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

906
l 2 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test Ten Answers and Explanations
13. c
Difficulty: Low
Each paragraph in a passage of this length should relate to
and support the main idea of the passage as a whole. The
passage talks about Homer's career, from his development
as a young painter in New York, though his wartime work at
Harper's, to his eventual success as a painter of scenes of
American nature. The passage also gives some context for
the artist's career: a description of the art jury system and a
description of a typical Homer painting.
Choice (A) is out of scope; only The Fog Warning is
described in any detail. Choice (B) is out of scope; few
specific events are described. Choice (C) is a good match.
Choice (D) is out of scope; succeeding generations of
painters are mentioned only in paragraph 5. Choice (E)
is out of scope; European artists are mentioned only in a
single paragraph.
14. E
Difficulty: Medium
Many wrong choices fit well with a word or phrase but
don't fit with the sentence or passage as a whole. After the
phrase in question, the author lists many characteristics of
Homer's life and career that were very unusual for his time,
so unusual is a good prediction.
Choice (A) is the opposite of your prediction. In (B), although
the author would agree that Homer was talented, the phrase
stands alone doesn't convey this. After all, there must be
other painters that the author would consider talented. In
(C), someone who stands alone might be aloof, but this
has a somewhat negative connotation that is not in keeping
with the tone of the rest of the passage. In (D), a shy person
might stand alone, but the author never indicates that this
is the case with Homer. Choice (E) matches your prediction
and fits well within the opening of the paragraph and the
passage.
15. D
Difficulty: Medium
Search for phrases where the author offers an opinion in
this passage. The author says that despite-or perhaps
because of this rejection, Homer found success. So
rejection didn't hold him back and may in fact have
helped him.
Choice (A) is an opposite; the author says that Homer sold
lots of paintings and did well for himself financially. Choice
(B) is out of scope; though Homer must have been very
confident, there's no reason to believe that he didn't respect
the talent of other painters. Choice (C) is an opposite;
because the author portrays Homer as independent, it seems
unlikely the artist would be ashamed of his unusual career
path. Choice (D) is a good match. Choice (E) is extreme;
although Homer did reject European subjects and styles, that
is not the extent of Homer's unusual career path. Another
unusual aspect was his lack of extensive formal training.
16. D
Difficulty: High
Mark up your test book! For questions like this one, cross
out the answer choices that describe details that do appear.
In this case, go back to the third paragraph and eliminate
all the choices that appear there. The leftover choice is the
correct answer.
Choice (A) is an opposite; the juries that judged paintings
were made up of usually older painters. Choice (B) is an
opposite; the exhibitions were the primary means for young
painters to show their works. Choice (C) is an opposite;
young painters had a strong incentive to paint pictures
that would please conservative critics. Choice (D) was not
a characteristic, since Homer presented his work through
Harper's and later sold many paintings. Choice (E) is an
opposite; juries could hang canvases in the darkest corners
of the rooms.
17. A
Difficulty: Low
In paragraph 4, the author writes that Homer's work
represented a major change from the idea that American
paintings should reflect European subjects and styles.
Therefore, the subjects and styles of Homer's paintings
must have been different from those of European painters.
Choice (A) matches your prediction. Choice (B) is extreme;
although the passage indicates that Homer was very
talented, there's no reason to believe that the author
wouldn't also describe the Europeans as talented. Choice
(C) is out of scope; the author never mentions where
European painters did their painting. Choice (D) is out of
scope; although Homer didn't receive critical acclaim in
his lifetime, there's no reason to believe that this didn't