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

12 Practice Tests for t h e SAT
Practice Test Five Answers and Explanations I 473
22. c
Difficulty: Hig
Assess eac h statement h
independent l y, b eginning wit
t h e one t h at appears most frequent l y. If t h e statement
h
restates a detai l mentioned in t h e passage, e l iminate any
answer c h oice t h at does not inc l ude t h at statement. If t h e
statement contains a detai l not mentioned in t h e passage
or distorts a detai l from t h e passage, e l iminate a ll answer
c h oices t h at inc l ude t h at statement.
Rat h er t h an trying to predict a ll of t h e s h ared aspects, go
direct l y to t h e statements and c eck t h em against t h e
detai l s in t h e passage. Begin wit h eit h er Statement I or
Statement Ill, since t h ey appear most frequent l y. Statement
I is incorrect; it may seem tempting, b ut note t h at on l y
t h e factory mentioned in t h e t h ird met h od wou ld actua ll y
manufacture green h ouse gasses. T h e ot h er met h ods aim
to re l ease or create t h em natura ll y. E l iminate a ll answer
c h oices containing t h is statement: (A), (D), (E). Statement
II is a l so incorrect; on l y t h e factory construction mentioned
in t h ird met h od seems to inc l ude a manned mission
to t h e p l anet. E l iminate a ll remaining answer c h oices
containing b Statement II: (B). On l y (C) remains, so it s h ou ld
e correct, an d it is. A ll of t h e terraforming met h ods aim to
raise the surface temperature of Mars.
23. E
Difficulty: Hig
Strengt h en and h
l Weaken questions ask you to assess t h e
in ks b etween t h e aut h or's c l aims and t h e evidence given
and w h et h er t h e evidence strengt h ens or weakens t h e
argument. Strengt h ening requires you to find t h e answer
cl h oice t h at makes it more l ike l y t h at t h e aut h or's evidence
ea ds to h er c l aim. You s h ou ld b e l
b oo king to tig h ten t h e l ink
etween t h e c l aim mentione d h ere an d t h e evidence for it.
T h e c l aim is t h at Mars wi ll oxygenate. T h e evidence for t h is
c l aim is t h at p l ants wi ll grow, a b sor b ing car b on dioxide and
re l easing oxygen. You need to find an answer c h oice t h at
promotes t h e idea t h at p l ants wi ll fl ouris h on Mars.
C h oice (A) is an opposite; t h is weakens t h e aut h or's
assertion. C h oice (B) is out of scope; t h e l engt h of time
does not matter. If p l ants wi ll fl ouris h in 900 years, t h en
t h e argument is not weakened. C h oice (C) is distortion; t h is
answer c h oice does not strengt h en t h e argument. C h oice
(D) is a misused detai l ; t h is fact a l one does not strengt h en
t h e aut h or's c l aim. C h oice (E) is correct; genetic engineering
makes it more l ike l y t h at p l ants wi ll f l ouris h on Mars.
24. D
Difficulty: Medium
Tone questions are very simi l ar to questions a b out purpose.
hIn fact, most of t h e time, c h aracterizing t h e aut h or's tone
e l ps in se l ecting a purpose. As k yourse l f, h ow does
t h e aut h or fee l a b out t h is topic? W h at is h er ro l e in t h is
discussion? We can answer wit h a few o b servations. First,
t h e aut h or is very know l edgea b l e an d
b presents a f air l y
a l ance d eva l uation of t h e idea of terra orming Mars.
Second, t h e aut h or seems supportive o f t h e idea of
terraforming h Mars, b ut not to t h e extent t h at we mig h t term
er tone one of advocacy. Look for somet h ing not too
extreme b ut indicating mi ld support for terraforming.
C h oice (A) is extreme; one wou ld not c h aracterize t h e
aut h or as passionate. C h oice (B) is an opposite; t h e aut h or
does not seem skeptical. In fact, s h e states on severa
occasions t h e via b i l ity of t h e p l an to terra f orm Mars. C l h oice
(C) is extreme; since t h is aut h or is not even advocating, s h e
certain l y is not urgent l y entreating. C h oice (D) is correct;
t h is fits we ll . C h oice (E) is distortion; t h is is too neutra l .
SECTION 4
1. A
Difficulty: Low
Strategic Advice: On Test Day, you may find it h e l pfu
to redraw t h e figure in t h e question so t h at it l ooks l ike
l
somet h ing you're more fami l iar wit h .
Getting to the Answer:
10
/('
mo
87° no po
87°
j °
Para ll e l l ines cut b y a transversa l form congruent opposite
vertica l ang l es; t h erefore, j = 87°.