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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test Nine Answers and Explanations 821
J
fragment, making everything after the subject one long
description without a main verb.
7. B
Difficulty: Medium
A sentence with two subjects and two predicate (main)
verbs is a run-on. Context and the relationship between the
two ideas will indicate how the error should be addressed.
Here, the two thoughts are contrasting in nature, so a
contrast transition word should be used to combine them.
Choice (B) does this with but. Choice (C) incorrectly implies
a cause-and-effect relationship between the two ideas.
Choice (D) simply rewords the selection without addressing
the error. Choice (E) incorrectly uses the adverb unusually.
8. B
Difficulty: Medium
As it is, this sentence is a run-on. Choice (B) correctly
uses a semicolon to separate these two complete but
related thoughts. Choice (C) is wordy and awkwardly
constructed. Choice (D) uses the pronoun that without a
clear antecedent. Choice (E) is also awkward and makes
unnecessary use of the passive voice.
9. E
Difficulty: High
Although more than one version is grammatically correct,
(E) is the most concise and direct version of the sentence.
All of the other choices are unnecessarily wordy or awkward.
10. E
Difficulty: Medium
In the original sentence, a speech is standing on a chair and
shouting. Modifying phrases need to be next to the thing or
person they modify. Choice (E) fixes both the modification
and passive voice problems by putting a man rather than
the speech directly after the modifying clause. Choice (D)
addresses the errors, but it also introduces an incorrect verb
tense.
11. D
Difficulty: Medium
When you can, change the passive voice to the active
voice. The irresponsible executives are the doers of the
action in the sentence, so they should be the subject.
Choices (B), (C), and (D) address the issue of voice, but
only (D) does so without introducing new errors. Choice (B)
creates an awkward sentence with the verb phrase brought
irresponsibly about. Choice (C) introduces a new verb
tense and changes the meaning of the original sentence. By
referring to their collapse, the sentence makes it sound as if
the executives themselves, not the company, collapsed.
12. A
Difficulty: High
The sentence only compares two things, so the correct
word is between, not among, (A).
13. c
Difficulty: Low
The sentence makes it clear that the indigenous people of
North America were in America before Columbus, so the
correct verb form should be past tense, not future tense.
The correct form is discovered or even had discovered.
14. c
Difficulty: Medium
The phrase complete shamefaced incorrectly has an adjective
(complete) modifying another adjective (shamefaced). An
adverb is used to modify an adjective, so the phrase should
read completely shamefaced.
15. B
Difficulty: Low
To be idiomatically correct, the phrase by creating, choice
(B), should read to create. The verb started, (A), is correctly
in the present tense. The phrases in (C) and (D) use the
correct prepositions.
16. c
Difficulty: Low
The plural subject p/ays doesn't agree with the singular verb
expresses. Choice (C) should be express. The infinitive verb
to write, (A), is correct. The phrases in (B) and (D) are in
the correct tense and idiomatically correct.
17. E
Difficulty: Medium
Though it uses the passive voice, this sentence is
grammatically correct as written.