SAT Reading
"The streetlights flickered on one by one, casting long shadows on the sidewalk. The city, once lively and loud, now seemed eerily quiet as if the world was holding its breath."
What literary device is used when the author describes the city as "holding its breath"?
A) Simile B) Personification C) Alliteration D) Hyperbole
Personification
This is the name of Simba's father in "The Lion King."
Who is Mufasa?
"The city, once a thriving center of commerce and culture, had slowly faded into a place of quiet decay. The grand buildings, now cracked and weathered, stood as somber reminders of a more prosperous time, while the streets, once bustling with people, now seemed to stretch on endlessly, empty and forgotten."
The phrase "somber reminders of a more prosperous time" most likely conveys which of the following tones?
A) Nostalgic B) Optimistic C) Defiant D) Indifferent
A) Nostalgic
This chewy candy, often sold in a small, twist-wrapped package, comes in flavors like cherry, grape, and orange. It’s known for its distinctive sour sugar coating.
What are Sour Patch Kids?
"It was a bright and sunny day, and the children ran outside to play. They laughed and shouted as they kicked the ball back and forth, enjoying every minute of the perfect afternoon."
Which of the following sentences contains a redundant phrase and should be revised?
A) It was a bright and sunny day, and the children ran outside to play.
B) The children laughed and shouted as they kicked the ball back and forth.
C) They enjoyed every minute of the perfect afternoon.
D) The children were happy, and they had a great time.
D) The children were happy, and they had a great time. (This is redundant because “had a great time” and “were happy” express the same idea.)
"Anna’s hands trembled as she held the letter. She had been waiting for this moment for months, but now that it had come, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to read the news."
What does the trembling of Anna’s hands most likely suggest?
A) She is excited. B) She is angry. C) She is anxious. D) She is indifferent.
She is anxious
This Disney princess is played by Halle Bailey in the 2023 live-action remake.
Who is Ariel?
Which of the following sentences is most effectively written?
A) Neither the teacher nor the students were ready for the test.
B) Neither the teacher nor the students was ready for the test.
C) Neither the teacher or the students were ready for the test.
D) Neither the teacher or the students was ready for the test.
B) Neither the teacher nor the students was ready for the test.
(The correct verb form is “was” because "neither...nor" is singular when the subject closest to the verb is singular.)
This chocolate bar is made with layers of wafer and coated in milk chocolate, and it’s known for the slogan "Have a break, have a ______."
What is a Kit Kat?
"Though the weather had been gloomy all week, the sun finally broke through the clouds. Everyone in the park smiled as they felt the warmth of the sun on their faces."
Which word or phrase should be added to improve sentence clarity?
A) "Everyone in the park smiled in delight."
B) "Though the weather had been gloomy all week, and the sun finally broke through the clouds."
C) "The sun finally broke through the clouds, everyone in the park smiled."
D) "The sun finally broke through, people in the park smiled."
A) "Everyone in the park smiled in delight."
"The old oak tree stood alone in the middle of the field, its branches stretched wide, as if to embrace the sky. Despite the years it had endured, it remained strong, its roots deeply grounded in the earth."
The description of the tree being "strong" and "deeply grounded" most likely symbolizes:
A) Change B) Independence C) Resilience D) Loneliness
Resilience
In "Lilo & Stitch," this is the Hawaiian term that Lilo teaches stitch. It means "family."
What is "Ohana"?
"Despite the overwhelming odds, she continued to push forward. Each step she took seemed to bring her closer to the goal, but with every challenge, it became harder to ignore the doubts that crept into her mind. Still, there was something undeniable about the determination in her heart, something that would not let her quit."
Which of the following best describes the central conflict in this passage?
A) An internal struggle between hope and despair
B) A confrontation with external forces
C) A conflict between love and duty
D) A fight for survival in a hostile environment
A) An internal struggle between hope and despair
This candy is a long, chewy strip of taffy that comes in various fruit flavors and is often sold in fun-sized packs at the store.
What are Airheads?
"The boy had always wanted a dog, but his parents never agreed. One day, they surprised him with a puppy, and he was so happy that he couldn’t stop smiling for hours."
Question:
Which sentence contains a punctuation error that needs to be corrected?
A) The boy had always wanted a dog, but his parents never agreed.
B) One day, they surprised him with a puppy, and he was so happy, that he couldn’t stop smiling for hours.
C) He couldn’t stop smiling for hours.
D) The boy was very excited when he got the puppy.
B) One day, they surprised him with a puppy, and he was so happy, that he couldn’t stop smiling for hours. (There is an unnecessary comma before "that" in the second sentence.)
"The crowd roared as the final whistle blew. James stood motionless, his heart pounding in his chest. He had played the game of his life, but the outcome, for better or worse, was beyond his control now."
The phrase "his heart pounding in his chest" suggests that James is feeling:
A) Excited B) Fearful C) Relieved D) Frustrated
Fearful
This is the name of the villain in "Aladdin" who seeks to take control of the kingdom.
Who is Jafar?
Which of the following sentences contains a misplaced modifier?
A) Running down the street, the wind blew in her face.
B) The wind blew in her face as she ran down the street.
C) Running down the street, she felt the wind in her face.
D) She felt the wind in her face while running down the street.
A) Running down the street, the wind blew in her face.
(This sentence is a misplaced modifier because it incorrectly suggests that the wind was "running down the street.")
This candy features a peanut butter center coated in chocolate and comes in the shape of little cups.
What are Reese's Peanut Butter Cups?
"The weather was cold, but she didn’t mind. She wrapped herself in a thick scarf and went outside to enjoy the fresh air."
Which revision eliminates unnecessary words?
A) She went outside to enjoy the fresh air despite the cold weather.
B) She went outside to enjoy the fresh air, even though the weather was cold.
C) She went outside, the weather was cold, but she didn’t mind.
D) She went outside to enjoy the fresh air because it was cold.
A) She went outside to enjoy the fresh air despite the cold weather.
"The sun set slowly behind the mountains, painting the sky with shades of pink, orange, and purple. It was a beautiful sight, but it also reminded her of how much time had passed, and how little had changed."
What theme is most likely conveyed in this passage?
A) The passage of time B) The unpredictability of life C) The importance of change D) The power of nature
The passage of time
This is the name of Tiana's best friend in "Princess and the Frog."
Who is Charlotte (or Lottie)?
"The scientist, having spent years on the experiment, now found himself questioning the very principles that had once guided his work. Was it possible that the results he had so carefully observed were, in fact, a distortion of reality? The uncertainty gnawed at him, a constant reminder that even the most established truths could be upended."
The phrase "a constant reminder that even the most established truths could be upended" suggests which of the following themes?
A) The unpredictability of human nature
B) The fallibility of established knowledge
C) The importance of scientific progress
D) The inevitability of failure
B) The fallibility of established knowledge
This candy comes in small, round pieces that are covered in a crunchy, sugary shell and are known for their colorful appearance.
What are M&M's?
"She had never seen such a beautiful sunset before. The sky was painted with shades of pink, purple, and orange, and it made her feel at peace."
Which revision is the most concise?
A) The sunset was so beautiful, with the sky painted with pink, purple, and orange hues, making her feel peaceful.
B) She had never seen such a beautiful sunset. The sky was painted with pink, purple, and orange, making her feel peaceful.
C) She had never seen such a beautiful sunset, with the sky painted in pink, purple, and orange hues, and it made her feel peaceful.
D) She had never seen such a beautiful sunset before, and the sky painted with pink, purple, and orange made her feel at peace.
B) She had never seen such a beautiful sunset. The sky was painted with pink, purple, and orange, making her feel peaceful.