Reading and Writing Test - 5 - SAT MCQ

• Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Cole’s book Blind Spot. In this context, “enthusiasm for” means excitement about. The text explains that Blind Spot consists of original photographs as well as poetic prose—two elements that correspond to Cole’s passions, identified in the text, for photography and the written word. This context suggests that Cole’s excitement about photography and writing led him to create a book that successfully combines the two mediums.
• Choice A is incorrect because describing Cole as feeling “indifference to” his two passions wouldn’t make sense in context. If Cole is indifferent to his passions, that would mean he doesn’t care about photography or writing—in which case they wouldn’t be his passions at all.
• Choice C is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest that Cole feels “concern about,” or uneasiness about, his passions. The text’s use of the word “culminates” indicates that Blind Spot represents a triumphant climax of Cole’s passions, not a work that results from his sense of discomfort with photography and writing.
• Choice D is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest that Cole feels “surprise at,” or astonished by, his passions. The text indicates that Cole’s feeling about his passions “culminates” in a book that “evocatively” combines photographs and writing, suggesting that Cole has a long-standing and skillful relationship to his passions, not that he is startled by them.

• Choice A is the best answer because it accurately describes the organization of the elements within the text. The text begins with the claim that Joni Mitchell’s album covers use images she creates in order to emphasize ideas embedded in her albums. It then goes on to provide an example of how Mitchell’s self-portrait on the cover of Turbulent Indigo resembles a painting by Van Gogh, which the text indicates helps emphasize the strong connection Mitchell feels toward Van Gogh, a connection that is also expressed in the album’s title song.
• Choice B is incorrect because there are no references in the text to artists other than Joni Mitchell and Van Gogh.
• Choice C is incorrect because there is nothing in the text that calls attention to any similarities or differences between Joni Mitchell and Van Gogh. Instead, it mentions that Mitchell feels a strong “artistic connection” to Van Gogh.
• Choice D is incorrect because the text discusses the cover before referring to any songs, and it only references one song from the album not all the songs.

• Choice C is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the sweet potato in Polynesia. The text indicates that the sweet potato is found in Polynesia but originated in South America, and that the sweet potato was being cultivated by Native Hawaiians and other Indigenous peoples in Polynesia long before sea voyages between South America and Polynesia began. The text goes on to note that research by Muñoz-Rodríguez and colleagues has established that the Polynesian varieties of sweet potato split from South American varieties more than 100,000 years ago, which is thousands of years before humans settled in Polynesia. If Polynesian peoples were cultivating the sweet potato before sea voyages between Polynesia and South America began, and if Polynesian varieties of sweet potato diverged from South American varieties well before people were in Polynesia, it can reasonably be concluded that humans didn’t play a role in bringing the sweet potato to Polynesia.
• Choice A is incorrect. The text doesn’t provide any information about when the sweet potato began to be cultivated in South America, so there’s no support for the conclusion that cultivation began in Polynesia before it began in South America.
• Choice B is incorrect because the text indicates that the sweet potato was being cultivated in Polynesia long before sea journeys between Polynesia and South America began. Therefore, it wouldn’t be reasonable to conclude that Polynesian peoples acquired the sweet potato from South American peoples. Additionally, the text indicates that the Polynesian varieties of sweet potato diverged from the South American varieties thousands of years before people settled in Polynesia, which suggests that the sweet potato was already present in Polynesia when people arrived.
• Choice D is incorrect because the text states that the domestic sweet potato, which is found in Polynesia, descends from a wild South American plant, not from a domesticated South American plant. The only people that the text describes as cultivating the sweet potato are Native Hawaiians and other Indigenous peoples of Polynesia.

• Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a supplementary phrase and a main clause. This choice correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the supplementary phrase (“powered…day”), which describes how the LEDs are powered, and the main clause (“the blinking… night”).
• Choice A is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the supplementary phrase and the main clause with appropriate punctuation. Furthermore, placing commas around the phrase “by solar panels” suggests that it could be removed without affecting the coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the case.
• Choice B is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the supplementary phrase and the main clause with appropriate punctuation.
• Choice D is incorrect. Placing commas around the phrase “collected by solar panels during the day″ suggests that it could be removed without affecting the coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the case.

• Choice C is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the influences on Banisadr’s work. As used in this context, “unimportant” means trivial or lacking value. “It is by no means” establishes that the word that goes in the blank is contradicted by other information; the material that follows “indeed” later in that sentence provides the contradicting information—namely, that Banisadr himself cites Bosch as an inspiration. In other words, the sentence indicates that Bosch’s influence on Banisadr is significant, and thus recognizing that influence is by no means unimportant.
• Choice A is incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense to say that recognizing Bosch’s influence on Banisadr isn’t “substantial,” or meaningful. The text states that Banisadr himself cites Bosch as an influence.
• Choice B is incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense to say that it isn’t “satisfying,” or pleasing, to recognize Bosch’s influence on Banisadr. The text states that Banisadr himself cites Bosch as an influence.
• Choice D is incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense to say that recognizing Bosch’s influence on Banisadr isn’t “appropriate,” or suitable. The text indicates that Banisadr himself notes that Bosch’s work has had an effect on him.

• Choice D is the best answer. “However” logically signals that this sentence, which indicates that the Pūhāhonu volcano may be larger than the Mauna Loa volcano, offers a contrast to or refutation of the previous assumption that Mauna Loa is the largest shield volcano.
• Choice A is incorrect because “secondly” illogically signals that this sentence merely offers an additional or secondary point concerning the previous assumption that Mauna Loa is the largest shield volcano. Instead, the sentence offers a contrast to or refutation of that assumption.
• Choice B is incorrect because “consequently” illogically signals that this sentence offers a result or consequence of the previous assumption that Mauna Loa is the largest shield volcano. Instead, the sentence offers a contrast to or refutation of that assumption.
• Choice C is incorrect because “moreover” illogically signals that this sentence merely adds to the previous assumption that Mauna Loa is the largest shield volcano. Instead, the sentence offers a contrast to or refutation of that assumption.

• Choice C is the best answer. The sentence effectively presents Tan’s research to an audience unfamiliar with Angkor Wat, explaining the results of the research and identifying Angkor Wat as a temple in Cambodia.
• Choice A is incorrect. While the sentence presents Tan’s research, it fails to explain what Angkor Wat is for an audience unfamiliar with the temple.
• Choice B is incorrect. The sentence emphasizes the role that decorrelation stretch analysis played in Tan’s research; it doesn’t present the research, which would require specifying where it was conducted.
• Choice D is incorrect. While the sentence explains what Angkor Wat is, it fails to present Tan’s research.

• Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Samuel R. Delany’s character Rydra Wong. As used in this context, “atypical” would mean unrepresentative or not common. The text indicates that Wong is one of “nearly a dozen” characters in Delany’s novels who are poets or writers. This context conveys that being a poet isn’t an atypical occupation for a character in one of Delany’s works.
• Choice A is incorrect because “infallible” means to be accurate or without fault, which wouldn’t make sense in context. The text focuses on the fact that Delany has written many characters who are poets and writers. This context suggests that the occupation isn’t atypical for Delany, not that the occupation isn’t infallible, or problematic.
• Choice C is incorrect because “lucrative” means to be profitable, which wouldn’t make sense in context. If writing poet characters weren’t profitable, it wouldn’t be logical to explain this by citing that Delany gave many of his characters the same occupation.
• Choice D is incorrect because “tedious” means to be boring, which wouldn’t make sense in context. The text focuses on the fact that Delany has written many characters who are poets and writers. This context suggests that the occupation isn’t atypical for Delany, not that the occupation isn’t tedious.

• Choice A is the best answer because it explains how the researchers determined the level of surprise displayed by the cats in the study. The text states that Saho Takagi and colleagues played recordings of the voice of each cat’s owner and measured how surprised the cat was by the recording based on how it moved its ears and head.
• Choice B is incorrect because, as the text explains, the recordings played for each cat in the study were of the voice of the cat’s owner, not a stranger’s voice.
• Choice C is incorrect because the text explains that during the study, the cats didn’t interact directly with their owners; instead, the cats listened to recordings of their owners’ voices.
• Choice D is incorrect because the text doesn’t indicate that the researchers monitored the cats’ movement around the room in which the study was conducted.

• Choice C is the best answer because it most effectively uses a quotation from King Lear to illustrate the claim that King Lear expresses regret for his actions. In the quotation, Lear describes striking himself on the head—the same act he’s engaged in as he speaks, and one that suggests he’s deeply upset with himself. Referring to himself in the second person (with “thy”), the character exclaims “Beat at this gate that let thy folly in / And thy dear judgement out!” Lear refers metaphorically to his own mind as a gate that has allowed folly, or poor judgement, to enter and good judgement to escape. This suggests that Lear regrets his attempts to test his three daughters’ devotion to him, regarding those attempts as examples of the folly that has entered the gate of his mind.
• Choice A is incorrect because this quotation doesn’t express King Lear’s sense of regret over his own actions; instead, it expresses his belief that the harm that others have done to him (or the extent to which they have “sinned against” him) outweighs whatever harm he himself has caused by “sinning.”
• Choice B is incorrect because this quotation doesn’t express King Lear’s sense of regret over his own actions; instead, it expresses his thoughts about an approaching storm (“this tempest”), which he believes “will not give [him] leave to ponder,” or time to consider, the harm that he will continue to experience (“things” that “would hurt [him] more”).
• Choice D is incorrect because this quotation expresses King Lear’s vow to commit terrible actions (or “things” that “shall be / The terrors of the earth”) in the future, not his regret over actions that he’s already taken.

• Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of noses on ancient sculptures. In this context, “fragile” means weak or delicate. This matches the text’s description of noses on ancient sculptures, which are often missing from sculptures’ heads because they are “especially easy to break.” Therefore, this context indicates that noses on ancient sculptures are the most fragile part of the sculptures’ heads.
• Choice A is incorrect. In this context, “recognizable” would mean identifiable, and since the text indicates that noses are often missing from ancient statues, they therefore cannot be the most recognizable part of the statue.
• Choice C is incorrect because the text indicates that many ancient statues are missing noses, so noses wouldn’t be “common,” or frequent, aspects of ancient statues; they would conversely be uncommon.
• Choice D is incorrect because the text only indicates that noses on ancient statues often stick out and end up missing from the heads, which doesn’t relate to the noses being “sophisticated,” or knowledgeable or refined. 

• Choice B is the best answer because it effectively uses data from the graph to complete the statement about Rodrigo da Costa Portilho-Ramos and colleagues’ conclusion. The graph shows the ratio of manganese to calcium in L. pertusa coral samples from the Alboran Sea and the Mauritanian coast. The graph reflects time in approximate years before present: in other words, the greater the number in years noted on the graph’s horizontal axis, the farther that moment is in the past. The text indicates that the researchers tested the samples to determine whether oxygenation played a role in the decline of L. pertusa. The text goes on to note that a change in the ratio of manganese to calcium would signal an inverse, or opposite, change in oxygenation. According to the graph, the ratio of manganese to calcium in samples from the Alboran Sea increased from about 30 micromoles per mole 10,000 years ago to about 80 micromoles per mole 8,000 years ago, which means that oxygenation decreased between 10,000 and 8,000 years ago. Meanwhile, there was almost no discernible change in the ratio of manganese to calcium in samples from the Mauritanian coast between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago. According to the text, the population of L. pertusa declined significantly around 9,000 years ago in the Alboran Sea and around 11,000 years ago near the Mauritanian coast. Thus, the increase in the ratio of manganese to calcium around 9,000 years ago in the Alboran Sea coincides with the decline in the L. pertusa population, suggesting an association between the decrease in oxygenation and the decline in population of the coral. No such relationship is suggested around 11,000 years ago near the Mauritanian coast. So, oxygenation likely played a role in the L. pertusa decline in the Alboran Sea but not in the coral’s decline near the Mauritanian coast.
• Choice A is incorrect because it asserts the opposite of what the graph indicates regarding oxygenation in the Alboran Sea, and it misrepresents what the graph indicates about oxygenation near the Mauritanian coast. The graph indicates that at the time of the decline in L. pertusa (approximately 9,000 years ago), the samples from the Alboran Sea contained a ratio of manganese to calcium that was increasing. According to the text, this ratio inversely correlates with ocean oxygenation levels, so if the ratio was increasing, oxygenation was decreasing, not substantially increasing. Furthermore, the graph shows that the ratio of manganese to calcium remained relatively stable in coral samples from the Mauritanian coast during the period studied, which suggests that there was no discernible relationship between oxygenation and the coral’s population decline in that location, not that there was a substantial decrease in oxygenation corresponding to the coral’s decline.
• Choice C is incorrect. Although the graph suggests that the level of oxygenation in the Alboran Sea was higher before the decline in L. pertusa than after—because the ratio of manganese to calcium inversely correlates with ocean oxygenation levels and this ratio was lower before the decline than after—the graph doesn’t support the claim that oxygenation near the Mauritanian coast was consistently low before and after the coral’s decline there. Rather, the graph indicates that relative to coral samples from the Alboran Sea, the ratio of manganese to calcium in samples from near the Mauritanian coast was consistently low, which suggests that oxygenation levels were relatively high both before and after the decline of L. pertusa.
• Choice D is incorrect because it states the opposite of what the graph indicates: the graph shows that throughout the period studied, the ratio of manganese to calcium was higher in coral samples from the Alboran Sea than it was in samples from near the Mauritanian coast. Since the text indicates that the ratio of manganese to calcium inversely correlates with ocean oxygenation levels, oxygenation in the Alboran Sea was therefore lower than, not higher than, oxygenation near the Mauritanian coast during the period studied. Moreover, even if choice D did accurately represent the graph, it wouldn’t effectively complete the statement since a comparison of the ocean oxygenation levels at the two locations is not relevant to the claim that a decline in oxygenation levels was associated with the decline of L. pertusa in the Alboran Sea but not near the Mauritanian coast. 

• Choice A is the best answer. The sentence identifies the novel’s real author, explaining that Mary Ann Evans published the novel under the pseudonym of George Eliot.
• Choice B is incorrect. The sentence explains that George Eliot was assumed to be a pseudonym; it doesn’t identify the novel’s real author.
• Choice C is incorrect. The sentence specifies the pseudonym used on the novel’s title page; it doesn’t identify the novel’s real author.
• Choice D is incorrect. While the sentence indicates that the novel’s real author used a pseudonym, it doesn’t identify that author as Mary Ann Evans.

• Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of how the flow of information between two regions of the brain may affect the ease of people’s decision making. In this context, “reduced” means decreased. The text presents the finding from a team of neuroeconomists that decision making may be connected to communication between the prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex. In presenting this finding, the text suggests a contrast between people who tend to be more decisive and people who make decisions more slowly. According to the text, people tend to be more decisive when the flow of information between the two brain regions is intensified, or strengthened. On the other hand, this context suggests that people make choices more slowly when the flow of information between the two brain regions is decreased.
• Choice B is incorrect because “evaluated” means assessed, which wouldn’t make sense in context. According to the text, people tend to be more decisive when the flow of information between two brain regions is intensified, or strengthened. This suggests that people’s ease of decision making varies based on the rate of information traveling between the regions, not based on an effort to assess the information.
• Choice C is incorrect because “determined” means judged or influenced, neither of which would make sense in context. According to the text, people tend to be more decisive when the flow of information between two brain regions is intensified, or strengthened. This suggests that people’s ease of decision making varies based on the rate of information traveling between the regions, not based on an effort to judge or influence the information.
• Choice D is incorrect because “acquired” means developed or attained, neither of which would make sense in context. According to the text, people tend to be more decisive when the flow of information between two brain regions is intensified, or strengthened. This suggests that people’s ease of decision making varies based on the rate of information traveling between the regions, not based on the development or attainment of the information.

• Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately states how the author of Text 2 would most likely respond to the argument presented in Text 1. In arguing that graphic novels shouldn’t be classified as literature and are more comparable to film, Text 1 claims that language plays a relatively limited role in graphic novels: images, not language, are the primary means by which graphic novels tell their stories, and language is used “only sparingly”—that is, comparatively very little—in the form of captions and dialogue. However, the author of Text 2 asserts that language in graphic novels is as equally vital for conveying meaning as images are, since without captions and dialogue, readers wouldn’t be able to make sense of the narrative. Moreover, the author of Text 2 argues that there are many graphic novels that are “beautifully written” and whose use of language is as accomplished as any standard novel. Because Text 1 argues that language is subordinate to images in graphic novels, whereas Text 2 highlights how language is an essential component of a graphic novel’s storytelling, it can reasonably be inferred that the author of Text 2 would say that language plays a more important role in graphic novels than the author of Text 1 recognizes.
• Choice B is incorrect. Although Text 1 indicates that graphic novels shouldn’t be classified as literature based on their limited use of language, there’s no indication that the author of Text 1 considers this limited use of language as a flaw, just that it doesn’t fit the particular definition of “literature” proposed in the text. Even if Text 1 had suggested that their use of language was a common flaw of graphic novels, the author of Text 2 emphasizes how many graphic novels are “beautifully written,” and would therefore say that their use of language is exemplary, not that it is flawed.
• Choice C is incorrect because Text 1 doesn’t claim that the story lines of graphic novels are generally relatively easy to understand; in addition, Text 2 argues that given their dependence on the interaction of image and text, the stories of graphic novels would be incomprehensible if their captions and dialogue were removed, not that the story lines of some graphic novels are more difficult to understand than Text 1 acknowledges.
• Choice D is incorrect because the author of Text 1 doesn’t imply that graphic novels aren’t well crafted, only that they use language too sparingly to fit the definition of “literature,” and that their use of images to convey stories makes them more comparable to film than to literature. Even if the author of Text 1 had implied that most graphic novels aren’t well crafted, Text 2 refers to the fact that many graphic novels are as beautifully written—that is, well crafted—as many standard novels; thus, it wouldn’t be accurate to say that the author of Text 2 would agree with the author of Text 1 that most graphic novels aren’t well crafted.

• Choice D is the best answer because this quotation would best support the student’s assertion that the escape of transgenic fish from Brazilian fish farms into the wild may have significant negative long-term ecological effects. The text explains that transgenic fish have DNA that includes genetic material from other species, that some transgenic fish have genes from jellyfish that make them glow in the dark, and that glow- in-the-dark transgenic fish can now be found in the wild in Brazilian creeks. The quotation indicates why the escape of these fish may have negative long-term ecological effects: glow-in-the-dark transgenic fish might introduce fluorescence into wild fish populations by breeding with wild fish, causing wild fish to glow in the dark and thereby allowing predators to prey on them much more easily.
• Choice A is incorrect because this quotation doesn’t mention any negative effects of the introduction of fluorescent transgenic fish into the wild. The quotation merely compares the ratio of females to males at two sites in the wild where transgenic fish have been observed.
• Choice B is incorrect because this quotation doesn’t support the idea that the escape of fluorescent transgenic fish from Brazilian fish farms may have significant negative long-term ecological effects. Rather, the quotation suggests that more research is needed to understand the effects.
• Choice C is incorrect because this quotation supports the idea that transgenic fish may be present in more ecosystems than has been observed; it doesn’t address whether the presence of fluorescent transgenic fish affects these ecosystems.

• Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation around noun phrases. No punctuation is needed because the noun phrase “Tamatoa the crab” is a restrictive appositive, meaning that it provides essential identifying information about the noun phrase before it, “the character.” Additionally, no punctuation is needed between the noun phrase “the deep and humorous voice…crab” and the verb “belongs” that indicates whom the voice belongs to.
• Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed.
• Choice C is incorrect because no punctuation is needed.
• Choice D is incorrect because no punctuation is needed.

• Choice D is the best answer. The sentence contrasts first-class levers and second-class levers, explaining that the fulcrum in a first-class lever is between the effort and the load, whereas in a second-class lever the load is between the effort and the fulcrum.
• Choice A is incorrect. The sentence defines two terms associated with levers; it doesn’t contrast first-class levers and second-class levers.
• Choice B is incorrect. While the sentence seems to acknowledge a general difference in fulcrum and load locations between first-class and second-class levers, it does not specify what this difference is. Moreover, the sentence could be read as emphasizing a similarity—that in both types of levers, the fulcrum and load are in different locations. The sentence thus fails to effectively contrast the two types of levers.
• Choice C is incorrect. The sentence describes a similarity between first-class and second-class levers; it doesn’t contrast them.

• Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is end-of-sentence punctuation. This choice correctly uses a question mark to punctuate the coordinated interrogative clauses “What are atmospheric rivers” and “how do they affect our weather,” both of which ask direct questions.
• Choice A is incorrect because a period can’t be used in this way to punctuate an interrogative clause, such as “how do they affect our weather,” at the end of a sentence.
• Choice B is incorrect because the structure requires an interrogative clause and a question mark at the end of the sentence.
• Choice D is incorrect because the structure requires an interrogative clause at the end of the sentence.

• Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of supplementary elements within a sentence. This choice correctly uses a comma to separate the supplementary adverb “however” from the preceding main clause (“only...competitions”), and it uses a colon to introduce the list of dances that follows (“rumba…jive”). Further, placing the colon after “however” rather than before indicates that the information in the preceding main clause (only... competitions) is contrary to what might be assumed from the information in the previous sentence (Latin America has many more dance forms).
• Choice B is incorrect. The comma after “however” can’t be used in this way to introduce a series (“rumba...jive”).
• Choice C is incorrect because it isn’t conventional to use a semicolon in this way to introduce a series of items, such as the list of dances.
• Choice D is incorrect because placing the semicolon after “competitions” illogically indicates that the following list of five Latin American dances (“rumba...jive”) is contrary to the information in the previous clause (only five Latin American dances are included in international ballroom dance competitions).

• Choice B is the best answer. “In fact” logically signals that the critics’ claim at the end of this sentence—that the two editions are essentially two different novels altogether—offers additional emphasis in support of the previous claim that the differences between the editions are extreme.
• Choice A is incorrect because “by contrast” illogically signals that the claim at the end of this sentence contrasts with the previous claim about the differences between the editions. Instead, the critics’ opinion offers additional emphasis in support of that claim.
• Choice C is incorrect because “nevertheless” illogically signals that the claim at the end of this sentence is true despite the previous claim about the differences between the two editions. Instead, the critics’ opinion offers additional emphasis in support of that claim.
• Choice D is incorrect because “in other words” illogically signals that the claim at the end of this sentence is merely paraphrasing the previous claim about the differences between the two editions. The critics’ opinion adds new information to the previous claim rather than simply paraphrasing it.

Choice B is the best answer because it presents a statement about how historians view pachuca style that is supported by the text. The text first describes the distinctive pachuca style of dress adopted by some Mexican American women during World War II, saying that some criticized it and asserted that women should dress traditionally. The text then goes on to contrast this position with that of historians, who "see things differently": according to these historians, the pachuca style showed a wish for freedom and self-expression, and it acted as a kind of rebellion against what society expected of women at the time. Therefore, according to the text, historians think that the pachuca style was a way for Mexican women to express themselves and resist strict social expectations.
Choice A is incorrect because the text explicitly describes the pachuca style as a distinctive look adopted during the World War II era. It does not indicate that the pachuca style influences fashion in the United States in the present day.
Choice C is incorrect because the text does not indicate that Mexican American women wore the pachuca style to show support for the United States during World War II; rather, the style was a means of self-expression and rebellion against social expectations.
Choice D is incorrect because the text does not compare the pachuca style to other fashion trends: the pachuca style is the only style mentioned.

Choice B is the best answer because it presents the most likely consequence if New had not begun using sewing machines.
The text states that New gained new customers and that sewing machines allowed him to make bags more efficiently, or in less time than he could when sewing by hand. It’s reasonable to conclude that if New hadn’t reduced the time it took to make each bag by starting to use sewing machines, it would have been hard for him to keep up with the increased demand.
Choice A is incorrect because the text indicates that New added unique, handcrafted details to his bags before he started using sewing machines and continued to do so after he started using them.
Choice C is incorrect because the text doesn’t suggest that individually designing each bag would have been a consequence of not using sewing machines, since New was already designing unique details for each bag before he started using sewing machines and continued to do so after he started using them.
Choice D is incorrect because the text indicates that people were already interested in New’s bags before he started using sewing machines. Rather than allowing New to generate more interest in his bags, sewing machines helped New keep up with the interest that had already grown.

Choice A is the best answer. The narrator is “embarrassed” about the route he took, which ends up leaving him lost and confused about how to get to his destination for the evening.
Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t match the passage. The narrator is embarrassed, rather than fond, and he doesn’t describe the beauty of the place.
Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t match the passage. We don’t know from this excerpt whether or not the narrator has visited this part of New York multiple times.
Choice D is incorrect. This choice doesn’t match the passage. The narrator doesn’t explain how he overcame being lost in this excerpt.

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of items in a complex series. It’s conventional to use a semicolon to separate items in a complex series with internal punctuation, and in this choice, the semicolon after “2009” is conventionally used to separate the first item (“the world’s…2009”) and the second item (“an online…2010”) in the series of things that Hinson helped create. Further, the comma after “Basic” correctly pairs with the comma after “app,” and the comma after “network” correctly pairs with the comma after “TV” to set off the supplemental elements (“Chickasaw Basic” and “Chickasaw TV”) that provide the names of the app and the TV network, respectively. Altogether, the punctuation in this choice results in a sentence that clearly indicates that Hinson helped make a language app in 2009, an online TV network in 2010, and a language course in 2015.
Choice A is incorrect because it fails to punctuate the complex series in a way that makes clear that Hinson helped make a language app in 2009, an online TV network in 2010, and a language course in 2015.
Choice B is incorrect because it fails to punctuate the complex series in a way that makes clear that Hinson helped make a language app in 2009, an online TV network in 2010, and a language course in 2015.
Choice D is incorrect because the comma after “2009” doesn’t match the semicolon used to separate the second and third items in the complex series.

• Choice D is the best answer because as used in the text, “disputing” most nearly means providing resistance to. The narrator is in a taxi as it drives down a street lined with so many food vendors and shoppers that the narrator describes them as “the multitude of Paris,” meaning an immense group of people. The street is essentially a large open-air market, and there are so many people pushing small wagons of goods and carrying shopping baskets that “every inch” of the taxi’s progress is impeded. In other words, the people are providing resistance to the taxi’s attempt to drive down the street.
• Choice A is incorrect. Although in some contexts, “disputing” can mean arguing, the narrator doesn’t portray the shoppers and vendors as arguing with the driver of the taxi or, indeed, arguing at all.
• Choice B is incorrect. Although in some contexts, “disputing” can mean expressing disapproval, the narrator doesn’t suggest that the shoppers and vendors necessarily disapprove of the taxi’s attempt to drive down the street. Instead, their combined presence along the street has the effect of impeding the taxi’s progress.
• Choice C is incorrect because, as the narrator explains, both the multitude of people and the taxi are using a public space (a street) at the same time. The narrator doesn’t go so far as to suggest that the people feel that they, and not the taxi, possess exclusive access to the street.

• Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between sentences. In this choice, the period is used to correctly mark the boundary between one sentence (“Jamaican…microsculptures”) and another (“Creations… strands”). The noun phrase beginning with “creations” modifies the subject of the next sentence, “Wigan’s sculptures.”
• Choice A is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The sentences (“Jamaican…microsculptures” and “Creations…strands”) are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.
• Choice B is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences.
• Choice D is incorrect. Without a comma preceding it, the conjunction “and” can’t be used in this way to join sentences.

• Choice C is the best answer. “In addition” logically signals that the claim in this sentence—that the Inca of South America may have used quipus to record more complex information—is an additional point related to the previous statement about the Inca using quipus to record countable information.
• Choice A is incorrect because “as a result” illogically signals that the claim in the sentence is a consequence or result of the previous statement about the Incas using quipus to record countable information. Instead, the possibility that the Inca used quipus to record more complex information is an additional point about how the quipus were used.
• Choice B is incorrect because “in other words” illogically signals that the claim in the sentence is merely a paraphrase or restatement of the previous statement about the Incas using quipus to record countable information. Instead, the possibility that the Inca used quipus to record more complex information is an additional point about how the quipus were used.
• Choice D is incorrect because “for example” illogically signals that the claim in the sentence exemplifies the previous statement about the Incas using quipus to record countable information. Instead, the possibility that the Inca used quipus to record more complex information is an additional point about how the quipus were used.

• Choice A is the best answer. The sentence emphasizes Janaki Ammal’s achievement, explaining that she successfully created sugarcane hybrids that are well suited to India’s climate by crossbreeding an imported sugarcane species with grasses native to India.
• Choice B is incorrect. The sentence emphasizes the goal of the Imperial Sugar Cane Institute in the 1930s; it doesn’t emphasize Janaki Ammal’s achievement.
• Choice C is incorrect. While the sentence mentions Ammal, it doesn’t emphasize her achievement of successfully creating sugarcane hybrids.
• Choice D is incorrect. While the sentence mentions the achievement of crossbreeding imported sugarcane species with grasses native to India, it doesn’t emphasize the achievement as belonging to Janaki Ammal.

• Choice B is the best answer. The sentence emphasizes a similarity between the sculptures Recognition and Students Aspire, noting that both sculptures show African American figures in poses that symbolize supportive relationships.
• Choice A is incorrect. The sentence describes one of the sculptures; it doesn’t emphasize a similarity between the two sculptures.
• Choice C is incorrect. The sentence specifies the different years the sculptures were completed in; it doesn’t emphasize a similarity between the two sculptures.
• Choice D is incorrect. The sentence emphasizes a difference between the two sculptures, noting that the figures in the sculptures have different feature definition; it doesn’t emphasize a similarity between the two sculptures.