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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test Three Answers and Explanations 285
I
8. c
Difficulty: Medium
Key words or structural clues can help you identify the
conceptual focus of a sentence. How do structural clues
contribute to the meaning in this case?
Look for structural clues or key words that indicate the
relationship of ideas in the sentence. The last sentence
of the passage uses the structural clue though to indicate
that Grant's first roles, despite being small, were significant
because they constituted the start of a career that would
later become quite celebrated. This is a good paraphrase of
what you can expect in the correct answer.
Choice (A) is out of scope; the author never states how
well Grant performed in these roles. Choice (B) is extreme;
although Grant's first roles were small, the author does not
discuss how frequently Grant played small roles in the early
stages of his career in general. Choice (C) matches your
prediction nicely. Choice (D) is a distortion; the passage
only suggests that these roles were the beginning of his
illustrious career, not that they created his success. Choice
(E) is out of scope; the author does not explore how most
actors begin a career.
9. E
Difficulty: Medium
Why did Grant choose to leave the acrobatic troupe? You can
expect the cited phrase to emphasize his reasons for leaving.
Notice whether the relevant sentence has a negative or
positive tone overall and identify the reasons for this negative
or positive feeling. Since the relevant sentence describes
how Grant abandoned the traveling troupe, the cited phrase
most likely indicates a negative feeling or a reason why he
chose to leave. The sentence suggests two reasons behind
his decision: the rigors, or harshness, of carnival life took their
toll on Grant, and his excitement for traveling diminished. The
combination of these negative factors most likely resulted in
Grant feeling tired or worn down.
Choice (A) is out of scope; at this point in the passage, the
author has not indicated that Grant even tried to get acting
roles. Choice (B) is out of scope; although the word toll can
refer to a monetary fee, the author never mentions Grant's
earnings. Choice (C) is a distortion; the author does not
indicate that Grant regretted his decision to leave home,
only that he was worn down by life in the troupe. Choice
(D) is a distortion; the cited phrase emphasizes Grant's
experience with carnival life in general, and the author does
not mention how well he mastered stilts. Choice (E) is a
good match for your prediction.
Questions 10- 11
This passage examines how chocolatier Milton Hershey got
his start and discusses his first candy shop, as well as where
he learned the key to superior candy.
10. D
Difficulty: Low
Make a mental list of descriptions the author uses and then
look for a choice that matches the meaning of an item on
this list. Be aware of the various adjectives and verbs that
the author uses and notice the general tone expressed
by these words. In the first sentence, the author refers to
Hershey as a revolutionary chocolate maker and suggests
that he was enthusiastic, although his inexperience in the
candy industry was the downfall of his first candy shop. You
can expect the correct choice to match at least one of these
characterizations.
Choice (A) is out of scope; this sentence does not say
whether Hershey was particularly hardworking. Choice (B)
is a distortion; while the passage indicates that Hershey
opened his own business when he was quite young,
this information does not necessarily suggest he was
exceptionally talented for his age. Choice (C) is a distortion;
the passage describes Hershey as inexperienced but does
not say that he lacked talent. Choice (D) is a good match
for your prediction. Groundbreaking is a good synonym for
revolutionary. Choice (E) is an irrelevant detail; Hershey's
commitment to using high-quality ingredients is mentioned
in the last sentence, not the first.
11. B
Difficulty: Medium
Since it can be difficult to predict the answer to such broadly
phrased questions, your focus should be on evaluating
each choice efficiently. Go through the choices one by one,
comparing each with the evidence found in the text.
Choice (A) is a distortion; the passage indicates that
Hershey acquired this dedication from another candy maker.
Choice (B) is a good choice; the author indicates that
Hershey was enthusiastic about candy making when he
opened his shop at age 18 and that he was still hooked
on it after his shop closed six years later. Choice (C) is out