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

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
836 Practice Test Nine Answers and Explanations
SECTION 8
1. c
Difficulty: Low
The phrase generally living in packs with strong bonds and
clear hierarchies virtually defines the missing word. Animals
like wolves that live in such groups are social animals, in
contrast to the "lone wolf' stereotype alluded to in the
sentence's opening phrase, (C). While wolves are, (A),
carnivorous, or meat eating, the topic of the sentence is
their social habits, not their eating habits. The words wild,
(E), and singular, (D), both miss the sentence's point-that
wolves live in packs. Fearsome, (B), can have two nearly
opposite meanings: frightening or timid
2. c
Difficulty: Medium
The sentence sets up a contrast between two differing views
of multiple personality, either it's a ------- disease or it's a
shield that some criminals use to ------- prosecution. Since
it's a safe bet that criminals don't want to be prosecuted, or
tried for their crimes, the second blank should be filled by a
word like escape. To provide the necessary contrast, the first
word must be something like genuine. Genuine . .. evade
is the best match for this prediction. Authentic (genuine)
and diagnosable (capable of having its cause determined)
might fit in the first blank, but the second words in (B) and
(E)-ensure and guarantee, respectively-contrast sharply
with our prediction for the second blank. In (A) and (D), the
second words are possibilities, but the first words don't fit. In
(A), forestall means prevent, but fallacious means false, just
the opposite of what's needed in the first blank. Likewise,
(D), elude, fits the second blank, but invalid (not legitimate)
doesn't work in the first blank.
3. D
Difficulty: Medium
The sentence sets up a contrast between the company's
goal of fostering (encouraging) productivity and hard
work and the fact that it promotes unproductive and --
- employees. Unproductive obviously contrasts with
productivity, so it's logical to assume that the correct answer
should be something that contrasts with hard work-perhaps
something like lazy. Lackadaisical, which means indifferent,
lazy, or apathetic, comes closest to this prediction. The
workers may well be discontented, (B), but discontented
doesn't complete the sentence's implied contrast with hard
work. Meritorious, in (E), means deserving of praise or
reward.
4. B
Difficulty: Medium
For the first blank, it's fairly easy to reason that a large forest
fire would burn or destroy a large area or section. But that
prediction only helps eliminate (C), precipitated, which
means caused or established. Because the sentence is
about a forest fire, and because it starts off talking about
what many ecologists believe, environmental makes sense
in the second blank, and devastated (reduced to ruins)
makes sense in the first, (B). Inflammable, (A), means
easily set on fire. The forest might have Deen inflammable,
but the disaster couldn't have been. Singed, or slightly
burned, in (D), may have been tempting in a sentence
about a forest fire, but (D)'s second word, intangible, doesn't
work; it means incapable of being felt, touched, or defined.
As for (E), burned would work, but ecologists would more
likely be concerned with an environmental disaster than
with a scientific one.
5. D
Difficulty: Medium
It's easier to fill the second blank first for this question,
because the word in the blank must be consistent with
or dumped Only (D), burned, or (E), buried, would be
consistent with dumped. And (E) doesn't work; if the
program were abolished, then we can assume that the
amount of garbage wouldn't be reduced.
6. A
Difficulty: Medium
Here we see that bluegrass could be a descendant (A),
a variety, (B), or an outgrowth, (C). However, neither
disciplined nor illustrated works in the second blank.
Bluegrass has a different rhythm and differently pitched
vocals, so it must be distinguished, or set apart from, oldtime
string-band music.