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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test Six Answers and Explanations 581
I
discrimination, but in the passage, it is the show that was
being neglected, not Randolph. Choice (E) is out of scope;
the passage does suggest that Carver disliked Randolph's
show, but from that you cannot infer he disliked Randolph.
9. c
Difficulty: Medium
What do these accolades and achievements directly imply
about Randolph's ability to survive in the television industry?
A good approach to any Function question is first to identify
how the example or examples in question are connected
to other parts of the passage and .then determine for what
purpose the author would include such an example. After
Carver offers Randolph advice on how to survive in the
television industry in lines 33-35, the narrator states that
Randolph had managed to not only survive but to thrive in
the industry for five decades prior to Abel Carver's tenure
and then illustrates this by describing some of Randolph's
numerous achievements. Choose the answer that best
defines the function of this description with the passage.
Choice (A) is distortion; Randolph's celebrity status was
established in the opening paragraphs of the passage.
Choice (B) is a misused detail; Carver calls Randolph our old
man, but he never states that he's too old to be a success.
Choice (C) is the best answer. The examples of Randolph's
achievements primarily function to suggest that perhaps he
does not need advice on how to survive in television. Choice
(D) is an opposite; in light of these achievements, it seems
odd that the show was cancelled. Choice (E) is out of scope;
most of the achievements were probably garnered long
before Carver offered Randolph his advice.
10. E
Difficulty: High
Randolph's lordly grunt accompanies the dismissal of
Carver's advice. What specific ideas does he use to justify
the dismissal of this advice, and what do they reveal?
Questions that ask you to make inferences about what lies
behind a character's motives require an understanding of
the origin of those motives. Synonyms of lordly include
dignified and noble. In the passage, Randolph expels this
lordly grunt after dismissing Carver's advice and reminding
himself of his achievements as an entertainer. At the same
time, this gesture displays Randolph's confidence in himself
and his choices. Look for the choice that sums that up in
two adjectives.
Choice (A) is out of scope; Randolph is actually self-assured
to a fault, and a dignified grunt does not imply dread in
any way. Choice (B) is out of scope; Randolph does not
come off as humorous or sarcastic within the context of the
words in question or the passage as a whole. Choice (C) is
extreme; these words are too strong to accurately convey
the gesture. Choice (D) is out of scope; neither doubt
nor anger is conveyed by this gesture. Choice (E) is your
answer. Randolph's need to bask in his achievements after
he dismisses Carver's advice indicates both a sense of pride
and a desire to reassure himself of his actions.
11. B
Difficulty: Medium
Think about the way Randolph would describe Carver,
then apply your deduction to this question. Questions
that ask you to deduce the way a character would think
or act require that you have a solid understanding of the
details you are given in the passage so you can successfully
employ them in your reasoning. Buzzwords or catchphrases
such as think outside the box are essentially just witty or
imaginative ways of saying very ordinary things. The fact
that in line 27 the narrator mentions Carver as one who
employs buzzwords is significant because it ties directly into
Randolph's assessment of Carver's plan for the network
and Carver himself-"Style Over Substance." Therefore,
Randolph probably views the use of a catchphrase in the
same light-flashy for the sake of being flashy. Look for a
choice that best fits with this deduction.
Choice (A) is out of scope; there is nothing in the passage
to suggest this. Choice (B) fits. Randolph would most likely
consider the use of a catchphrase as pointless. Choice (C)
is out of scope; Carver's business background is never
discussed in the passage. Choice (D) is an opposite; to
think outside the box basically means to be creative, but
Randolph does not consider Carver to be creative. Choice
(E) is out of scope; there's nothing cryptic about the use of
a cliched catchphrase.
12. E
Difficulty: Medium
What was the nature of the doubts that filled Randolph's
head in lines 76-98? No assumptions need to be made
when answering Detail questions; the answer is stated
somewhere in the text.