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900<br />

12 Practice <strong>Tests</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>SAT</strong><br />

Practice Test Ten Answers and Explanations<br />

20. D<br />

Difficulty: High<br />

Strategic Advice: A question that appears this late in <strong>the</strong><br />

game can be of high difficulty <strong>for</strong> one of three reasons: it is<br />

conceptually very sophisticated; it is mechanically complex;<br />

or it is both mechanically and conceptually hard. Identifying<br />

how a question is hard can help you by focusing on <strong>the</strong><br />

skills needed to tackle it successfully. In this case, nothing<br />

conceptually advanced is happening; you're just called upon<br />

to employ <strong>the</strong> Pythagorean <strong>the</strong>orem using some variables<br />

instead of numbers only.<br />

Getting to <strong>the</strong> Answer:<br />

a2 + (2a)2 = 102<br />

a2 +4a2 = 100<br />

Sa2 = 100<br />

a2 =20<br />

a=\/20 = 2Vs<br />

SECTION 3<br />

1. c<br />

Difficulty: Low<br />

The error here is <strong>the</strong> misuse of <strong>the</strong> adverb effectively <strong>for</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> adjective effective. Choice (C) corrects <strong>the</strong> error without<br />

introducing a new one. Choice (B) drops <strong>the</strong> superlative <strong>for</strong><br />

no reason. Choices (D) and (E) don't correct <strong>the</strong> error.<br />

2. D<br />

Difficulty: High<br />

The underlined segment is unnecessarily wordy. Choice<br />

(D) succinctly and clearly expresses <strong>the</strong> action. Choice (B)<br />

is tempting because it is so short, but while <strong>the</strong> shortest<br />

answer is frequently correct, this one has <strong>the</strong> pistons driving<br />

<strong>the</strong> engine. Choice (C) incorrectly uses who in reference to<br />

an object. Choice (E) is also unnecessarily wordy.<br />

3. D<br />

Difficulty: Medium<br />

When a subject and verb are separated by a clause, it may<br />

be more difficult to recognize a subject-verb agreement<br />

problem. Choice (D) is <strong>the</strong> correct answer, as <strong>the</strong> singular<br />

verb <strong>for</strong>m was agrees with <strong>the</strong> singular subject Mahatma<br />

Gandhi. Choice (B) changes <strong>the</strong> meaning of <strong>the</strong> sentence,<br />

confusing convicted with convinced. Choice (C) doesn't<br />

correct <strong>the</strong> error, and it changes <strong>the</strong> meaning by introducing<br />

<strong>the</strong> word practically. Choice (E) uses <strong>the</strong> wrong preposition,<br />

changing <strong>the</strong> meaning of <strong>the</strong> phrase.<br />

4. c<br />

Difficulty: Medium<br />

The problem is that <strong>the</strong> underlined prepositional phrase<br />

implies that <strong>the</strong> stretch of desert is actually inside <strong>the</strong> book.<br />

First, determine what was meant, <strong>the</strong>n decide what words<br />

will convey <strong>the</strong> meaning. Choice (C) is <strong>the</strong> correct answer.<br />

Choices (B) and (E) do not address <strong>the</strong> problem. Choice<br />

(D) just changes <strong>the</strong> problem; now beaches border <strong>the</strong><br />

guidebook.<br />

5. c<br />

Difficulty: Low<br />

Make sure you know <strong>the</strong> past tenses of commonly tested<br />

irregular verbs. This sentence contains <strong>the</strong> irregular verb<br />

shake; its past tense is shook, not shaked. Choice (C) is<br />

<strong>the</strong> right answer. Choice (B) doesn't correct <strong>the</strong> error, and it<br />

changes <strong>the</strong> meaning of <strong>the</strong> sentence. Choices (D) and (E)<br />

are idiomatically incorrect.<br />

6. B<br />

Difficulty: High<br />

The meaning of <strong>the</strong> sentence is confused by <strong>the</strong> clumsiness<br />

of <strong>the</strong> modifying phrase. Choice (B) clarifies <strong>the</strong> meaning.<br />

Choice (C) rearranges a few words but is also wordy (<strong>for</strong><br />

example, repeating <strong>the</strong> verb warn unnecessarily). Choice<br />

(D) reduces some, but not all, of <strong>the</strong> wordiness. Choice (E)<br />

is even wordier than <strong>the</strong> original.<br />

7. B<br />

Difficulty: Medium<br />

Subject and verb should always agree in number, and verbs<br />

should be in <strong>the</strong> simplest tense that conveys <strong>the</strong> intended<br />

meaning. The plural verb have been does not agree with<br />

<strong>the</strong> singular subject, poetry. Choice (C) makes <strong>the</strong> first<br />

clause, which was independent, a fragment without a verb.<br />

Choice (D) uses an acceptable alternative subject, but <strong>the</strong>re<br />

is no need <strong>for</strong> this change, and with a new plural subject we<br />

still have a problem with subject-verb agreement. Choice<br />

(E) illogically uses a future perfect <strong>for</strong>m.

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