1

Table of Contents

General Test-Taking Strategies................................................................................................ 5

SAT English Section Layout (Modules 1 & 2)........................................................................6
Understanding Answer Choices 🧐.......................................................................................... 7
General English Module Strategies🏆.................................................................................... 9
Grammar (aka “Standard English Conventions”)...............................................................11
Lesson #1: Complete or Incomplete Sentence?............................................................. 11
Lesson #2: Know Your Verb Tenses................................................................................... 15
Lesson #3: Parallelism............................................................................................................17
Lesson #4: Subject/Verb Agreement................................................................................. 21
Lesson #5: Non-Essential Clauses..................................................................................... 25
Lesson #6: Comma Placement.............................................................................................28
Lesson #7: Modifiers (Lead-Ins).......................................................................................... 35
Lesson #8: Punctuation.......................................................................................................... 39
Lesson #9: Punctuation with a Shifting Transition........................................................ 46
Lesson #10: Apostrophes......................................................................................................49
Lesson #11: Additional Grammar Concepts....................................................................53
Transitions🏃💨........................................................................................................................ 56
Vocabulary (aka “Words in Context”)...................................................................................63
Reading Skill #1: Identifying and Linking Pronouns🤓.................................................... 87
Reading Skill #2: Using Strategies........................................................................................ 91
Reading Skill #3: Identifying Types of Wrong Answer Choices...................................101
Reading Skill #4: Ignoring the “Fluff”................................................................................ 104
Fluff Lesson 1: Big Picture Questions....................................................................................106
Fluff Lesson 2 - Graph Questions........................................................................................... 113
Fluff Lesson 3 - Logically Completes the Text (Inference) Questions........................ 120
Fluff Lesson 4 - Note-Taking (Rhetorical Synthesis) Questions................................... 128
Fluff Lesson 5 - Text 1/Text 2 (Cross Text Connections) Questions........................... 133
Time Management.................................................................................................................. 138

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✨How can you make the most out of this workbook? ✨
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each lesson in this workbook, please sign up for our Self-Paced English Course!!

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 Chapter 1
Intro to the English Modules

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 General Test-Taking Strategies

Pick and Stick Majority Rules Leave a Trail 1-Minute Rule Flag ?s to come
back to

Pick a letter when Cross off Cross off Spend roughly 1 If you’re not 100%
running out of “oddballs” & answers you’ve minute max on confident in your
time and stick choose the eliminated in any given answer, flag it to
with it for all answer that is case you need to question. come back to after.
remaining most like the go back later.
questions. others!

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 SAT English Section Layout (Modules 1 & 2)
It is important to understand the layout of the English Sections, as well as the types of
questions involved. 💪
Module 1 - 27 Questions, 32 minutes
Module 2* - 27 Questions, 32 minutes

*This module may be harder or easier depending on how you did on Module 1.

You should aim to get less than 11 questions wrong in Module 1. This will ensure you
get the harder 2nd module, which will allow you to pick up more points.

If you get the easier 2nd module, the highest score you can get is less than a 600.

Categories & Question Types 📣

1. Craft & Structure (28% of section, 13-15 questions)
● Words in Context
● Function of the Underlined Sentence
● Main Purpose of Text
● Text 1/Text 2
2. Information & Ideas (26% of section, 12-14 questions)
● Main Idea of Text
● Statement/Quotation that Best Supports a Claim/Hypothesis
● Graph Questions
● Logically Completes the Text
3. Expression of Ideas (20% of section, 8-12 questions)
● Transitions
● Note-Taking Questions
4. Standard English Conventions (26% of section, 11-15 questions)
● All your Grammar Questions

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 Understanding Answer Choices 🧐
What does the SAT English section do ❓
The SAT evaluates your skill in linking specific textual elements to broader concepts,
pinpointing synonyms, and differentiating between extraneous information and
important information.

How do I pinpoint a correct answer ❓

The correct answers are usually not exact word-for-word matches from the text. Be
cautious if a choice mirrors the text directly. More often, the right answer will
rephrase an idea mentioned in the passage. Your task is to identify synonyms in the
answer choices that reflect the same concept. It's about understanding the idea, even
when it's presented in different wording.

What are the common types of wrong answers ❓

👉Off-topic
👉Too broad (e.g., the passage discusses brown bats while the answer
refers to bats)

👉Too extreme (e.g., they include words such as never, always, or

completely)

👉Half-right, half-wrong (always read the entire answer choice)

👉Could be true but not enough information
👉True for the passage as a whole, but not for the specific lines in
question

👉Factually true but not stated in the passage

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Do you often pick the wrong one when narrowed down to two
When this happens, typically the incorrect answer will fall into either the "could be
❓
true but not enough information" or the "half-right, half-wrong" category. In such
cases, you must be willing to read very carefully in order to determine which answer
the passage truly supports.

Reading carefully is key. If you read the passage superficially, you will have a high
probability of getting the question wrong.

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 General English Module Strategies 🏆
There are things you can do for all questions on the English modules:

✅ Always read the question first: this will save you time because you will
read with purpose and think about the question as you’re reading

✅ While reading, sum up each sentence in your own words: this will help
you understand the passage on a deeper level and what it is saying

✅ Look for keywords/phrases: these are words that

● Indicate points, goals, and conclusions - this gives you the argument

● Describe (adjectives) - this gives you a sense of tone

● Transitions - denotes a change in argument, which is important

✅ Look for “unusual” punctuation: if you see dashes, semicolons, or

colons, the right answer is probably nearby.

✅ Use process of elimination: you’re better off finding 3 wrong answers

instead of 1 right answer to avoid selecting a trap answer.

✅ Annotate: only do this when you’re having trouble grasping what the
passage is saying

Execution Strategies to Try:

✅ Execution Strategy #1 - Start the module at #15 (grammar): You do

NOT need to go in order! Strategize and start at the best place for you to
maximize your points and make efficient use of your time. (Tip: When you
get to the reading passages, skip Text 1/Text 2 and Graph questions and
save them for last).

✅ Execution Strategy #2 - Break up the reading passages into 2 chunks:

Work up to #10, skip to the grammar and finish the test, then loop back and
do #11-14/15. This helps give your brain a break from the cognitively
demanding reading passages so you can reset & refocus for the remainder
of the test.
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 Chapter 2
The Building Blocks
(Grammar, Transitions, and Vocabulary)

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Grammar (aka “Standard English Conventions”)
Standard English Convention Questions = Your Grammar Questions! You will find these
questions in each module, starting around #15 - #21. These are quick, easy points if
you know all the rules!

Please note that there is a separate key to these lessons with notes and answers!

Lesson #1: Complete or Incomplete Sentence?

Before we get into all the grammar rules, it is important that you are able to
identify if a sentence is complete or not. You need these three things to have a
complete sentence:

1. _____________________

2.______________________

3._______________________

Identify the subject, verb, and complete thought in the following sentence:

They ran down to the water.

Subject:

Verb:

Complete Thought:

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Practice: Is It a Sentence?

For each statement below, circle "Sentence" if it can stand alone as an independent
sentence and "Fragment" if it cannot.

⏰ Challenge: Do all 10 in under 90 seconds ⏰

1. Albert Einstein was one of the most influential physicists of the twentieth century.

Sentence Fragment

2. He was one of the most influential physicists of the twentieth century.

Sentence Fragment

3. Albert Einstein, who was one of the most influential physicists of the twentieth
century.

Sentence Fragment

4. Who was one of the most influential physicists of the twentieth century.

Sentence Fragment

5. He is now known for his groundbreaking contributions to modern physics.

Sentence Fragment

6. Although he revolutionized physics with his theory of relativity.

Sentence Fragment

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7. Many people believing Albert Einstein to be the greatest physicist of all time.

Sentence Fragment

8. Many of them believe he is the greatest physicist of all time.

Sentence Fragment

9 Many consider him the greatest physicist of all time.

Sentence Fragment

10. Many of whom believe he is the greatest physicist of all time.

Sentence Fragment

Check your answers on the next page.

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Answers to Is it a Sentence? Exercise

1. Sentence 7. Fragment

2. Sentence 8. Sentence

3. Fragment 9. Sentence

4. Fragment 10.Fragment

5. Sentence

6. Fragment

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Lesson #2: Know Your Verb Tenses
It is important to identify and understand the difference between verb tenses and how
they are used. Please complete the table below by filling in the example column.

Verb Tense When Used Example

Present Happening at that

moment, right now

Past Happened at one moment

in time but is over

Future Yet to happen

Past Perfect Ongoing in the past, but

does not continue in the
present

Present Perfect Ongoing in the past, but

continues in the present

Practice: Match up the phrase to the correct tense by drawing a line to connect
them. Then, check your answers on the next page.

Now,

Yesterday, she had been

Since she was a little girl, she is

For the past twenty minutes, she was

Next Year, she will be

she has been

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Answers to Matching Exercise

Example 1

In his 1963 exhibition Exposition of Music—Electronic Television, Korean American

artist Nam June Paik showed how television images could be manipulated to express
an artist’s perspective. Today, Paik ______ considered the first video artist.

A) will be
B) had been
C) was
D) is

Example 2

Kite-flying has a long history in Japan: according to legend, the first kites flew nearly
1,400 years ago. Since that time, kite-flying ____ a delightful tradition.

A) had remained
B) has remained
C) remained
D) remains

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Lesson #3: Parallelism

In parallelism, everything matches up (including verbs). Here are some instances

where parallelism comes into play:

● Listing 3 things and they are all worded in the same way
● All verbs are in the same tense
● Comparing two things: Need an Apples to Apples, not Oranges to Apples
comparison
● Narration stays the same throughout (1st person, 3rd person, etc)

Fix the mistake on each of these examples below.

Example 1:

He ran to the store, bought a cup of coffee, and had been jogging to work.

Example 2:

Steph Curry’s jumpshot is more accurate than Lebron James.

Example 3:

There was a table along the first wall, a mirror on the second wall, and the third wall
had an exit door.

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Example Parallelism Questions

Example 1 (Listing 3 Things)

Many people think of NASA’s programs as trivial. In truth, the agency has a
widespread positive effect on society by serving as a catalyst for innovation and
scientific understanding, ________ and showing humanity its place within the universe.

A) to create jobs,
B) creating jobs,
C) for job creation,
D) the creation of jobs,

Example 2 (Listing 3 Things)

Healthy marine environments result from a precise balance of factors and are therefore
vulnerable to threats from a variety of sources. For example,________ can all lead to
the creation of ocean waters low in oxygen and inhospitable to marine life.

A) changes in wind circulation, runoff from sewage, and accumulating fertilizers

B) changing wind circulation, runoff from sewage, and accumulating fertilizers
C) changing wind circulation, having runoff from sewage, and to accumulate fertilizers
D) changes in wind circulation patterns, runoff from sewage, and accumulation of
fertilizers

Example 3 (Comparing 2 Things)

Moreover, the training period for PAs is markedly shorter than ______ physicians—two
to three years versus the seven to eleven required for physicians.**

A) those for
B) that compared with
C) that for
D) that with

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Example 4 (Comparing Two Things)

Many of the moves in the dance, such as jumps, rolls, and kicks, are similar to _______
The dancers must be synchronized with the music.

A) martial arts and acrobatics.

B) the disciplines of martial arts and acrobatics.
C) martial artists and acrobats.
D) those in martial arts and acrobatics.

Example 5 (Verb Tense Matching)

Unlike some animals, most lizards have a highly developed sense of vision. As a result,
they are able to use clear body language and ____ their colors in order to
communicate.

A) alter
B) altering
C) they alter
D) altered

Example 6 (Verb Tense Matching)

For centuries, cats have guarded this famous museum, ridding it of mice, rats, and other
rodents that could damage the art, not to mention _______ off visitors. [3] Peter the
Great introduced the first cat to Russia in 1694.

A) scared
B) scaring
C) scare
D) have scared

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Parallelism Practice Answers

1. B (the verb matches with ‘serving’ and ‘showing’)

2. D (the only option where all three things listed start with the same type of word
- in this case, they all start with a noun so they match up).
3. C (compares one training period to one training period)
Why the other answers are wrong:
● A - compares one training period to multiple training periods (not
parallel)
● B - too wordy and redundant. We already know we are comparing and
don’t need to say ‘compared with’
● D - we would be comparing a training period to physicians (not parallel)
4. D (comparing the moves to the moves)
5. A (‘alter’ must match with the verb ‘use’)
6. C (‘scare’ must match with the verb ‘damage’ because the focus shifts to what
the rodents are doing)

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Lesson #4: Subject/Verb Agreement

Subject/Verb Agreement questions also have verb tenses as the answer choices, like
parallelism may. How will you know you are on a subject/verb agreement question?

👉Play the pronoun trick! If it works, you are on a subject/verb agreement.

Directions: Go through each answer choice, writing the appropriate pronoun (he or
they) next to it. If there is a difference between singular and plural tenses, you are on a
subject/verb agreement! The first one is done for you.

A) is - he

B) were -

C) was -

D) has been -

💡Tip: The answer choice that is different from the others is probably right. 💡

Directions: Determine if the following statements are grammatically correct. Make the
appropriate changes, if necessary.

Example 1:

The box of chocolates are on the table.

Example 2:

The commissioner, along with his 20 staff members, run a tight campaign against the
incumbent.

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Subject/Verb Agreement Practice Questions

Example 1

The most common forms of professional development provided to employees _______

coaching, mentoring, technical assistance, and workshops.

A) includes
B) include
C) including
D) has included

Example 2

Although the Concorde was retired in 2003, a plane capable of flying halfway around
the world in a mere four hours could soon exist. For engineers, the elimination of sonic
booms _____ one of the biggest challenges involved in building the new craft. Some of
them claim, however, that they have found a way of reducing the amount of noise the
planes make.

A)is
B) are
C) have been
D)were

Example 3

This trend, combined with the increasing accessibility of information via the Internet,
________ led some to claim that librarianship is in decline as a profession.

A) has
B) have
C) which have
D) which has

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Example 4

Yet some of the earliest known works of art, including paintings and drawings tens of
thousands of years old found on cave walls in Spain and France, ______ animals.

A) portrays
B) portraying
C) portray
D) has portrayed

Example 5

For several weeks each year, more than 200 artists from 60 countries gather in Santa
Fe to offer handmade masterworks. Every July, one of the world's largest folk-art
festivals _____ together artists from every corner of the globe for a vast and colorful
international bazaar.

A) brings
B) bring
C) have brought
D) bringing

Example 6

Like any other health problems, these ailments can increase employee absenteeism,
which, in turn, ______ costly for employers.

A) is
B) are
C) is being
D) have been

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Subject/Verb Agreement Answers

1. B (the subject is ‘forms’)

2. A (the subject is ‘elimination’)
3. A (the subject is ‘trend’)
4. C (the subject is ‘works’)
5. A (the subject is ‘one’)
6. A (the subject shifts from focusing on ailments to ‘absenteeism.’ It is the
absenteeism that is costly for employers.)

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Lesson #5: Non-Essential Clauses

What is a non-essential clause?

A non-essential clause is something that is not necessary for the sentence to make
sense.

To determine if a clause is non-essential, you need to check for these two things:

✅ If it’s removed, is the sentence still complete?

✅ Is the subject specific enough to know what we are referring to without it?

Spotting Non-Essential Clauses Exercise

Directions: Determine whether the clauses in bold are essential or non-essential. If it is

non-essential, put commas around it. The first one has been done for you.

Example 1

The current President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed a bill yesterday.

Essential Non-Essential

Note: Because “the current President of the United States is specific enough” (there is
only one person with this title), we do not need the name Donald Trump. It is
non-essential! If we take it out, the sentence still makes sense:

The current President of the United States signed a bill yesterday. ✅

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Example 2

The boy who lived down the street from me moved away.

Essential Non-Essential

Example 3

Rosa Parks political activist during the Civil Rights movement was arrested for not
giving up her seat on a crowded bus.

Essential Non-Essential

Example 4

Civil rights political activist Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on a
crowded bus.

Essential Non-Essential

Example 5

The author of the famous novel Moby-Dick Herman Melville struggled to gain
recognition during his lifetime.

Essential Non-Essential

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Answers:
1. Non-Essential
2. Essential
3. Non-essential
4. Essential
5. Non-essential

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Lesson #6: Comma Placement

With comma placement questions, the key is to be proactive instead of reactive. If you
read all of the answer choices first and then try to determine which is right, it can get
confusing.

Strategy: Read the sentence out loud and listen to where you pause. That is where the
commas need to go.

Practice the Strategy: Determine where commas are needed in the underlined
portion by using the strategy outlined above.

Example #1:

The advantages of growing up in a bilingual home can start as early as six months of
age. A study conducted by York University's Institute of Health found that infants who
are regularly exposed to more than one language show better attentional control than
infants being raised in monolingual environments. The findings suggest that early
exposure to multiple languages could set the stage for lifelong cognitive benefits.

Example #2

Pterosaurs, the first flying vertebrates had wings made of a membrane that ended in
over- elongated fingers. These reptiles filled the skies between 66 and 220 million
years ago, their bodies ranging in size from less than a foot to the length of a small
airplane.

Example #3

The first recorded mention of the Agojie-the all-female military regiment in the
kingdom of Dahomey-dates to 1729. However, it is possible that the unit was formed
even earlier, toward the beginning of Dahomey's existence when a troupe consisting of
women who were already experienced elephant-hunters was created.

Answers to Practice the Strategy Exercise:

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Example #1: no commas needed - you can read right through it without pausing

The advantages of growing up in a bilingual home can start as early as six months of
age. A study conducted by York University's Institute of Health found that infants who
are regularly exposed to more than one language show better attentional control than
infants being raised in monolingual environments. The findings suggest that early
exposure to multiple languages could set the stage for lifelong cognitive benefits.

Example #2: need a comma after vertebrates - “the first flying vertebrates” is extra
information describing more about Pterosaurs. Thus, it needs to go between two
commas.

Pterosaurs, the first flying vertebrates, had wings made of a membrane that ended in
over- elongated fingers. These reptiles filled the skies between 66 and 220 million
years ago, their bodies ranging in size from less than a foot to the length of a small
airplane.

Example #3: comma after existence - you need to pause after existence

The first recorded mention of the Agojie-the all-female military regiment in the
kingdom of Dahomey-dates to 1729. However, it is possible that the unit was formed
even earlier, toward the beginning of Dahomey's existence, when a troupe consisting
of women who were already experienced elephant-hunters was created.

Please note that this is an important comma rule tested frequently.

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Exercise: For each of the following, determine whether you need commas or not. If
you do need commas, place them in their respective spots.

1. President of the United States Jimmy Carter had the lowest rating for an
incumbent going into an election.

Commas No Commas

2. Beyonce Knowles lead singer of Destiny’s Child emerged with one of the most
successful solo careers ever.

Commas No Commas

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Answers:
1. No Commas
2. Commas - Beyonce Knowles, lead singer of Destiny’s Child, emerged with one
of the most successful solo careers ever.

Comma Placement Practice: Try these questions, then check your answers on the
following page.

Example 1

Jamaica Kincaid (born May 25, 1949) is a novelist, essayist, and gardener. Born Elaine
Potter Richardson in Antigua, she came to the United States at the age of 17 to work
as an au pair in Westchester : County, New York. She eventually won a scholarship to
Franconia College in New Hampshire but returned to New York City to write. In 1985,
she published ____a semi autobiographical story of a young girl growing up in Antigua
that won acclaim for the honesty of its depiction of familial relationships.

A) The novel, Annie John,

B) The novel Annie John,
C) The novel Annie John
D) The novel: Annie John,

Example 2

Ada Lovelace and her ______ were two of the most influential figures in history
computer science. After Babbage sketched out his ideas for an "analytical engine,"
Lovelace demonstrated that the machine might be able to carry out variety of complex
tasks.

A) acquaintance , Charles Babbage,

B) acquaintance Charles Babbage
C) acquaintance Charles Babbage,
D) acquaintance, Charles Babbage

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Example 3

On the plane’s ascent, passengers feel twice Earth’s gravitational pull, but for brief
periods at the peak of the trajectory, __________is achieved.

A) “weightlessness” or microgravity similar to what is experienced in space,

B) “weightlessness” or microgravity, similar to what is experienced, in space
C) “weightlessness” or, microgravity, similar to what is experienced in space
D) “weightlessness,” or microgravity similar to what is experienced in space,

Example 4

Although there was no contact between Japan and Britain during the prehistoric era,
there are surprising parallels between them. In both places, inhabitants built stone
circles, crafted elaborate pots, and used flaked stone tools. Furthermore, the ______
bear striking similarities to the circle at Stonehenge.

A) astonishing Japanese stone circles at Oyu,

B) astonishing, Japanese stone circles at Oyu
C) astonishing Japanese, stone circles at Oyu
D) astonishing Japanese stone circles at Oyu

Example 5

Wallace Fowlie, one of Stendhal's most sympathetic critics, claimed that the writer's
genius was due in part to the way he blurred the line between his own interior life and
those of his characters. Stendhal was, __________ "literally inhabited by his
creations,"discovering himself as he discovered them.

A) Fowlie argues,
B) Fowlie argues
C) Fowlie argues-
D) Fowlie, argues

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Example 6

Stomata, tiny pore structures in a leaf that absorb gases needed for plant growth, open
when guard cells surrounding each pore swell with water. In a pivotal 2007 article,
plant cell ______ showed that lipid molecules called phosphatidylinositol phosphates
are responsible for signaling guard cells to open stomata.

A) biologist, Yuree Lee

B) biologist Yuree Lee,
C) biologist Yuree Lee
D) biologist, Yuree Lee,

Example 7

The city of Pompeii, which was buried in ash following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius
in 79 CE, continues to be studied by archaeologists. Unfortunately, as ______ attest,
archaeological excavations have disrupted ash deposits at the site, causing valuable
information about the eruption to be lost.

A) researchers, Roberto Scandone and Christopher Kilburn,

B) researchers, Roberto Scandone and Christopher Kilburn
C) researchers Roberto Scandone and Christopher Kilburn
D) researchers Roberto Scandone, and Christopher Kilburn

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Answers to Comma Placement Practice
Example 1: B
Example 2: B (to put Charles Babbage between two commas would mean his name is
non-essential. If we took his name out, we would be missing context because we
wouldn’t know who Ada Lovelace’s acquaintance was. Thus, no commas are needed
here).
Example 3: D
Example 4: D
Example 5: A
Example 6: C
Example 7: C

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Lesson #7: Modifiers (Lead-Ins)

A modifier or “lead-in” is an introduction to the sentence that is leading up to the

subject and what the sentence is about. The lead-in points directly to the subject and
the subject must come directly after the introduction comma.

Example:

Running down the stairs, the little girl almost slipped and fell.

Modifier:

Subject:

Basically, ask yourself, “who or what could be running down the stairs?” Make sure the
next word makes sense as the subject!

Exercise: Circle the word that would make sense to come directly after the lead-in
as the subject.

1. Arguably the most influential artwork of the Renaissance period, __________

Michelangelo the David the David’s shape

2. As the country with the most megacities in the world, ___________

China’s population people in China China

3. Sneaking down the chimney in the middle of the night, ___________

Santa Santa’s excitement the presents

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Answers:
1. The david
2. China
3. Santa

Modifier (Lead-In) Practice Questions

Example 1

Despite being cheap, versatile, and easy to produce, ______ they are made from
nonrenewable petroleum, and most do not biodegrade in landfills.

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:

Example 2

Approaching a doorway in which dangles a red envelope filled with green paper
money, the ____________. It then chews up the bills and spits out the bills.

A) lion’s teeth snare the envelope

B) lion snares the envelope with its teeth.
C) envelope is snared by the lion with its teeth.
D) teeth of the lion snare the envelope.

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Example 3

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.

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

Example 4

African American Percy Julian was a scientist and entrepreneur whose work helped
people around the world to see. Named in 1999 as one of the greatest achievements
by a US chemist in the past hundred years, ______ led to the first mass-produced
treatment for glaucoma.

A) Julian synthesized the alkaloid physostigmine in 1935; it

B) in 1935 Julian synthesized the alkaloid physostigmine, which
C) Julian’s 1935 synthesis of the alkaloid physostigmine
D) the alkaloid physostigmine was synthesized by Julian in 1935 and

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Answers to Lead-In Practice
1. D
2. B
3. A
4. C

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Lesson #8: Punctuation

There are four punctuation rules you must know. If you know these rules, your success
rate will be high on these questions!

Rule #1 - The Colon

_________________: __________________

Rule #2 - The Semicolon

_________________; __________________

*The semicolon can also be used to __________________________________.

Ex.

Rule #3 - The Comma Rule

_____________, _____________ *
*unless the second part starts with a FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

Rule #4 - Dashes/Parentheses/Commas

Either two commas, two dashes, or two parentheses should be used to separate
non-essential information, you cannot mix and match.

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Rule #4 Example 1

The Golden Gate Bridge, which opened in 1937, is one of the most iconic landmarks in
the United States.

Correct Incorrect

Rule #4 Example 2

The Golden Gate Bridge - which opened in 1937 - is one of the most iconic landmarks
in the United States.

Correct Incorrect

Rule #4 Example 2

The Golden Gate Bridge, (which opened in 1937), is one of the most iconic landmarks
in the United States.

Correct Incorrect

Rule #4 Example 3

The Golden Gate Bridge - which opened in 1937, is one of the most iconic landmarks
in the United States.

Correct Incorrect

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Rule #4 Exercise Answers

1. Correct
2. Correct
3. Incorrect
4. Incorrect

Punctuation Strategies (When You’re Stuck)

✅ If you have identical answers but one is a period and one is a semicolon, cross them
off! (They function the same exact way).

✅ If you see a ; and in the text, they are probably listing items using semicolons, so
pick the semicolon!

✅ If you see a dash in the text, they are likely using it to separate a non-essential
clause, so pick the dash!

✅ If you’re given four answer choices and only one of them can separate two
complete sentences, it is likely that one!

Punctuation Question Examples

Example 1

Nine months before Rosa Parks made history by refusing to comply with the
segregated seating policy on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus, a fifteen-year-old
Montgomery girl named Claudette Colvin was arrested for the same ______ to some
historians, Colvin’s arrest led to Parks’s action and eventually to the desegregation of
Montgomery’s bus system.

A) offense. According
B) offense, according
C) offense according
D) offense and according

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Example 2
Marie Curie was a pioneering physicist and chemist who conducted groundbreaking
research on radioactivity. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in ______ as a
result of her discoveries, she became the first person to win two Nobel Prizes.

A) 1903
B) 1903 and
C) 1903,
D) 1903, and

Example 3

With over 100,000 participants, the International Symposium on Climate Change and
______ or ISCC, as it is commonly known—became the largest global conference on
environmental sustainability. Delegates from all over the world gathered in Paris for a
weeklong event to discuss the future of green technology and policy reforms.

A) Sustainability:
B) Sustainability—
C) Sustainability,
D) Sustainability

Example 4

The university offers a range of interdisciplinary courses in the following fields:

__________ cognitive neuroscience, which examines brain functions and behavior; and
urban studies, which explores city planning and public policy.

A) environmental science; which focuses on climate change and conservation efforts,

B) environmental science, which focuses on climate change and conservation efforts;
C) environmental science, which focuses on climate change and conservation efforts,
D) environmental science which focuses on climate change and conservation efforts,

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Example 5

Alexander Fleming pursued a career in medicine after graduating from St. Mary's
Hospital Medical School _____ his discovery of penicillin in 1928, which revolutionized
modern medicine.

A) in London, he made
B) in London; and he made
C) in London, making
D) in London; making

Example 6

The Amazon Rainforest, the largest tropical rainforest in the world, is known for its
incredible biodiversity. It is _ _ than all of the European Union. The region supports
millions of species, many of which are still undiscovered.

A) vast; larger, in fact,

B) vast, larger-in fact
C) vast-larger, in fact,
D) vast-larger, in fact-

Example 7

The Colosseum in Rome was completed during the reign of Emperor Vespasian (the
year __ but has since become one of the most iconic symbols of ancient Roman
engineering and culture.

A) (80 CE to be exact);
B) 80 CE, to be exact,
C) 80 CE to be exact),
D) 80 CE to be exact-

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Example 8

In studies, a vast majority of individuals express the belief that recycling is important
for environmental sustainability. In reality, however, there is frequently a notable
difference between intentions and actual _ _ for instance, only 30% of household
waste in urban areas is recycled.

A) rates in the United States

B) rates: in the United States
C) rates, in the United States,
D) rates in the United States,

Example 9
When subjected to harsh environmental changes, certain species of plants are able to
slow down their growth and conserve energy. Scientists have recently uncovered how
these plants monitor their surroundings before resuming growth _ _ could lead to
advances in agriculture and sustainability.

A) themselves, this discovery

B) themselves this discovery:
C) themselves this discovery
D) themselves—a discovery that

Example 10

The practice of winemaking in France, which started during Roman times, has persisted
until today ____ include rustic country wines, delicate whites, robust reds, and
sparkling varieties like Champagne, enjoyed worldwide.

A) today, although many styles

B) today, many styles
C) today: many styles
D) today; many styles

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Answers to Punctuation
1. A
2. D
3. B
4. B
5. C
6. C
7. C
8. B
9. D
10. D (the second part is not explaining the first part, so a colon won’t work here).

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Lesson #9: Punctuation with a Shifting Transition

These questions are said be the trickiest of all the Standard English Conventions!

It is best to tackle these in two steps:

✅Step 1: Determine your punctuation mark (where are your complete sentences?)
✅Step 2: Determine where the transition should go (where is the contrast/causal
relationship?)

💡Tip: Temporarily remove the transition word while on step 1. Whether it is there or
not won’t change the completeness of a sentence.

💡Tip: A transition word should always be placed in the second sentence of the two
sentences that relate to each other.

Example 1

Most theories claim the Moon formed out of the debris of a collision between the Earth
and a Mars-sized object known as Theia, which came together in orbit over a period of
months or years. A new simulation advances a different _ _ may have formed in a
matter of hours, when material from the Earth and Theia was launched into orbit
immediately after the impact.

A) theory, though the Moon

B) theory, though: the Moon
C) theory; though, the Moon
D) theory though the Moon

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Example 2

Patients who participate in clinical trials hope to gain access to experimental

treatments that would not otherwise be available to them. Every clinical drug trial
conducted today randomly assigns patients to one of two _______ receives the actual
medication.

A) groups, however. Only one of which

B) groups; however, only one of which
C) groups, however, only one of them
D) groups; however, only one of them
I

Example 3

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.

A) nickname, however
B) nickname, however;
C) nickname, however,
D) nickname; however,

Example 4

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.

A) single-handedly, however;
B) single-handedly; however,
C) single-handedly, however,
D) single-handedly however
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Answers to Punctuation with Transitions
1. B
2. D
3. C (you do not have two complete sentences here, so you need a comma instead)
4. A

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Lesson #10: Apostrophes

Please note what is different about each one of these in the set.

There vs. Their vs. They’re

👇 👇 👇
_____ _____ ______

It’s vs. Its vs. Its’

👇 👇 👇
_____ _____ ______

Brother’s vs. Brothers’

👇 👇
_____ _____

Apostrophes Strategies
✅Strategy 1: Never pick two apostrophes back-to-back (i.e. mother’s uncles’)
✅Strategy 2: Play majority rules when you’re stuck (cross off oddballs to get to the
right answer)

Strategy 2 Exercise: Use the strategy majority rules to choose the correct answer.

A) employees roles
B) employee's roles
C) employees' roles
D) employee's roles'

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Answer to Exercise:

B) employee's roles

This answer choice has the most in common with the other answer choices. There was
one other employee’s option and three other roles options.

Apostrophes Question Examples

Example 1

Because the lemur, a small animal native to Madagascar, shares some traits with other
primates,_____ frequently mistaken for an ancestor of modern monkeys and apes.

A) its
B) it’s
C) its’
D) their

Example 2

Modern (and possibly Postmodern) Ages. Such efforts have yielded diminishing
returns, as even the complete relaunch of DC _______ line in 2011 has failed to arrest
the steep two-decade decline of comic book sales.

A) Comics’ superhero’s
B) Comic’s superhero’s
C) Comics superhero’s
D) Comics’ superhero

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Example 3
Throughout his 1986 novel-in-verse, The Golden Gate, Vikram Seth maintains a
stubborn resistance to traditional structure. The narrator does not hesitate to interrupt
the ____ in order to explain a shift in the plot or to comment on the structure of the
book.

A) stories events
B) story's events
C) stories' event's
D) story's events'

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Answers to Apostrophes Examples
1. B
2. D
3. B

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Lesson #11: Additional Grammar Concepts

These concepts don’t show up on every test, but they show up enough on the SAT
where you should know them.

Affect vs. Effect

👇 👇

Example 1

In truth, the agency has a widespread positive _______ society by serving as a catalyst
for innovation and scientific understanding.

A) effect on
B) affect on
C) effect to
D) affects on

Example 2

Some traditional assumptions about how to treat jellyfish stings have recently been
called into question: rinsing the ________areas with seawater for example only spreads
the stings to a larger area.

A) affected
B) effected
C) affecting
D) effecting

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Answers to Affect vs. Effect
1. A
2. A

Who vs. Whom

👇 👇

Example 1

The lion dance requires the strength, grace, and coordination of two dancers, _______
are almost completely hidden by the elaborate bamboo and papier-mâché lion
costume that they maneuver.

A) both of whom
B) of which both
C) both of them
D) both

Example 2

Many runners, even those ____ train regularly, have a tendency to stick to an
established distance. As a result, they never develop a clear sense of their athletic
potential.

A) whom
B) who
C) which
D) they

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Answers to Who vs. Whom
1. A
2. B

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Transitions 🏃💨
Transition questions are the most common type of Writing question, with each test
containing around 8 to 10 such items (around 15-20% of the test).

Support Contrast Causation

EXCEPTIONS

Reinforcers:

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Transition Question Strategies

✅Strategy #1: Categorize your answer choices then pick an answer that matches the
relationship

✅Strategy #2: Cross off answer choices from the same category
(because they function the same way and you cannot have two multiple choice
answers that are correct)

✅Strategy #3: Read the sentence before the transition and the sentence the transition
is in to determine a relationship

✅Strategy #4: Note that oftentimes, the exception word that doesn’t neatly fit into a
category ends up being the correct answer.

✅ Strategy #5: For science passages, pay attention to the language used to identify
relationships. You might not always pick up on the tone. For example, if the first
sentence states “symmetrical” and the next says “misshapen,” it indicates a contrast.

✅ Strategy #6: Put the word in context to test its meaning! Try “I didn’t study for the
SAT. [Insert transition word], ..…” and then complete the thought to clarify the category
it belongs in

***Wherever the transition word is physically located in the sentence, it is linking

to the previous sentence.***

Case 1 Example:

Sentence 1. Transition, sentence 2. Sentence 3.

The transition in Case 1 is linking sentences ______ and _______.

Case 2 Example:

Sentence 1. Sentence 2. Sentence 3, transition.

The transition in Case 2 is linking sentences ______ and _______.

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Transitions Practice

Here is a reminder of the flow you will follow when answering these
questions:

✅Step #1: Categorize your answer choices then pick an answer that matches the
relationship

✅Step #2: Cross off answer choices from the same category
(because they function the same way and you cannot have two multiple choice
answers that are correct)

✅Step #3: Read the sentence before the transition and the sentence the transition is
in to determine a relationship

Example #1 (ID 9e34720b in College Board’s Question Bank)

Although those who migrated to California in 1849 dreamed of finding gold nuggets in
streambeds, the stateʼs richest deposits were buried deeply in rock, beyond the reach
of individual prospectors. ______ by 1852, many had given up their fortune-hunting
dreams and gone to work for one of the large companies capable of managing
Californiaʼs complex mining operations.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A. Furthermore,
B. Still,
C. Consequently,
D. Next,

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Example #2 (ID 39d1a519 from College Board’s Question Bank)

Make Sure to Read Carefully - More than One Can Sound Correct!

To discover which fruit varieties were grown in Italyʼs Umbria region before the
introduction of industrial farming, botanist Isabella Dalla Ragione often turns to
centuries-old lists of cooking ingredients. ______ she analyzes Renaissance paintings of
Umbria, as they can provide accurate representations of fruits that were grown there
long ago.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A. In sum,
B. Instead,
C. Thus,
D. Additionally,

Example #3 (ID 0205e563 from College Board’s Question Bank)

Science Passage – Look for Language, not Tone

At two weeks old, the time their critical socialization period begins, wolves can smell
but cannot yet see or hear. Domesticated dogs, ______ can see, hear, and smell by the
end of two weeks. This relative lack of sensory input may help explain why wolves
behave so differently around humans than dogs do: from a very young age, wolves are
more wary and less exploratory.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A. in other words,
B. for instance,
C. by contrast,
D. accordingly,

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Example #4 (ID a819d8b6 from College Board’s Question Bank)

When an Exception is the Correct One

In 1873, Spanish scientist Santiago Ramón y Cajal observed that brain fibers have
distinct boundaries with clear end points, a finding that went against earlier
assumptions about the brain. ______ scientists had assumed that the brain
was a continuous web of fused fibers, not a vast network of distinct, individual cells.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A. However,
B. Previously,
C. As a result,
D. Likewise,

Example #5 (ID 47e238be from College Board’s Question Bank)

A Hard Level Question - Something You Would See on Module 2

Seismologists Kaiqing Yuan and Barbara Romanowicz have proposed that the magma
fueling Iceland’s more than 30 active volcano systems emerges from deep within
Earth. The great depths involved—nearly 3,000 km—mark Iceland’s volcanoes as
extreme outliers; ______ many of Earth’s volcanoes are fed by shallow pockets of
magma found less than 15 km below the surface.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A. indeed,
B. nevertheless,
C. in addition,
D. consequently,

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Example #6 (ID 9f1a0d91 from College Board’s Question Bank)

Where You Can Eliminate Two Answers

“Tulip mania”—the rapid rise and sudden fall of the price of tulip bulbs in
seventeenth-century Amsterdam—is often cited as an example of the perils of
rampant market speculation. However, recent research has demonstrated that the
episode was neither as frenzied nor as disastrous as has been thought. The popular
myth surrounding it, ______ should be regarded with some skepticism.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A. for example,
B. by contrast,
C. nevertheless,
D. therefore,

I can eliminate ______ and _______ because they are from the same transitions
category and function the same way.

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Transition Example Question Answers
1. C
2. D
3. C
4. B
5. A
6. D

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Vocabulary (aka “Words in Context”)
These questions come first, typically in the #1-5 range. As tempting as it may be,
please don’t study the dictionary. That will be too much work.

There are better strategies you can employ to help you!

✅Strategy #1: Look for the definition of the word in the text
✅Strategy #2: Play positive/negative
✅Strategy #3: Use linguistics
✅Strategy #4: Study the high probability SAT vocab list
✅Strategy #5: Spend only 20-30 seconds max on these questions
✅Strategy #6: Create a list of SAT words you don’t know
Tip: If you’re aiming for a 750+ on English, you cannot ignore vocab! You MUST do all
of these things to ensure you maximize your points on this tricky portion of the test.

Let’s explore each strategy in more detail on the following pages.

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Strategy #1: Look for Synonyms or the Definition of the Word

They WILL give a synonym to the word they want you to put in the blank. Often, a
colon or semicolon will clue you in that the extra information that comes after it
explains more about the word they want in the blank.

For instance, do you see how the synonym comes after the special punctuation mark?

Since melodic is closest in meaning to “pleasant musical quality,” the answer is C.

Notice that “pleasant musical quality” came after the colon.

If the blank came after the colon, then the synonym would come before it.

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Pinpoint the Definition Exercise: Can you spot the definition of the word you need for
the blank? Circle the definition or synonym in the text! Then, check your answers on the
next page.

1. Renowned marine biologist Sylvia Earle states that while she cannot pinpoint
exactly when it may occur, she _______ that humanity will eventually require
alternative sources of sustenance beyond the oceans. This belief drives her
passion for exploring sustainable practices in ocean conservation.

2. Starting in the 1960s, civil rights activist John Lewis tirelessly fought for social
justice; this _______ commitment included organizing protests across the
country and advocating for legislation to protect voting rights for marginalized
communities.

3. Filmmaker Ava DuVernay _______ Hollywood's inclination to portray Black

stories through a narrow historical lens: this critique is clear in her film Selma,
which focuses on a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement while
emphasizing the voices and experiences of individuals in the present day.

4. Scientists have long sought to identify the exact reasons behind yawning, which
occurs when an individual inhales _______ . However, psychologist Andrew
Gallup has discovered that these involuntary actions may serve a significant
function in helping to cool the brain and increase alertness.

5. In investigating the impact of external factors on alleviating symptoms of

anxiety, Dr. Maria Johnson and her team discovered that while calming
techniques like soft music or gentle scents can provide a momentary sense of
peace, such _______ interventions tend to be less effective than more intense
methods, such as exposure therapy.

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Pinpoint the definition/synonym in the text answers (in bold):

1. Renowned marine biologist Sylvia Earle states that while she cannot pinpoint
exactly when it may occur, she _______ that humanity will eventually require
alternative sources of sustenance beyond the oceans. This belief drives her
passion for exploring sustainable practices in ocean conservation.

2. Starting in the 1960s, civil rights activist John Lewis tirelessly fought for social
justice; this _______ commitment included organizing protests across the
country and advocating for legislation to protect voting rights for marginalized
communities.

3. Filmmaker Ava DuVernay _______ Hollywood's inclination to portray Black

stories through a narrow historical lens: this critique is clear in her film Selma,
which focuses on a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement while
emphasizing the voices and experiences of individuals in the present day.

4. Scientists have long sought to identify the exact reasons behind yawning, which
occurs when an individual inhales _______ . However, psychologist Andrew
Gallup has discovered that these involuntary actions may serve a significant
function in helping to cool the brain and increase alertness.

5. In investigating the impact of external factors on alleviating symptoms of

anxiety, Dr. Maria Johnson and her team discovered that while calming
techniques like soft music or gentle scents can provide a momentary sense of
peace, such _______ interventions tend to be less effective than more intense
methods, such as exposure therapy.

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Strategy #2: Play positive/negative

You may not know the meaning of a word, but determining positive/negative tone can
help you narrow it down to the correct answer!

Positive/Negative Exercise: Move each word in the word bank below to the appropriate
column, based on how it sounds. Then check your answers on the following page!

Word bank: congregation, hedonist, integrity, longevity, ostentatious, orator,

substantiate, apathy, augment, expedite, dogmatic, novel, affable, indolence, squander

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Strategy #3: Build Your Vocabulary Using Linguistics

Words are made up of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. If you know what the parts of
words mean, you have a better chance of understanding the meaning of the word!

EXERCISE:
Let’s break a few words down into their parts to decipher their meaning.

Example 1:

Misogynist

Example 2:

Philanthropist

Example 3:

Pugnacious

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🤓Study Tips🤓
1. Study this list weekly. START NOW!

2. Break it up into chunks (i.e. a page at a time, a letter at a time)

3. Quiz yourself by covering up the meaning and example words to see if you can
recall them from memory

Linguistics Quiz!
Try to complete this quiz without looking at your chart.

1. What does the root eu mean? _________________________________

2. What does the prefix aba- mean? _______________________________

3. What does the suffix -ious mean? _______________________________

4. What does the prefix mis- mean? _______________________________

5. What does the root gyn mean? _______________________________

6. What does the word misogynist mean? _______________________________

7. What does the root bene mean? _______________________________

8. What does the root pug mean? _______________________________

9. What does the root anthro mean? _______________________________

10.What does the root phil mean? _______________________________

11.What does the prefix a- mean? _______________________________

12.What does the root soph mean? _______________________________

13.What does the root loq mean? _______________________________

14.What does the root fid mean? _______________________________

15.What does the prefix im/in - mean? _______________________________

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Strategy #4: Know the High Probability SAT Vocabulary Words

⭐️Key Science-Related Terms⭐️

Advantageous - providing an advantage Charge - in electricity, positive or negative

Control group - in an experiment, the group in which the variable being tested is not changed

Empirical - relying on hard data

Hierarchy (adj., hierarchical) - system of rank; opposite of egalitarian

Isotope - alternate form of an element

Indigenous - native

Inhibit - prevent, impede (e.g., a response)

Innovative - new and revolutionary

Metabolism - the process of converting food to energy

Microbial - relating to microscopic organisms

Pigment - color

Predisposed - having a tendency toward

Regenerate - regrow

Replicate - repeat (an experiment) and obtain the same results

Saturate - to become completely soaked with

Stimulus - something that provokes a specific response

Symbiosis (adj., Symbiotic) - interaction between two organisms living close together,
benefits both

Taxonomy - classification system Trait - characteristic

Velocity - speed

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⭐️Important General Terms⭐️
Make a Claim
Advance, Posit Draw a Conclusion
Proffer, Speculate, Hypothesize Infer, Surmise

Support a Claim Provide Sources

Bolster, Buttress, Substantiate Attribute, Cite

Question a Claim Large Amount

Ambivalence, Skepticism, Rebut Multitude, Plethora, Profusion
Refute

Small Amount
Think about Dearth , Paucity
Grapple with, Mull over, Ruminate about

Different, Diverse
Coming Together Disparate, Heterogeneous , Eclectic
Converge, Integrate, Intersect

Noticeable, Striking
Moving Apart Conspicuous, Distinctive, Salient
Diverge

Harmless
Inborn Benign, Innocuous
Inherent, Innate ,Intrinsic

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⭐️Additional General Vocabulary⭐️
Adept - skilled

Adversary - opponent

Align (oneself with) - support or adopt the position of Authentic - genuine

Benevolent - kind

Buttress - provide support

Centrality - state of being central or essential Complement - to complete or perfect

Comprehensive - thorough, complete (NOT to be confused with comprehensible, which means

"understandable)

Conspicuous - clearly visible

Contingent - dependent upon Confer - give, grant

Corollary - a statement or condition that logically results from a proven argument

Contemporary - current Cultivate - grow, raise, e.g., crops

Displace - to force someone or something from its home or habitat

Disposition - personality

Engendering - to cause to exist; produce

Ideology - belief system

Impede, Inhibit- prevent; get in the way of Indigenous - native

Ineluctable - unable to be avoided; inescapable

Insuperable - impossible to overcome

Irreproachable - blameless

Judicial - related to the law

Marginal - unimportant

Mitigate - make less severe

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Preliminary - occurring before the main event

Prevail - win; adj. Prevalent, Prevailing - widespread; generally accepted, e.g., the prevailing
theory

Reciprocate - respond to an action or behavior with the same action/ behavior

Repudiate - to refuse to accept

Rudimentary - very basic

Shrewd - smart

Successor - person who inherits another's position

Unequivocal - leaving no doubt; unambiguous

Vindicate - to free from blame

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⭐️Common Second Meanings⭐️
Afford - Grant (e.g., an opportunity)

Appreciate - To take into account, recognize the merits of, OR to increase in value

Arrest - To stop (not just put handcuffs on a criminal)

Assume - To take on responsibility for, acquire (e.g., to assume a new position)

Austerity - Financial policy to reduce excess spending on luxury or non-essential items

Badger - To pester or annoy (e.g., reporters repeatedly badgered the candidate after the

scandal broke)

Bent - Liking for. Synonym for penchant, predilection, proclivity

Capacity - Ability

Chance - To attempt

Channel - To direct something (e.g., energy, money) toward a specific purpose

Check - To restrain, control, or reduce (e.g., the vaccine checked the spread of the disease) Coin

- To invent (e.g., coin a phrase)

Compromise - To endanger or make vulnerable (e.g., to compromise one's beliefs)

Constitution - Build (e.g., a football player has a solid constitution)

Conviction - Certainty, determination. Noun form of convinced.

Couch - To hide

Discriminating - Able to make fine distinctions (e.g., a discriminating palate)

Doctor - To tamper with (e.g. she doctored the documents)

Economy - Thrift (e.g., a writer who has an economical style is one who uses few words)

Embroider - To falsify, make up stories about

Execute - To carry out

Exploit - Make use of (does not carry a negative connotation)

Facility - Ability to do something easily (e.g., a facility for learning languages)

Foil - v.To put a stop to (e.g., to foil a robbery)

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Grave/ Gravity - Serious(ness)

Grill - To question intensely and repeatedly (e.g., the police officers grilled the suspect

thoroughly) Hamper - To get in the way ot hinder

Harbor - To possess, hold (e.g., to harbor a belief)

Hobble - Prevent impede

Plastic - Able to be changed, malleable (e.g., brain plasticity)

Provoke - Elicit (e.g., a reaction)

Realize - To achieve (a goal)

Reconcile - To bring together opposing or contradictory ideas

Relay - To pass on to someone else (e.g., to relay information)

Relate - To telt give an account of (a story)

Reservations - Misgivings

Reserve - To hold off on (e.g., to reserve judgment)

Ruffled - Flustered, nonplussed

Sap - To drain (e.g., of energy)

Scrap - To eliminate

Shelve/Table - To reject or discard (e.g., an idea or proposal)

Solvent - Able to pay all debts (usually used in a business context)

Sound - Firm, stable, reliable, valid (e.g., a sound argument)

Spare, Severe - Unadorned, very plain

Static - Unchanging (i.e., in a state of stasis)

Sustain - To withstand

Uniform - Constant, unvarying

Unqualified - Absolute

Upset - To interfere with an expected outcome

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⭐️Words that Look Negative But Aren’t⭐️
Critic/Criticism - A critic is a person who writes commentary-either positive or negative- about

a subject, e.g., art, music, or sports.

Discern/ discerning - To recognize or distinguish; perceptive

Ineffable - Indescribable, sublime, beyond words

Infallible - Unable to be wrong

Ingenious - Clever, brilliant

Ingenuous - Native

Inimitable - Unique, one-of-a-kind

Innate - Inborn, natural

Innocuous - Harmless

Intrinsic/ Innate - Inborn, a natural part of Invaluable - Having immense value, priceless

Unassuming - Modest

Unqualified - Absolute

🤓Study Tips🤓
4. Study these high probability words weekly. START NOW!

5. Break it up into chunks (i.e. a page at a time, a letter at a time)

6. Quiz yourself by covering up the meaning and example words to see if you can
recall them from memory

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Strategy #5: If You’re Still Stuck, Move On!
You should spend no more than ~30 seconds on each words in context question.
If you’re not sure after using your strategies, make a guess and move on. You can flag it
to come back to later.

Strategy #6: Create Your Own List of Words You Don’t Know
Every time you encounter a word while you’re prepping and you don’t know it, add it to
your own custom list and look up it’s definition

On the following few pages, you can add to your list!

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 ⭐️SAT Words that I Didn’t Know⭐️
SAT Word Definition

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 ⭐️SAT Words that I Didn’t Know⭐️
SAT Word Definition

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 ⭐️SAT Words that I Didn’t Know⭐️
SAT Word Definition

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 ⭐️SAT Words that I Didn’t Know⭐️
SAT Word Definition

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 Chapter 3
Reading Skills & Strategies

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Reading Skill #1: Identifying and Linking
Pronouns 🤓
Often in the texts you will read on the DSAT, the text will switch from specific phrasing
to more general language by using pronouns (it, they, this, that, them, he etc).

The key is knowing what the pronoun is connected to (what it is referring to). If you
cannot follow the pronouns in the text and where they are coming from, you will get
confused!

Let’s look at some examples.

Pronoun Example #1 (Referring to an Abstract Noun)

In an effort to enhance renewable energy storage, a groundbreaking technique has

been developed by researchers at Stanford University. Led by Dr. Emily Harper and Dr.
Luis Gonzalez, (1) it promises to significantly reduce the cost and increase the
efficiency of large-scale battery systems used in solar and wind farms.

What does this “it” refer to in the passage?

(1) it :_________________________________

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Pronoun Example #2 (Referring to Different Things)
The temperature of ocean water changes slowly throughout the year due to the
massive heat capacity of water. At (1) its warmest point, usually in late summer, the
surface water temperature can be several degrees higher than (2) its coldest point,
which typically occurs in winter. This greatly impacts marine life activity, as (3) it is
more abundant during the warmer months when surface water temperature is higher.

Can you figure out what each it refers to in the passage?

(1) its :_________________________________

(2) its: ______________________________

(3) it: _______________________________

Pronoun Example #3 (Singular Referents vs. Plural Referents)

Many modern climate models, which predict weather patterns, sea level rise, and
temperature changes, rely on complex mathematical algorithms. In environmental
science, (1) they are frequently used to simulate Earth's atmospheric processes, with
the goal of improving our understanding of how climate change will impact the planet
in the coming decades.

Can you figure out what they refers to in the passage?

(1) they :_________________________________

Since the pronoun is a “they,” it is plural, and must refer to a plural noun.

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Pronoun Example #5 (Compression Noun)

The shift from traditional retail to e-commerce has transformed the way we shop.
Online platforms have made it easier for consumers to browse and purchase products
from the comfort of their homes, often bypassing physical stores entirely. However, (1)
this increased convenience comes with a notable downside: the loss of personal
interaction and the tactile experience of seeing products in person before buying.

What does “this increased convenience” refer to?

(1) this increased convenience: ________________________________________________

Compression noun: refers not to a single thing but rather to an entire idea

Pronoun Example #6 (Tricky Compression Noun)

While humpback dolphins look quite similar to other dolphins, their genetics tells a
different story. Researchers collected 235 tissue samples and 180 skulls throughout
the animals' distribution, representing the biggest dataset assembled to date for the
animals. The team analyzed mitochondrial and nuclear DNA from the tissue, which
revealed significant variations. Although the line between species, sub-species and
populations is a blurry one, in this case, the researchers are confident that the
humpback dolphin is distinct enough to warrant the "species" title. The mitochondrial
DNA turned up genetic signatures distinct enough to signal a separate species, and
likewise, differences in the dolphins' skulls supported (1) this divergence. Although
the nuclear DNA provided a slightly more confounding picture, it still clearly showed
differences between the species.

What does “this divergence” refer to?

(1) this divergence: ________________________________________________

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Pronoun Example #7 (Former vs. Latter)

The former refers back to the noun or phrase mentioned first, and the latter refers
back to the noun or phrase mentioned second.

In the Renaissance, both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were celebrated artists,
but (1) the former was known for his diverse talents in science and engineering, while
(2) the latter gained fame primarily for his mastery of sculpture and painting.

Can you figure out what each refers to in the passage?

(1) the former :_________________________________

(2) the latter: _________________________________

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Reading Skill #2: Using Strategies
Using strategies simplifies what can otherwise be a pretty complicated reading
passage. This is a timed test, so strategies will help you get to the correct answers
more quickly!

SAT Reading Strategies

✅ Strategy #1: Break up the reading passages into two separate blocks to maximize
focus and attention (See execution strategy #2 on page 10)

✅ Strategy #2: Find 3 wrong answers instead of 1 right answer

✅ Strategy #3: Find synonyms in the answer choice to the text
✅ Strategy #4: Pay attention to adverbs of degree like “largely” or “partly”
✅ Strategy #5: When reading, call people by their initials if they have names that are
hard to pronounce

✅ Strategy #6: Skip over any big words you don’t know
✅ Strategy #7: Simplify what the passage is saying by pulling out the words/phrases
that you do understand and putting it in your own words

✅ Strategy #8: Annotate when you are getting lost

✅ Strategy #9: If the text doesn’t say it, don’t pick it!
✅ Strategy #10: Understand direct (positive)↑↑ vs. indirect (negative)↑↓ correlations
✅ Strategy #11: Poems/Fiction Passages: Avoid answer choices that are too literal
✅ Strategy #12: Play positive/negative
✅ Strategy #13: Get good at pinpointing the claim in the text

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Classifying Adverbs of Degree Exercise: Put each word in its proper column.

Mostly Comparably Chiefly Primarily Substantially

Broadly Predominantly Uniformly Somewhat Moderately Marginally
Partially Considerably Extensively On par Proportionally
Significantly Fractionally Commensurately

Largely Partly Equally

⭐️It is important to be mindful when you see adverbs of degree in the text and/or

⭐️
answer choices. If they provide a different type of adverb of degree in the answer than
what the text said, it makes the entire answer choice incorrect.

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Finding Synonyms Exercise: Please select the phrase that most closely matches the
original statement.

---

1. "To a significant degree" 4. "Without exception"

A. Minimally A. Rarely
B. Slightly B. Occasionally
C. Substantially C. Always
D. Barely D. With caution

--- ---

2. "In the same manner" 5. "Taken into account"

A. Differently A. Overlooked
B. Equally B. Ignored
C. Independently C. Considered
D. Unevenly D. Discounted

--- ---

3. "Shows reluctance" 6. "Unbiased perspective"

A. Demonstrates enthusiasm A. Objective viewpoint

B. Expresses hesitation B. Strong opinion
C. Acts decisively C. Partial judgment
D. Moves quickly D. Personal belief

— ---

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7. “Has a different origin” 10. "Expresses approval"

A. Shows displeasure
A. Resulted from a collision B. Offers criticism
B. May not be a remnant of C. Voices support
C. Descended from the same source D. Remains neutral
D. Gradually moved away from

---
---
11. "The principles of justice"
8. "Has the potential to"

A. Laws of society
A. Will certainly B. Codes of conduct
B. Lacks the ability to C. Rules of the courtroom
C. Could possibly D. Foundations of fairness
D. Will never

---
---
9. "Positioned as a central figure”
12. "A pivotal moment"

A. disputed by contemporaries
B. eloquently stated arguments A. An unimportant event
C. played a crucial role B. A minor setback
D. persuaded many people C. A critical turning point
D. A random occurrence
---

---

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13. "A breach of trust" ---

16. "The fruits of labor"

A. Violation of confidence
B. Demonstration of loyalty
C. Act of kindness A. Benefits of hard work
D. Display of ignorance B. Products of nature
C. Results of an experiment
--- D. Components of a meal

14. "insufficient to completely describe

a narrative"
---

A. Not fully encompassed 17. "An agent of change"

B. interpreted differently
C. can be easily understood
D. out of chronological order is more A. A cause of disruption
difficult to understand B. A symbol of constancy
C. A source of transformation
--- D. A product of inertia

15. "creating levels of uncertainty to

which foreign investors are typically
averse" ---

18. "The fabric of society"

A. initial investments are too large for
foreign investors to supply
B. developing countries tend to become A. The material of the government
less dependent on foreign investment B. The structure of a family
C. can lead to unattractive conditions for C. The framework of social norms
investors D. The foundation of a building
D. foreign investors tend to avoid initial
investments in natural-resource
industries
---

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19. "A seat of power"

20. "As framed in our Constitution"

A. A symbol of leadership
B. A place for seating
C. A tool of authority A. As debated in Parliament
D. A sign of respect — B. As written in our laws
C. As discussed in modern times
D. As changed by our forefathers

21. “Not yet commercially viable”

A. cannot be widely used
B. unable to improve technology
C. make processes more inefficient
D. stored for long-term commercial use

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Synonyms Exercise Answers

1. C 12. C

2. B 13. A

3. B 14. A

4. C 15. C

5. C 16. A

6. A 17. C

7. B 18. C

8. C 19. A

9. C 20. B

10. C 21. A

11. D

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Annotations Exercise: Please fill in the first column with a symbol that you can use for
shorthand annotations during a reading passage that is difficult to follow.
Symbol/Shorthand Meaning

Increase, growth, rise

Decrease, decline, fall

Leads to, results in, causes

Change, difference

Approximately, about

Equals, is

Does not equal, is not

Plus, and, addition

Minus, less, subtraction

Important, key point, note this

With

Without

Because

Versus, in contrast to

At, regarding

Number

Therefore

Question, needs clarification

Direct (Positive) Correlation

Indirect (Negative) Correlation

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Synonyms for “Claim” Exercise: List as many synonyms to the word “claim” that you
can think of. This will help you to identify the claim in the text.

1.___________________ 6. ___________________ 11. __________________

2. ___________________ 7. ___________________ 12. __________________

3. ___________________ 8. ___________________ 13. __________________

4. ___________________ 9. ___________________ 14. __________________

5. ___________________ 10. __________________ 15. __________________

Pinpointing the Undermine Statement Exercise: List as many synonyms to the word
“undermine” that you can think of. This will help you to identify the undermine
statement in the text.

1.___________________ 5. ___________________ 9. ___________________

2. ___________________ 6. ___________________ 10. __________________

3. ___________________ 7. ___________________ 11. __________________

4. ___________________ 8. ___________________ 12. __________________

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Synonyms for Claim Answer Key:

​ Assert ​ Contend ​ Purport

​ Declare ​ Profess ​ Aver

​ State ​ Attest ​ Swear

​ Maintain ​ Proclaim ​ Suggest

​ Affirm ​ Argue ​ Propose

​ Allege ​ Hold

​ Insist ​ Postulate

​ Avow ​ Pronounce

Synonyms for Undermine Answer Key:

​ Sabotage ​ Devalue ​ Undercut

​ Weaken ​ Debase ​ Thwart

​ Subvert ​ Compromise ​ Diminish

​ Erode ​ Invalidate Jeopardize

​ ​

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Reading Skill #3: Identifying Types of Wrong
Answer Choices
On this test, it is better to find 3 wrong answers than 1 right answer.

The SAT is laden with answers that sound great. If you’re not critical of each and every
answer you read, you will likely pick a trap answer. Try to find something wrong with
each answer choice as you read it.

If you’re familiar with the types of wrong answers you will encounter and can spot
them, then you are a step ahead of the test designers. (Consult with page 8 in this
workbook if you forget any).

What are the common types of wrong answers ❓(full list on

page 8 in this workbook)

👉
👉
👉
👉
👉
👉
👉

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Exercise: Identify the wrong answers & classify what type they are.

---

To understand how Paleolithic artists navigated dark caves, archaeologist Mª Ángeles

Medina-Alcaide and her team tested different lighting methods in a cave in Spain using
replicas of artifacts found in European caves with art. They used three different
Paleolithic light sources—torches, animal-fat lamps, and fireplaces—determining that
each light had a specific purpose. For instance, the team learned that the animal-fat
lamps were less useful than torches while walking because the lamps didn’t illuminate
the cave floor.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Medina-Alcaide and her team’s study demonstrated that fireplaces were essential to
the creators of Paleolithic cave art.

B. Medina-Alcaide and her team discovered that Paleolithic cave artists in Spain used
animal-fat lamps more often than they used torches.

C. Medina-Alcaide and her team were reluctant to draw many conclusions from their
study because of the difficulty they had replicating light sources based on known
artifacts.

D. Medina-Alcaide and her team tested Paleolithic light sources and learned some
details about how Paleolithic artists traveled within dark caves.

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Answers to Exercise
A. Medina-Alcaide and her team’s study demonstrated that fireplaces were essential to
the creators of Paleolithic cave art.
1. Irrelevant (The first sentence says that they were trying to figure out how artists
navigated dark caves)
-or-
2. Could be true, but not enough info (Maybe they do feel that way, but it wasn’t
mentioned in the text)

B. Medina-Alcaide and her team discovered that Paleolithic cave artists in Spain used
animal-fat lamps more often than they used torches.
1. Too broad/general (the text mentions they were used differently for different
purposes. this is too general of a statement and doesn’t highlight a specific purpose)
-or-
2. Opposite (they highlighted a time when torches were actually used more than
animal fat lamps)

C. Medina-Alcaide and her team were reluctant to draw many conclusions from their
study because of the difficulty they had replicating light sources based on known
artifacts.
1. Irrelevant (Nothing like this was said in the passage)

D. Medina-Alcaide and her team tested Paleolithic light sources and learned some
details about how Paleolithic artists traveled within dark caves.
This is the correct answer!

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Reading Skill #4: Ignoring the “Fluff”
The SAT is notorious for giving you too much information so that you can waste time
and get “lost in the weeds.”

Really good SAT test-takers can differentiate between the important stuff and the
“fluff.”

Let’s start by highlighting a grammar example, which will be good review for you:

Fluff Example 1 - Standard English Convention Question

Cross off any unnecessary wording to make the sentence shorter and easier to digest.

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.

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

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So the same skill applies for many reading questions. You can skip the “fluff” on the
following types of questions:

Question Types that Have Lots of “Fluff”

✅ Big Picture Questions (Main Idea, Main Purpose, Overall Structure of Text)
✅ Graph Questions
✅ Logically Completes the Text (Inference) Questions
✅ Note-taking (Rhetorical Synthesis) Questions
Each type has a slightly different approach and flow. So, let’s dive right into a lesson on
how to tackle each one…

But, before we do.. It’s time to reveal STP’s secret sauce for tackling the reading…

Really, most of these questions you just need to read one to two sentences MAX.

What sentence is the key that unlocks the code to crack the reading?

🌈☘️🦄⭐️The Last Sentence is the Key⭐️🦄☘️🌈

Here is the order of importance of the sentences in the text:
1. Last 1-2 sentences
2. First sentence (although often this is fluff)
3. Middle is definitely fluff

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Fluff Lesson 1: Big Picture Questions
Big picture questions are of the following types: main purpose, main idea, and overall
structure of text.

The fluff is in the middle of the text.

Big Picture Question Flow

✅Step #1: Read the last sentence of the paragraph

✅Step #2: Use process of elimination (look for synonyms)
💡Tip 1: If you have it narrowed down to two, then read the first sentence.
💡Tip 2: If it’s an overall structure of text question, when you go to the answers, you
are only looking at the last part of each answer choice.

Let’s try some example questions on the next page.

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Big Picture Practice

Example #1 - Overall Structure of Text

Michelen Pesantubbee, a historian and citizen of the Choctaw Nation, has identified a
dilemma inherent to research on the status of women in her tribe during the 1600s and
1700s: the primary sources from that era, travel narratives and other accounts by male
European colonizers, underestimate the degree of power conferred on Choctaw
women by their traditional roles in political, civic, and ceremonial life. Pesantubbee
argues that the Choctaw oral tradition and findings from archaeological sites in the
tribe’s homeland supplement the written record by providing crucial insights into those
roles.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A. It details the shortcomings of certain historical sources, then argues that research
should avoid those sources altogether.

B. It describes a problem that arises in research on a particular topic, then sketches a

historian’s approach to addressing that problem.

C. It lists the advantages of a particular research method, then acknowledges a

historian’s criticism of that method.

D. It characterizes a particular topic as especially challenging to research, then

suggests a related topic for historians to pursue instead.

👉 Note: With overall structure of text, only read the last part of each answer choice
after reading the last sentence of the paragraph.

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Example #2 - Main Purpose of Text

Space scientists Anna-Lisa Paul, Stephen M. Elardo, and Robert Ferl planted seeds of
Arabidopsis thaliana in samples of lunar regolith—the surface material of the
Moon—and, serving as a control group, in terrestrial soil. They found that while all the
seeds germinated, the roots of the regolith-grown plants were stunted compared with
those in the control group. Moreover, unlike the plants in the control group, the
regolith-grown plants exhibited red pigmentation, reduced leaf size, and inhibited
growth rates—indicators of stress that were corroborated by postharvest molecular
analysis.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. It describes an experiment that addressed an unresolved question about the extent

to which lunar regolith resembles terrestrial soils.

B. It compares two distinct methods of assessing indicators of stress in plants grown in

a simulated lunar environment.

C. It presents evidence in support of the hypothesis that seed germination in lunar

habitats is an unattainable goal.

D. It discusses the findings of a study that evaluated the effects of exposing a plant
species to lunar soil conditions.

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Example #3 - Main Idea of Text

Several scholars have argued that conditions in England in the late ninth through early
eleventh centuries—namely, burgeoning literacy amid running conflicts between
England’s Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and Danish invaders—were especially conducive to
the production of the Old English epic poem Beowulf, and they have dated the poem’s
composition accordingly. It is not inconceivable that Beowulf emerged from such a
context, but privileging contextual fit over the linguistic evidence of an eighth- or even
seventh-century composition requires a level of justification that thus far has not been
presented.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Although there are some grounds for believing that Beowulf was composed
between the late ninth and early eleventh centuries, advocates for that view tend to
rely on evidence that has been called into question by advocates for an earlier date.

B. Although several scholars have dated Beowulf to the late ninth through early
eleventh centuries, others have argued that doing so privileges a controversial
interpretation of the social conditions of the period.

C. Although Beowulf fits well with the historical context of England in the late ninth
through early eleventh centuries, it fits equally well with the historical context of
England in the seventh and eighth centuries.

D. Although the claim of a late ninth- through early eleventh-century composition date
for Beowulf has some plausibility, advocates for the claim have not compellingly
addressed evidence suggesting an earlier date.

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Answers to Big Picture Practice
1. B
2. D
3. D

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⭐️Note: You can also follow the same flow as Big Picture questions for Based on the
Text/Suggests in the Text Questions! These are basically like big picture questions
because if you’re basing something on the text, you’re considering the text as a whole.

Just read the last sentence.

Example 1 - Text Strongly Suggests Question

The most recent iteration of the immersive theater experience Sleep No More, which
premiered in New York City in 2011, transforms its performance space—a five-story
warehouse—into a 1930s-era hotel. Audience members, who wander through the
labyrinthine venue at their own pace and follow the actors as they play out
simultaneous, interweaving narrative loops, confront the impossibility of experiencing
the production in its entirety. The play’s refusal of narrative coherence thus hinges on
the sense of spatial fragmentation that the venue’s immense and intricate layout
generates.

What does the text most strongly suggest about Sleep No More’s use of its
performance space?

A. The choice of a New York City venue likely enabled the play’s creators to experiment
with the use of theatrical space in a way that venues from earlier productions could
not.

B. Audience members likely find the experience of the play disappointing because they
generally cannot make their way through the entire venue.

C. The production’s dependence on a particular performance environment would likely

make it difficult to reproduce exactly in a different theatrical space.

D. Audience members who navigate the space according to a recommended itinerary

will likely have a better grasp of the play’s narrative than audience members who
depart from that itinerary.

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Example 2 - Based on the Text

In superfluorescence, electrical charges known as dipoles emit light in synchronized

bursts so intense that they are visible to the eye. Until recently, this phenomenon has
only been observed at extremely cold temperatures because dipoles cannot
synchronize at higher temperatures. But in a study, Melike Biliroglu and colleagues
observed superfluorescence at room temperature in thin films made of perovskite and
other similarly crystalline materials; the researchers propose that the formation of
shock-absorbing quasiparticles called polarons in the material protects dipoles from
thermal interference.

Based on the text, how are polarons believed to be involved in the

superfluorescence observed in Biliroglu and colleagues’ study?

A. Polarons enable superfluorescent bursts to cross from one crystalline material to

another.

B. Polarons allow for the dipoles to synchronize despite higher temperatures.

C. Polarons accelerate the dipoles’ release of superfluorescent bursts.

D. Polarons decrease the intensity of the superfluorescent burst.

💁‍♀️ Important Note: You cannot cut corners on poems/fiction passages. Since there isn’t
a predictable structure to these, you will have to read the whole thing.

Answers
1. C
2. B

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Fluff Lesson 2 - Graph Questions

The “fluff” on graph questions comes in two places:

1. The first 2-3 sentences of the paragraph under the graph
2. The graph itself!

Graph Questions Flow

✅Step 1: Read the Question

👉Is it a support or undermines?
👉“Describes data” = probably don’t need graph
👉“Uses data” = probably need graph
✅Step 2: Look for the claim/hypothesis
Be mindful if the claim has two parts to it.

✅Step 3: Look for 3 wrong answers

✅Step 4: Look at graph (if needed)
If you have it down to 2 and they both make sense, then look at the graph!
One answer will likely be inaccurate to the graph.

Let’s practice this flow, starting with the example on the next page….

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Example #1 - Student Wants Two Things

As part of a unit on pollination, a biology student is researching Colony Collapse

Disorder, the mysterious disappearance of millions of honeybee (Apismellifera) colonies
in the early 2000s. Although many wild bee populations have continued to decline, the
number of honeybees has actually increased on every continent. The student wants to
emphasize that in some regions, honeybee populations had not only rebounded by
2020 but also reached their highest level in 60 years.

Underline the claim in the text. What two things does the student want to
emphasize?

👉(1)
👉(2)
Make sure to pick an answer that supports both of these things.

Which region included in the graph should the student cite to support this claim?

A) Africa
B) Americas
C) Europe
D) Asia

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Example #2 - Undermine Example (No Graph Needed)

A student studying the presence of white-nose syndrome, a disease that has

decimated bat populations across North America since 2007, examined data about the
number of bats in a protected area. Because bats live in the dark and their cries are
inaudible to people, biologists must use acoustic detectors to record their sounds and
then analyze them to identify the species present in a given location. Observing that
the highest number of cries came from big brown bats(Eptesicus fuscus), the student
concluded that brown bat species were not affected by the disease.

Which statement best describes data from the graph that would undermine the
student's conclusion?

A) No bat species emitted more than 10 cries on average per night

B) The number of cries from little brown bats was among the lowest of any species.

C) More cries were recorded for tri-colored bats than for hoary bats.

D) Eastern red bats were more vocally active than big brown bats.

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Example #3 - Support Example (No Graph Needed)

Despite steady gains in readership and overall popularity, e-books are hardly
positioned to replace print books. Rather, the two types of media complement each
other, providing the same content in different forms. Print books and e-books each
have unique attributes and serve distinct purposes, which vary by demographic and
situational factors. Researchers Yin Zhang and Sunali Kudva used data from the
National Reading Habits Survey to examine book-format preferences in a variety of
situations. Although the pair found that e-books are firmly established as an option
due to ease of accessibility, they also concluded that print books offer greater appeal to
most readers in certain situations.

Which choice best describes data from the chart that supports Zhang and Kudva's
finding?

A) A large majority of readers seeking immediate access to a book preferred the

electronic option, with less than 25% of readers opting for print.

B) The percentage of readers who choose a format based on the variety of titles
available was about 50% for both print books and e-books.

C) More than 75% of readers preferred print books for reading to a child, and more
than 60% preferred print books for sharing with other readers.

D) When concerned about quick access or reading during travel, most readers
preferred books in the same format.

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Example #4 - Claim Has Two Parts AND No Graph Needed

MRSA- Methicillen-resistant Staphylococcus aureus- is a type of bacteria that is

frequently responsible for hospital-acquired infections and is known for being
exceptionally resistant to common antibiotics. When a group of these medications
were compared in terms of their ability to cure MRSA infections versus a variety of
other infections, researchers found that an antibiotic could demonstrate a high level of
general effectiveness but that the same medication could be significantly less effective
in combating MRSA. For example, ____.

According to the claim, these two conditions must be fulfilled:

👉(1)
👉(2)
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to logically complete the
text?

A) Erithromycin had a general effectiveness of nearly 32%, whereas its MRSA

effectiveness was only about five points lower.

B) Whereas Mupirocin was around 17% less effective against MRSA than against
general infections, the gap for Clindamicin was only about 14%.

C) Only Vancomycin was fully effective in combatting both general and MRSA bacteria.

D) Rifampicin showed a general effectiveness rate of more than 85%, whereas it was
just over 60% effective against MRSA

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Example #5 - Graph Is Needed

Over the past two hundred years, the percentage of the population employed in the
agricultural sector has declined in both France and the United States, while
employment in the service sector (which includes jobs in retail, consulting, real estate,
etc.) has risen. However, this transition happened at very different rates in the two
countries. This can be seen most clearly by comparing the employment by sector in
both countries in _____.

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?

A. 1900 with the employment by sector in 1950.

B. 1800 with the employment by sector in 2012.

C. 1900 with the employment by sector in 2012.

D. 1800 with the employment by sector in 1900.

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Graph Example Answers
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. A

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Fluff Lesson 3 - Logically Completes the Text (Inference)
Questions
The “fluff” on inference questions often comes here:
The first 2-3 sentences of the paragraph (Preliminary Info)

Inference Questions Flow

✅Step 1: Skim the answer choices

Quickly glance to see what words are in the answer choices so you get a sense of
what to focus on.

✅Step 2: Find the claim

This will typically be in the last sentence before the blank.

✅Step 3: Put the claim in your own words

This will help you better understand what they are trying to say.

✅Step 4: Come up with your own conclusion

Your conclusion might be different than the actual answer but coming up with your own
conclusion first will ultimately strengthen your understanding.

✅Step 5: Use process of elimination

⭐️Keep it simple - the answer will often be more obvious than you realize. ⭐️
💡Note: If #2 has pronouns or tricky science terms and you’re not sure what they mean, read
back a sentence or two. There are probably one or two questions in module 2 that require
reading the entire passage.

Let’s start by practicing drawing our own conclusions off of provided claims, before we
get into tackling actual questions….

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Exercise #1: Carefully read the statements provided. Based on the information given,
draw a logical conclusion(s) that follows from the claim (you may be able to draw more
than one).

Claim #1
Recent studies from scientists in Sweden and Canada have revealed that a unique
form of physical exercise, which involves performing movements at a slow pace,
may lead to improved cardiovascular health and endurance. This type of exercise
appears to be especially beneficial when incorporated into daily routines, yet the
specific long-term effects are still being explored.

Conclusion #1:

Conclusion #2:

Claim #2
Forest restoration projects often focus on replanting native trees to restore
ecosystems after logging. These efforts prioritize planting trees that provide
habitats for local wildlife and contribute to stabilizing the soil to prevent erosion. In
some areas, the restored forests also serve as natural barriers against flooding.

Conclusion #1:

Conclusion #2:

Conclusion #3:

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Claim #3
Roughly 15% of newly discovered exoplanets have been found orbiting red dwarf
stars, which are cooler and less massive than stars like our Sun. Until recently,
technology employed by researchers was unable to get close enough to the dwarf
stars to detect the exoplanets. These discoveries were initially surprising because
red dwarf stars were once considered too unstable to support planets with
potentially habitable conditions.

Conclusion #1:

Conclusion #2:

Conclusion #3:

Ok, now we are ready to practice the flow and tackle full questions…
✅Step 1: Skim the answer choices
✅Step 2: Find the claim
✅Step 3: Put the claim in your own words
✅Step 4: Come up with your own conclusion
✅Step 5: Use process of elimination

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Exercise #2: Now, let’s practice using the flow to solve these inference questions
quickly and easily.

Example #1 (ID 3190835d from College Board’s Question Bank)

Some businesses believe that when employees are interrupted while doing their
work, they experience a decrease in energy and productivity. However, a team led
by Harshad Puranik, who studies management, has found that interruptions by
colleagues can have a social component that increases employees’ sense of
belonging, resulting in greater job satisfaction that benefits employees and
employers. Therefore, businesses should recognize that ______

1. Underline the Claim

2. Restate the claim in your own words

3. Jot down your own conclusion based on what the claim is saying:

4. Look at the answers and use process of elimination

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. the interpersonal benefits of some interruptions in the workplace may offset the
perceived negative effects.

B. in order to maximize productivity, employers should be willing to interrupt

employees frequently throughout the day.

C. most employees avoid interrupting colleagues because they don’t appreciate being
interrupted themselves.

D. in order to cultivate an ideal workplace environment, interruptions of work should be

discouraged.

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Example #2 (ID d748c3fd from College Board’s SAT Question Bank)

In her 2021 article “Throwaway History: Towards a Historiography of Ephemera,”

scholar Anne Garner discusses John Johnson (1882–1956), a devoted collector of
items intended to be discarded, including bus tickets and campaign pamphlets.
Johnson recognized that scholarly institutions considered his expansive collection of
ephemera to be worthless—indeed, it wasn’t until 1968, after Johnson’s death, that
Oxford University’s Bodleian Library acquired the collection, having grasped the
items’ potential value to historians and other researchers. Hence, the example of
Johnson serves to ______

1. Underline the Claim

2. Restate the claim in your own words

3. Jot down your own conclusion based on what the claim is saying:

4. Look at the answers and use process of elimination

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. demonstrate the difficulties faced by contemporary historians in conducting research

at the Bodleian Library without access to ephemera.

B. represent the challenge of incorporating examples of ephemera into the collections

of libraries and other scholarly institutions.

C. lend support to arguments by historians and other researchers who continue to

assert that ephemera holds no value for scholars.

D. illustrate both the relatively low scholarly regard in which ephemera was once held
and the later recognition of ephemera’s possible utility.

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Example #3 (ID 03701ef3 from College Board’s SAT Question Bank)

To better understand the burrowing habits of Alpheus bellulus (the tiger pistol
shrimp), some studies have used resin casting to obtain precise measurements of
the shrimps’ burrows. Resin casting involves completely filling an empty burrow
with a liquid plastic that hardens to create a three-dimensional model; however,
recovering the model inevitably requires destroying the burrow. In their 2022 study,
Miyu Umehara and colleagues discovered that an x-ray computed tomography (CT)
scanner can accurately record a burrow’s measurements both at a moment in time
and throughout the entire burrow-building process, something that’s impossible
with resin casting because ______

1. Underline the Claim

2. Restate the claim in your own words

3. Jot down your own conclusion based on what the claim is saying:

4. Look at the answers and use process of elimination

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. it can only be used on burrows below a certain size.

B. it does not allow for multiple castings of the same burrow over time.

C. the casting process takes more time than A. bellulus takes to construct a burrow.

D. the process of recovering the model distorts the resin’s shape.

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Example #4 (ID cae97f58 from College Board’s SAT Question Bank)

Mosses can struggle in harsh desert conditions because these plants require
enough sunlight for photosynthesis but not so much that they risk drying out.
Researchers Jenna Ekwealor and Kirsten M. Fisher found several species of
Syntrichia caninervis, a type of desert moss, growing under quartz crystals in
California’s Mojave Desert. To evaluate whether these semitransparent rocks
benefited the moss, the researchers compared the shoot tissue, a measure of plant
growth, of S. caninervis when growing on the soil surface versus when the moss
was growing under the quartz rocks. They found that the shoot tissue was 62%
longer for moss growing under the quartz as compared to moss on the soil surface,
suggesting that ______

1. Underline the Claim

2. Restate the claim in your own words

3. Jot down your own conclusion based on what the claim is saying:

4. Look at the answers and use process of elimination

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. S. caninervis is one of the few types of moss that can survive under semitransparent
rocks.

B. quartz crystals do not transmit the necessary sunlight for photosynthesis in S.

caninervis.

C. S. caninervis growing under quartz crystals experience lower light intensity and are
thus able to retain more moisture.

D. quartz crystals are capable of supporting S. caninervis growth if the crystals are not
too thin.

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Answers to Logically Completes the Text Examples
1. A
2. D
3. B
4. C

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Fluff Lesson 4 - Note-Taking (Rhetorical Synthesis) Questions

The “fluff” on note-taking questions comes in one specific place:

👉 The bullet points!

Note-Taking Questions Flow

✅Step 1: Read the Question

👉 What does the student want?
👉 Note if there are two parts to what the student wants (the answer must
satisfy both parts)

✅Step 2: Look at answers & eliminate

✅Step 3: If 2 or 3 answers still line up with what the question is asking, then go to
bullet points and fact check
👉 Only the right answer will be accurate to the notes

Let’s practice some examples on the following pages…

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Example 1 - You Do Not Need the Notes

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

● Carrie Mae Weems (born 1953) is a photographer and installation artist whose
works employ text, fabric, audio, digital images and video.

● She has received major awards from the MacArthur Foundation and the
American Academy in Rome.

● Her 2021 installation in Chicago featured photos, video, text, and furniture.

● Visitors were encouraged to browse and sit at desks in a recreation of a historic

classroom.

● The same year, her "Cyclorama" exhibit at the New York City Armory included
video projections, shadow puppets, and a voice-over narration.

The student wants to emphasize the variety of materials employed by Weems to an

audience unfamiliar with her work. Which choice most effectively uses relevant
information from the notes to achieve this goal?

A) Carrie Mae Weems's artwork has been recognized by both the MacArthur
Foundation and the American Academy in Rome.

B) In 2021, Weems staged an installation in Chicago in which visitors were encouraged

to participate directly in a recreation of a historic classroom.

C) Carrie Mae Weems, who is considered among the most influential contemporary
American artists, employs a diverse set of media: her shows include elements ranging
from photos to furniture to shadow puppets.

D) Carrie Mae Weems's 2021 show in New York City, unlike her show in Chicago the
same year, included shadow puppets as well as a voice-over narration.

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Example 2 - Student Wants Two Things

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

● In 1971, experimental musician Pauline Oliveros created Sonic Meditations.

● Sonic Meditations is not music but rather a series of sound-based exercises
called meditations.
● Each meditation consists of instructions for participants to make, imagine, listen
to, or remember sounds.
● The instructions for Meditation V state, “walk so silently that the bottoms of
your feet become ears.”
● Those for Meditation XVIII state, “listen to a sound until you no longer recognize
it.”

The student wants to provide an explanation and an example of Oliveros’s Sonic

Meditations. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the
notes to accomplish this goal?

A. Sonic Meditations is not music but rather a series of sound-based meditations that
consist of instructions; Meditation XVIII, for instance, instructs participants to “listen to
a sound until you no longer recognize it.”

B. In 1971, Oliveros created Sonic Meditations, a series of meditations that consist of

instructions for participants to make, imagine, listen to, or remember sounds.

C. “Walk so silently that the bottoms of your feet become ears” is one example of the
instructions found in Oliveros’s Sonic Meditations.

D. While both meditations consist of instructions, Meditation XVIII instructs

participants to “listen,” whereas Meditation V instructs participants to “walk.”

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Example 3 - You NEED the notes

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

● The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) keeps a list of all at-risk species.
● Species on the list are classified as either endangered or threatened.
● A species that is in danger of extinction throughout most or all of its range is
classified as endangered.
● A species that is likely to soon become endangered is classified as threatened.
● The California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) is likely to soon become
endangered, according to the FWS.

The student wants to indicate the California red-legged frog’s FWS classification
category. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to
accomplish this goal?

A. Species on the FWS list, which includes the California red-legged frog (Rana
draytonii), are classified as either endangered or threatened.

B. The California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) appears on the FWS list of at-risk
species.

C. According to the FWS, the California red-legged frog is in the endangered category,
in danger of extinction throughout most or all of its range.

D. Likely to soon become endangered, the California red-legged frog is classified as

threatened by the FWS.

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Note-Taking Answers
1. C
2. A
3. D

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Fluff Lesson 5 - Text 1/Text 2 (Cross Text Connections)
Questions

On comparative text questions, researchers or authors will agree on certain points then
disagree on one main point.

Keep in mind that since there is some degree of overlap and then they disagree, the
answers will vary, but they can be pretty predictable.

There’s a lot of reading and these take a lot of time, so skip the “fluff” and follow this
new flow:

✅ Step 1: Read the last sentence of each paragraph

✅ Step 2: Use process of elimination
💡Tip: Look for language that demonstrates some overlap in agreement, but also
disagreement.

This should cut down the time spent on these a lot. Let’s try to practice some on the
following pages…

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Cross Text Connections Exercise: Follow the flow outlined on the previous page to
answer these questions.

Example 1

Text 1
Ecologists have long wondered how thousands of microscopic phytoplankton species can live
together near ocean surfaces competing for the same resources. According to conventional
wisdom, one species should emerge after outcompeting the rest. So why do so many species
remain? Ecologists' many efforts to explain this phenomenon still haven't uncovered a
satisfactory explanation.

Text 2
Ecologist Michael Behrenfeld and colleagues have connected phytoplankton's diversity to their
microscopic size. Because these organisms are so tiny, they are spaced relatively far apart from
each other in ocean water and, moreover, experience that water as a relatively dense
substance. This in turn makes it hard for them to move around and interact with one another.
Therefore, says Behrenfeld's team, direct competition among phytoplankton probably happens
much less than previously thought.

Question
Based on the texts, how would Behrenfeld and colleagues (Text 2) most likely respond to the
"conventional wisdom" discussed in Text 1?

A. By arguing that it is based on a misconception about phytoplankton species

competing with one another

B. By asserting that it fails to recognize that routine replenishment of ocean nutrients

prevents competition between phytoplankton species

C. By suggesting that their own findings help clarify how phytoplankton species are
able to compete with larger organisms

D. By recommending that more ecologists focus their research on how competition

among phytoplankton species is increased with water density

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Example 2
---
Text 1
What factors influence the abundance of species in a given ecological community?
Some theorists have argued that historical diversity is a major driver of how diverse an
ecological community eventually becomes: differences in community diversity across
otherwise similar habitats, in this view, are strongly affected by the number of species
living in those habitats at earlier times.

Text 2
In 2010, a group of researchers including biologist Carla Cáceres created artificial
pools in a New York forest. They stocked some pools with a diverse mix of zooplankton
species and others with a single zooplankton species and allowed the pool
communities to develop naturally thereafter. Over the course of four years, Cáceres and
colleagues periodically measured the species diversity of the pools, finding—contrary
to their expectations—that by the end of the study there was little to no difference in
the pools’ species diversity.

---

Based on the texts, how would Cáceres and colleagues (Text 2) most likely describe
the view of the theorists presented in Text 1?

A. It is largely correct, but it requires a minor refinement in light of the research team's
results.
B. It is not compelling as a theory regardless of any experimental data collected by the
research team.
C. It may seem plausible, but it is not supported by the research team's findings.
D. It probably holds true only in conditions like those in the research team's study.

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Answers
1. A
2. C

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Reading Skill #5: When You Actually Have to Read
the Whole Passage

There may be a few questions on module 2 where the last sentence strategically
doesn’t cut it (think: complicated science inference questions).

So, if you use the last sentence strategy and get stuck, here is what you do…

What to do if you need to read the whole passage

👉Step 1. Flag the question to come back to (DO NOT DO THIS RIGHT AWAY!)
👉Step 2. Go back later and read the passage with your extra time
👉Step 3. Annotate (if needed) while reading if you feel like you’re getting lost

Let’s try a couple of examples…

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Example 1 - Need to Read the Entire Text

Marta Coll and colleagues’ 2010 Mediterranean Sea biodiversity census reported
approximately 17,000 species, nearly double the number reported in Carlo Bianchi and
Carla Morri’s 2000 census—a difference only partly attributable to the description of
new invertebrate species in the interim. Another factor is that the morphological
variability of microorganisms is poorly understood compared to that of vertebrates,
invertebrates, plants, and algae, creating uncertainty about how to evaluate
microorganisms as species. Researchers’ decisions on such matters therefore can be
highly consequential. Indeed, the two censuses reported similar counts of vertebrate,
plant, and algal species, suggesting that _____

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. Coll and colleagues reported a much higher number of species than Bianchi and
Morri did largely due to the inclusion of invertebrate species that had not been
described at the time of Bianchi and Morri’s census.

B. some differences observed in microorganisms may have been treated as variations

within species by Bianchi and Morri but treated as indicative of distinct species by Coll
and colleagues.

C. Bianchi and Morri may have been less sensitive to the degree of morphological
variation displayed within a typical species of microorganism than Coll and colleagues
were.

D. the absence of clarity regarding how to differentiate among species of

microorganisms may have resulted in Coll and colleagues underestimating the number
of microorganism species.

Annotations ✍️

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Example 2 - Need to Read the Entire Text

Scientists studying Mars long thought the history of its crust was relatively simple.
One reason for this is that geologic and climate data collected by a spacecraft showed
that the crust was largely composed of basalt, likely as a result of intense volcanic
activity that brought about a magma ocean, which then cooled to form the planet’s
surface. A study led by Valerie Payré focused on additional information—further
analysis of data collected by the spacecraft and infrared wavelengths detected from
Mars’s surface—that revealed the presence of surprisingly high concentrations of silica
in certain regions on Mars. Since a planetary surface that formed in a mostly basaltic
environment would be unlikely to contain large amounts of silica, Payré concluded that

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. the information about silica concentrations collected by the spacecraft is likely more
reliable than the silica information gleaned from infrared wavelengths detected from
Mars’s surface.

B. high silica concentrations on Mars likely formed from a different process than that
which formed the crusts of other planets.

C. having a clearer understanding of the composition of Mars’s crust and the processes
by which it formed will provide more insight into how Earth’s crust formed.

D. Mars’s crust likely formed as a result of other major geological events in addition to
the cooling of a magma ocean.

Annotations ✍️

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Need to Read Entire Text Answers:
1. B
2. D

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 Chapter 4
Time Management

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Time Management
Hands down, the toughest part about the English modules is completing them in the
time limit (especially module 2).

SAT English Time Management Tips & Strategies

⏰Tip #1: Only read the passage once.

If you don’t understand something, keep going.

⏰Tip #2: Only read each answer choice once.

Make a decision to keep or eliminate. With any kept, you are allowed to read it one
more time before making a final decision.

⏰Tip #3: Spend no more than 30 seconds max on each vocab & grammar question.
⏰Tip #4: Skip the Text 1/Text 2 passage and save it for last.
⏰Tip #5: Try different execution plans and pick the one that works best for you:
✅Execution Plan 1: Start at #15*, work to end, then loop back to #1
⭐️This saves all the reading questions for last. If you are better at all of the other
questions besides reading, this may be the way to go. ⭐️

✅Execution Plan 2: Start at #27 and work backwards

⭐️This is best if you spend way too much time on vocabulary questions ⭐️
✅Execution Plan 3: Do #1 - 10, go to grammar* and work to end, then do #11-14
⭐️This is best if you lose focus doing 9-10 reading passages in a row, as it breaks up
reading into two separate chunks⭐️
*Please note that grammar questions most often start at #15, but can start anywhere between #14 and
#17.

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How much time should you spend on.. ❓

This gives you time to go back to one or two flagged questions.

⭐️Tip: Every time you do a practice drill with the College Board question bank or other
materials, please time yourself using these allotted time amounts. ⭐️

⁉️If you aren’t practicing within time limits, then you will develop bad habits and go
too slow on your test! ⁉️

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Timed Trial: Can you answer these 4 difficult questions in under 7 minutes? Set a timer
for 7 minutes on your phone before beginning.

Question 1

Researcher Xiaolu Jia and colleagues monitored individuals’ velocity and the
surrounding crowd density as a group of study participants walked through a space
and navigated around an obstacle. Participants rated how congested it seemed before
the obstacle, after the obstacle, and overall, and the researchers correlated those
ratings with velocity and density. (Correlations range from -1 to 1, with greater
distance from 0 indicating greater strength). The researchers concluded that the
correlations with velocity are stronger than those with density.

Which choice best describes data from the table that support the researchers’
conclusion?

A. The correlation between congestion ratings before the obstacle and density is
further from 0 than the correlation between overall congestion rating and velocity is.

B. The correlation between congestion ratings before the obstacle and velocity is
further from 0 than the correlation between congestion overall and velocity is.

C. For each of the three ratings, the correlation with velocity is negative while the
correlation with density is positive.

D. For each of the three ratings, correlations with velocity are further from 0 than the
corresponding correlations with density are.

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Question 2

Tides can deposit large quantities of dead vegetation within a salt marsh, smothering
healthy plants and leaving a salt panne—a depression devoid of plants that tends to
trap standing water—in the marsh’s interior. Ecologist Kathryn Beheshti and
colleagues found that burrowing crabs living within these pannes improve drainage by
loosening the soil, leading the pannes to shrink as marsh plants move back in. At salt
marsh edges, however, crab-induced soil loosening can promote marsh loss by
accelerating erosion, suggesting that the burrowing action of crabs ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. can be beneficial to marshes with small pannes but can be harmful to marshes with
large pannes.

B. may promote increases in marsh plants or decreases in marsh plants, depending on

the crabs’ location.

C. tends to be more heavily concentrated in areas of marsh interiors with standing

water than at marsh edges.

D. varies in intensity depending on the size of the panne relative to the size of the
surrounding marsh.

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Question 3

Optical tweezers are specialized scientific tools—particularly useful in biology and

medicine—that use high-powered beams of light to trap and manipulate minuscule
particles for study. Use of the tool has led to several scientific and medical
breakthroughs over the last few decades, but the particles are often under prolonged
exposure to the intense heat of the light beams. To overcome the risk of overheating,
and thereby damage, researchers sometimes attach nano-sized glass beads to
particles, allowing the light to focus on the beads instead of the particles.

Based on the text, what is one advantage of attaching glass beads to particles
when using optical tweezers?

A. It decreases the time it takes for the optical tweezers to locate and capture the
particles.

B. It facilitates the maneuvering of particles without directly heating the particles

themselves.

C. It allows researchers to use weaker light beams to manipulate particles.

D. It adds a material to which particles can transfer any heat absorbed from the optical
tweezers’ light beam.

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Question 4

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

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A. It introduces a collaborative spoken word poetry project, details the approach taken
to produce the work, and then provides an example of critique the album received
upon release.

B. It mentions a collection of spoken word poems, distinguishes one poem as being an

exemplar on the album, and then offers a summary of the subject matter of the whole
collection.

C. It summarizes the efforts to produce a collection of spoken word poems, presents

biographies of two people who worked on the album, and speculates about the
meaning behind the poetry.

D. It connects two artists to the same spoken word poetry project, explains the extent
of their collaboration on each poem, and then provides an overview of the technique
used to produce the work.

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Answers

1. Correct Answer: D

Choice D is the best answer. The text tells us that the farther the correlation is from 0,
the “stronger” it is (doesn’t matter if it’s negative or positive). The table shows that the
correlations with velocity are farther from zero than the correlations with density,
which supports the conclusion that the correlations with velocity are stronger.

2. Correct Answer: B

Choice B is the best answer. The text says that crab burrowing in the pannes enables
plants to grow there again. It also says that crab burrowing at the edges of the marsh
speeds up marsh loss. This suggests that burrowing crabs can either help or hurt
marshes, depending on where they’re located.

3. Correct Answer: B

Choice B is the best answer. The passage explains that attaching glass beads to
particles helps to "overcome the risk of overheating, and thereby damage," by allowing
the light to focus on the beads instead of the particles. This means that the glass
beads are used to manipulate the particles without exposing them directly to the
intense heat from the optical tweezers, preventing damage to the particles.

4. Correct Answer: A

Choice A is the best answer. The text first introduces the album as being a
collaboration between Antrobus and Brennan, then describes the approach taken to
produce it, then mentions how critics have said that it calls into question the function of
sound.

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