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PSAT 10 practice questions

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Question 1Reading and Writing

A student is revising a sentence about a marine biologist. The original reads: 'Dr. Chen who has studied coral reefs for twenty years will speak at the symposium.' Which revision correctly uses commas to set off the relative clause?

  1. Dr. Chen, who has studied coral reefs for twenty years will speak at the symposium.
  2. Dr. Chen, who has studied coral reefs for twenty years, will speak at the symposium. Correct answer.
  3. Dr. Chen who, has studied coral reefs for twenty years, will speak at the symposium.
  4. Dr. Chen who has studied coral reefs for twenty years, will speak at the symposium.

Explanation

A nonessential relative clause that adds extra information about a specific, already-identified person is set off by a pair of commas, one before 'who' and one after the clause ends. Only the version that places commas on both sides of the entire clause keeps the main sentence 'Dr. Chen will speak at the symposium' intact and correctly bracketed.

Question 2Reading and Writing

Read this sentence from a draft essay: 'The committee reviewed the proposal carefully, they found several errors in the budget.' Which choice best describes the structural problem a writer must fix?

  1. It contains a fused sentence with no punctuation between the clauses.
  2. It contains a comma splice, joining two independent clauses with only a comma. Correct answer.
  3. It contains a sentence fragment because the second clause lacks a subject.
  4. It contains a dangling modifier that fails to attach to a noun.

Explanation

Two independent clauses ('The committee reviewed the proposal carefully' and 'they found several errors') are joined by nothing but a comma, which is a comma splice. A semicolon, a period, or a coordinating conjunction would repair it.

Question 3Reading and Writing

A writer wants to combine two sentences: 'The museum extended its hours. Attendance rose sharply.' Which revision most clearly expresses a cause-and-effect relationship?

  1. The museum extended its hours; attendance rose sharply.
  2. Because the museum extended its hours, attendance rose sharply. Correct answer.
  3. The museum extended its hours, and attendance rose sharply.
  4. The museum extended its hours, attendance rose sharply.

Explanation

The subordinating conjunction 'because' explicitly signals that the extended hours caused the rise in attendance. A semicolon or a coordinating 'and' merely links the ideas without marking causation, and the comma-only version is a splice.

Question 4Reading and Writing

Which sentence uses a colon correctly according to standard conventions of academic writing?

  1. The team needed three supplies: and they packed tents, rope, and water.
  2. The team needed three supplies: tents, rope, and water. Correct answer.
  3. The team needed three supplies, tents: rope and water.
  4. The team needed: tents, rope, and water for the trip.

Explanation

A colon should follow a complete independent clause and introduce a list, explanation, or elaboration. In the correct version, 'The team needed three supplies' is a full clause, and the colon properly introduces the list that follows.

Question 5Reading and Writing

A student writes: 'Neither the lab assistants nor the lead researcher were aware of the contamination.' Which revision corrects the subject-verb agreement?

  1. Neither the lab assistants nor the lead researcher is aware of the contamination.
  2. Neither the lab assistants or the lead researcher were aware of the contamination.
  3. Neither the lab assistants nor the lead researcher been aware of the contamination.
  4. Neither the lab assistants nor the lead researcher was aware of the contamination. Correct answer.

Explanation

With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. The nearest subject is the singular 'lead researcher,' so the past-tense verb should be 'was,' matching the original past-time context.

Question 6Reading and Writing

In the sentence 'The volunteers distributed flyers to everyone who attended the fair,' what grammatical role does the clause 'who attended the fair' play?

  1. It is an adverbial clause modifying the verb 'distributed.'
  2. It is a relative clause modifying the pronoun 'everyone.' Correct answer.
  3. It is a noun clause serving as the object of the preposition 'to.'
  4. It is an independent clause that could stand alone as a sentence.

Explanation

The clause begins with the relative pronoun 'who' and describes 'everyone,' so it functions as a relative (adjective) clause modifying that pronoun. It cannot stand alone because 'who' needs an antecedent.

Question 7Reading and Writing

Which choice best maintains a formal, academic tone appropriate for a PSAT-style argumentative essay?

  1. The data totally prove the policy was a total flop.
  2. The data show the policy didn't really do much, honestly.
  3. The data clearly show that the policy failed to reduce traffic. Correct answer.
  4. The data kind of suggest the policy bombed.

Explanation

Formal academic prose favors precise, measured verbs and avoids slang, intensifiers like 'totally,' and filler words like 'honestly.' The version using 'clearly show' and 'failed to reduce' keeps a controlled, objective register.

Question 8Reading and Writing

A writer wants to replace the underlined word in 'The results were very surprising to the researchers' with a more precise single word. Which choice best achieves concision without changing meaning?

  1. The results were extremely surprising to the researchers.
  2. The results were really surprising to the researchers.
  3. The results were astonishing to the researchers. Correct answer.
  4. The results were quite surprising to the researchers.

Explanation

'Astonishing' conveys a high degree of surprise in one precise word, eliminating the need for the intensifier 'very.' The other choices simply swap one intensifier for another and do not improve concision.

Question 9Reading and Writing

Read this passage: 'Urban planners increasingly favor green roofs. These planted surfaces absorb rainwater, which reduces runoff into storm drains. They also insulate buildings, lowering energy costs in both summer and winter.' Which choice best states the main purpose of the passage?

  1. To describe the history of urban planning
  2. To explain several practical benefits of green roofs Correct answer.
  3. To argue that green roofs are too expensive to install
  4. To compare green roofs with solar panels

Explanation

The passage lists two concrete advantages-absorbing rainwater to reduce runoff and insulating buildings to cut energy costs-so its main purpose is to explain practical benefits. No cost objection, historical narrative, or comparison with solar panels appears.

Question 10Reading and Writing

Passage: 'The novelist's early works were praised for their spare prose. Her later novels, however, are dense with digressions and elaborate description. Some critics see this shift as decline; others regard it as a deliberate expansion of her range.' Which choice best describes the function of the final sentence?

  1. It presents competing interpretations of the shift described earlier. Correct answer.
  2. It introduces a new character who appears in the later novels.
  3. It restates the opening claim about spare prose.
  4. It provides statistical evidence supporting the critics' view.

Explanation

The last sentence offers two contrasting critical responses-decline versus deliberate expansion-to the stylistic change noted earlier, so it functions to present competing interpretations. It supplies no data, no new character, and does not restate the opening.

Question 11Reading and Writing

Passage: 'Many assume that octopuses, being solitary, lack complex social behavior. Yet recent observations show that some octopuses cooperate when hunting and even share dens in crowded habitats.' Which choice best identifies the relationship between the two sentences?

  1. The second sentence provides an example that supports the first sentence's claim.
  2. The second sentence offers evidence that challenges the assumption in the first. Correct answer.
  3. The second sentence shifts to an unrelated topic about habitat loss.
  4. The second sentence restates the assumption in the first using different words.

Explanation

The first sentence presents a common assumption (octopuses are solitary and asocial), and the second supplies observations of cooperation and den-sharing that contradict it. The transition 'Yet' signals this contrast.

Question 12Reading and Writing

A student wants to add a sentence that provides the strongest support for the claim 'Public libraries remain essential community resources.' Which sentence best serves as evidence?

  1. A recent survey found that 68 percent of residents used a public library at least once in the past year. Correct answer.
  2. Some libraries have begun offering digital borrowing services.
  3. Public libraries have existed in the United States for well over a century.
  4. Many people enjoy reading books in their spare time.

Explanation

Strong evidence directly quantifies current community reliance on libraries, which supports the claim that they remain essential. The other choices are either background facts, tangential statements, or narrow details that do not establish present-day importance.

Question 13Reading and Writing

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?

  1. The experiment failed, however; the team learned valuable lessons.
  2. The experiment; failed, however the team learned valuable lessons.
  3. The experiment failed; and the team learned valuable lessons.
  4. The experiment failed; however, the team learned valuable lessons. Correct answer.

Explanation

A semicolon can join two independent clauses, and it is also correctly placed before a conjunctive adverb like 'however' that links them. Here both clauses are complete and the semicolon separates them properly.

Question 14Reading and Writing

In the sentence 'Having finished the report, the manager submitted it before the deadline,' what does the opening phrase 'Having finished the report' modify?

  1. the report
  2. it
  3. the deadline
  4. the manager Correct answer.

Explanation

A participial phrase at the start of a sentence should modify the subject of the main clause. The subject here is 'the manager,' the person who finished the report, so the modifier correctly attaches to 'the manager.'

Question 15Reading and Writing

A writer is choosing between words to complete this sentence: 'The senator's remarks were so ______ that even her opponents conceded she had a point.' Which choice best fits the context?

  1. cogent Correct answer.
  2. cursory
  3. redundant
  4. verbose

Explanation

The context-opponents conceding she had a point-signals that the remarks were persuasive and clearly reasoned. 'Cogent' means compelling and logically convincing, which fits the concession.

Question 16Reading and Writing

Passage: 'The bridge was designed to withstand earthquakes. Its engineers tested scale models on a shaking table for months. During the 2011 quake, the bridge sustained only minor damage.' Which choice best describes the overall structure of the passage?

  1. It compares two competing bridge designs and declares a winner.
  2. It argues that shaking tables are unreliable testing tools.
  3. It explains the causes of the 2011 earthquake in detail.
  4. It describes a design goal, the testing done to meet it, and a real-world result. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage moves from the design goal (earthquake resistance) to the testing method (shaking-table models) to the outcome (minor damage in 2011). That sequence of goal, method, and result defines its structure.

Question 17Reading and Writing

Which revision best corrects the pronoun reference problem in 'When the scientists compared the samples to the older specimens, they were found to be contaminated'?

  1. When the scientists compared the samples to the older specimens, they were found contaminated.
  2. When the scientists compared the samples to the older specimens, it was found to be contaminated.
  3. When the scientists compared the samples to the older specimens, they found that the samples were contaminated. Correct answer.
  4. When the scientists compared the samples to the older specimens, they were contaminated.

Explanation

The original 'they' is ambiguous because it could refer to the scientists or the samples. The revision makes the actor explicit ('they found') and names what was contaminated ('the samples'), removing the ambiguity.

Question 18Reading and Writing

A student claims: 'Schools should start later because teenagers need more sleep.' Which choice most weakens this argument?

  1. Sleep experts generally recommend adequate rest for adolescents.
  2. A study shows that later start times did not increase the total sleep teenagers got. Correct answer.
  3. Some schools already start before 8 a.m.
  4. Many teenagers report feeling tired during the school day.

Explanation

The argument assumes later start times will increase teenagers' sleep. Evidence that later start times failed to raise total sleep directly undercuts that assumption, weakening the argument. The other choices are neutral or supportive.

Question 19Reading and Writing

Passage: 'The author describes the desert as 'an ocean of sand,' then calls the wind 'a restless sailor.' These images suggest that the landscape, though seemingly empty, is alive with motion.' Which choice best describes the rhetorical effect the author attributes to the metaphors?

  1. They criticize the wind for being destructive.
  2. They prove that the desert contains actual bodies of water.
  3. They make an apparently barren landscape seem dynamic and animated. Correct answer.
  4. They suggest the desert is completely silent and still.

Explanation

By comparing sand to an ocean and wind to a sailor, the metaphors cast the desert as full of movement and life, which the passage explicitly says. The imagery conveys dynamism, not literal water, criticism, or stillness.

Question 20Reading and Writing

Which choice best completes the sentence with correct parallel structure? 'The internship taught her to manage deadlines, to communicate clearly, and ______.'

  1. problems were solved independently
  2. she solved problems independently
  3. solving problems independently
  4. to solve problems independently Correct answer.

Explanation

The series uses infinitive phrases ('to manage,' 'to communicate'), so the third item must match that form with 'to solve problems independently.' Parallel structure requires all items in a list to share grammatical form.

Question 21Reading and Writing

Passage: 'Although the two studies used identical methods, their conclusions diverged sharply. The first reported a strong effect; the second found almost none. Researchers now question whether subtle differences in the samples explain the gap.' Which choice best states the central idea?

  1. Two methodologically similar studies produced conflicting results, prompting a search for an explanation. Correct answer.
  2. The two studies used completely different methods and therefore could not be compared.
  3. Researchers have concluded that the first study was fraudulent.
  4. The second study definitively disproved the first study's findings.

Explanation

The passage stresses that identical methods yielded sharply different conclusions and that researchers are now looking at sample differences to explain the gap. That summary captures both the conflict and the response to it.

Question 22Reading and Writing

A writer wants to qualify a claim in an academic essay. Which revision best adds an appropriate qualification to 'Social media harms all teenagers'?

  1. Social media definitely harms every teenager in every situation.
  2. Social media is bad and should be banned for teenagers.
  3. Social media harms all teenagers, and everyone knows it.
  4. Social media can harm some teenagers, particularly those who use it excessively. Correct answer.

Explanation

Qualifying a claim means narrowing its scope with hedges like 'can,' 'some,' and 'particularly' so it is defensible. The first version limits the harm to some teenagers and specifies a condition, making the claim more precise and credible.

Question 23Reading and Writing

Passage: 'The historian notes that written records from the period survive almost exclusively from the ruling class. She cautions that any account of ordinary life drawn from these records must be read with care.' Which choice best explains why the historian urges caution?

  1. The surviving sources reflect a narrow segment of society and may distort ordinary experience. Correct answer.
  2. Ordinary people kept more records than the ruling class did.
  3. The historian believes written records are always unreliable.
  4. The records are too damaged to be read at all.

Explanation

Because the records come almost entirely from the ruling class, they represent one perspective and may misrepresent how ordinary people lived. The historian's caution follows from this limited, elite bias in the sources.

Question 24Reading and Writing

Which sentence correctly uses a dash to set off a parenthetical element?

  1. The proposal, a bold plan-to restore the wetlands won unanimous approval.
  2. The proposal-a bold plan to restore the wetlands-won unanimous approval. Correct answer.
  3. The proposal-a bold plan to restore the wetlands won unanimous approval.
  4. The proposal a bold plan to restore the wetlands-won unanimous approval.

Explanation

A dash used parenthetically must come in a matched pair that surrounds the interrupting element. Only the first version places a dash both before and after 'a bold plan to restore the wetlands,' leaving the main clause intact.

Question 25Reading and Writing

Passage: 'Critics once dismissed the genre as formulaic. Today, however, scholars examine its conventions with the same seriousness they bring to canonical literature, tracing how its repeated patterns generate meaning rather than merely repeating them.' Which choice best captures the shift the passage describes?

  1. Scholars have stopped studying canonical literature in favor of popular genres.
  2. A genre once seen as derivative is now studied for how its conventions create meaning. Correct answer.
  3. A genre once revered as canonical is now dismissed as formulaic.
  4. Critics now agree that the genre's patterns are meaningless repetition.

Explanation

The passage contrasts past dismissal ('formulaic') with present scholarly attention to how conventions 'generate meaning.' That reversal-from derivative to meaning-generating-is the shift described.

Question 26Reading and Writing

In the sentence "The committee reviewed the proposal carefully," a student wants to add the detail that the review took place over three weeks. Which revision most effectively integrates this detail while preserving the sentence's grammatical structure?

  1. The committee reviewed the proposal carefully over three weeks. Correct answer.
  2. The committee, over three weeks, reviewed the proposal carefully.
  3. The committee reviewed, the proposal carefully, over three weeks.
  4. Reviewing the proposal carefully over three weeks, the committee.

Explanation

An adverbial phrase of duration can be appended after the existing adverb without disrupting the subject-verb-object order. Placing it at the end keeps the sentence grammatical and clear. The other options either create a fragment or interrupt the verb-object unit awkwardly.

Question 27Reading and Writing

Read this sentence: "The museum's new wing, which houses contemporary sculpture, opened last spring." Which choice best describes the function of the clause "which houses contemporary sculpture"?

  1. It modifies the museum rather than the wing.
  2. It supplies nonessential information about the wing. Correct answer.
  3. It states the main action of the sentence.
  4. It identifies which wing the sentence refers to.

Explanation

A clause set off by commas is nonrestrictive, meaning it adds supplementary detail rather than identifying the noun. The main clause "the museum's new wing opened last spring" stands complete without it. The relative pronoun "which" refers to the wing, not the museum.

Question 28Reading and Writing

Which choice best completes the sentence so that it maintains a consistent formal register suitable for an academic report? "The survey results suggest that remote work ______ employee satisfaction across most industries."

  1. has a measurable effect on Correct answer.
  2. does stuff to
  3. kind of changes up
  4. messes with

Explanation

Academic reports favor precise, neutral diction, and "has a measurable effect on" fits that register while conveying the correlational claim. The other options use colloquial or vague phrasing unsuitable for a formal report. Register consistency is a common concern on the Reading and Writing section.

Question 29Reading and Writing

A student is revising this sentence for concision: "Due to the fact that the experiment failed, the team decided to repeat the trial." Which revision most effectively reduces wordiness without changing the meaning?

  1. Owing to the fact of the experiment's failure, the team repeated the trial.
  2. Because the experiment failed, the team decided to repeat the trial. Correct answer.
  3. Due to the experiment failing, the team decided to repeat the trial.
  4. The experiment failed, so the team decided that they would repeat the trial.

Explanation

"Due to the fact that" is a wordy substitute for the single conjunction "because." Replacing it tightens the sentence while preserving the causal relationship. The remaining options either keep the wordy phrase or alter the meaning slightly.

Question 30Reading and Writing

Read this passage: "The chef insisted on sourcing produce locally. She argued that fresher ingredients improve flavor, support regional farmers, and reduce shipping emissions." Which choice best states the main purpose of the second sentence?

  1. It describes the chef's training and background.
  2. It introduces a new topic unrelated to the first sentence.
  3. It lists the reasons behind the chef's stated practice. Correct answer.
  4. It contradicts the claim made in the first sentence.

Explanation

The second sentence enumerates the chef's justifications for local sourcing, supporting the position stated first. It elaborates rather than contradicts or digresses. Recognizing how sentences support a claim is central to the Reading and Writing section's structure questions.

Question 31Reading and Writing

Which choice correctly completes the sentence with a verb that agrees with its subject? "The collection of rare manuscripts ______ housed in the library's basement."

  1. have been
  2. are
  3. were
  4. is Correct answer.

Explanation

The subject is the singular noun "collection," not the plural "manuscripts" in the prepositional phrase. A singular verb is therefore required. Subject-verb agreement follows the head noun of the subject phrase.

Question 32Reading and Writing

In the sentence "The archaeologists carefully catalogued each artifact before the site was flooded," which word functions as the adverb modifying "catalogued"?

  1. each
  2. carefully Correct answer.
  3. before
  4. flooded

Explanation

An adverb modifies a verb, and "carefully" describes how the archaeologists catalogued. "Each" is a determiner modifying "artifact," "before" is a conjunction, and "flooded" is a verb. Identifying modifiers by their function is a foundational grammar skill.

Question 33Reading and Writing

A writer wants to combine these two sentences into one while emphasizing the contrast between them: "The prototype was inexpensive to build. It outperformed every competitor's model." Which combined sentence best emphasizes the contrast?

  1. Although the prototype was inexpensive to build, it outperformed every competitor's model. Correct answer.
  2. The prototype was inexpensive to build, and it outperformed every competitor's model.
  3. The prototype was inexpensive to build because it outperformed every competitor's model.
  4. The prototype was inexpensive to build; it outperformed every competitor's model.

Explanation

The subordinating conjunction "although" explicitly signals contrast between cost and performance. Coordination with "and" or a semicolon merely joins the ideas without highlighting opposition. "Because" reverses the logical relationship entirely.

Question 34Reading and Writing

Read this passage: "The startup's founders promised rapid growth. Within a year, however, their flagship product had stalled in development, and investors began to withdraw support." Which choice best describes the relationship between the two sentences?

  1. The second sentence restates the first sentence's claim in different words.
  2. The second sentence provides a cause of the first sentence's promise.
  3. The second sentence offers an unrelated counterexample.
  4. The second sentence reveals an outcome that undercuts the first sentence's promise. Correct answer.

Explanation

The transition "however" signals that the second sentence reverses the expectation set by the first. The stalled product and withdrawing investors directly undermine the promised growth. This is a contrast relationship, not restatement or causation.

Question 35Reading and Writing

Which choice best completes the sentence with correct punctuation? "The researchers tested three variables ______ temperature, humidity, and light exposure."

  1. ;
  2. ,
  3. -
  4. : Correct answer.

Explanation

A colon introduces a list that elaborates on the preceding clause, and the sentence before the colon is complete. A comma alone would create a weak, unclear break before the list. Semicolons and dashes are not the standard choice for introducing a simple enumerative list here.

Question 36Reading and Writing

A student wants to replace the underlined word in "The evidence was strong enough to convince even the skeptics" with a more precise term. Which choice best conveys a decisive, conclusive quality?

  1. adequate
  2. sufficient
  3. acceptable
  4. compelling Correct answer.

Explanation

"Compelling" conveys that the evidence forcefully commands belief, matching the idea of convincing skeptics. The other options merely indicate that the evidence meets a minimum standard without suggesting persuasive force. Precise word choice strengthens an argument.

Question 37Reading and Writing

Read this passage: "Many people believe that goldfish have three-second memories. Controlled studies, however, have shown that goldfish can remember tasks for months." Which choice best identifies the function of the second sentence?

  1. It shifts the passage to an unrelated topic.
  2. It provides additional support for a common belief.
  3. It challenges a widespread assumption with evidence. Correct answer.
  4. It describes how the studies were conducted.

Explanation

The second sentence introduces a contrast ("however") and cites studies that contradict the popular belief stated first. Its role is to refute an assumption using evidence. This kind of function question tests whether you can track an argument's development.

Question 38Reading and Writing

Which choice best corrects the pronoun ambiguity in this sentence? "When the manager spoke with the intern, she explained the new policy."

  1. When the manager spoke with the intern, it explained the new policy.
  2. When she spoke with the intern, she explained the new policy.
  3. When the manager spoke with the intern, the manager explained the new policy. Correct answer.
  4. When the manager spoke with the intern, they explained the new policy.

Explanation

The pronoun "she" could refer to either the manager or the intern, creating ambiguity. Replacing it with the explicit noun "the manager" clarifies the referent. Repeating a noun is preferable to an unclear pronoun.

Question 39Reading and Writing

Read this passage: "The novelist's descriptions of the prairie are remarkably precise. She names grasses, notes the direction of prevailing winds, and records the exact hue of the soil at dusk." Which choice best describes how the second sentence supports the first?

  1. It provides concrete examples of the precision the first sentence claims. Correct answer.
  2. It questions whether the descriptions are accurate.
  3. It summarizes the novelist's broader themes.
  4. It contrasts the prairie with another setting.

Explanation

The second sentence lists specific details, such as named grasses and soil color, that illustrate the precision asserted in the first. It functions as supporting evidence. Recognizing illustrative support is key to analyzing how authors build claims.

Question 40Reading and Writing

Which choice best completes the sentence with a verb in the correct form? "By the time the results were published, the research team ______ the data for over a year."

  1. analyzes
  2. is analyzing
  3. had been analyzing Correct answer.
  4. has been analyzing

Explanation

The past perfect progressive "had been analyzing" expresses an action ongoing before another past event (the publication). The simple present and present perfect forms clash with the past time frame. Tense consistency across clauses is essential.

Question 41Reading and Writing

A writer wants to add a sentence that best supports the claim "Cities should invest in public transit rather than expanding highways." Which choice provides the strongest support?

  1. Highways have existed in the United States for over a century.
  2. Some cities have famous highway interchanges.
  3. Many commuters own at least one car.
  4. Studies show that adding highway lanes often increases traffic congestion within a few years. Correct answer.

Explanation

Effective support directly addresses the claim's comparison, and evidence that expanded highways worsen congestion strengthens the case for transit. The other options offer background facts unrelated to the argument's logic. Relevance is the key criterion for supporting evidence.

Question 42Reading and Writing

Read this passage: "The two studies examined identical soil samples but reached opposite conclusions about contamination levels. The first reported only trace amounts; the second found concentrations far above safety limits." Which choice best explains the discrepancy's significance?

  1. It proves that the soil is definitely contaminated.
  2. It suggests that at least one study's methods or measurements may need scrutiny. Correct answer.
  3. It indicates that both studies examined different samples.
  4. It shows that soil testing is entirely unreliable.

Explanation

When two studies on the same samples disagree, the reasonable inference is that methodology or measurement warrants review. Claiming the soil is definitely contaminated ignores the conflicting result, and declaring all testing unreliable overgeneralizes from one case. The passage explicitly says the samples were identical.

Question 43Reading and Writing

Which choice best completes the sentence so that it uses parallel structure? "The training program taught recruits to assess risks, to communicate clearly, and ______."

  1. to respond calmly under pressure Correct answer.
  2. responding calmly under pressure
  3. they respond calmly under pressure
  4. calm responses under pressure

Explanation

Parallel structure requires each item in the list to use the same grammatical form, here the infinitive "to" plus verb. The other options break the pattern with gerunds, noun phrases, or full clauses. Consistency in a series aids clarity and readability.

Question 44Reading and Writing

Read this passage: "The historian argues that the invention of the printing press did more than spread ideas; it also created new communities of readers who had never met. These readers, she contends, began to think of themselves as part of a public." Which choice best states the historian's central claim?

  1. The printing press had little effect on how people thought.
  2. Printing press technology was invented earlier than most people think.
  3. Printing fostered a sense of shared public identity among dispersed readers. Correct answer.
  4. Communities of readers declined after printing was invented.

Explanation

The passage's key assertion is that printing created communities of readers who came to see themselves as a public. The other options either misstate the timeline, reverse the effect, or deny the influence the historian describes. Identifying central claims requires distinguishing the main point from supporting detail.

Question 45Reading and Writing

Which choice best completes the sentence with a word that logically fits the context? "The committee's report was so ______ that even members who had opposed the project voted to fund it."

  1. tentative
  2. persuasive Correct answer.
  3. ambiguous
  4. tedious

Explanation

The clause about opponents voting to fund the project signals that the report changed minds, which requires a word meaning convincing. "Persuasive" fits that logic. The other options imply weakness or confusion that would not explain the reversal.

Question 46Reading and Writing

Read this passage: "The city's trees reduce summer temperatures, filter air pollutants, and absorb stormwater. Yet the municipal budget for tree maintenance has been cut in each of the last three years." Which choice best describes the tension the passage presents?

  1. The trees provide documented benefits while funding to maintain them is shrinking. Correct answer.
  2. The trees cause problems that the budget cuts are meant to address.
  3. The budget cuts have improved the trees' health.
  4. The city has planted more trees than it can count.

Explanation

The passage sets the benefits of trees against declining maintenance funding, creating a tension between value and support. The other options misread the relationship, inventing problems or outcomes not stated. Recognizing tension is a form of analysis tested frequently.

Question 47Reading and Writing

A student wants to qualify a broad claim in an academic essay. Which revision best adds an appropriate qualification to "Social media harms teenagers' mental health"?

  1. Social media is a topic that many people discuss.
  2. Social media definitely destroys teenagers' mental health in all cases.
  3. Social media can harm teenagers' mental health, particularly when use exceeds several hours a day. Correct answer.
  4. Social media harms teenagers' mental health, and that is that.

Explanation

Qualifying a claim involves limiting its scope with words like "can" and specifying conditions, which makes the assertion more defensible. The other options either intensify the claim, replace it with a vague statement, or refuse qualification. Precise qualification is a hallmark of academic argument.

Question 48Reading and Writing

Read this passage: "The biographer notes that her subject destroyed most of his personal letters. She therefore relies on public records, interviews with acquaintances, and his published essays to reconstruct his life." Which choice best describes the biographer's method?

  1. She compensates for missing primary sources by drawing on alternative evidence. Correct answer.
  2. She abandons the biography because records are incomplete.
  3. She fabricates details to fill gaps in the record.
  4. She ignores all sources except personal letters.

Explanation

The passage shows the biographer adapting to the loss of personal letters by using other available evidence. This is a reasoned methodological response, not fabrication or abandonment. Inferring an author's method from described choices is a higher-order analysis skill.

Question 49Reading and Writing

Which choice best completes the sentence so that the underlined portion functions as a nonrestrictive appositive? "Marie Curie ______ won two Nobel Prizes in different scientific fields."

  1. a physicist and chemist
  2. ; a physicist and chemist
  3. - a physicist and chemist
  4. , a physicist and chemist, Correct answer.

Explanation

A nonrestrictive appositive renaming the subject must be set off by commas on both sides. Without the closing comma, the phrase becomes restrictive and the sentence is punctuated incorrectly. A semicolon cannot separate a subject from its verb, and a single dash leaves the appositive unclosed.

Question 50Reading and Writing

Read this passage: "Critics once dismissed the genre as formulaic. Today, however, scholars analyze its conventions with the same rigor they apply to canonical literature, tracing how its repeated structures generate meaning rather than merely repeating it." Which choice best captures the shift the passage describes?

  1. Scholars now reject the study of conventions altogether.
  2. Critics have proven that the genre's structures are meaningless.
  3. A genre once seen as derivative is now studied for how its conventions create meaning. Correct answer.
  4. A genre has been abandoned by scholars in favor of canonical literature.

Explanation

The passage contrasts past dismissal with present scholarly attention to how repeated structures produce meaning. The correct option captures both halves of that shift. The other options invert or distort the passage's claims.