betterMateusz/SAT_Writting_Reading_Assessment_Question_Bank huggingface dataset:
In habitats with limited nutrients, certain fungus species grow on the roots of trees, engaging in mutually beneﬁcial
relationships known as ectomycorrhizae: in this symbiotic exchange, the tree provides the fungus with carbon, a nutrient
necessary for both species, and the fungus ______ by enhancing the tree’s ability to absorb nitrogen, another key nutrient,
from the soil.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) overreacts
B) reciprocates
C) retaliates
D) deviates

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of ectomycorrhizae relationships. In
this context, “reciprocates” means responds in kind or degree. The text indicates that the relationship between certain fungi
and trees in some habitats is “mutually beneﬁcial” and involves a “symbiotic exchange” in which each organism helps the
other access an important nutrient. In other words, each organism provides the same kind of beneﬁt it receives: the tree
provides a nutrient (carbon) for the fungus and the fungus reciprocates by helping the tree to absorb more of another
nutrient (nitrogen).
Choice A is incorrect because the text emphasizes that the relationship between certain fungi and trees in some habitats
involves a “symbiotic exchange” in which each organism helps the other access an important nutrient. Nothing in the text
suggests that the fungus “overreacts,” or responds too strongly, by allowing the tree to be better able to absorb a beneﬁcial
nutrient. Choice C is incorrect because “retaliates” means responds to a harmful action with a similarly harmful action. The
text indicates that the relationship between certain fungi and trees in some habitats is “mutually beneﬁcial” and involves a
“symbiotic exchange” in which each organism helps the other, not that the relationship is one in which the organisms harm
one another. Choice D is incorrect. In this context, “deviates” would mean departs from an established course or norm. The
text explains that the relationship between certain fungi and trees in some habitats involves a “symbiotic exchange” in which
each organism helps the other access an important nutrient. Because the relationship involves beneﬁts for both the fungus
and the tree, it wouldn’t make sense to say that the fungus deviates by helping the tree be better able to absorb a beneﬁcial
nutrient.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
When particles are suspended in liquid (like pollen in a water glass), they will zigzag randomly through the liquid and collide
with one another in perpetuity. This type of random, continuous ______ is known as Brownian motion, can be observed
throughout the natural world.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) movement: which
B) movement, which
C) movement which
D) movement. Which

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer. This choice correctly uses commas to set off the nonessential relative clause "which is known
as Brownian motion" that provides extra information about the "random, continuous movement" that isn’t necessary for the
function of the sentence.
Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error. The relative clause "which is known as Brownian motion" is a
nonessential supplement. Nonessential supplements need to be set apart from the rest of the sentence with a pair of
commas, dashes, or parentheses, so we can’t use a colon here. Also, notice that colons can only come after an independent
clause, which isn’t the case here. Choice C is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error. The relative clause "which
is known as Brownian motion" is a nonessential supplement, so it should be separated from the rest of the sentence by a
pair of matching punctuation marks. We already have a comma after "motion," so we need to add a comma before "which."
This choice is missing that comma. Choice D is incorrect. This choice results in a sentence fragment. "This type of random,
continuous movement" is not an independent clause and can’t stand alone as a full sentence, so we can’t put a period here.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Typically, underlines, scribbles, and notes left in the margins by a former owner lower a book’s ______ when the former owner
is a famous poet like Walt Whitman, such markings, known as marginalia, can be a gold mine to literary scholars.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) value, but
B) value
C) value,
D) value but

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of independent clauses within a sentence. An
independent clause is a phrase containing a subject and a verb that can stand on its own as a sentence. This choice uses a
comma and the coordinating conjunction “but” to join the ﬁrst independent clause (“underlines…lower a book’s value”) and
the second independent clause (“such markings…can be a gold mine to scholars”) to create a compound sentence.
Choice B is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two independent clauses are fused without punctuation
and/or a conjunction. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark
the boundary between two independent clauses. Choice D is incorrect because a comma is needed to mark the boundary
between two coordinated independent clauses.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
A second-generation Japanese American, Wataru Misaka ______ in World War II (1941-45) and won two amateur national
basketball championships at the University of Utah when he joined the New York Knicks for the 1947-48 season, becoming
the ﬁrst non-white basketball player in the US’s top professional league.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) already served
B) was already serving
C) already serves
D) had already served

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the New York Knicks in 1947. To show that a
past occurrence took place before another past occurrence, we need to use “had” + the past tense form of the verb. This is
called the past perfect tense.
Choice A is incorrect. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the Knicks. Both events are in the past, but his service
in World War II happened earlier, so we need a verb that makes it clear that his service (and the two national championships)
had ended by the time he joined the Knicks. Choice B is incorrect. “Was already serving” forms the continuous past tense,
which we use when we’re showing a past action that was ongoing. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the
Knicks. Both events are in the past, but they’re not happening at the same time, so we shouldn’t use the continuous past
tense here. Choice C is incorrect. Misaka served in World War II in the past, so we shouldn’t use the present tense “serves.”

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Researchers have struggled to pinpoint speciﬁc causes for hiccups, which happen when a person’s diaphragm contracts
______. However, neuroscientist Kimberley Whitehead has found that these uncontrollable contractions may play an
important role in helping infants regulate their breathing.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) involuntarily
B) beneﬁcially
C) strenuously
D) smoothly

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of diaphragm contractions and
hiccups. In this context, “involuntarily” means done without any control, or by reﬂex. The text explains that when a person’s
diaphragm repeatedly contracts and results in hiccups (which may be beneﬁcial for infants), those muscle contractions are
“uncontrollable.” This context indicates that the diaphragm contractions occur without the person’s control.
Choice B is incorrect because it wouldn’t support the logical relationship established in the text’s discussion of diaphragm
contractions and hiccups. The text indicates that although speciﬁc causes for hiccups haven’t been identiﬁed, it may be the
case that the muscle contractions that occur have an important purpose in infants. It wouldn’t make sense to say that even
though the contractions occur “beneﬁcially,” or with a good or helpful effect, they might play a positive role in infants’
breathing regulation. Choice C is incorrect because the text indicates that the diaphragm contractions that result in hiccups
are “uncontrollable.” Because those muscle contractions are described as happening automatically and without the person’s
control, it wouldn’t make sense to describe them as occurring “strenuously,” or in a way that requires great effort or energy.
Choice D is incorrect because the text doesn’t describe the quality of the diaphragm contractions that result in hiccups
beyond stating that they are “uncontrollable.” Nothing in the text indicates that those muscle contractions occur “smoothly,”
or evenly and continuously.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
In paleontology, the term “Elvis taxon” gets applied to a newly identiﬁed living species that was once presumed to be extinct.
Like an Elvis impersonator who might bear a striking resemblance to the late musical icon Elvis Presley himself, an Elvis
taxon is not the real thing, ______ is a misidentiﬁed look-alike.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) however but it
B) however it
C) however, it
D) however. It

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The clause “Like an Elvis impersonator…real thing” and the clause “it is…look-alike” are both
independent clauses, so making them into two separate sentences is grammatically correct. 
Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. The clause “Like an Elvis impersonator…real thing” and the
clause “it is…look-alike” are both independent clauses, so they need to be separated with at least a comma + a coordinating
conjunction. This choice provides the coordinating conjunction “but,” but it’s missing a comma. Choice B is incorrect. This
choice creates a run-on sentence error. The clause “Like an Elvis impersonator…real thing” and the clause “it is…look-alike”
are both independent clauses, so they need to be separated with a semicolon, a colon, a dash, a period, or a comma + a
coordinating conjunction. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. The clause “Like an Elvis
impersonator…real thing” and the clause “it is…look-alike” are both independent clauses, so they need to be separated with at
least a comma + a coordinating conjunction. This choice provides a comma, but it’s missing a coordinating conjunction.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Research conducted by planetary scientist Katarina Miljkovic suggests that the Moon’s surface may not accurately ______
early impact events. When the Moon was still forming, its surface was softer, and asteroid or meteoroid impacts would have
left less of an impression; thus, evidence of early impacts may no longer be present.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) reﬂect
B) receive
C) evaluate
D) mimic

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the Moon’s surface. In this context,
“reﬂect” means show or make apparent. The text states that because the surface of the Moon was softer when the Moon
was still forming than it is now, early asteroid and meteoroid impacts “would have left less of an impression” and, as a result,
evidence of them may no longer exist. This context supports the idea that the surface of the Moon may not accurately show
signs of early impact events.
Choice B is incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense to say that the surface of the Moon may not accurately “receive,” or
acquire or experience, early impacts from asteroids or meteoroids. The text indicates that the impacts have already
occurred, and it isn’t clear how the Moon’s surface could be accurate or inaccurate in experiencing them. Choice C is
incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense to say that the surface of the Moon may not accurately “evaluate,” or determine the
signiﬁcance or condition of, early impacts from asteroids or meteoroids, since that would suggest that it’s possible for the
Moon’s surface to make a decision of any kind. Choice D is incorrect. In this context, “mimic” would mean to deliberately
simulate or closely imitate something. It wouldn’t make sense to say that the surface of the Moon may not accurately mimic
early asteroid and meteoroid impacts, since that would suggest that it’s possible for the Moon to deliberately imitate
something.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
In 1937, Chinese American screen actor Anna May Wong, who had portrayed numerous villains and secondary characters
but never a heroine, ﬁnally got a starring role in Paramount Pictures’ Daughter of Shanghai, a ﬁlm that ______ “expanded the
range of possibilities for Asian images on screen.”

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) critic, Stina Chyn, claims
B) critic, Stina Chyn, claims,
C) critic Stina Chyn claims
D) critic Stina Chyn, claims,

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The conventions being tested are punctuation use between titles and proper nouns and
between verbs and integrated quotations. No punctuation is needed to set off the proper noun “Stina Chyn” from the title that
describes Chyn, “critic.” Because “Stina Chyn” is essential information identifying the “critic,” no punctuation is necessary.
Further, no punctuation is needed between the verb “claims” and the following quotation because the quotation is integrated
into the structure of the sentence.
Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed before or after the proper noun “Stina Chyn.” Setting the critic’s
name off with commas suggests that it could be removed without affecting the coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the
case. Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed before or after the proper noun “Stina Chyn.” Setting the critic’s
name off with commas suggests that it could be removed without affecting the coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the
case. Additionally, no punctuation is needed between “claims” and the integrated quotation. Choice D is incorrect because
no punctuation is needed between the verb “claims” and its subject, “critic Stina Chyn.” Additionally, no punctuation is
needed between the verb “claims” and the integrated quotation.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
When writing The Other Black Girl (2021), novelist Zakiya Dalila Harris drew on her own experiences working at a publishing
oﬃce. The award-winning book is Harris’s ﬁrst novel, but her writing ______ honored before. At the age of twelve, she entered
a contest to have a story published in American Girl magazine—and won.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) were
B) have been
C) has been
D) are

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb “has been” agrees in
number with the singular subject “writing.”
Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb “were” doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject “writing.” Choice B is
incorrect because the plural verb “have been” doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject “writing.” Choice D is
incorrect because the plural verb “are” doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject “writing.”

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Studying late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century artifacts from an agricultural and domestic site in Texas, archaeologist
Ayana O. Flewellen found that Black women employed as farm workers utilized hook-and-eye closures to fasten their clothes
at the waist, giving themselves a silhouette similar to the one that was popular in contemporary fashion and typically
achieved through more restrictive garments such as corsets. Flewellen argues that this sartorial practice shows that these
women balanced hegemonic ideals of femininity with the requirements of their physically demanding occupation.

Question: Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A) To describe an unexpected discovery that altered a researcher’s view of how rapidly fashions among Black female
farmworkers in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Texas changed during the period
B) To discuss research that investigated the ways in which Black female farmworkers in late nineteenth- and early
twentieth-century Texas used fashion practices to resist traditional gender ideals
C) To evaluate a scholarly work that offers explanations for the impact of urban fashion ideals on Black female farmworkers
in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Texas
D) To summarize the ﬁndings of a study that explored factors inﬂuencing a fashion practice among Black female

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The text provides an overview of a scholarly work discussing the fashion practices of Black
female farmworkers in late 19th- and early 20th-century Texas, and how these practices were inﬂuenced by both the fashion
ideals of the time and the demands of farmwork.
Choice A is incorrect. The text never discusses the rate of fashion change among Black female farmworkers. The text also
never categorizes Flewellen’s ﬁndings as "unexpected." Choice B is incorrect. The text actually explains that Black female
farmworkers were trying to achieve traditional feminine ideals, not resist them. Choice C is incorrect. The text doesn’t
evaluate a scholarly work but rather simply describes it. Furthermore, the text is focused on "agricultural and domestic"
fashion, not urban fashion as this choice suggests.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Logically, a damaged fossil should provide less information than an intact one, but for paleontologist Brigitte Schoenemann,
a broken area on a fossilized trilobite (a crustacean-like creature) ______ fresh insight, allowing her to view the inner structure
of the organism’s eye.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) resolved
B) adjusted
C) offered
D) directed

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion about how, for Schoenemann, a
damaged trilobite fossil was informative. In context, “offered” means provided or gave. The text suggests that although it
may seem counterintuitive, a broken fossilized trilobite allowed Schoenemann to observe more details of the trilobite’s eye
than an intact fossilized trilobite would. This context conveys the idea that a damaged fossil offered, or provided, fresh
insight into the structure of a trilobite’s eye.
Choice A is incorrect because “resolved” means determined or ﬁgured out, which wouldn’t make sense in this context. The
text focuses on how Schoenemann was able to get more information from a broken fossil than an intact one. Although the
damaged fossil may have allowed her to determine certain information, as an inanimate object the fossil isn’t capable of
resolving anything. Choice B is incorrect because saying that the broken part of a trilobite fossil “adjusted,” or changed or
modiﬁed, fresh insight wouldn’t make sense in this context. The text focuses on how Schoenemann was able to get more
information from a broken fossil than an intact one. This context suggests that the fossil offered fresh insight, or
understanding, not that it adjusted fresh insight. Choice D is incorrect because “directed” means managed or instructed,
which wouldn’t make sense in this context. The text focuses on how Schoenemann was able to get more information from a
broken fossil than an intact one. This context suggests that the fossil offered fresh insight, or understanding, not that it
directed fresh insight.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
In winter, the diets of Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys, are inﬂuenced more by food availability than by
food preference. Although the monkeys prefer to eat vegetation and land-dwelling invertebrates, those food sources may
become unavailable because of extensive snow and ice cover, ______ the monkeys to hunt for marine animals in any streams
that have not frozen over.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) forces
B) to force
C) forcing
D) forced

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of ﬁnite and nonﬁnite verb forms within a sentence. The
nonﬁnite present participle “forcing” is correctly used to form a participial phrase that supplements the main clause
“those...cover,” describing the effects on monkeys of the lack of food sources.
Choice A is incorrect because the ﬁnite present tense verb “forces” can’t be used in this way to supplement the main clause
(“those...cover”). Choice B is incorrect. While the nonﬁnite to-inﬁnitive “to force” could be used to form a subordinate clause
that supplements the main clause (“those...cover”), to-inﬁnitives conventionally express purpose, and nothing in the
sentence suggests that the food sources become unavailable for the purpose of forcing monkeys to hunt marine animals.
Choice D is incorrect because the ﬁnite past tense verb “forced” can’t be used in this way to supplement the main clause
(“those...cover”).

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Sumerian civilization (which lasted from around 3300 to 2000 BCE) ______ many concepts that persist into present-day
civilizations: for example, the ﬁrst description of the seven-day week appears in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) transformed
B) introduced
C) inherited
D) overlooked

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the contributions of the Sumerian
civilization. In this context, “introduced” means brought into practice or use. The text states that the ﬁrst reference to a
seven-day week appears in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. The text presents this information about the seven-day week as
an example of a concept introduced by the Sumerian civilization that persists into present-day civilizations. 
Choice A is incorrect because nothing in the text suggests that the Sumerian civilization “transformed,” or changed the
nature of, concepts that persist into present-day civilizations. Instead, the text’s presentation of a Sumerian literary work that
contains the ﬁrst description of the seven-day week is an example of the phenomenon described in the ﬁrst half of the
sentence, suggesting that the Sumerians invented many concepts that still persist. Choice C is incorrect because the
information that a Sumerian literary work includes the ﬁrst description of the seven-day week suggests that Sumerian
civilization may have originated the seven-day week and other concepts that persist into present-day civilizations, not that it
“inherited” the concepts, or received them from an ancestral ﬁgure or culture. Choice D is incorrect because the information
that Sumerian civilization produced the ﬁrst description of the seven-day week is presented as an example of the
phenomenon described in the ﬁrst half of the sentence, suggesting that Sumerian civilization originated this and other
concepts that still persist, not that the Sumerians “overlooked,” or failed to notice or consider, such concepts.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Materials scientist Marie-Agathe Charpagne and her colleagues believed they could improve on the multicomponent alloy
NiCoCr, an equal-proportions mixture of nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and chromium (Cr), by replacing chromium with ruthenium
______ the alloy that resulted, NiCoRu, turned out to be an unsuitable replacement for NiCoCr.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) (Ru)
B) (Ru) but
C) (Ru),
D) (Ru), but

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of main clauses. This choice correctly uses a
comma and the coordinating conjunction “but” to join the ﬁrst main clause (“Materials…Ru”) and the second main clause
(“the alloy…NiCoCr”).
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two main clauses are fused without punctuation and/or a
conjunction. Choice B is incorrect because when coordinating two longer main clauses such as these, it’s conventional to
use a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Without a
conjunction following it, a comma can’t be used in this way to join two main clauses.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
In most building demolitions, the building materials are destroyed and sent to landﬁlls. City oﬃcials in Portland, Oregon,
wanted to reduce this waste. The oﬃcials passed a law requiring demolition companies to deconstruct some buildings
instead. Deconstruction involves carefully taking buildings apart piece by piece. Damage to the materials is avoided so that
they can be reused in new constructions. A 2019 study found that 27 percent of materials from deconstructions in Portland
were able to be reused. The remaining materials were processed for recycling instead of going to a landﬁll.

Question: Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A) To explain an effort made by the city of Portland to reduce demolition waste and some results of that effort
B) To show that popular support for measures that reduce demolition waste has increased since 2019
C) To argue that building deconstruction is not as effective as other measures at reducing demolition waste
D) To discuss laws aimed to reduce demolition waste in Portland and compare them to similar laws in other cities

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The author ﬁrst describes a Portland law aimed at reducing demolition waste, and then goes on
to explain that 27% of materials from building deconstructions were able to be reused and the rest were recycled.
Choice B is incorrect. The text never discusses the popularity of the law. Choice C is incorrect. The text never compares
building deconstruction to other measures designed to reduce demolition waste. Choice D is incorrect. The text never
mentions laws in cities other than Portland, Oregon.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Luci Tapahonso is the inaugural poet laureate of the Navajo Nation. Her book Sáanii Dahataal/The Women Are Singing—a
combination of ﬁction and memoir, poetry and ______ serves as a testament to her versatility as a writer.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) prose;
B) prose
C) prose,
D) prose—

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. “A combination of ﬁction and memoir, poetry and prose” is a nonessential supplement, so it
needs to be set off from the rest of the sentence with a pair of matching punctuation marks. We already have a dash at the
beginning of the supplement, so we need to add a dash at the end of the supplement to match. 
Choice A is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. “A
combination of ﬁction and memoir, poetry and prose” is a nonessential supplement, so it needs to be set off from the rest of
the sentence with a pair of matching punctuation marks. We already have a dash at the beginning of the supplement, so we
need to add a dash at the end of the supplement to match. Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that
conforms to the conventions of Standard English. “A combination of ﬁction and memoir, poetry and prose” is a nonessential
supplement, so it needs to be set off from the rest of the sentence with a pair of matching punctuation marks. We already
have a dash at the beginning of the supplement, so we need to add a dash at the end of the supplement to match. Choice C
is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. “A combination of
ﬁction and memoir, poetry and prose” is a nonessential supplement, so it needs to be set off from the rest of the sentence
with a pair of matching punctuation marks. We already have a dash at the beginning of the supplement, so we need to add a
dash at the end of the supplement to match.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Following the principles of community-based participatory research, tribal nations and research institutions are equal
partners in health studies conducted on reservations. A collaboration between the Crow Tribe and Montana State University   ‐
______ this model: tribal citizens worked alongside scientists to design the methodology and continue to assist in data
collection.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) circumvents
B) eclipses
C) fabricates
D) exempliﬁes

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the collaboration between the Crow
Tribe and Montana State University. As used in this context, “exempliﬁes” means demonstrates. The text conveys how the
Crow Tribe–Montana State University collaboration serves to illustrate the model of community-based participatory research
introduced earlier in the text and expanded on later in the text. 
Choice A is incorrect because referring to “circumvents,” or avoids, wouldn’t make sense in context. The text suggests that
the Crow Tribe–Montana State University collaboration serves as an example of the principles of community-based
participatory research, not that the collaboration evades this model. Choice B is incorrect because referring to “eclipses,” or
overshadows, wouldn’t make sense in context. The text describes the Crow Tribe–Montana State University collaboration as
an equal partnership, which indicates that it’s an example of the community-based participatory research model, not that it
overshadows the model. Choice C is incorrect because saying that the collaboration “fabricates,” or creates, the model
wouldn’t make sense in context. The text indicates that the Crow Tribe–Montana State University collaboration serves as an
example of the model, not that it created the model.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
According to Indian economist and sociologist Radhakamal Mukerjee (1889–1968), the Eurocentric concepts that informed
early twentieth-century social scientiﬁc methods—for example, the idea that all social relations are reducible to struggles
between individuals—had little relevance for India. Making the social sciences more responsive to Indians’ needs, Mukerjee
argued, required constructing analytical categories informed by India’s cultural and ecological circumstances. Mukerjee thus
proposed the communalist “Indian village” as the ideal model on which to base Indian economic and social policy.

Question: Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
A) The text recounts Mukerjee’s early training in the social scientiﬁc disciplines and then lists social policies whose
implementation Mukerjee oversaw.
B) The text mentions some of Mukerjee’s economic theories and then traces their impact on other Indian social scientists of
the twentieth century.
C) The text presents Mukerjee’s critique of the social sciences and then provides an example of his attempts to address
issues he identiﬁed in his critique.
D) The text explains an inﬂuential economic theory and then demonstrates how that theory was more important to

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The text does indeed present Mukerjee’s critique of the social sciences—that they were too
Eurocentric—and then provides an example of how he attempted to address the issues he identiﬁed: by suggesting a social
science model based on the Indian village.
Choice A is incorrect. The text doesn’t discuss Mukerjee’s early training or his oversight of the implementation of social
policies at all. Choice B is incorrect. The text never discusses any other Indian social scientists. Choice D is incorrect. The
text never mentions other social scientists’ responses to Mukerjee’s work.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Raymond Antrobus, an accomplished poet and writer of prose, recently released his debut spoken word poetry album, The
First Time I Wore Hearing Aids, in collaboration with producer Ian Brennan. The album contains both autobiographical and
reﬂective pieces combining Antrobus’s spoken words with Brennan’s fragmented audio elements and pieces of music to
convey how people who are deaf may experience sound, both its presence and absence. Some critics suggest that the
album questions the function of sound in the world, highlighting that the experience of sound is multifaceted.

Question: Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
A) It introduces a collaborative spoken word poetry project, details the approach taken to produce the work, and then
provides an example of critique the album received upon release.
B) It mentions a collection of spoken word poems, distinguishes one poem as being an exemplar on the album, and then
offers a summary of the subject matter of the whole collection.
C) It summarizes the efforts to produce a collection of spoken word poems, presents biographies of two people who
worked on the album, and speculates about the meaning behind the poetry.
D) It connects two artists to the same spoken word poetry project, explains the extent of their collaboration on each poem,

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The text ﬁrst introduces the album as being a collaboration between Antrobus and Brennan,
then describes the approach taken to produce it, then mentions how critics have said that it calls into question the function
of sound.
Choice B is incorrect. While the text does mention a collection of spoken word poems, it doesn’t single out one poem as
being particularly noteworthy. Additionally, the text doesn’t simply summarize the subject matter—it goes into detail about
the content and production of the album. Choice C is incorrect. The text doesn’t provide biographical information about the
two artists, and the text doesn’t speculate about the meaning behind the poetry—instead, it relays what some critics have
said about the album. Choice D is incorrect. The text doesn’t provide just an overview of the production techniques used but
instead goes into more detail about the content and audio elements of the album, as well as critical response to the album.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Some economic historians ______ that late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century households in the United States
experienced an economy of scale when it came to food purchases—they assumed that large households spent less on food
per person than did small households. Economist Trevon Logan showed, however, that a close look at the available data
disproves this supposition.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) surmised
B) contrived
C) questioned
D) regretted

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-
century household food purchases. In this context, “surmised” means formed an idea or assumption with little evidence. The
text explains that certain economic historians “assumed” that large and small households spent different amounts on food
per person, but that another economist found this supposition to be false based on evidence from available data. This
context suggests that the economic historians made an incorrect assumption without enough consideration of evidence.
Choice B is incorrect. In this context, “contrived” would mean brought about or created through trickery. Nothing in the text
suggests that the economic historians were deliberately trying to trick people with a claim about food purchasing behaviors
in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century households; the text simply suggests that they made an assumption about
those behaviors that another historian believes isn’t supported by the available data. Choice C is incorrect because the text
indicates that it’s Logan and not the economic historians who “questioned,” or doubted, the assumption that large and small
households in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries spent different amounts on food per person; the economic
historians are the ones who made that assumption to begin with. Choice D is incorrect because nothing in the text suggests
that some economic historians “regretted,” or felt sad or remorseful about, the food purchasing behaviors of late nineteenth-
and early twentieth-century households. The text focuses on the idea that the economic historians made an assumption
about those behaviors that may not be supported by available data, not on the historians’ emotional response to what
households did in the past.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Photosynthesis, the mechanism by which plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into ______ is fueled in part by
an enzyme called Photosystem II that harvests energy-giving electrons from water molecules.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) nutrients
B) nutrients and
C) nutrients,
D) nutrients—

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of a supplementary element within a sentence.
The comma after “nutrients” pairs with the comma after “photosynthesis” to separate the supplementary element “the
mechanism by which plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into nutrients” from the rest of the sentence. This
supplementary element functions to deﬁne the term “photosynthesis,” and the pair of commas indicates that this element
could be removed without affecting the grammatical coherence of the sentence.
Choice A is incorrect because it fails to use appropriate punctuation to separate the supplementary element from the rest of
the sentence. Choice B is incorrect because a conjunction can’t be paired with a comma in this way to separate the
supplementary element from the rest of the sentence. Choice D is incorrect because a dash can’t be paired with a comma in
this way to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Musician Joni Mitchell, who is also a painter, uses images she creates for her album covers to emphasize ideas expressed in
her music. For the cover of her album Turbulent Indigo (1994), Mitchell painted a striking self-portrait that closely resembles
Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1889). The image calls attention to the album’s title song, in which
Mitchell sings about the legacy of the postimpressionist painter. In that song, Mitchell also hints that she feels a strong
artistic connection to Van Gogh—an idea that is reinforced by her imagery on the cover.

Question: Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
A) It presents a claim about Mitchell, then gives an example supporting that claim.
B) It discusses Van Gogh’s inﬂuence on Mitchell, then considers Mitchell’s inﬂuence on other artists.
C) It describes a similarity between two artists, then notes a difference between them.
D) It describes the songs on Turbulent Indigo, then explains how they relate to the album’s cover.

Answer: A

Rationale: 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.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Researchers studying magnetosensation have determined why some soil-dwelling roundworms in the Southern Hemisphere
move in the opposite direction of Earth’s magnetic ﬁeld when searching for ______ in the Northern Hemisphere, the magnetic
ﬁeld points down, into the ground, but in the Southern Hemisphere, it points up, toward the surface and away from worms’
food sources.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) food:
B) food,
C) food while
D) food

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is colon use within a sentence. A colon used in this way introduces
information that illustrates or explains information that has come before it. In this case, the colon introduces the following
explanation of why some roundworms in the Southern Hemisphere move in the opposite direction of Earth’s magnetic ﬁeld.
Choice B is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to join two long independent
clauses (“Researchers…food” and “in…sources”) such as these. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence.
The two clauses (“Researchers…food” and “in…sources”) are fused without punctuation. Furthermore, the conjunction “while”
fails to indicate that what follows is an explanation of why some roundworms in the Southern Hemisphere move in the
opposite direction of Earth’s magnetic ﬁeld. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two clauses
(“Researchers…food” and “in…sources”) are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
In 1994, almost 200 years after the death of Wang Zhenyi, the International Astronomical ______ the contributions of the
barrier-breaking 18th-century astronomer and author of “Dispute of the Procession of the Equinoxes,” naming a crater on
Venus after her.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) Union would ﬁnally acknowledge
B) Union to ﬁnally acknowledge
C) Union, having ﬁnally acknowledged
D) Union, ﬁnally acknowledging

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. It’s the only choice that offers a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject
“International Astronomical Union” to make a complete sentence. This might seem like an odd use of “would,” but when
speaking from a point of view in the past, we can actually use “would” to express something that happened later. That’s the
case here: 200 years after Wang Zhenyi’s death, the IAU would ﬁnally acknowledge her contributions.
Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb elsewhere in the sentence, so we need
a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject “the International Astronomical Union” and serve as that main
verb. “To acknowledge” can’t do that. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb
elsewhere in the sentence, so we need a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject “the International
Astronomical Union” and serve as that main verb. “Having acknowledged” can’t do that. Choice D is incorrect. This choice
creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb elsewhere in the sentence, so we need a form of the verb “acknowledge”
that can go with the subject “the International Astronomical Union” and serve as that main verb. The “-ing” form can’t do that.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
According to botanists, a viburnum plant experiencing insect damage may develop erineum—a discolored, felty growth—on
its leaf blades. A ______ viburnum plant, on the other hand, will have leaves with smooth surfaces and uniformly green
coloration.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) struggling
B) beneﬁcial
C) simple
D) healthy

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of damage to viburnum plants. In this
context, “healthy” would mean not distressed or diseased. The text states that insect damage may cause viburnum plants to
be discolored and have abnormal growths. In the next sentence, the phrase “on the other hand” indicates a contrast with the
description of plants suffering from damage. Thus, the context contrasts the appearance of healthy, undamaged plants with
the appearance of damaged plants.
Choice A is incorrect because in this context, “struggling” would mean working against diﬃculties. The text ﬁrst describes
viburnum plants experiencing damage by insects, and the phrase “on the other hand” then establishes a contrast with that
description. It wouldn’t make sense to contrast struggling viburnum plants with those being damaged by insects, because in
both cases the plants would be experiencing diﬃculties. Choice B is incorrect because in this context, “beneﬁcial” would
mean producing good or helpful effects. The text doesn’t discuss how viburnum plants affect other things or suggest that
the plants are helpful in some way; rather, it focuses on how viburnum plants are affected by certain conditions. Choice C is
incorrect because in this context “simple” would mean plain or uncomplicated. The text doesn’t discuss whether certain
viburnum plants are complicated or uncomplicated; rather, it focuses on how viburnum plants are affected by certain
conditions.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure