SAT

Critical Reading

100

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole. Because she has a great need for ------- , she loathes the public appearances demanded of her as a leading literary figure. A. luxury B. privacy C. reward D. devotion E. distraction

privacy  Here's Why: The first part of the sentence describes a cause and the second part describes resulting behavior. The literary figure desires “privacy” and so she finds public appearances loathsome.  Difficulty: Easy

Sentence Completion

100

Hoping to ------- the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be ------- to both labor and management. (A) enforce . . useful (B) end . . divisive (C) overcome . . unattractive (D) extend . . satisfactory (E) resolve . . acceptable

 Always check your answer by reading the entire sentence with your choice filled in. Does it make sense to say "Hoping to resolve the dispute, the negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be acceptable to both labor and management"? Yes. Correct answer: (E)

200

Because King Philip's desire to make Spain the dominant power in sixteenth-century Europe ran counter to Queen Elizabeth's insistence on autonomy for England, ------- was -------. (A) reconciliation . . assured (B) warfare . . avoidable (C) ruination . . impossible (D) conflict . . inevitable (E) diplomacy . . simple

Correct Answer: D Explanation: The word "because" indicates that the information in the first part of the sentence (the part before the comma) explains the reason for the situation described in the second part. The first part states that what King Philip wanted (domination for Spain) "ran counter to" what Queen Elizabeth wanted (independence for England). Choice (D) logically completes the sentence: Given that there was such a fundamental disagreement between the two monarchs, "conflict" would likely be "inevitable," or unavoidable.

Improving Sentences

100

Part of the following sentence is underlined; beneath the sentence are five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Select the option that produces the best sentence. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice A. The gong, believed to have originated in Western Asia, reached China in the sixth century, where it continues to be used for a wide range of purposes, including as a military signal, a rhythmic accompaniment for vocal performance, and a ritual instrument. A. including as B. which include C. which includes D. including E. they include as

Choice (A) is correct. It avoids the errors of the other options by correctly using the preposition “as” to introduce the “wide range of purposes” for which the gong is used.