betterMateusz/SAT_Writting_Reading_Assessment_Question_Bank huggingface dataset:
Studying how workload affects productivity, Maryam Kouchaki and colleagues found that people who chose to do relatively
easy tasks ﬁrst were less ______ compared to those who did hard tasks ﬁrst. Finishing easy tasks gave participants a sense
of accomplishment, but those who tackled hard tasks ﬁrst actually became more skilled and productive workers over time.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) secretive
B) eﬃcient
C) outgoing
D) unsympathetic

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion about Kouchaki and colleagues’
research into how workload affects productivity. In context, “eﬃcient” means effective or well organized. The text indicates
that, according to Kouchaki and colleagues’ research, people who worked on hard tasks ﬁrst were “more skilled and
productive” than those who did easy tasks ﬁrst. This context conveys the idea that despite their sense of accomplishment,
the people who chose to do the easy tasks ﬁrst were less eﬃcient or productive than those who tackled hard tasks ﬁrst. 
Choice A is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest that workers who do easy tasks ﬁrst are less “secretive,”
or uncommunicative or silent, than those who do hard tasks ﬁrst. Rather, the text suggests that people are less skillful or
eﬃcient if they tackle easy tasks before the hard ones. Choice C is incorrect because “outgoing” means openly friendly,
which wouldn’t make sense in this context. The text focuses on Kouchaki and colleagues’ research in which people who
worked on hard tasks ﬁrst were “more skilled and productive” than those who did easy tasks ﬁrst and were therefore less
eﬃcient. Choice D is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest that workers who do easy tasks ﬁrst are less
“unsympathetic,” or insensitive or unkind, than those who do hard tasks ﬁrst. Rather, the text suggests that people are less
skillful or eﬃcient if they tackle easy tasks before the hard ones.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Before the Erie Canal was completed in 1825, transporting goods by wagon between New York City and the Midwest took up
to forty-ﬁve days and cost one hundred dollars per ton. By linking the Hudson River to Lake ______ canal reduced transport
time to nine days and cut costs to six dollars per ton.

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

Answer: C

Rationale: 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 introductory supplementary phrase (“By
linking the Hudson River to Lake Erie”), which identiﬁes how the canal reduced transport time, and the main clause (“the
canal reduced transport time to nine days and cut costs to six dollars per ton”).
Choice A is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between a supplementary phrase
(“By…Erie”) and the main clause (“the canal...ton”). Choice B is incorrect because an open parenthesis can’t be used in this
way to mark the boundary between a supplementary phrase (“By…Erie”) and the main clause (“the canal...ton”). Choice D is
incorrect because a colon can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between an introductory supplementary phrase
(“By…Erie”) and the main clause (“the canal...ton”).

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Based on genetic evidence, archaeologists have generally agreed that reindeer domestication began in the eleventh century
CE. However, since uncovering fragments of a 2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in northern Siberia, ______ may have
begun much earlier.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) researcher Robert Losey has argued that domestication
B) researcher Robert Losey’s argument is that domestication
C) domestication, researcher Robert Losey has argued,
D) the argument researcher Robert Losey has made is that domestication

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modiﬁer placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
“researcher Robert Losey” the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase “since…Siberia.”
In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that researcher Robert Losey—and not another noun in the sentence—is who
uncovered fragments of a 2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in northern Siberia.
Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun phrase “researcher Robert Losey’s
argument” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the “argument” is what uncovered fragments of a
2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in northern Siberia. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer.
The placement of the noun “domestication” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that “domestication”
is what uncovered fragments of a 2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in northern Siberia. Choice D is incorrect because
it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun phrase “the argument” immediately after the modifying phrase
illogically suggests that the “argument” is what uncovered fragments of a 2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in
northern Siberia.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
The alga species Chlorella vulgaris is very eﬃcient at making oxygen. For this reason, scientists are currently exploring ways
to use this species in space. C. vulgaris might be used, for example, to build future biological air exchange systems that
______ oxygen for astronauts.

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

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense. Simple present tense verbs
can be used to describe actions that tend to occur, including in a hypothetical or future scenario. In this case, the simple
present tense verb “produce” indicates what the air exchange systems might be able to do in the future (produce oxygen for
astronauts).
Choice A is incorrect. The present progressive tense verb “are producing” suggests that the oxygen is currently being
produced, not that it might be produced in the future. Choice B is incorrect because the past tense verb “produced” suggests
that the oxygen was produced in the past, not that it might be produced in the future. Choice D is incorrect because the
present perfect tense verb “have produced” suggests that the oxygen has been produced from a point in the past up to the
present, not that it might be produced in the future.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Early in the Great Migration of 1910–1970, which involved the mass migration of Black people from the southern to the
northern United States, political activist and Chicago Defender writer Fannie Barrier Williams was instrumental in helping
other Black women establish themselves in the North. Many women hoped for better employment opportunities in the North
because, in the South, they faced much competition for domestic employment and men tended to get agricultural work. To
aid with this transition, Barrier Williams helped secure job placement in the North for many women before they even began
their journey.

Question: Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A) To introduce and illustrate Barrier Williams’s integral role in supporting other Black women as their circumstances
changed during part of the Great Migration
B) To establish that Barrier Williams used her professional connections to arrange employment for other Black women,
including jobs with the Chicago Defender
C) To demonstrate that the factors that motivated the start of the Great Migration were different for Black women than they
were for Black men
D) To provide an overview of the employment challenges faced by Black women in the agricultural and domestic spheres in

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately describes the text’s purpose, which is to discuss the important role
Barrier Williams played in supporting many other Black women as they relocated to the northern United States during the
early years of the Great Migration. After introducing Barrier Williams, the text describes how she helped ﬁnd jobs for other
Black women, who in many cases relocated in search of better employment prospects than the South could offer at the time.
The text indicates that by doing so, she eased these women’s transition as their circumstances changed.
Choice B is incorrect. Although the text mentions Barrier Williams’s work as a political activist and writer for the Chicago
Defender, it doesn’t discuss any professional connections she made in these roles or indicate that she used any such
connections in her work to secure employment for other Black women. Choice C is incorrect. Although the text discusses a
factor that caused many women to relocate during the Great Migration, their diﬃculty ﬁnding employment in the South, the
text doesn’t indicate that this factor motivated the start of the Great Migration. Moreover, the text doesn’t discuss the factors
that motivated Black men to migrate. Choice D is incorrect. Although the text mentions the diﬃcult employment prospects
for Black women in the domestic and agricultural sectors in the South during the Great Migration, the text’s main purpose
isn’t to provide an overview of the employment challenges Black women faced in these sectors. Rather, it provides this

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
In 1877, 85% of California’s railways were already controlled by the Southern Paciﬁc Railroad. The company further solidiﬁed
its ______ in rail access to the state’s Paciﬁc coast when it completed the Sunset Route in 1883: running from Louisiana to
Southern California, the route established the ﬁrst transcontinental rail line across the southern United States.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) dominance
B) creativity
C) insigniﬁcance
D) neutrality

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer because it most logically and precisely completes the text’s discussion of the Southern Paciﬁc
Railroad. As used in this context, "dominance" means the state of being more successful than others. The text states that
the Southern Paciﬁc Railroad already controlled 85% of California’s railways in 1877, and that the Sunset Route it constructed
in 1883 was the ﬁrst transcontinental rail line across the southern United States. Therefore, the Southern Paciﬁc Railroad
would be more successful than other railroads in the area, and the construction of the Sunset Route would further solidify its
dominance in rail access to California’s coast.
Choice B is incorrect. Although the construction of the Sunset Route must have required some creativity, or use of
imagination, the word "creativity" would not also encompass the fact that the Southern Paciﬁc Railroad already controlled
85% of California’s railways. The text is more focused on the railroad’s control of the ﬁeld and overall success rather than its
imaginative thought processes. Choice C is incorrect because if the Southern Paciﬁc Railroad controlled the majority of
California’s railways, it would not make sense to refer to its "insigniﬁcance," or the state of being unimportant. Rather, the
opposite would be true. Choice D is incorrect because in context it would not make sense to refer to the Southern Paciﬁc
Railroad’s "neutrality," or absence of strong opinion on a matter, since no opinions are mentioned. Nor would "neutrality" in
the sense of impartiality in a conﬂict be a logical or precise choice since no conﬂict is explicitly described. There might be an
implied conﬂict between the Southern Paciﬁc Railroad and other railroads doing business in California, but that is not a
conﬂict in which the Southern Paciﬁc Railroad would take an impartial position.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
During the American Civil War, Thomas Morris Chester braved the front lines as a war correspondent for the Philadelphia
Press. Amplifying the voices and experiences of Black soldiers ______ of particular importance to Chester, who later became
an activist and lawyer during the postwar Reconstruction period.

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

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "was" agrees in
number with the singular subject "amplifying." Gerunds such as "amplifying" are always singular.
Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "were" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Choice B
is incorrect because the plural verb "have been" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Choice C is
incorrect because the plural verb "are" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying."

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
After immigrating from Mexico and obtaining U.S. citizenship, Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo entered politics, earning a
reputation for being a fervent defender of Hispanic civil rights. In 1919 Larrazolo was elected governor of ______ in 1928 he
became the nation’s ﬁrst Hispanic U.S. Senator.

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

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of main clauses within a sentence. This choice
correctly uses a comma and the coordinating conjunction "and" to join the ﬁrst main clause ("In 1919 Larrazolo was elected
governor of New Mexico") and the second main clause ("in 1928 he became the nation’s ﬁrst Hispanic US Senator").
Choice A is incorrect because when coordinating two longer main clauses such as these, it’s conventional to use a comma
before the coordinating conjunction. Choice B 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. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a run-on
sentence. The two main clauses are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
In 1973, poet Miguel Algarín started inviting other writers who, like him, were Nuyorican—a term for New Yorkers of Puerto
Rican heritage—to gather in his apartment to present their work. The gatherings were so well attended that Algarín soon had
to rent space in a cafe to accommodate them. Thus, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe was born. Moving to a permanent location in
1981, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe expanded its original scope beyond the written word, hosting art exhibitions and musical
performances as well. Half a century since its inception, it continues to foster emerging Nuyorican talent.

Question: Which choice best describes the overall purpose of the text?
A) To explain what motivated Algarín to found the Nuyorican Poets Cafe
B) To situate the Nuyorican Poets Cafe within the cultural life of New York as a whole
C) To discuss why the Nuyorican Poets Cafe expanded its scope to include art and music
D) To provide an overview of the founding and mission of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The text presents a brief history of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, from how it got started in the ’70s,
to its expansion in the ’80s, to its ongoing mission today.
Choice A is incorrect. This isn’t the overall purpose. The text never mentions Algarín’s motivations. Choice B is incorrect. This
isn’t the overall purpose. The text never discusses the cultural life of New York as a whole. Choice C is incorrect. This is too
narrow. One sentence mentions that the Nuyorican Poets Cafe expanded its scope to include art and music, but this is only
one point in the broader history of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, which is the overall focus of the text.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Visual artist Gabriela Alemán states that the bold colors of comics, pop art, and Latinx culture have always fascinated her.
This passion for the rich history and colors of her Latinx community translates into the ______ artworks she produces.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) vivid
B) unknown
C) deﬁnite
D) reserved

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. "Vivid" can mean "colorful" or "bright-colored." This deﬁnition ﬁts the context clues about
Alemán’s fascination with and passion for bold colors.
Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t ﬁt the logic of the text. Nothing in the text indicates that Alemán’s artworks are "unknown."
Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t ﬁt the logic of the text. "Deﬁnite" means "certain" or "decided." It wouldn’t make sense to
describe artwork as "deﬁnite." Choice D is incorrect. This doesn’t ﬁt the logic of the text. "Reserved" can either mean "slow to
reveal emotions" or "booked." But the clues suggest that Alemán’s artworks are boldly colorful—almost the opposite of
"reserved."

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz used the metaphor of the “butterﬂy effect” to explain how seemingly minor
events can have major impacts on future weather. According to Lorenz’s metaphor, the wind from a butterﬂy ﬂapping ______
in Brazil might eventually grow into a storm elsewhere across the globe.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) its wings
B) its wings’
C) it’s wing’s
D) it’s wings’

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The conventions being tested are the use of possessive determiners and plural nouns. The
singular possessive determiner "its" and the plural noun "wings" correctly indicate that the butterﬂy has multiple wings.
Choice B is incorrect because the context requires the plural noun "wings," not the plural possessive noun "wings’." Choice C
is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive determiner "its" and the plural noun "wings," not the
contraction "it’s" and the singular possessive noun "wing’s." Choice D is incorrect because the context requires the singular
possessive determiner "its" and the plural noun "wings," not the contraction "it’s" and the plural possessive noun "wings’."

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Food and the sensation of taste are central to Monique Truong’s novels. In The Book of Salt, for example, the exiled character
of Bình connects to his native Saigon through the food he prepares, while in Bitter in the Mouth, the character of Linda ______
a form of synesthesia whereby the words she hears evoke tastes.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) experienced
B) had experienced
C) experiences
D) will be experiencing

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense. In this choice, the present
tense verb “experiences” is consistent with the other present tense verbs (e.g., “connects” and “prepares”) used to describe
the events in Truong’s novels. Furthermore, it’s conventional to use the present tense when discussing a literary work.
Choice A is incorrect because the past tense verb “experienced” isn’t consistent with the other present tense verbs used to
describe the events in Truong’s novels. Choice B is incorrect because the past perfect tense verb “had experienced” isn’t
consistent with the other present tense verbs used to describe the events in Truong’s novels. Choice D is incorrect because
the future progressive tense verb “will be experiencing” isn’t consistent with the other present tense verbs used to describe
the events in Truong’s novels.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
By the time Hawaiian king Kamehameha III ______ the throne, the number of longhorn cattle, ﬁrst introduced to the islands in
1793, had drastically increased, and so too had the need for paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) to manage the wild herds that then
roamed throughout the volcanic terrain.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) ascended
B) will ascend
C) ascends
D) is ascending

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. "Ascended" is in the simple past tense. Since Kamehameha became king in the past, this makes
the most sense.
Choice B is incorrect. "Will ascend" is in the future tense, but we wouldn’t know about Kamehameha III’s ascent if it hadn’t
happened yet. The information in the sentence, as well as the tense of other verbs, tells us that the events described
happened in the past. Choice C is incorrect. "Ascends" is in the simple present tense. However, the information in the
sentence, as well as the tense of other verbs, tells us that the events described happened in the past. Choice D is incorrect.
"Is ascending" is in the continuous present tense, which we use to show that something is ongoing, but this doesn’t make
sense here—the information in the sentence, as well as the tense of other verbs, tells us that the events described happened
in the past.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
The following text is from Holly Goldberg Sloan’s 2017 novel Short. 
More than two years ago my parents bought a piano from some people who were moving to Utah. Mom and Dad gave it
to my brothers and me for Christmas. I had to act really happy because it was such a big present, but I pretty much
hated the thing from the second it was carried into the hallway upstairs, which is right next to my bedroom. The piano
glared at me. It was like a songbird in a cage. It wanted to be set free.  
©2017 by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Question: Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A) It explains why the narrator always wanted a piano close to her bedroom.
B) It establishes how the narrator feels about the piano.
C) It suggests that the narrator’s brothers are talented piano players.
D) It describes the event that led the narrator’s parents to buy a piano.

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it best states the main purpose of the text, which is to establish the narrator’s feelings
about the piano. The narrator reveals that she “had to act really happy” about the piano even though she “pretty much hated
the thing” as soon as it was placed upstairs near her bedroom. The narrator also describes the piano as glaring at her and
compares it to a caged bird that wants to be set free. These details establish the narrator’s feelings about the piano,
suggesting that it makes her uneasy.
Choice A is incorrect because the text indicates that the narrator hated having the piano upstairs right next to her bedroom,
not that she wanted a piano to be close to her bedroom. Choice C is incorrect because the only information provided in the
text about the narrator’s brothers is that they were given the piano along with the narrator. Choice D is incorrect because the
text does not describe the event that led the narrator’s parents to buy the piano from the people moving to Utah. Instead, the
text focuses on the narrator’s feelings about the piano after it was given to her and her brothers.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Sociologist Alton Okinaka sits on the review board tasked with adding new sites to the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places,
which includes Pi‘ilanihale Heiau and the ‘Ōpaeka‘a Road Bridge. Okinaka doesn’t make such decisions ______ all historical
designations must be approved by a group of nine other experts from the ﬁelds of architecture, archaeology, history, and
Hawaiian culture.

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

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of a supplementary word or phrase between two
main clauses. This choice correctly uses a comma to separate the supplementary adverb “however” from the preceding
main clause (“Okinaka doesn’t…single-handedly”) and a semicolon to join the next main clause (“all…culture”) to the rest of
the sentence. Further, placing the semicolon after “however” correctly indicates that the information in the preceding main
clause (Okinaka doesn’t make such decisions single-handedly) is contrary to what might be assumed from the information in
the previous sentence (Okinaka sits on the review board that adds new sites to the Hawaii Register of Historic Places).
Choice B is incorrect because placing the semicolon after “single-handedly” and the comma after “however” illogically
indicates that the information in the next main clause (all historical designations must be approved by a group of experts) is
contrary to the information in the previous clause (Okinaka doesn’t make such decisions single-handedly). Choice C is
incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Commas can’t be used in this way to punctuate a supplementary word or
phrase between two main clauses. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two main clauses are
fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
The spacecraft OSIRIS-REx brieﬂy made contact with the asteroid 101955 Bennu in 2020. NASA scientist Daniella
DellaGiustina reports that despite facing the unexpected obstacle of a surface mostly covered in boulders, OSIRIS-REx
successfully ______ a sample of the surface, gathering pieces of it to bring back to Earth.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) attached
B) collected
C) followed
D) replaced

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s contact
with the asteroid 101955 Bennu. In this context, “collected” means acquired and took away. The text indicates that although
the boulders on the asteroid’s surface caused some unforeseen problems, OSIRIS-REx was able to gather a sample to return
to Earth. This context suggests that OSIRIS-REx successfully collected a sample of 101955 Bennu.
Choice A is incorrect because in this context “attached” means connected or aﬃxed. The text indicates that OSIRIS-REx
gathered pieces of 101955 Bennu to bring to Earth; it doesn’t suggest that the spacecraft attached anything to the asteroid.
Choice C is incorrect because in this context “followed” means tracked or traveled behind and the text discusses OSIRIS-
REx’s brief encounter with 101955 Bennu during which the spacecraft gathered a sample to bring to Earth. The text doesn’t
suggest that the spacecraft tracked the sample, and it’s not clear what it would mean for the spacecraft to travel behind the
sample it collected. Choice D is incorrect because in this context “replaced” means put back or returned. The text indicates
that OSIRIS-REx gathered pieces of 101955 Bennu to bring to Earth but doesn’t suggest that anything was returned to the
asteroid.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Despite being cheap, versatile, and easy to produce, ______ they are made from nonrenewable petroleum, and most do not
biodegrade in landﬁlls.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) there are two problems associated with commercial plastics:
B) two problems are associated with commercial plastics:
C) commercial plastics’ two associated problems are that
D) commercial plastics have two associated problems:

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modiﬁer placement. This choice ensures that the
modifying phrase “despite being cheap, versatile, and easy to produce” appears immediately before the noun it modiﬁes,
“commercial plastics,” clearly establishing that the commercial plastics—and not another noun in the sentence—are being
described as cheap, versatile, and easy to produce. 
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the function word “there” immediately after
the modifying phrase illogically and confusingly suggests that “there” is cheap, versatile, and easy to produce. Choice B is
incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun “two problems” immediately after the
modifying phrase illogically suggests that the “problems” are cheap, versatile, and easy to produce. Choice C is incorrect
because it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun phrase “commercial plastics’ two associated problems”
immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the “problems” are cheap, versatile, and easy to produce.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Photographer Ansel Adams’s landscape portraits are iconic pieces of American art. However, many of the ______ of
landscapes were intended not as art but as marketing; a concessions company at Yosemite National Park had hired Adams
to take pictures of the park for restaurant menus and brochures.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) photographer’s early photo’s
B) photographers early photo’s
C) photographer’s early photos
D) photographers early photos

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. There’s only one photographer (Adams), and the photos are his, so the singular possessive
"photographer’s" is correct. There’s more than one photo, and nothing belongs to the photos, so the simple plural "photos" is
correct.
Choice A is incorrect. This choice uses the singular possessive "photo’s," which isn’t correct. There’s more than one photo,
and they don’t possess anything, so the noun should be the simple plural "photos." Choice B is incorrect. This choice uses
the simple plural "photographers" and the singular possessive "photo’s," which aren’t correct. There’s only one photographer
(Adams) and there’s more than one photo. Choice D is incorrect. This choice uses the simple plural "photographers," which
isn’t correct. There’s only one photographer (Adams).

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
The following text is adapted from Charles Dickens’s 1854 novel Hard Times. Coketown is a ﬁctional town in England. 
[Coketown] contained several large streets all very like one another, and many small streets still more like one another,
inhabited by people equally like one another, who all went in and out at the same hours, with the same sound upon the same
pavements, to do the same work, and to whom every day was the same as yesterday and tomorrow, and every year the
counterpart of the last and the next.

Question: Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A) To emphasize the uniformity of both the town and the people who live there
B) To explain the limited work opportunities available to the town’s residents
C) To reveal how the predictability of the town makes it easy for people lose track of time
D) To argue that the simplicity of life in the town makes it a pleasant place to live

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The author describes Coketown as having streets that are all very similar and residents who live
similarly and do the same work. This repetition of similarities emphasizes how everything in Coketown is alike.
Choice B is incorrect. While the text mentions that all the residents “do the same work,” it never explains what that work is or
why everyone does it. Besides, the idea that they all do the same work is just one of several similarities among the
townspeople described in the text. Choice C is incorrect. While the last sentence states that “every day was the same as
yesterday and tomorrow, and every year the counterpart of the last and the next,” it never suggests that people actually “lose
track of time.” This is also too narrow to be the main idea, since time is just one of many aspects of Coketown that the text
describes as always being the same. Choice D is incorrect. The text never mentions whether life is simple in Coketown, and
the town sounds as though it’s probably a pretty dull place to live, rather than a pleasant one.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
The following text is from the 1923 poem “Black Finger” by Angelina Weld Grimké, a Black American writer. A cypress is a
type of evergreen tree.
I have just seen a most beautiful thing,
Slim and still,
 Against a gold, gold sky,
 A straight black cypress,
Sensitive,
Exquisite,
A black ﬁnger
Pointing upwards.
Why, beautiful still ﬁnger, are you black?
And why are you pointing upwards?

Question: Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
A) The speaker assesses a natural phenomenon, then questions the accuracy of her assessment.
B) The speaker describes a distinctive sight in nature, then ponders what meaning to attribute to that sight.
C) The speaker presents an outdoor scene, then considers a human behavior occurring within that scene.
D) The speaker examines her surroundings, then speculates about their inﬂuence on her emotional state.

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most accurately describes the overall structure of the text. First, the speaker
describes observing a “most beautiful” sight: a tree (“black cypress”) standing out from the golden sky behind it, looking like
a person’s ﬁnger “pointing upwards” and appearing “sensitive” and “exquisite.” Then the speaker wonders about the image’s
meaning, asking why the ﬁnger is black and why it’s pointing upward. Thus, the text moves from the speaker’s description of
a distinctive sight in nature to her pondering about what meaning to attribute to that sight.
Choice A is incorrect because the speaker assesses a natural sight—a “black cypress” tree standing “against a gold, gold
sky” like a pointed ﬁnger—but doesn’t question the accuracy of her own assessment. Although she wonders why the ﬁnger,
which is really a tree, is black and why it’s pointing, the speaker doesn’t suggest that her belief that the tree resembles a
ﬁnger is wrong. Choice C is incorrect. Although the speaker describes seeing a “black cypress” tree standing “against a gold,
gold sky” like a pointed ﬁnger, she wonders about that natural image (asking why the ﬁnger, which is really a tree, is black
and why it’s pointing) and doesn’t give any indication that any people are present in the scene. Choice D is incorrect.
Although the speaker examines and wonders about one thing in her surroundings—a “black cypress” tree standing “against a

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
In the Here and Now Storybook (1921), educator Lucy Sprague Mitchell advanced the then controversial idea that books for
very young children should imitate how they use language, since toddlers, who cannot yet grasp narrative or abstract ideas,
seek reassurance in verbal repetition and naming. The most enduring example of this idea is Margaret Wise Brown’s 1947
picture book Goodnight Moon, in which a young rabbit names the objects in his room as he drifts off to sleep. Scholars note
that the book’s emphasis on repetition, rhythm, and nonsense rhyme speaks directly to Mitchell’s inﬂuence.

Question: Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
A) The text outlines a debate between two authors of children’s literature and then traces how that debate shaped theories
on early childhood education.
B) The text summarizes an argument about how children’s literature should be evaluated and then discusses a contrasting
view on that subject.
C) The text lists the literary characteristics that are common to many classics of children’s literature and then indicates the
narrative subjects that are most appropriate for young children.
D) The text presents a philosophy about what material is most suitable for children’s literature and then describes a book

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The text starts by introducing Mitchell’s philosophy about using simple, repetitive language in
books for young children. Then it describes a book inﬂuenced by that philosophy, Goodnight Moon.
Choice A is incorrect. Although two authors are mentioned in the text, they both agree about the type of language that should
be contained in books for young children. Choice B is incorrect. The text never discusses the evaluation of children’s
literature. It does provide one view of how children’s books should be written, but never introduces a competing view. Choice
C is incorrect. The text doesn’t mention “many classics of children’s literature.” Instead, it describes an educational theory
and identiﬁes one example of a famous children’s book that was inﬂuenced by that theory.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Classical composer Florence Price’s 1927 move to Chicago marked a turning point in her career. It was there that Price
premiered her First Symphony—a piece that was praised for blending traditional Romantic motifs with aspects of Black folk
music—and ______ supportive relationships with other Black artists.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) developing
B) developed
C) to develop
D) having developed

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb "premiered," and "Price" is the subject of
both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."
Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a verb form error. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb
"premiered," and "Price" is the subject of both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."
Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a verb form error. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb
"premiered," and "Price" is the subject of both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."
Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a verb form error. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb
"premiered," and "Price" is the subject of both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Particle physicists like Ayana Holloway Arce and Aida El-Khadra spend much of their time ______ what is invisible to the
naked eye: using sophisticated technology, they closely examine the behavior of subatomic particles, the smallest
detectable parts of matter.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) selecting
B) inspecting
C) creating
D) deciding

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the work of particle physicists. In
this context, “inspecting” means viewing closely in order to examine. The text indicates that as particle physicists, Arce and
El-Khadra’s work involves using advanced technology to “closely examine” subatomic particles. In other words, they use
technology to inspect small parts of matter that can’t be seen by the naked eye.
Choice A is incorrect because nothing in the text suggests that Arce and El-Khadra spend time “selecting,” or choosing,
subatomic particles for some purpose; the text simply states that the particle physicists use advanced technology to see
and study the behavior of those tiny parts of matter. Choice C is incorrect because nothing in the text suggests that Arce and
El-Khadra spend time “creating” subatomic particles, or bringing them into existence; the text simply states that the particle
physicists use advanced technology to see and study the behavior of those tiny parts of matter. Choice D is incorrect. In this
context, “deciding” would mean making a ﬁnal choice or judgment about something. It wouldn’t make sense to say that
particle physicists get to choose what is and isn’t visible to the naked eye, especially when the text presents it as fact that
subatomic particles are “the smallest detectable parts of matter” and would therefore be invisible. The text focuses on Arce
and El-Khadra’s close observation of those particles, not on any decisions they might make.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
A number of Indigenous politicians have been elected to the United States Congress since 2000 as members of the country’s
two established political parties. In Canada and several Latin American countries, on the other hand, Indigenous people have
formed their own political parties to advance candidates who will advocate for the interests of their communities. This
movement has been particularly successful in Ecuador, where Guadalupe Llori, a member of the Indigenous party known as
Pachakutik, was elected president of the National Assembly in 2021.

Question: Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A) To trace the history of an Indigenous political movement and speculate about its future development
B) To argue that Indigenous politicians in the United States should form their own political party
C) To highlight two approaches to achieving political representation for Indigenous people
D) To consider how Indigenous politicians in the United States have inﬂuenced Indigenous politicians in Canada and Latin

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately describes the main purpose of the text, which is to illustrate two
approaches that Indigenous politicians have taken to achieve political representation for their communities. The text begins
by explaining that one approach is exempliﬁed by Indigenous politicians in the United States who, in an effort to ensure that
the interests of their communities are represented in government, joined preexisting political parties and were subsequently
elected to Congress. The text goes on to highlight a second approach adopted by Indigenous leaders in Canada and several
Latin American countries: rather than joining established political parties, many Indigenous politicians in these countries
have instead formed their own parties to promote candidates for oﬃce who support causes that are important to their
communities. 
Choice A is incorrect because the text’s focus is on the contrasting approaches adopted by different Indigenous political
movements in different countries; thus, it isn’t accurate to say that the text traces the history of one political movement.
Moreover, the text only discusses examples from 2000 to 2021, a relatively short period of time; therefore, it provides very
little in the way of discussion of larger historical developments, nor does it make any predictions about how these
movements might continue to develop in the future. Choice B is incorrect because the text never urges Indigenous
politicians in the US to alter their strategy of striving for representation through the established political parties, nor does it
suggest that this strategy is inferior to that of Indigenous politicians in Canada and Latin America, who have formed their
own parties. In fact, the text notes that both strategies have resulted in the election of Indigenous politicians to national
governments. Choice D is incorrect because the text never suggests that Indigenous politicians in the US have inﬂuenced
those in Canada and Latin America; instead, it stresses how Indigenous politicians’ approach toward achieving

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
When Mexican-American archaeologist Zelia Maria Magdalena Nuttall published her 1886 research paper on sculptures
found at the ancient Indigenous city of Teotihuacan in present-day Mexico, other researchers readily ______ her work as
groundbreaking; this recognition stemmed from her convincing demonstration that the sculptures were much older than had
previously been thought.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) acknowledged
B) ensured
C) denied
D) underestimated

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Nuttall’s 1886 research paper. In
this context, “acknowledged” means recognized as having a certain status. The text indicates that other researchers
recognized Nuttall’s work as groundbreaking because of its “convincing demonstration” related to the age of the ancient
sculptures. In other words, the researchers recognized the groundbreaking status of Nuttall’s work.
Choice B is incorrect because in this context, “ensured” would mean to have guaranteed or made sure something was the
case. The text states that other researchers gave Nuttall’s work recognition after it was published, but there’s no indication
that they contributed to the work or had any involvement that would have allowed them to make sure the work would be
groundbreaking. Choice C is incorrect because the text doesn’t suggest that other researchers “denied,” or refused to admit
or accept, that Nuttall’s work was groundbreaking; on the contrary, it indicates that researchers praised the work, recognizing
it as groundbreaking due to its “convincing demonstration” related to the age of the ancient sculptures. Choice D is incorrect
because the text doesn’t suggest that other researchers “underestimated,” or undervalued, Nuttall’s work; on the contrary, it
indicates that researchers praised the work, recognizing it as groundbreaking due to its “convincing demonstration” related
to the age of the ancient sculptures.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Although critics believed that customers would never agree to pay to pick their own produce on farms, such concerns didn’t
______ Booker T. Whatley’s efforts to promote the practice. Thanks in part to Whatley’s determined advocacy, farms that
allow visitors to pick their own apples, pumpkins, and other produce can be found throughout the United States.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) enhance
B) hinder
C) misrepresent
D) aggravate

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Booker T. Whatley. In this context,
“hinder” means hold back or obstruct. The text explains that Whatley encouraged farms to allow customers on site to pick
their own produce for a fee. He did so despite critics’ concerns that the customers would never pay to do so. This context
establishes that the critics’ concerns didn’t hinder Whatley’s efforts to promote the practice.
Choice A is incorrect. The text indicates that critics’ skepticism of the idea that customers would pay to pick their own
produce didn’t have some effect on Whatley’s promotion of the practice. The text illustrates this assertion by describing
Whatley’s “determined advocacy” for the practice. This context suggests that critics’ concerns didn’t obstruct Whatley’s
efforts, not that critics’ concerns didn’t “enhance,” or increase or improve, Whatley’s efforts. Choice C is incorrect because in
this context, “misrepresent” would mean portray inaccurately, and the text includes no information relevant to the issue of
how Whatley’s efforts were portrayed by critics of the practice of charging customers to pick their own produce. Choice D is
incorrect. The text indicates that critics’ skepticism of the idea that customers would pay to pick their own produce didn’t
have some effect on Whatley’s promotion of the practice. The text illustrates this assertion by describing Whatley’s
“determined advocacy” for the practice. This context suggests that critics’ concerns didn’t obstruct Whatley’s efforts, not
that critics’ concerns didn’t “aggravate,” or irritate or make more severe, Whatley’s efforts.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure