SAT Pastpaper with Solutions

The following text is adapted from Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. Ishmael and Queequeg are aboard the Pequod, preparing for an expedition. As the ship swayed gently in the harbor, Queequeg, seated near the mast, held out his arm, reaching across to a nearby coil of rope. His fingers brushed the thick fibers, and he carefully untangled it, preparing it for the voyage ahead.

As used in the text, what does the phrase "reaching across to" most nearly mean?

The following text is adapted from Charles Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle.
"Traversing the rugged terrain of the Andes was no trivial feat. The journey seemed fraught with every imaginable challenge, from perilous cliffs to relentless weather, testing the endurance and determination of even the most seasoned travelers."

As used in the text, what does the word "imaginable" most nearly mean?

Los Angeles boasts an impressive range of public art, from towering sculptures in the heart of downtown to colorful murals adorning residential buildings. The _____ of artistic expression found throughout the city guarantees that visitors and locals alike can experience something that resonates with their tastes.

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

Thomas Edison is best known for his invention of the electric light bulb, which revolutionized the way people live and work. However, his legacy extends far beyond this one achievement. Edison held over 1,000 patents and is credited with inventing or improving upon numerous devices, including the phonograph and motion pictures. Despite his successes, Edison's career was marked by intense competition with other inventors, such as Nikola Tesla, with whom he had a bitter rivalry over the use of alternating current versus direct current for electrical power distribution. Edison's aggressive business tactics and his role in the suppression of Tesla's ideas have led to criticism of his methods, but his contributions to technology and industry are undeniably
significant.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

In his analysis of modern literature, James Wood argues that the rise of postmodernism has fundamentally altered the way we understand narrative structure. While traditional literature typically focused on clear plots and well-defined characters, postmodern writers often embrace fragmentation, irony, and ambiguity. Wood notes that while many readers are drawn to these new narrative techniques, it is important not to assume that all modern works fit neatly into this postmodern mold. Indeed, some contemporary novels maintain more traditional structures and themes, and readers who overemphasize the influence of postmodernism may risk ________.

Which choice most logically completes the text?

"Habitual action." Reduplication is a widespread linguistic phenomenon, appearing in many languages across the world. In Tagalog, for example, the verb lakad, meaning "walk," can be reduplicated to form aral-aral, which suggests walking around casually or habitually. 

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

The 2021 novel The Last Empress by Caroline Foster has been widely praised for its vivid portrayal of life in 19th-century China. Set during the reign of Empress Dowager Cixi, the story blends historical events with rich character development, giving readers an intimate look at the challenges and complexities faced by the empress. By weaving in both the political intrigue of the imperial court and the personal struggles of Cixi, the novel offers a multifaceted view of a woman who wielded immense power yet faced constant opposition. Critics have noted that the author's careful research into the period brings historical authenticity to the narrative, while her deep empathy for the empress adds emotional depth.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence?

The Impressionist movement, which began in the late 19th century, marked a radical departure from the traditions of academic painting in Europe. Artists like Claude Monet and Edgar Degas sought to capture fleeting moments of light, color, and atmosphere, often by painting outdoors rather than in a studio. In contrast, earlier painters like Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun adhered to more classical techniques, focusing on idealized, formal portraits and historical scenes. The shift in style was not just technical; it also reflected a broader cultural change in France, as new social and political movements called for a break from the conventions of the past. This historical shift suggests that the recognition of Impressionism as a distinct artistic movement largely depends on its________.

Which choice most logically completes the text?

The following table displays the crop yields (in kilograms per hectare) from various studies comparing organic farming methods with conventional methods: Alice Thompson and colleagues reported that organic methods resulted in an increased yield of tomatoes compared to conventional farming. However, research in other crops has yielded different results, raising the question of whether the observed yield benefits are specific to their study crop. However, this doesn't seem to be the case: _______.

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the assertion?

A geography student is conducting a comparative analysis of the areas of five cities and observes that Columbia spans 123.4 square miles. The student is now interested in examining how this measurement compares to the area of Jefferson City. Upon consulting the table, the student finds that the total area of Columbia is 3,472.0 square miles, while the total area of Jefferson City is __________.

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the comparison?

The subsequent table elucidates the annual aggregate revenue (denominated in billions of dollars) garnered by three prominent technology conglomerates---Amazon, Google and Microsoft---for the fiscal years spanning from 2016 to 2023. Each numerical entry represents the cumulative global revenue as declared by the respective corporate entity at the conclusion of its fiscal year. A business analyst reviewing the table notes a significant shift that_______.

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

In 1960, the renowned American novelist Harper Lee, already famous for her groundbreaking work To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), would go on to publish Go Set a Watchman in 2015, a novel that would spark controversy over its portrayal of some of the same characters. Despite the mixed reception of her later work, Lee remains, _____ best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.

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

While observing power struggles between ravens in the Austrian Alps, animal behaviorist Thomas Bugnyar began to notice what he calls an "audience effect." The raven who is losing a power struggle with another raven will modulate their defensive calls when there is an audience of other ravens. Bugnyar claims that this is done in hopes that some ravens in the audience will come to the defense of the embattled raven. This behavior shows that ravens_______.

Which choice most logically completes the text?

During the Renaissance, Italian artisans produced intricate works of art and architecture, including sculptures and frescoes that _______ celebrated for their beauty and innovation.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Dr. Sophia Lin and her research team at BioSynth Labs have developed a new method for synthesizing proteins using AI-guided algorithms. During the process, the algorithms not only optimize protein folding patterns but also________sequences that increase the stability and functionality of the synthesized proteins, making them suitable for medical applications such as drug development.

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

Marie Curie, a Polish-born physicist and chemist celebrated for her groundbreaking work on radioactivity, and her husband ________ Pierre Curie, a pioneer in the study of crystallography, shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics for their joint research.

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

Caravaggio, an Italian Baroque painter renowned for his dramatic use of light and shadow,_______regarded as one of the pioneers of chiaroscuro, a technique that profoundly influenced European art in the 17th century and beyond.

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

The atomic number of an element corresponds to the number of protons in its nucleus, a property that remains invariant for all isotopes of the element. For instance, a phosphorus atom, regardless of its isotope, ________15 protons.

Which choice correctly completes the sentence?

The ancient city of Pompeii was buried under volcanic ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, preserving the remains of its inhabitants. In recent years, archaeologists have discovered several well-preserved artifacts, including furniture, jewelry, and tools.________, these findings provide valuable insight into the daily life and culture of the ancient Romans.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

The invention and widespread adoption of the automobile revolutionized transportation, fundamentally changing society, economy, and culture. In the early 20th century, the automobile revolutionized transportation, making travel faster and more efficient. _________ cars were initially a luxury item, affordable only to the wealthiest individuals, with limited availability and high maintenance costs.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

In the early 20th century, many countries began to adopt policies that promoted economic growth through industrialization and technological innovation. However, this was not the case for all nations. ________some countries continued to rely heavily on agriculture and traditional industries for much longer. For example, in parts of Asia, industrialization only began in earnest in the 1950s.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Two of the most renowned examples of Baroque art, Rembrandt's The Night Watch and Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, were completed in 1642 and________these masterpieces are widely regarded as symbols of Dutch Golden Age painting.

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

With one located in the Alps and another in the Andes, the observatory sites that form the Global Seismic Observation Network---or GSON, as geologists like Dr. Elena Torres call it---number nearly three_________across the continents, the instruments monitor tectonic plate movement and seismic activity.

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

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

· Researchers have been investigating the effects of sports-related concussions on the brain.

· Biomarkers in the blood indicative of tissue injury were found in participants two weeks following their last injuries.

· Extensive white matter damage deeper in the brain was found in participants six months following their last injuries.

· Many participants had more than one sports-related concussion.

The student wants to make and support a generalization about sports-related concussions. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

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

· Emily Harris is a marine biologist.

· She specializes in studying coral reefs.

· One of Harris's research photographs features a clownfish.

· The clownfish is swimming through the tentacles of a sea anemone.

· The sea anemone is located in a vibrant coral reef.

The student wants to describe the clownfish's activity in Harris's research photograph to an audience already familiar with Harris and her work. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

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

· Dr. Sylvia Earle is an American marine biologist born in 1935.

· She is known for her work on ocean conservation.

· Archaeology is the study of human history through excavation and analysis of artifacts.

· Dr. Zahi Hawass is an Egyptian archaeologist born in 1947.

· He is known for his work on ancient Egyptian sites, particularly the pyramids.

The student wants to emphasize a similarity between Dr. Earle and Dr. Hawass. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?