion of the other passage.
The author of Passage 1 thinks that innovations made in
museums are condescending and a dumbing down of
content. She does not have an argument with the goal of
engaging more people, but she thinks that museums are
going about it in the wrong way.
Choice (A) is out of scope; the author of Passage 1 never
hints at this. Choice (B) is a misused detail; the author
does mention funding cuts, but only as a motivation for
luring people back into museums, not as a reason against
broadening museums' appeal. Choice (C) is out of scope;
no other pressing matters are addressed in either passage.
Choice (D) matches your prediction. Choice (E) is out
of scope; the amount of training given to curators is not
discussed in either passage.
23. E
Difficu l ty: High
Questions like this ask you to take on one author's
viewpoint and respond to something through that lens.
The author of Passage 1 thinks that new exhibits are a
dumbing down of museum content. The statement that the
exhibit is not trying to give a visitor a thorough and detailed
understanding of a topic would serve to confirm this idea.
Choice (A) is out of scope; the author never mentions
higher education and whether museums should encourage
it. Choice (B) is out of scope; there is not enough
information about curators' hopes to draw this conclusion.
Choice (C) is an opposite; the exhibits being described are
designed specifically so that those who know nothing about