betterMateusz/SAT_Writting_Reading_Assessment_Question_Bank huggingface dataset:
In 2017, artists Isabel and Ruben Toledo redesigned the costumes and sets for The Miami City Ballet’s production of The
______ to reviewers, the Toledos’ designs helped infuse the production with elements of Miami’s Latin American culture.

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

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between sentences. In this choice, the period is
used correctly to mark the boundary between one sentence (“In 2017...Nutcracker”) and another (“According...culture”). The
supplementary element “according to reviewers” modiﬁes the main clause of the second sentence (“the Toledos’...culture”).
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The sentences are fused without punctuation and/or a
conjunction. Furthermore, no punctuation is needed within the supplementary element “according to reviewers.” Choice B is
incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences.
Choice C is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The sentences are fused without punctuation and/or a
conjunction.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Genetic studies have led researchers to suggest that turtles are most closely related to the group that includes modern
crocodiles. But studies of fossils have suggested instead that turtles are most closely related to other groups, such as the
one that contains modern snakes. However, many of the fossil studies have relied on incomplete data sets. For a 2022
investigation, biologist Tiago R. Simões and colleagues examined more than 1,000 reptile fossils collected worldwide. From
this large data set, they found clear agreement with the results of the genetic studies.

Question: Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence?
A) It offers an overview of the tools scientists use to examine fossils.
B) It describes a limitation of some studies about the origin of turtles.
C) It summarizes previous research on the evolution of crocodiles.
D) It criticizes a widely held belief about genetic studies of reptiles.

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer. The sentence mentions that some fossil studies have relied on incomplete data sets,
suggesting that these studies are limited in what they can tell us about turtles’ origins.
Choice A is incorrect. While the sentence mentions the incompleteness of the data sets studied, it doesn’t mention any tools
or techniques used to examine fossils. Choice C is incorrect. The sentence doesn’t mention anything about the evolution of
crocodiles. Choice D is incorrect. This sentence doesn’t directly mention or criticize any "widely held belief," and it focuses on
a limitation of fossil studies of reptiles, not genetic studies.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
In a 2016 study, Eastern Washington University psychologist Amani El-Alayli found that, among the study participants who
experienced frisson (a physiological response akin to goosebumps or getting the chills) while listening to music, there was
one personality trait that they scored particularly ______ openness to experience.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) high. On
B) high on;
C) high on
D) high on:

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between a main clause and a supplementary
phrase. In this choice, a colon is correctly used to mark the boundary between the main clause ("there...on") and the
supplementary phrase ("openness to experience") and to introduce the information that identiﬁes which personality trait
participants scored especially high on.
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with "on" and separates a
necessary preposition from the clause beginning with "there." Choice B is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this
way to join the main clause ("there...on") and the supplementary phrase ("openness to experience"). A semicolon is
conventionally used to join two main clauses, whereas a colon is conventionally used to introduce an element that explains
or ampliﬁes the information in the preceding clause, making the colon the better choice in this context. Choice C is incorrect
because it fails to mark the boundary between the main clause ("there...on") and the supplementary phrase ("openness to
experience").

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Journalists have dubbed Gil Scott-Heron the “godfather of rap,” a title that has appeared in hundreds of articles about him
since the 1990s. Scott-Heron himself resisted the godfather ______ feeling that it didn’t encapsulate his devotion to the
broader African American blues music tradition as well as “bluesologist,” the moniker he preferred.

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

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between a main clause and two supplementary
elements. In this choice, the commas after “nickname” and “however” are correctly used to separate the supplementary
adverb “however” from the main clause (“Scott-Heron…nickname”) on one side and the supplementary participial phrase
(“feeling…bluesologist”) on the other.
Choice A is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the supplementary adverb “however” and the
supplementary phrase (“feeling…bluesologist”). Choice B is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join
the supplementary adverb “however” and the supplementary phrase (“feeling…bluesologist”). Choice D is incorrect because a
semicolon can’t be used in this way to join the main clause (“Scott-Heron…nickname”) and the supplementary word and
phrase (“however” and “feeling…bluesologist”). Moreover, placing the semicolon after “nickname” illogically signals that the
following information (Scott-Heron’s feeling that the nickname didn’t encapsulate his devotion to the blues tradition) is
contrary to the information in the previous clause (Scott-Heron’s resistance to the nickname).

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Critics have asserted that ﬁne art and fashion rarely ______ in a world where artists create timeless works for exhibition and
designers periodically produce new styles for the public to buy. Luiseño/Shoshone-Bannock beadwork artist and designer
Jamie Okuma challenges this view: her work can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and purchased through her
online boutique.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) prevail
B) succumb
C) diverge
D) intersect

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion about the relationship between ﬁne art
and fashion. As used in this context, “intersect” means to connect or overlap. The text indicates that Jamie Okuma
challenges the position held by critics because her work can be seen at an art museum and can be bought by the public from
her online boutique. The text also presents the critics’ view as being inﬂuenced by a perception that ﬁne artists create works
that are “timeless” and meant for exhibition, whereas fashion designers periodically produce new styles that are meant for
purchase. This context suggests that the critics believe that ﬁne art and fashion tend not to overlap—in other words, that
they rarely intersect. 
Choice A is incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense in context to say that critics contend that ﬁne art and fashion rarely
“prevail,” or prove to be triumphant or widespread. The text indicates that Okuma is an example of an artist who
demonstrates that it’s possible to make ﬁne art that is also available to the public as fashion. Choice B is incorrect because
it wouldn’t make sense in context to say that ﬁne art and fashion rarely “succumb,” or surrender. The text establishes that
unlike what critics believe, Okuma creates works that are in art museums and available for the public to purchase,
suggesting that critics believe ﬁne art and fashion rarely overlap, not that they rarely succumb. Choice C is incorrect because
saying that critics believe that ﬁne art and fashion rarely “diverge,” or disagree or move in different directions, wouldn’t make
sense in context. The text presents Okuma’s work as both ﬁne art and fashion, thereby undermining what the critics assert.
This suggests that the critics believe that ﬁne art and fashion rarely intersect rather than that the two rarely diverge.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Human-made (synthetic) ﬁbers used in clothes and many other consumer products are more durable than most natural plant
______ the manufacture of synthetic ﬁbers requires toxic chemical solvents that can pollute air and water.

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

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D 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 “but” to join the ﬁrst main clause (“Human-made...ﬁbers”) and the
second main clause (“the manufacture...water”).
Choice A 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 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 run-on
sentence. The two main clauses are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Some researchers believe that the genes that enable groundhogs and certain other mammals to hibernate through the
winter by slowing their breathing and heart rates and lowering their body temperature may be ______ in humans: present yet
having essentially no effect on our bodily processes.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) decisive
B) lacking
C) variable
D) dormant

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer because it logically completes the text’s discussion about genes related to hibernation. In this
context, “dormant” means inactive. The text explains that the same genes that enable certain nonhuman mammal species to
hibernate during the winter by altering their bodily processes are also found in our species but have “essentially no effect” on
humans’ bodily processes. In other words, these genes don’t function in humans.
Choice A is incorrect because in this context, “decisive” means has the power to affect the outcome of something, but the
text states that genes related to hibernation are instead inactive in humans—that is, the genes don’t affect humans’ bodily
processes, although they are present in their bodies. Choice B is incorrect because in this context, “lacking” means missing,
but the text states that the genes are present in humans, though inactive. Choice C is incorrect because “variable” means
characterized by the potential to change, but the text indicates that these genes don’t change in their effect on humans’
bodily processes; instead, the genes are consistently inactive in humans.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Archaeologists studying an ancient amphitheater in Switzerland believe that it dates back to the fourth century CE. Their
discoveries of a coin made between 337 and 341 CE and era-appropriate building materials ______ evidence for this theory.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) dismiss
B) provide
C) regulate
D) refuse

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the archaeologists’ study of the
ancient amphitheater in Switzerland. In this context, “provide” means make available or supply. The text states that the
archaeologists believe that the amphitheater dates to the fourth century CE. The text goes on to say that the archaeologists
discovered a coin made between 337 and 341 CE (that is, made during the fourth century CE) and building materials
appropriate to the era in question. This context suggests that these discoveries provide evidence for the archaeologists’
theory about the dating of the amphitheater. 
Choice A is incorrect because the archaeologists’ discoveries are presented as supplying evidence in favor of their theory
about the dating of the amphitheater, not something that would “dismiss,” or reject serious consideration of, evidence for
that theory. Choice C is incorrect because nothing in the text suggests that the archaeologists’ discoveries would “regulate,”
or govern or bring order to, evidence for the archaeologists’ theory about the dating of the amphitheater. The discoveries are
presented as supplying evidence for the archaeologists’ theory, not as changing how evidence for the theory is controlled or
ordered. Choice D is incorrect because the archaeologists’ discoveries are presented as supplying evidence in favor of their
theory about the dating of the amphitheater, not something that would “refuse,” or be unwilling to accept, evidence for the
archaeologists’ theory.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Working from an earlier discovery of Charpentier’s, chemists Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna—winners of the
2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry—re-created and then reprogrammed the so-called “genetic scissors” of a species of DNA-
cleaving bacteria ______ a tool that is revolutionizing the ﬁeld of gene technology.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) to forge
B) forging
C) forged
D) and forging

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of ﬁnite and nonﬁnite verb forms within a sentence. The
nonﬁnite to-inﬁnitive “to forge” is correctly used to form a nonﬁnite (inﬁnitive) clause that explains why the chemists re-
created and reprogrammed the DNA-cleaving bacteria.
Choice B is incorrect. Without a comma separating the main clause (“chemists...bacteria”) from the participle “forging,” this
choice illogically suggests that the bacteria are forging a tool, which doesn’t make sense. Choice C is incorrect. Without a
coordinating conjunction such as “and” placed before it, the ﬁnite past tense verb “forged” can’t be used in this way to
describe the chemists’ actions. Choice D is incorrect. If read as a ﬁnite verb, the present progressive verb “forging” isn’t
consistent with the past tense verbs used in this sentence to describe the actions of the chemists. If read as a nonﬁnite verb,
the participle “forging” can’t be used in this way because there is no following main clause for it to modify.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
In 1930, Japanese American artist Chiura Obata depicted the natural beauty of Yosemite National Park in two memorable
woodcuts: Evening at Carl Inn and Lake Basin in the High Sierra. In 2019, ______ exhibited alongside 150 of Obata’s other
works in a single-artist show at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

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

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is pronoun–antecedent agreement. The plural pronoun “they”
agrees in number with the plural antecedent “woodcuts” and clearly identiﬁes what was exhibited at the Smithsonian
American Art Museum.
Choice A is incorrect because the singular pronoun “it” doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent “woodcuts.”
Choice C is incorrect because the singular pronoun “this” doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent “woodcuts.”
Choice D is incorrect because the plural pronoun “some” is illogical in this context (referring to “some” of two woodcuts).

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Smaller than poppy seeds, tardigrades are tiny, but they are tough. These minuscule animals can survive for thirty years
without food or water, and ______ can withstand extreme temperatures as low as minus 328 degrees and as high as 304
degrees Fahrenheit.

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

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is pronoun-antecedent agreement. The plural pronoun "they"
agrees in number with the plural antecedent "animals," which refers to tardigrades.
Choice A is incorrect because the singular pronoun "that" doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent "animals."
Choice B is incorrect because the singular pronoun "it" doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent "animals." Choice
D is incorrect because the singular pronoun "he" doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent "animals."

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Author Madeline L’Engle, ______ to create a suspenseful tone that draws the reader in, begins her novel A Wrinkle in Time with
descriptions of “wraithlike shadows” and “the frenzied lashing of the wind.”

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) looked
B) looks
C) is looking
D) looking

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. The nonﬁnite present
participle verb “looking” is correctly used to form a subordinate clause that describes the intent behind how L’Engle begins
her novel.
Choice A is incorrect because the ﬁnite past tense verb “looked” can’t be used in this way to form a subordinate clause.
Choice B is incorrect because the ﬁnite present tense verb “looks” can’t be used in this way to form a subordinate clause.
Choice C is incorrect because the ﬁnite present progressive tense verb “is looking” can’t be used in this way to form a
subordinate clause.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Planetary scientist Briony Horgan and her colleagues have determined that as much as 25 percent of the sand on Mars is
composed of impact spherules. These spherical bits of glass form when asteroids collide with the planet, ejecting bits of
molten rock into the atmosphere that, after cooling and solidifying into glass, ______ back onto Mars’s surface.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) to rain
B) raining
C) having rained
D) rain

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer. "That…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface" is a relative clause that describes the "bits of molten
rock." Forming the clause requires a conjugated, ﬁnite verb, and this is the only choice that provides that.
Choice A is incorrect. "To rain" is an inﬁnitive and can’t serve as the main verb of a clause. A conjugated verb is needed here
to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface," which describes the "bits of molten rock."
Choice B is incorrect. "Raining" is a present participle and, on its own, can’t serve as the main verb of a clause. A conjugated
verb is needed here to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface," which describes the
"bits of molten rock." Choice C is incorrect. "Having rained" is a perfect participle and can’t serve as the main verb of a
clause. A conjugated verb is needed here to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface,"
which describes the "bits of molten rock."

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
In discussing Mary Shelley’s 1818 epistolary novel Frankenstein, literary theorist Gayatri Spivak directs the reader’s attention
to the character of Margaret Saville. As Spivak points out, Saville is not the protagonist of Shelley’s ______ as the recipient of
the letters that frame the book’s narrative, she’s the “occasion” of it.

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

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 semicolon to join a main clause (“Saville...novel”) and a second main clause (“she’s...it”) preceded by
supplementary elements (“rather...narrative”).
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 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 comma splice. Without a conjunction
following it, the comma after “novel” can’t be used in this way to join the two main clauses.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Astronomers are conﬁdent that the star Betelgeuse will eventually consume all the helium in its core and explode in a
supernova. They are much less conﬁdent, however, about when this will happen, since that depends on internal
characteristics of Betelgeuse that are largely unknown. Astrophysicist Saraﬁna El-Badry Nance and colleagues recently
investigated whether acoustic waves in the star could be used to determine internal stellar states but concluded that this
method could not suﬃciently reveal Betelgeuse’s internal characteristics to allow its evolutionary state to be ﬁrmly ﬁxed.

Question: Which choice best describes the function of the second sentence in the overall structure of the text?
A) It describes a serious limitation of the method used by Nance and colleagues.
B) It presents the central ﬁnding reported by Nance and colleagues.
C) It identiﬁes the problem that Nance and colleagues attempted to solve but did not.
D) It explains how the work of Nance and colleagues was received by others in the ﬁeld.

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer because it best describes how the second sentence functions in the text as a whole. The ﬁrst
sentence establishes something astronomers believe with some certainty: that Betelgeuse will explode in a supernova. The
second sentence then introduces a problem: astronomers aren’t certain when Betelgeuse will explode because they don’t
have enough information about the star’s internal characteristics. Finally, the third sentence indicates that researcher
Saraﬁna El-Badry Nance and colleagues investigated a possible method of obtaining the necessary information about
Betelgeuse’s internal characteristics, though they found that the method wouldn’t be suﬃcient. Thus, the function of the
second sentence is to identify the problem that Nance and colleagues attempted to solve but didn’t.
Choice A is incorrect because the second sentence introduces the general problem Nance and colleagues hoped to solve,
not a serious limitation of how Nance and colleagues tried to solve it. It is the third sentence that introduces Nance and
colleagues, but no serious limitation of their approach to studying a method of determining internal stellar states is
described. Choice B is incorrect because the second sentence introduces the general problem Nance and colleagues hoped
to solve, not the central ﬁnding they ultimately reported. It is the third sentence that presents Nance and colleagues’
conclusion that a potential method for determining internal stellar states would be insuﬃcient. Choice D is incorrect
because the second sentence doesn’t indicate how other astronomers or astrophysicists responded to the work done by
Nance and colleagues; the text doesn’t address this information at all.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Dr. Rocío Paola Caballero-Gill is a paleoceanographer. This means that Dr. Caballero-Gill doesn’t just study oceans as they
are today. She uses chemistry and fossil evidence ______ oceans as they were in the past.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) has studied
B) to study
C) studied
D) studies

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. The nonﬁnite to-
inﬁnitive verb “to study” is correctly used to form a subordinate clause that indicates what Dr. Caballero-Gill uses chemistry
and fossil evidence for (to study oceans as they were in the past).
Choice A is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The ﬁnite verb “has studied” can’t be used in this way
to form a subordinate clause that indicates what Dr. Caballero-Gill uses the evidence for. Choice C is incorrect because it
results in an ungrammatical sentence. The ﬁnite verb “studied” can’t be used in this way to form a subordinate clause that
indicates what Dr. Caballero-Gill uses the evidence for. Choice D is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical
sentence. The ﬁnite verb “studies” can’t be used in this way to form a subordinate clause that indicates what Dr. Caballero-
Gill uses the evidence for.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Given that the conditions in binary star systems should make planetary formation nearly impossible, it’s not surprising that
the existence of planets in such systems has lacked ______ explanation. Roman Raﬁkov and Kedron Silsbee shed light on the
subject when they used modeling to determine a complex set of factors that could support planets’ development.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) a discernible
B) a straightforward
C) an inconclusive
D) an unbiased

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s description of efforts to explain the existence of
planets in binary star systems. As used in this context, describing an explanation as “a straightforward” one would mean that
the explanation is direct and uncomplicated. The text asserts that since it should be “nearly impossible” for planets to form
in binary star systems, it’s “not surprising” that there isn’t a straightforward explanation for the existence of planets in such
systems; the fact that one potential approach involves “complex” factors offers further contextual support for this idea.
Choice A is incorrect because it would not make sense in context to say that there isn’t “a discernible” explanation—meaning
an explanation capable of being perceived—for the existence of planets in binary star systems. The text discusses just such
an explanation offered by Roman Raﬁkov and Kedron Silsbee, which indicates that their explanation can be
discerned. Choice C is incorrect because the text emphasizes how diﬃcult it is to explain the existence of planets in binary
star systems, suggesting that the situation isn’t marked by the lack of “an inconclusive” explanation—an explanation that
does not resolve the issue—but rather that if any explanations have been offered, they’ve likely been inconclusive
ones. Choice D is incorrect because nothing in the text suggests that there is a lack of “an unbiased,” or impartial and
unprejudiced, explanation for the existence of planets in binary star systems. The text indicates that it’s diﬃcult to explain
the existence of planets in such systems and it describes one attempt to do so, but there is no evidence that explanations
from Roman Raﬁkov and Kedron Silsbee or others are biased.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
For his 1986 album Keyboard Fantasies, Beverly Glenn-Copeland wrote songs grounded in traditional soul and folk music,
then accompanied them with futuristic synthesizer arrangements featuring ambient sounds and complex rhythms. The
result was so strange, so unprecedented, that the album attracted little attention when ﬁrst released. In recent years,
however, a younger generation of musicians has embraced the stylistic experimentation of Keyboard Fantasies. Alternative
R&B musicians Blood Orange and Moses Sumney, among other contemporary recording artists, cite the album as an
inﬂuence.

Question: Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A) It urges contemporary musicians to adopt the unique sound of Keyboard Fantasies.
B) It responds to criticism of Keyboard Fantasies by some younger musicians.
C) It offers examples of younger musicians whose work has been impacted by Keyboard Fantasies.
D) It contrasts Keyboard Fantasies with the recordings of two younger musicians.

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a
whole. The text’s subject is Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s 1986 album Keyboard Fantasies, notable for its innovative,
experimental arrangements. According to the text, the album was not initially admired, but in recent years it has become
popular among younger musicians. The underlined portion of the text mentions two of those musicians, Blood Orange and
Moses Sumney, who “cite the album as an inﬂuence.” Therefore, the underlined portion of the text offers examples of
younger musicians whose work has been impacted by Keyboard Fantasies.
Choice A is incorrect because even though the underlined sentence states that Blood Orange and Moses Sumney were
inﬂuenced by Keyboard Fantasies, it doesn’t say that all other musicians should also embrace the album’s experimental style.
Choice B is incorrect. Although the text states that Keyboard Fantasies was not admired on its ﬁrst release, the text doesn’t
present any criticism of the album by younger musicians: it only presents two younger musicians who cite it as an inﬂuence.
Choice D is incorrect because the underlined sentence doesn’t mention any differences between Keyboard Fantasies and the
work of Blood Orange and Moses Sumney.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
In his groundbreaking book Bengali Harlem and the Lost Histories of South Asian America, Vivek Bald uses newspaper
articles, census records, ships’ logs, and memoirs to tell the ______ who made New York City their home in the early twentieth
century.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) story’s of the South Asian immigrants
B) story’s of the South Asian immigrants’
C) stories of the South Asian immigrants
D) stories’ of the South Asian immigrant’s

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of plural and possessive nouns. The plural nouns
“stories” and “immigrants” correctly indicate that the memoir tells multiple stories of multiple immigrants.
Choice A is incorrect because the context requires the plural noun “stories,” not the singular possessive noun “story’s.”
Choice B is incorrect because the context requires the plural nouns “stories” and “immigrants,” not the singular possessive
noun “story’s” and the plural possessive noun “immigrants’.” Choice D is incorrect because the context requires the plural
nouns “stories” and “immigrants,” not the plural possessive noun “stories’” and the singular possessive noun “immigrant’s.”

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Set in a world where science ﬁction tropes exist as everyday realities, Charles Yu’s 2010 novel How to Live Safely in a Science
Fictional Universe traces a time traveler’s quest to ﬁnd his father. Because the journey at the novel’s center is so ______, with
the protagonist ricocheting chaotically across time, the reader often wonders whether the pair will ever be reunited.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) haphazard
B) premeditated
C) inspirational
D) fruitless

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Yu’s novel. In this context,
“haphazard” means marked by a lack of plan or order. The text indicates that the quest featured in the novel, which involves
the protagonist bouncing across time, is chaotic and causes the reader to often wonder what will happen. This context
suggests that the protagonist’s journey seems to be marked by a lack of order.
Choice B is incorrect because the text indicates that the journey featured in Yu’s novel involves a character “ricocheting
chaotically,” or bouncing in a disordered way, across time and causes the reader to often wonder what will happen. It
wouldn’t make sense to say that a chaotic journey seems “premeditated,” or characterized by forethought and planning.
Choice C is incorrect because the text doesn’t give any indication that readers regard the journey in Yu’s novel as
“inspirational,” or as causing extraordinarily creative or brilliant thoughts or actions; instead, the text focuses on the idea that
the protagonist’s journey is chaotic, or disordered, and doesn’t give readers a clear sense of what will happen. Choice D is
incorrect. Rather than suggesting that the journey featured in Yu’s novel is “fruitless,” or has an unsuccessful outcome, the
text focuses on the idea that while reading about the protagonist’s chaotic movements across time, readers are often unsure
of what will happen—that is, they don’t know whether the protagonist will be successful in ﬁnding his father.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
In the early twentieth century, Joseph Kekuku and other Hawaiian ______ in the mainland United States to the bright and
lilting sound of the kīkā kila, or Hawaiian steel guitar. The instrument soon became a ﬁxture in American blues and country
music.

Question: Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) musicians introduced audiences
B) musicians’ introduced audiences’
C) musician’s introduced audience’s
D) musicians’ introduced audiences

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of plural nouns. The plural nouns "musicians" and
"audiences" correctly indicate that there were multiple musicians introducing the music to multiple audiences.
Choice B is incorrect because the context requires the plural nouns "musicians" and "audiences," not the plural possessive
nouns "musicians’" and "audiences’." Choice C is incorrect because the context requires the plural nouns "musicians" and
"audiences," not the singular possessive nouns "musician’s" and "audience’s." Choice D is incorrect because the context
requires the plural noun "musicians," not the plural possessive noun "musicians’."

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
The following text is adapted from Oscar Wilde’s 1897 nonﬁction work De Profundis. 
People whose desire is solely for self-realisation never know where they are going. They can’t know. In one sense of the
word it is of course necessary to know oneself: that is the ﬁrst achievement of knowledge. But to recognise that the
soul of a man is unknowable, is the ultimate achievement of wisdom. The ﬁnal mystery is oneself. When one has
weighed the sun in the balance, and measured the steps of the moon, and mapped out the seven heavens star by star,
there still remains oneself. Who can calculate the orbit of his own soul?

Question: Which choice best describes the function of the underlined question in the text as a whole?
A) It reinforces the text’s skepticism about the possibility of truly achieving self-knowledge.
B) It speculates that some readers will share the doubts expressed in the text about the value of self-knowledge.
C) It cautions readers that the text’s directions for how to achieve self-knowledge are hard to follow.
D) It concedes that the deﬁnition of self-knowledge advanced in the text is unpopular.

Answer: A

Rationale: Choice A is the best answer. The text repeatedly claims that true self-knowledge can’t possibly be achieved, and this
rhetorical question emphasizes that point.
Choice B is incorrect. The underlined question doesn’t do this. The text never expresses doubts about the value of self-
knowledge—rather, the text expresses doubts about the possibility of achieving self-knowledge. Choice C is incorrect. The
underlined question doesn’t do this. The text doesn’t provide directions for how to achieve self-knowledge—rather, it claims
that true self-knowledge is impossible to achieve. Choice D is incorrect. The underlined question doesn’t do this. The text
doesn’t ever deﬁne self-knowledge, and popularity isn’t mentioned in the text at all.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
The forty-seven geothermal springs of Arkansas’ Hot Springs National Park are sourced via a process known as natural
groundwater recharge, in which rainwater percolates downward through the earth—in this case, the porous rocks of the hills
around Hot ______ collect in a subterranean basin.

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

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of a supplementary element within a sentence.
The dash after “Springs” pairs with the dash after “earth” to separate the supplementary element “in this case, the porous
rocks of the hills around Hot Springs” from the rest 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 colon can’t be paired with a dash in this way to separate the supplementary
element from the rest of the sentence. Choice D is incorrect because a comma can’t be paired with a dash in this way to
separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions
Anthropologist Kristian J. Carlson and colleagues examined the fossilized clavicle and shoulder bones of a 3.6-million-year-
old early hominin known as “Little Foot.” They found that these bones were ______ the clavicle and shoulder bones of modern
apes that are frequent climbers, such as gorillas and chimpanzees, suggesting that Little Foot had adapted to life in the
trees.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) surpassed by
B) comparable to
C) independent of
D) obtained from

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the fossilized bones of the hominin
known as Little Foot. As used in this context, “comparable to” would mean similar to. The text indicates that the relationship
between the fossilized clavicle and shoulder bones of Little Foot and the clavicle and shoulder bones of “frequent climbers,”
such as chimpanzees and gorillas, suggests that Little Foot had adapted to moving around in trees. This context suggests
that the relationship between the fossilized bones of Little Foot and the bones of chimpanzees and gorillas is one of
similarity—the Little Foot fossils are likely comparable to the modern ape bones. 
Choice A is incorrect because if the fossilized bones of Little Foot were “surpassed by,” or exceeded by or made inferior to,
the bones of modern apes that are frequent climbers, it wouldn’t suggest, as the text says, that Little Foot was adapted to
moving around in trees. If anything, learning that Little Foot’s clavicle and shoulder bones were surpassed by those of
chimpanzees and gorillas would suggest that Little Foot was poorly adapted to climbing. Choice C is incorrect because if
Little Foot’s fossilized clavicle and shoulder bones were “independent of,” or not inﬂuenced by or aﬃliated with, the bones of
modern apes that climb often, it wouldn’t suggest, as the text says, that Little Foot was adapted to moving around in
trees. Choice D is incorrect because the text indicates that Little Foot’s fossilized bones date to 3.6 million years ago, so they
couldn’t have been “obtained from,” or acquired from, the bones of modern apes.

Difficulty: Easy | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Some scientists have suggested that mammals in the Mesozoic era were not a very ______ group, but paleontologist Zhe-Xi
Luo’s research suggests that early mammals living in the shadow of dinosaurs weren’t all ground-dwelling insectivores.
Fossils of various plant-eating mammals have been found in China, including species like Vilevolodon diplomylos, which Luo
says could glide like a ﬂying squirrel.

Question: Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) predatory
B) obscure
C) diverse
D) localized

Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the kinds of mammals alive during
the Mesozoic era. As used in this context, “diverse” means to have a signiﬁcant amount of variety. The text indicates that
some scientists have suggested that Mesozoic mammals can’t be characterized in a certain way, then contrasts the view put
forward by those scientists with Luo’s research, which shows that Mesozoic mammals “weren’t all ground-dwelling
insectivores” and instead were “various.” This context suggests that some scientists have viewed Mesozoic mammals as
being all alike, or not a very diverse group. 
Choice A is incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense to say that some scientists have suggested that Mesozoic mammals
weren’t very “predatory,” or that they didn’t prey on other animals, since the text establishes a contrast between what some
scientists have suggested and Luo’s research showing that Mesozoic mammals “weren’t all ground-dwelling insectivores.”
This context suggests that some scientists have regarded Mesozoic mammals as all being insectivores, or animals that prey
on insects, not that some scientists have suggested that Mesozoic mammals didn’t prey on other animals. Choice B is
incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense to say that some scientists have suggested that Mesozoic mammals weren’t very
“obscure,” or concealed or not well known, since the text establishes a contrast between what some scientists have
suggested and Luo’s research showing that Mesozoic mammals were a varied group. There’s no contrast between saying
that the mammals weren’t concealed or well known and the mammals being varied. Choice D is incorrect because it wouldn’t
make sense to say that some scientists have suggested that Mesozoic mammals weren’t very “localized,” or conﬁned to a
particular area, since the text establishes a contrast between what some scientists have suggested and Luo’s research
showing that Mesozoic mammals were a varied group. There’s no contrast between saying that the mammals weren’t
localized and the mammals being varied. Although the text mentions mammal fossils found in China, nothing in the
discussion of Luo’s research addresses the limits of Mesozoic mammal habitats.

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
The following text is from Walt Whitman’s 1860 poem “Calamus 24.”
I HEAR it is charged against me that I seek to destroy institutions;
But really I am neither for nor against institutions
(What indeed have I in common with them?—Or what with the destruction of them?),
Only I will establish in the Mannahatta [Manhattan] and in every city of These States, inland and seaboard,
And in the ﬁelds and woods, and above every keel [ship] little or large, that dents the water,
Without ediﬁces, or rules, or trustees, or any argument,
The institution of the dear love of comrades.

Question: Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
A) The speaker questions an increasingly prevalent attitude, then summarizes his worldview.
B) The speaker regrets his isolation from others, then predicts a profound change in society.
C) The speaker concedes his personal shortcomings, then boasts of his many achievements.
D) The speaker addresses a criticism leveled against him, then announces a grand ambition of his.

Answer: D

Rationale: Choice D is the best answer because it best describes the overall structure of the text. The speaker begins by stating that he
has heard that others are accusing him of seeking to destroy institutions. The speaker then addresses this criticism by
stating that he is “neither for nor against institutions.” Instead, the speaker states that his ultimate goal is to instill “the
institution of the dear love of comrades” everywhere in the country. Therefore, the overall structure of the text is best
described as an address of criticism followed by an announcement of a grand ambition.
Choice A is incorrect. While the speaker does address an opinion of him that he believes to be untrue, he doesn’t indicate
that this attitude has become increasingly prevalent. The speaker also concludes by explaining his goal for the future rather
than his current worldview. Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t portray the speaker as isolated or regretful, and the
speaker gestures toward a hope for societal change but doesn’t offer an explicit prediction that it will happen. Choice C is
incorrect because the speaker addresses a criticism of him that he believes to be false; he doesn’t admit any personal
shortcomings. Moreover, the speaker concludes by stating a goal he has rather than showcasing his achievements.

Difficulty: Medium | Domain: Craft_and_Structure
Quantum particles of light—photons—provide an unhackable means of transmitting encryption keys over networks, as
attempts to observe particles in quantum states will invariably alter the particles ______ dismantle any information they
transmit.

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

Answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best answer. This choice uses paired punctuation in the form of two commas to set off the nonessential
phrase "in the process."
Choice A is incorrect. The phrase "in the process" is a nonessential element and needs to be set off with paired punctuation.
We need a comma after "and" to match the one after "process." Choice C is incorrect. The phrase "in the process" is a
nonessential element and needs to be set off with paired punctuation, so we would need a dash after "and" to match the one
following "process." Choice D is incorrect. The phrase "in the process" is a nonessential element and needs to be set off with
paired punctuation. We would need a comma after "process" to match the one following "and."

Difficulty: Hard | Domain: Standard_English_Conventions