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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
816 Practice Test Nine Answers and Explanations
SECTION 3
1. D
Difficulty: Low
This is about the philosopher Thomas Malthus's predictions
about population growth-kind of an intimidating subject
if you haven't read much philosophy. But don't worry. This
sentence is pretty simple once you take it apart and look
for clues. The biggest clue is the word famine. You're told
that population growth does something to food production,
resulting in famine. Well, you know that when many people
are hungry and there's not enough food to go around,
famine happens. Or, to put it in terms of the sentence,
population growth would exceed food production, resulting
in massive famine. The answer choice that best matches
this prediction is (0), surpass.
2. c
Difficulty: Low
The key to this sentence is that Dr. Brown brooked no
deviation from his ideas. In other words, he wouldn't put
up with anyone who disagreed, which through the use of
while is contrasted with his supposed belief in discussing
issues. Hence, (C) : Brown professes or claims to have
such a belief, but he interrupts anyone who doesn't
concur, or agree. Choice (A) makes no sense: there's no
contrast between regretting a belief in discussion and
cutting off those who don't agree with you. Choices (B),
(D), and (E) may be a bit confusing. They're just the
opposite of what's needed in the second blank. Since
Brown doesn't tolerate disagreement, he probably would
not cut off anyone who did not, (B), debate, (D), question,
or (E), protest.
3. E
Difficulty: Medium
Here you may find it easier to fill in the second blank first
because it contains the catchy phrase merely -----, not
canceled. Look for cliched phrases like this on sentence
completions-they can help you get the answer fast. What
probably pops into your head when you read merely -­
---, not canceled is merely put off, not canceled. That's
logical. What you need in this second blank is something
that means the employees have put off their demands
for now, but will bring them up again in the future. So (E),
postponed, is correct. Choice (E)'s first word works as
well: it makes sense that employers would try to moderate
wage increases during serious economic difficulties.
4. D
Difficulty: Medium
Here you're looking for words that fit with the phrases
--- speeches to historical figures and an impartial and
--- historian. The only choice that fits is (D). Though
Thucydides used psychological insight rather than documented
information to attribute speeches to historical
figures, he is still considered an impartial and accurate
historian. Choice (A) doesn't work, because historians are
never referred to as endless. Choices (B), (C), and (E) don't
work because the first word in each choice-(B), transmit
(to send); (C), disseminate (to distribute); (E), promote
(to advance)-doesn't fit with the phrase speeches to
historical figures. Thucydides is an author. He's describing
historical figures in his writing, not writing speeches for them.
5. D
Difficulty: Medium
When you're working on Sentence Completions, look for
clues that aren't immediately obvious. For instance, notice
complexity here. Complexity might not have jumped out at
you, but it's key to figuring out both blanks. Whatever goes
in the first blank has to describe how readers would react
to a novel's complexity. Would they be (A), charmed, by
its complexity? Probably not. They probably wouldn't be
(B), rejected, by its complexity either. Choice (C), inhibited;
(D), daunted; or (E), enlightened are possible, but only
(D) fits in the second blank. In (D), it makes sense to
say that readers who are daunted, or intimidated, by the
allusiveness, or symbolic quality, of Joyce's novel would find
Gilbert's study a helpful introduction. Don't be intimidated
by hard words like allusiveness. If you don't know the
vocabulary, you can still use logic to rule out most of the
wrong choices.
6. c
Difficulty: Medium
Wrath means anger. In the first blank here, you can
predict that the project managers were unwilling to risk
arousing the anger of their superiors, or bosses. Choice
(C) is correct-incurring means bringing down on oneself,
becoming liable or subject to. Choice (C)'s second word,
maintain, also works. Maintain here isn't being used to