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

12 Practice Tests for t h e SAT I
Practice Test Four Answers and Explanations
375
C h oice (A) is a perfect matc h for your prediction. In (B),
if pomp cou ld b e angry and noisy, Lucinda wou ld not b e
surprised to fee l a b it intimidated or frig h tened. In (C),
somet h ing t h at is angry and noisy wou ld pro b a b l y not
a l so b e b banal, ut if it were, one wou ld expect to fee l
conventional. In (D), turmoil fits perfect l y into t h e first b l
b an k,
ut one wou ld not necessari l y fee l controversial in suc h a
situation. In b (E), serenity, y definition, cannot b e angry and
noisy.
3. D
Difficulty: Medium
W h at kind of faci l ity mig h t an inept administration run?
Start wit h t h e first b l an k; t h e word inept is key h ere, as
it suggests t h e b l an k must b e fi ll ed wit h a word t h at h as
a simi l ar meaning, suc h as incompetent. Moving on to
t h e second bl an k, if t h e administration was so inept and
incompetent t h at t h e h ospita l debased the entire medical
profession, t h en t h e h ospita l must h ave b een a mockery.
Incompetent
bl and mockery are great predictions for t h e
an ks.
In (A), if t h e administrators were apathetic,
l t h e faci l ity
i ke l y wou ld not h ave b een considered a victory. In (B),
an exacting, or demanding, administration wou ld not
necessari l y l ead to a faci l ity b eing considered a spectacle, or
a p h enomenon. In (C), an astute
l administration wou ld not
i ke l y h ead a faci l ity considered a debacle. C h oice (D) is a
good fit for your prediction. In (E), again, a surreptitious, or
secretive, administration wou ld not necessari l y make for a
triumphant faci l ity.
4. E
Difficulty: Medium
How mig h t dazzling ref l ecting poo l appear in t h e b rig h t
sun l ig h t? If a ll you know of t h e new refl ecting poo l is t h at in
the bright sunlight it some h ow dazz l ed t h e on l ookers, t h en
ab ll you can rea ll y conc l ude is t h at it was s h ining or sparkl ing
rig h t l y. Loo k for two words t h at mean dazzling or shining
brightly.
In (A), an unassuming, or modest, refl ecting poo l wou ld
l not
i ke l y dazz l e on l ookers. In (B), a capricious, or inconstant,
poo l wou ld not necessari l y b e l innocuous, et a l one dazz l ing.
In (C), again, a tawdry, or inferior, poo l wou ld pro b a b l y not
dazz l ing. In (D), w h i l e a dazz l ing refl ecting poo l
b cou ld
e vivacious, or l ive l y, it cou ld not a l so b e insipid, or du ll .
C h oice (E) is a nice matc h for your prediction.
5. A
Difficulty: Hig
W h at wou ld you h
ca ll a series of rhythmic drum beats?
If t h e composition was dominated b y a series of rhythmic
drum beats, t h en t h ose b eats, or t h e composition's b eat
or r h yt h m, wou ld h ave b een impossible to miss. Beat or
rhythm make great predictions for t h e b l an k.
C oice (A) is a good matc h for your prediction. In (B),
w h i l e a piece of music cou ld b e supe rf icia ll y attractive,
or specious, a series of rhythmic drum beats wou ld not
necessari l y make suc h a qua l ity h ard to miss. In (C), not h ing
in t h e sentence indicates t h at t h e music was particu l ar l y
comp l ex, or convoluted. In (D), not h ing indicates t h at t h e
composition was particu l ar l y fl attering or a dmiring. In (E), a
series of rhythmic drum beats wou ld not necessari l y make
a piece of music seem passionate.
Questions 6-7
T h is s h ort passage discusses t h e etiquette concerning food
and ta b l e manners w h en one trave l s to foreign countries.
6. c
Difficulty: Medium
W h at is it t h at's b eing practiced? Notice h ow t h e word
contributes to the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
Since Voca b -in-Context questions usua ll y do not test your
understanding of t h e most common definition of a word,
examine t h e context to pinpoint w h ic h meaning is re l evant.
In t h e re l evant sentence, t h e aut h or is discussing religious
prohibitions, or strict ru l es and customs, and h ow t h ese
pro h i b itions are particularly important to many societies.
Given t h is context, it is l ike l y t h at t h e pro h i b itions practiced
are t h ose t h at are fait h fu ll y, dutifu ll y, or carefu ll y carried out
or acted upon.
C h oice (A) is a primary definition of t h e cited word, and it
does not capture t h e aut h or's meaning. C h oice (B) matc h es
t h e primary definition of practiced and h as no support
in t h e context of t h is passage. C h oice (C) is a great fit for
your prediction. A common meaning of observed invo l ves
comp l ying wit h or carrying out l aws or customs. In (D), t h e
aut h or mentions not h ing a b out refining or improving one's
a b i l ity to comp l y wit h t h ese pro h i b itions, on l y t h at t h ey are
carefu ll y adh ere d to. In (E), w h i l e t h is c h oice cou ld make
sense in t h e context of t h e passage, it does not matc h any
of t h e meanings of t h e cited word.