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

Section 31
Practice Test Four
329
Directions: The passages below are followed by questions based on their content; questions folloWing a pair of related
passages may also be based on the relationship between the paired passages. Answer the questions on the basis of
what is stated or implied in the passages and in any introductory material that may be provided.
Questions 6-7 are based on the following passage.
So much of human social activity revolves
around eating that, especially when traveling in
a foreign country, acceptance of the local foods
Line and observance of table customs are essential steps
(5) toward fitting in. Being aware of the strict religious
prohibitions practiced in many societies is particularly
important. In India, for example, it is best
not to ask for beef, since cows are considered by
many there to be sacred animals. Table
(10) etiquette can prove to be even trickier, as breaking
even subtle rules can quite easily offend people. In
Zambia, for instance, the guest should ask to be
served first because it is impolite for the host to
offer food first.
6. In line 6, "practiced" is best understood as
meaning
(A) repeated
(B) trained
( C) observed
(D) honed
(E) enforced
7. The author emphasizes the word "subtle" (line 11)
in order to stress the point that
(A) despite the intricacies involved, a violation of
religious customs can be quite overt
(B) understanding table etiquette is always more
complicated than learning religious customs
(C) by its very nature, table etiquette is composed
of indecipherable rules
(D) rules governing table etiquette can be
especially hard to discern
(E) the people of Zambia are particularly
guarded about their table manners
Questions 8-9 are based on the following passage.
For my 10th birthday I asked my mother to
bake my favorite dish: an egg and cheese casserole
spiced with long, red slices of chili peppers. I'm
Line not sure why I asked for this dish. Perhaps it was
(5) for purely aesthetic reasons: the maroon pan she
always used complemented the brilliant hues of
the peppers and enhanced the more subtle yellows
of the cheese. More likely, however, I was attracted
by the inherent contrast of the ingredients: sweet,
(10) tame cheese dripping with fiery, intimidating
pepper juice I knew would singe my tongue the
moment it entered my mouth. Maybe it was simply
selfishness, for the dish proved too threatening
for my friends and I was left with it all to myself.
8. The author mentions the "brilliant hues of the
peppers" (lines 6-7) in order to
(A) better describe the dish as pleasing to the eye
(B) accentuate the hotness of the peppers
(C) indicate a reason why it was selfish to request
the dish
(D) describe the burning sensation the peppers
caused in the author's mouth
(E) discount the suggestion that the dish's
appearance was important
9. The author's description of the pepper juice as
"intimidating" (line 10) serves to
(A) reinforce the claim that the author's favorite
dish is unusual
(B) warn the reader of the dangers of eating hot
peppers
( C) suggest that the narrator was unaware of the
hotness of the peppers
(D) emphasize the contrast between the tastes of
the peppers and cheese
(E) explain the pleasant appearance of the dish
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