In a study by Mika R. Moran, Daniel A. Rodriguez, and colleagues, residents of Panama City, Panama, and Fortaleza, Brazil, were surveyed about parks in their cities. Of the 318 respondents from Panama City, 53.5% indicated that they use the city’s parks, and of 938 respondents from Fortaleza 35.7% indicated using city parks. Given that the percentage of Panama City respondents who reported living within a 10-minute walk of a park was much lower than that reported by Fortaleza respondents, greater proximity alone can’t explain the difference in park use.

The text makes which point about the difference between the proportions of Panama City residents and Fortaleza residents using parks?
A)It was much larger than the researchers conducting the study expected.
B)It could be due to inaccuracies in the survey results.
C)It was calculated using sources that predate the survey.
D)It is caused by something other than the parks’ proximity to the residents.

Correct Answer:
D

Explanation:
The text states that the difference in park use between Panama City and Fortaleza cannot be explained by proximity alone, as the percentage of Panama City respondents living within a 10-minute walk of a park was much lower than that of Fortaleza respondents. This implies that other factors besides proximity are influencing park use.

Understanding the Text: The text highlights that proximity to parks does not fully explain the difference in park usage between the two cities.
Analyzing the Options:
A: The text does not mention researchers' expectations.
B: There is no mention of inaccuracies in the survey.
C: The text does not discuss sources predating the survey.
D: The text explicitly states that greater proximity alone can't explain the difference, suggesting other causes.
Conclusion: Option D is the correct choice as it aligns with the text's explanation.

The following text is adapted from Daniel Defoe’s 1704 nonfiction book The Storm.

The sermon is a sound of words spoken to the ear, and prepared only for present meditation and extends no farther than the strength of memory can convey it; a book printed is a record, remaining in every man’s possession, always ready to renew its acquaintance with his memory, and always ready to be produced as an authority or voucher to any reports he makes out of it, and conveys its contents for ages to come, to the eternity- of mortal time, when the author is forgotten in his grave.

Which choice best states the main ideas of the text?


A)People are less likely to forget a message when they hear it spoken aloud than they are when they read it in print.


B)Unless a spoken message is delivered by [a confident orator, it may be] ignored.


C)Most authors have little hope of being remembered well past their lifetimes.


D)Words committed to print have a greater permeance than messages that are merely spoken aloud.
=======================================
Correct Answer: D

Explanation:
The passage contrasts the transient nature of spoken words, such as sermons, with the enduring nature of printed books.

Spoken words: Described as 'a sound of words spoken to the ear' and 'prepared only for present meditation,' indicating their temporary nature.
Printed books: Described as 'a record, remaining in every man's possession,' and 'conveys its contents for ages to come,' highlighting their permanence.
Thus, the main idea is that printed words have greater permanence than spoken words, aligning with choice D.

The Far Side of the World, first published in 1984, is a novel in Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series, which includes twenty books plus an unfinished fragment of a twenty-first. Like the rest of the books in the series, The Far Side of the World has a rather abrupt ending, but the following book, The Reverse of the Medal, picks up neatly where The Far Side of the World leaves off. Thus, the sudden ending is only an issue if one considers the books as independent texts—the Aubrey/Maturin series is best thought of as a single incredibly long work, similar to other multivolume stories, such as John Galsworthy’s The Forsyte Saga.

Which choice best states the main ideas of the text?

A)It is unfair that the Aubrey/Maturin series does not have the critical reputation of The Forsyte Saga, which has a similar structure.

B)The Far Side of the World and The Reverse of the Medal are [two] of the most complex of Patrick O’Brian’s [novels of the Aubrey/Maturin series] with unconventional structures.

C)The structure of each of the novels of the Aubrey/Maturin series suggests that the series should be considered a single continuous story.

D)Many readers find the Aubrey/Maturin novels to be remarkably entertaining despite flaws novels’ structures.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:
The passage discusses how 'The Far Side of the World' has an abrupt ending, but this is not an issue if the books are considered as part of a single, continuous story. This aligns with option C, which states that the structure of the novels suggests they should be considered a single continuous story. The passage does not discuss critical reputation (A), complexity (B), or reader entertainment (D).

In a study by Mika R. Moran, Daniel A. Rodriguez, and colleagues, residents of Quito, Ecuador, and Bogotá, Colombia, were surveyed about parks in their cities. Of the 618 respondents from Quito, 82.9% indicated that they use the city’s parks, and of the 1,121 respondents from Bogotá, 71.9% indicated using city parks. Given that the percentage of Quito respondents who reported living within a 10-minute walk of a park was much lower than that reported by Bogotá respondents, greater proximity alone can’t explain the difference in park use.

The text makes which point about the difference between the proportions of Quito residents and Bogotá residents using parks?

A)It was much larger than the researchers conducting the study expected.

B)It could be due to inaccuracies in the survey results.

C)It was calculated using sources that predate the survey.

D)It is caused by something other than the parks’ proximity to city residents.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:
The passage states that the percentage of Quito respondents living within a 10-minute walk of a park was much lower than that of Bogotá respondents, yet a higher percentage of Quito residents use the parks. This suggests that the difference in park use is not due to proximity, indicating that other factors must be responsible for the difference.

Life Among the Paiutes is an 1882 autobiographical narrative by Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins. In the work, Winnemucca directly addresses the reader to establish her uthority an credibility, writing _____

Which quotation from Life Among the Paiutes most effectively illustrates the claim?

A)"My dear reader, I have not lived in this world for over thirty or forty years for nothing, and I know what I am talking about."

B)"I was born somewhere near 1844, but am not sure of the precise time."

C)"Oh, dear readers, these soldiers had gone only sixty miles away to Muddy Lake, where my people were then living and fishing."

D)"But how can I describe the scene that followed? Some of you, dear readers, can imagine."

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:
The quotation in option A, 'My dear reader, I have not lived in this world for over thirty or forty years for nothing, and I know what I am talking about,' directly addresses the reader and establishes the author's authority and credibility. This statement emphasizes the author's experience and knowledge, which supports the claim of establishing authority and credibility.

Option B mentions the author's birth year but does not establish authority or credibility.
Option C provides a narrative detail but does not directly address the author's authority.
Option D is more about engaging the reader's imagination rather than establishing credibility.

Writer Silvia Moreno-Garcia's love of short fiction began when she read a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s stories as a child, and she would develop into a prolific short story writer herself, publishing pieces like “Ahuizotl” (2015) and “Water” (2007). Yet she’s best known as novelist, in part due to her ___ Gothic (2020) earning a spot on the New York Times Best Sellers list.

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

A)novel (Mexican

B)novel Mexican

C)novel: Mexican

D)novel, Mexican

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:
The correct choice is D: 'novel, Mexican Gothic'.

Explanation:
The text is referring to a specific title, 'Mexican Gothic', which is a novel.
The other options do not correctly use punctuation to indicate that 'Mexican Gothic' is the title of the novel.

Hard SAT Math question rationale.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) tracks comparative price list data for its thirty-eight member countries. According to this data, in July 2021, a "basket" of goods and services priced at 100 US dollars (USD) in the United States would have cost 62 USD in fellow OECD member ______

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

A)nation Chile.

B)nation: Chile.

C)nation, Chile.

D)nation—Chile.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:
The correct choice is B: 'nation: Chile.'

A colon is used to introduce a list, explanation, or a specific example. In this context, 'Chile' is an example of a nation, so a colon is appropriate.
A: 'nation Chile.' lacks punctuation to properly introduce the example.
C: 'nation, Chile.' uses a comma, which is not typically used to introduce an example or explanation.
D: 'nation—Chile.' uses a dash, which is more informal and not suitable for this context.

Hard SAT Math question rationale

At 1,006 meters, the Forth Road Bridge in the United Kingdom is one of the longest suspension bridges in the ___ the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge in Turkey, at 14,08 meters, is even longer.

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

A) world, but,

B) world,

C) world, but

D) world but

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:
The sentence requires a conjunction to connect two independent clauses. The correct punctuation is a comma before 'but' to separate the clauses. Therefore, 'world, but' is the correct choice.

Clause 1: 'At 1,006 meters, the Forth Road Bridge in the United Kingdom is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world,'
Clause 2: 'the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge in Turkey, at 1,408 meters, is even longer.'
Using 'world, but' correctly joins these clauses.

Hard SAT Math question rationale

Hard SAT Math question rationale

Hard SAT Math question rationale

Hard SAT Math question rationale

Hard SAT Math Question Rational