SAT Pastpaper with Solutions

Chapter 4

2026.9 : A-A(analysis included)

READING 2 · 27 questions

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Louise Arner Boyd, who led several scientific expeditions off the coast of Greenland in the 1930s, undoubtedly accomplished much, but to gain a lasting place in our historical memory, there is little that can__________being the first to do something. For example, people will always remember that Enid Gordon-Gallien led the expedition that first mapped the area around Kalambo Falls between Zambia and Tanzania.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Aprevail overBconstrain withinCoverreach byDfluctuate with

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Although our knowledge of the Pliocene epoch and the lives of the hominids during this time was once __________, recent analyses of fossils like that of the individual known as KNM-KP 271, discovered in 1963, have sharpened our picture of what a day in the life of KNM-KP 271 may have looked like.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical andprecise word or phrase?

AnebulousBintricateCunprecedentedDconcrete

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Categorical claims about the original function and significance of the Urfa Man—a statue of a human figure found in what is now Turkey and dating from around 11,000 years ago—should be treated __________. We simply do not know enough about the people of the time to say with certainty what the statue meant to them.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

AindulgentlyBskepticallyCreverentiallyDindividually

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Fruit growers must contend with robins and other birds__________crops in orchards by pecking at fruits, leaving the fruits vulnerable to rot and diseases that can then spread among fruit trees. However, measures such as reflective elements can deter pest birds when properly deployed.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

AcapturingBharvestingCavoidingDruining

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

The following text is adapted from the 1940 novel The Hamlet by Wiliam Faulkner. In rural Mississippi, a man referred to as the stranger is walking among a group of untamed calico (spotted) horses that he has penned in a lot.

[The horses] whipped and whirled about the lot like dizzy fish in a bowl. It had seemed like a big lot until now, but now the very idea that all that fury and motion should be transpiring inside any one fence was something to be repudiated with contempt, like a mirror trick. From the ultimate dust the stranger, carrying the wire-cutters and his vest completely gone now, emerged. He was not running, he merely moved with a light-poised and watchful celerity, weaving among the calico rushes of the animals, feinting and dodging like a boxer until he reached the gate and crossed the yard.

Which statement about the stranger is best supported by the text?

AHe remains composed even while navigating the potentially dangerous situation in the pen.BThe manner in which he crosses the pen is intended to calm the horses but has the opposite effect.CHe is prepared to escape the pen immediately if the horses begin to approach him.DHis self-assured demeanor falters when subjected to the chaos in the pen.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Asteroid 6478 Gault has experienced intermittent mass loss since at least 2013, but in contrast to some other asteroids with repeated mass-loss episodes, 6478 Gault has not lost mass at its perihelion (the closest point of its orbit to the Sun), and thus the loss is not attributable to solar energy-driven ice vaporization. And as Jane X. Luu et al point out, the singular nature of impact ejection makes it untenable as an account of multiple loss episodes of similar duration over several years. Instead, Luu et al. are likely correct that 6478 Gault is shedding mass due to rotational instability.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

AIt presents a scientific observation, describes a contrast between that observation and other observations, and then explains why those other observations should not be considered credible.BIt describes an astronomical finding, discusses competing theories about that finding that the author regards as flawed, and then describes new evidence that supports an alternative theory.CIt discusses a physical process, evaluates possible causes of that process, and then states that a persuasive account of the process has yet to be put forward.DIt introduces a natural phenomenon, refutes two potential explanations for that phenomenon, and then presents a third explanation for that phenomenon that the author regards as plausible.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

When favorable environmental conditions trigger population blooms in the Wadden Sea intertidal zone, the single-celled foraminifer Ammonia confertitesta reaches exceptionally high densities of over 400 individuals per cubic centimeter in surface sediments. Each organism stores approximately 413 picomoles of phosphate internally. Scientists calculated that across the entire Wadden Sea coastal area (11,500 square kilometers), this one species collectively holds about 1,880 tons of phosphate in the top centimeter of sediment—roughly 5% of Germany's yearly phosphorous fertilizer usage. Similar measurements from other regions show comparable storage by various foraminifera species.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

AIt notes the extent of A. confertitesta' s phosphate storage to highlight the importance of the Wadden Sea intertidal zone in meeting Germany's phosphorous needs.BIt quantifies phosphate storage by A. confertitesta in the Wadden Sea intertidal zone to emphasize that the species has an exceptionally high impact for a foraminifer.CIt offers a relative percentage to help convey the density of A. confertitesta in the Wadden Sea intertidal zone during population blooms.DIt introduces a point of comparison to illustrate the scale of the phosphate storage by A. confertitesta in the Wadden Sea intertidal zone.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Text 1

For thousands of years, O'odham farmers in the Sonoran desert of the southwestern US and northern Mexico have cultivated mesquite seeds and agave sap, sometimes planting these species together so that the mesquite trees provide shade for agaves. Doing so helps protect agaves from the harshest heat and light and thereby helps prevent soil moisture from evaporating.

Text 2

Agaves are well adapted to growing in the desert but grow best when shaded. Inspired by O' odham farmers, who often strategically plant agaves in the shade of sun-hardy species like mesquite trees for protection from the sun and heat, Gary Nabhan and coleagues planted agaves in the shade of solar panels in the Sonoran desert and found that the plants grew well, suggesting to Nabhan and colleagues that the panels provide a benefit similar to that provided by mesquite trees.

Based on the texts, the author of Text 1 and the author of Text 2 would most likely agree on which point?

ACompared with Nabhan's approach, the O' odham approach has the advantage of producing agave sap.BMesquite trees grow best when planted in shaded areas, while agaves do not require shade to thrive.CNabhan's team's method could be refined to more actively prevent soil moisture from evaporating.DMesquite trees can provide shade that protects agaves from high-intensity heat and light.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Some plants' leaves emit a chemical compound (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) that is thought to be a defense against insects. Researchers modified leaves of the same plant species so that some emitted the compound and others didn't, then placed hornworms—leaf-eating insects—between leaves of both types and allowed the hornworms to feed for 90 minutes.

Taken together, the text and graph best support which conclusion about 2-methyl-1, 3-butadiene?

AAlthough the compound's emission deters most hornworms, a small percentage of hornworms appear insensitive to the compound and will consume leaves that emit it.BAlthough the compound is toxic to hornworms, the insects will consume leaves that emit it even when leaves that don't emit it are available.CAlthough the compound's emission does not entirely prevent leaf consumption by hornworms, its emission is associated with reduced leaf consumption.DAlthough leaves emit the compound in response to insect feeding, it does not appear to significantly reduce leaf consumption by hormworms.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Alessandro Nai et al. presented study participants with vignettes about fictive political candidates, portraying them as embodying a personality trait widely considered admirable (e.g., agreeableness) or one considered ignoble (e. g., cynicism). A survey recorded participants' ratings of the candidates' likability and showed that across participants, ignoble-trait candidates were less likable than admirable-trait candidates. However, when the researchers factored in the participants' own personality-trait scores, on a scale of 1 (Least ignoble) to 7 (most ignoble), they concluded that this relative ranking of candidates persisted except among the participants with high ignobility scores.

Which choice best describes data from the graph that support the researchers' conclusion?

AOverall, participants rated admirable-trait candidates as quite likable, and that rating was not significantly affected by the participants' ignobility scores.BParticipants with an ignobility score of 5 or less rated admirable-trait candidates as more likable than ignoble-trait candidates, whereas participants with an ignobility score of 6 or more rated ignoble-trait candidates as equally likable as or even more likable than admirable-trait candidates.CUnlike participants with an ignobility score of 6, participants with an ignobility score either greater or less than 6 gave admirable-trait candidates and ignoble-trait candidates different likability rating.DThere was a strong positive correlation between participants' ignobility scores and admirable-trait candidates' likability ratings, but there was no correlation between ignobility scores and ignoble-trait candidates' likablility ratings.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Memoirs of Elleanor Eldridge is an 1838 historical account by Elleanor Eldridge and Frances Harrlet Whipple Green. In the book, the authors assert that people don't need to be famous to be worthy of memoirs, writing, _________.

Which quotation from Memoirs of Elleanor Eldridge most effectively illustrates the claim?

A"Then let no one turn with too much [fussiness] from the simple story of the humble Elleanor, though it may contain few,or none, of the thrillng charms of poetry and passion."B"There is often a kind of [deceptive] light, playing around such [famous] names, calculated to dazzle and mislead, by their false lustre, until the eye can no longer receive the pure light of Truth, or the mind appreciate real excellence, or intrinsic worth."C"It should not be considered essential to the interest and value of biography, that its subject be of exalted rank,or illustrious name."D"How careful ought we to be to speak nothing but the truth, even in regard to the most trifling circumstances; and not only so, but to be well assured that what we suppose to be true, is truth, before we receive it as such."

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Ballet Nepantla of New York City is one of the many dance companies in the United States devoted to baile folklórico, a style of dance that has flourished in Mexico and in Mexican American communities alike. Although it represents the hybridization of the Indigenous dance traditions of Mexico with dances brought there by Spanish colonizers beginning in the 1500s, baile folklórico emerged with its present array of formal attributes only in the 1950s, when choreographer Amalia Hemández adapted the traditionally participatory dances of Mexico for performance before a passive audience in a theater setting, interpolating into them elements of the staging and elaborate choreography of modern dance and classical ballet.

Which quotation from a dance scholar would best support the text's claim about the role of Amalia Hernandez in the evolution of baile folklórico?

A"The influence that modern dance and classical ballet exerted on Hemández can be seen in the complex and precisely orchestrated movements and spectator-focused orientation that continue to define baile folklórico."B"By reaffirming baile folklórico as a hybrid of Indigenous and colonial Spanish traditions, Hemández's choreography had broad societal implications, fostering a sense of collective identity in Mexico and, later, in Mexican American communities."C"Hemández's reliance on classical ballet and modern dance has been exaggerated; the subject matter and gestural vocabulary of baile folklórico as popularized by her company remain rooted in the communal dances of Indigenous and colonial Spanish societies."D"Certain dances popularized by Hemández beginning in the 1950s appear in the repertoires of dance companies throughout Mexico and the United States but are nonetheless associated with specific Indigenous groups, specific colonial Spanish dances, or both."

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

In the annals of economic philosophy, the "Equilibrium Disparity Paradox" (EDP) is a construct that defies conventional wisdom about market equilibrium. EDP posits that while markets invariably seek equilibrium, it is the inherent disparities and imbalances within them that fuel economic growth and innovation. This paradoxical nature stems from the contention that it is not the balance, but the friction caused by these disparities, that engenders entrepreneurial endeavors and spurs technological advancements. Such a notion, though intricate, challenges the age-old belief of markets naturally aligning resources efficiently. Contrarily, the EDP suggests that these misalignments, often viewed negatively, may be the very crucible in which economic dynamism is forged.

Which one of the following, if false about market imbalances, would invalidate the purpose of the Equilibrium Disparity Paradox as mentioned in the passage?

AMarket imbalances often lead to economic downturns and recessions.BDisparities in markets act as catalysts for business opportunities.CImbalances are fleeting occurrences, rectifying themselves rapidly.DThe friction caused by market disparities rarely impacts innovation.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Support for the argument that a "consumer revolution," in which possession of consumer goods among an increasingly wide range of socioeconomic groups surged despite only marginal wage growth, occurred in England between 1600 and 1750 has largely hinged on scholars' analyses of probate inventories (detailed legal records of deceased persons' possessions). Reexamining these data, Gregory Clark notes that while inventories from the period appear consistent with the consumer-revolution argument, the proportion of the population whose wills included such documentation decreased considerably between 1600 and 1750, with this documentation increasingly representing more affluent individuals. Clark's findings thus directly raise the possibility that _________.

Which choice most logically completes the text?

Ascholars' previous conclusions based on analysis of probate inventories from 1600 to 1750 overstated broader demographic shifts in the possession of consumer goods.Bwage increases in England between 1600 and 1750 did not account for the widespread acquisition of consumer goods among less-wealthy individuals.Cprobate inventories from 1600 to 1750 that have been analyzed by scholars exaggerated the number of consumer goods that relatively prosperous individuals possessed.Dadvocates of the consumer-revolution argument may have failed to account for the possibility that the increased acquisition of consumer goods in England between 1600 and 1750 was attributable to an increase in the proportion of wealthy individuals in the period.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Carl Woese's 1970s study of methanogens (microbes with no nuclei, such as Methanococcus vannielii, that metabolize hydrogen and carbon dioxide in oxygen-poor environments and produce methane as a by-product) suggested that they did not fit scientists' then-conventional division of life into two domains, the eukaryotes (having cells with nuclei) and the prokaryotes (missing nuclei). Molecular clock evidence indicated that what Woese argued was a third domain of life emerged as early as 3.5 billion years ago. Methanogens would have been well-adapted to conditions then given that __________.

Which choice most logically completes the text?

Aatmospheric hydrogen levels were much lower around 3.5 billion years ago than they were both earlier and later in Earth's history.Bmethane, while primarily biological in origin on Earth, can be produced in the absence of biological activity.Cthe earliest undisputed evidence of eukaryotes is much more recent than 3.5 billion years ago.DEarth's oxygen levels were very low until the Great Oxidation Event approximately 2.4 billion years ago.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

A region of the Soviet Union encompassing the present-day city of Kazan, Russia, the Tatar-speaking Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was in fact only nominally autonomous. President Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms, by helping the Tatar Republic and other Soviet republics established along ethnolinguistic lines assert their prerogatives, _________ to the Soviet Union's breakup.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

AcontributingBcontributedChaving contributedDwhich contributed

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Composed of clay and silicate rocks, ________ are typically dark in appearance. M-type asteroids, on the other hand, are composed of nickel-iron and appear much brighter.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

AC-type asteroids, such as 93 Minerva and 45 Eugenia,Basteroids, such as the C-type asteroids 93 Minerva and 45 Eugenia,Cthe C-type classification applies to asteroids 93 Minerva and 45 Eugenia, whichD93 Minerva and 45 Eugenia are classified as C-type asteroids, and asteroids

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

The frogfish's sophisticated hunting strategy relies on a modified dorsal spine called the illicium that features a specialized terminal appendage at its __________ potential food items, like worms, shrimp, or small fish, the appendage evolved to function as a fishing rod to lure prey.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Atip and mimickingBtip, mimickingCtip mimickingDtip. Mimicking

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Researchers Tony Bolden and Tammy Kernodle have lent their expertise on Black history and music to an important new ________ Timeline of African American Music, a digital resource that traces the development of individual musical genres (such as gospel and soul) while also revealing the connections between them.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Ainitiative theBinitiative: theCinitiative; theDinitiative. The

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Today, the Michelin Guide is widely known as the arbiter of fine dining, but when it was created in 1900, it was little more than a marketing gimmick; brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin sought to increase profits for their tire company by encouraging their customers to drive across France, visiting the guide's recommended hotels and restaurants along the way. Nevertheless, the guide soon grew in scope and ________ its modest French eateries were replaced with some of the most esteemed restaurants from around the world, including Hajime in Osaka and Kitcho Arashiyama in Kyoto.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Ainfluence andBinfluenceCinfluence, andDinfluence,

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Unlike in Uruguay, where members of the national legislature are elected by a proportional representation system, legislators in Bangladesh are elected via a single-member plurality voting system. ___________ candidates in Bangladesh are elected when they receive a plurality (i.e., greatest number) of votes.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

AIn other words,BMoreover,CThat being said,DMeanwhile,

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

With many elements, like osmium, scientists were able to isolate a relatively pure sample of the substance shortly after discovering its existence. ________ this wasn't the case with all elements. The process of isolating magnesium, for example, took years—53, to be precise.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

ALikewise,BGranted,CIn other words,DFor this reason,

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

Plant species known as metal hyperaccumulators can help remove heavy metal pollutants from soil. Alternanthera sessilis, or Brazilian spinach, for instance, can absorb a large quantity of chromium and store it safely in its roots and shoots. ________ its roots may not reach far enough into the soil and could leave trace amounts of chromium.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

AMoreover, the plant is potentially useful in removing accumulated metals;BOn the contrary, a pollutant such as chromium can be removed from the soil;CThat said, the plant may not always be able to remove all of the pollutant;DFor this reason, the plant has useful applications in soil quality restoration;

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

·2024: Spain and Portugal sponsored a workshop to address recent encounters between Iberian orcas and marine vessels off the Iberian Peninsula.

·Many of the 637 documented incidents involved pods of orcas damaging vessels by ramming, nudging, or biting the rudders.

·Studies of Iberian orcas suggest recent increases in tuna populations have reduced the time the orcas spend hunting by 99%.

·Researchers believe this shift has increased the number of interactions between marine vessels and under-stimulated orcas.

·The workshop advised mariners to avoid orcas pending further testing of the efficacy of TAST, a harmless acoustic deterrent.

The student wants to make and support a claim about Iberian orca behavior. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

AThe recent destructive behavior of Iberian orcas may be the result of understimulation, given that orcas' interactions with marine vessels have increased as the orcas have spent less time hunting.BTuna populations have increased by approximately 99% off the Iberian Peninsula due to changes in the hunting behavior of Iberian orcas.CAs supported by the workshop's analysis of 637 encounters between vessels and Iberian orcas, TAST is a harmless and effective acoustic deterrent.DIn 2024, Spain and Portugal sponsored a workshop that addressed incidents where pods of Iberian orcas were ramming, nudging, or biting the rudders of vessels.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

·The Brussels Flower Carpet is a biennial large-scale temporary floral art installation.

·Street artist Océane Cornille designed the 2024 Brussels Flower Carpet installation, entitled Rhizome.

·The design incorporated influences from Art Nouveau, Street Art, youth culture, and Surrealism.

·Unlike previous editions celebrating guest countries, Rhizome was designed specifically to reflect the complexity and interconnectedness of the city of Brussels, Belgium, itself.

·According to Cornille, the design's "lines represent the rhizome of plants" (an interconnected root system) as "a metaphor for the urban rhizome."

·Cornille: Rhizome "invites us to contemplate urban breathing" and "to admire momentary beauty."

The student wants to explain what the design of Rhizome symbolizes, using a quotation from Cornille. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

ACornille's design compares the complexity and interconnectedness of Brussels to the temporary floral art installation's "momentary beauty."BCornille notes that her design incorporates influences from Art Nouveau, Street Art, and Surrealism to "represent the rhizome of plants."CCornille designed Rhizome to invite viewers "to contemplate urban breathing," using "a metaphor for the urban rhizome" that symbolizes the character of Brussels.DCornille explains that her design's "lines represent the rhizome of plants" as "a metaphor for the urban rhizome," reflecting the complexity and interconnectedness of Brussels.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

·Philosophers espousing presentism (the view that only present things exist) must contend with the truth-maker objection (TO).

·TO: If past things don't exist, what makes true statements about the past (e.g.,"dinosaurs existed") true?

·1996: Presentist philosopher John Bigelow proposed "Lucretianism."

·Lucretianism posits that the statement is made true by the world's acceptance of the past-tensed property of "having contained dinosaurs."

·2006: Presentist philosopher Craig Bourne proposed "ersatz presentism."

·Ersatz presentism posits that the statement is made true by an abstract ("ersatz") time that exists outside temporal time and represents how things were in the past.

The student wants to distinguish Boume's proposed theory from Bigelow's. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

AThe presentist approaches of Bigelow (1996) and Bourne (2006) differ in whether they consider truths about the past—the statement "dinosaurs existed," for example—to be made true by anything at all.BFollowing Bigelow's 1996 proposal, Bourne accepted the existence of past-tensed properties to solve the truth-maker problem with one caveat: a form of "ersatz" time that exists outside temporal time.CIn contending with the truth-maker objection, ersatz presentism diverges from Lucretianism's use of past-tensed properties by positing an "ersatz" time-outside-time capable of representing past things.DIn 2006, Bourne proposed ersatz presentism, disagreeing with Bigelow's earlier hypothesis that only present things exist.

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Chapter 4 · 2026.9 : A-A(analysis included) · READING 2

·At London and New York Fashion Weeks, fashion designers debut new clothing collections.
·Color consultants create trend reports on the popular colors at a given Fashion Week.
·A report on 2018 New York Fashion Week noted the popularity of a delicate violet-rose shade that was cool in tone and soft in intensity.
·A report on 2019 London Fashion Week noted the popularity of a light yellow shade that was warm in tone and bright in intensity.

Which choice most effectively uses information from the given sentences to explain the role of color consultants at Fashion Week?

Each Fashion Week, color consultants compile reports on the shades that have proved popular with fashion designers.

At Fashion Weeks in 2018 and 2019, shades favored by designers included a delicate violet-rose and a light yellow.

A color consultant report on 2019 London Fashion Week highlighted the popularity of a light yellow shade.

A shade of delicate violet-rose was an on-trend addition to one color consultant's report on 2018 New York Fashion Week.

READING 2 · 27 questions

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