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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
750 Practice Test Eight Answers and Explanations
these triangles must also measure 45°. Now you know the
measurement of every angle in the figure and can label
all of them appropriately. Since RSTU is a rectangle, let's
call line segments ST and RU .e, for length. Notice that line
segment ST is not only a side of the rectangle but also a
leg of triangle YST. Since YST is a 45-45-90, or isosceles
right triangle, its legs must also be equal in length. So if ST
is .€, then YT is .e also. If ST and RU represent the length of
the rectangle, then SR and TU must represent the width of
the rectangle, so you can call those two line segments w.
Since SR is one leg of isosceles right triangle SXR, then XR
must also have length w. Now you know the relationship
between all the line segments.
Back to the perimeter. The perimeter of RSTU is 1 2, so
2(w + .€) = 12. That means that w + .f. = 6. Notice that the
sides of the larger triangle, XU and YU, are also equal to w +
.e. XU is made up of XR and RU, which have lengths w and
.e, respectively, and YU is made up of YT, or .e, and TU, or
w. Since each of the legs of triangle XYU have length w + .e,
and w + .e = 6, the legs of triangle XYU each have length 6.
The area of a right triangle is the product of the lengths of
the legs, or x 6 x 6, or 18, (C).
SECTION 8
1. D
Difficulty: Medium
The word while indicates that the two missing words
must be opposite, or nearly opposite, in meaning. The
government probably promised to make the forms easier to
use, or to simplify them. The second blank should contrast
with that, so bewildering, (D), is a good prediction.
The words in (A) don't show a contrast between the blanks.
In (B), shorten works pretty well for the first blank, but
expensive doesn't contrast with that. Be careful here; it's the
taxes, not the tax forms, that people might find expensive.
For (C) and (E), if the forms were comprehensible or
familiar, people wouldn't need professional help.
2. A
Difficulty: Medium
Be sure that your choice captures the full meaning of the
sentence-here, several of the choices make some sense
but they don't involve sounds. The sentence begins with
list of sounds. For the first blank, loud is a good prediction.
The second blank needs to sum up this noise, so look for
something that means big noise.
Choice (A) works perfectly. In (B), running doesn't describe
a sound, and danger doesn't fit either. (Why would
trumpets and drums be dangerous?) In (C), a battlefield
might be a horror, but this term doesn't capture the sounds
described. In (D), situation doesn't describe the sounds
and is too neutral to fit here. Finally, for (E), it seems
unlikely that you would find many plodding horses in a
battle, and calm is the opposite of your prediction for the
second blank .
3. E
Difficulty: Medium
The sentence sets up a contrast between the short- and
long-term effects of some measures. The short-term effects
are positive, but the long-term effects are uncertain. Look
for a choice that captures this idea. Debated fits well-it
conveys that people don't know what the long-term effects
will be and that those effects might differ from the positive,
short-term effects. In (A) and (C), the words do not reflect
the increase in tourism. Choice (B) does not make sense
here-compared with what? Alleged, (D), is too neutral
and does not fit with the contrast set up by the key word
Although.
4. B
Difficulty: Medium
If you didn't know the word improprieties, you could
probably still eliminate the four wrong answer choices. It
looks like the corporation wanted the manager to ignore
some shady accounting policies, so illegal actions is a good
prediction for the second blank.
The manager refused to ignore this, so he must have
been maintaining his integrity, or (B). That makes (C) the
opposite of the word you're looking for. In (A), irregularities
fits well in the second blank, but geniality would not make