SAT Reading & Writing: Test 1

The United Nations High Seas Treaty is a multilateral agreement that provides unprecedented protection for ocean areas that have no particular legal jurisdiction. Overfishing, seabed mining, and other exploitative measures will be blocked by the new ________ marine protected areas to be established with the support of multiple countries. Negotiated at the United Nations New York headquarters, the treaty was agreed upon by global ambassadors of marine affairs and foreign affairs.

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

Cats possess a remarkable ability that often goes unnoticed—their exceptional night vision. This unique trait is owed to the intricate structure of their eyes; cats' retinas are equipped with a higher percentage of rod cells — specialized photoreceptor cells sensitive to low light, compared to humans. This adaptation enables them to perceive objects in light levels six times dimmer than what a human requires to see clearly. As the sun sets and darkness envelops the landscape, these crepuscular creatures (animals more active during twilight hours) come alive, effortlessly navigating their surroundings with precision.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

The Bell Jar is a 1963 novel by American author Sylvia Plath. In the novel, the narrator describes her inability to relate to the fellow girls in her New York hotel: __________

Which quotation from The Bell Jar most effectively illustrates the claim?

Text 1

Recent archaeological discoveries in Egypt have shed new light on the process of mummification. These findings indicate that the ancient Egyptians had a sophisticated understanding of anatomy and preservation techniques. It was significantly important to maintain the deceased body in a lifelike state due to the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. The discovery of well-preserved internal organs within mummies suggests that their knowledge extended beyond the preservation of just the body.

Text 2

Insights into our enhanced comprehension of the Egyptian mummification process, the surrounding culture, and the actual procedure largely stem from the detailed writings of ancient historians like Herodotus, who meticulously documented these practices during his travels to Egypt around 450 BCE. Advances in technology, such as the use of X-rays, now facilitate the examination of mummies without disturbing their intricate outer coverings, enabling archaeologists to view intricate details like organs and bone conditions.

Based on the two texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely characterize the conclusion presented in Text 1?

The Gulf Stream, an ocean current that courses along the eastern coast of the United States, exerts a pivotal influence on climate dynamics. Recent findings establish with a high degree of confidence that the __________ has dropped around 4% over the last 40 years. With this finding, the ocean’s circulation patterns must have been altered as well, which also has implications for extreme weather events, like droughts, floods, and heat waves.

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

In 1980, China rolled out the one-child policy, in which all families were only permitted to have one child per household. At the time, China’s rapid population growth placed a strain on resources, leading the government to hastily announce the one-child policy. While fertility has declined since 1980, researchers are hesitant to attribute this decline to the one-child policy because the rate had already started to decline prior to 1980. Furthermore, China now has an aging population and an unbalanced population with a much larger proportion of males than females. Researchers hence believe that _________

Which choice most logically completes the text?

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• Spanish, Italian, and French are all Romance languages.
• These languages share a common root in Latin.
• However, each has developed its own unique set of grammatical rules and vocabulary.
• Spanish is known for its distinctive sound patterns and pronunciation.
• Italian is renowned for its melodious quality and is often used in opera.
• French, often referred to as "the language of love," has a rich literary tradition.

The student wants to emphasize a similarity between the three European languages. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

CAPTCHA, short for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart, are mechanisms to distinguish between humans and bots. Easy for humans to pass, CAPTCHAs can be used to prevent false registration, spam, and remote hacking. There are different varieties of CAPTCHAs, including but not limited to text-based CAPTCHAs, image-based CAPTCHAs, and a checkbox reCAPTCHA.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

Who invented the light bulb? Many people would say Thomas Edison. _________ light bulbs have existed since before Edison; he was just the first one to develop a carbon filament light bulb. Other iterations of light bulbs were developed by several inventors: Alessandro Volta, Humphrey Davy, James Bowman Lindsay, Warren de la Rue, William Staite, and Joseph Swan.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A survey has found that 42% of millennials and Gen-Z respondents _________ a strong inclination toward secondhand shopping, a move that is expected to have positive environmental implications. According to the latest estimates, if each consumer were to purchase only one secondhand garment this year instead of a new one, it could reduce over 2 billion pounds of CO2 emissions, saving approximately 23 billion gallons of water and 4 billion kilowatt-hours of energy.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?