Question ID 7bf79a90 2.
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Cross-Text
Connections
ID: 7bf79a90
Text 1
Microbes are tiny organisms in the soil, water, and air all around us. They thrive even in very harsh conditions.
That’s why Noah Fierer and colleagues were surprised when soil samples they collected from an extremely cold,
dry area in Antarctica didn’t seem to contain any life. The finding doesn’t prove that there are no microbes in that
area, but the team says it does suggest that the environment severely restricts microbes’ survival.
Text 2
Microbes are found in virtually every environment on Earth. So it’s unlikely they would be completely absent from
Fierer’s team’s study site, no matter how extreme the environment is. There were probably so few organisms in
the samples that current technology couldn’t detect them. But since a spoonful of typical soil elsewhere might
contain billions of microbes, the presence of so few in the Antarctic soil samples would show how challenging the
conditions are.
Based on the texts, Fierer’s team and the author of Text 2 would most likely agree with which statement about
microbes?
A. Most microbes are better able to survive in environments with extremely dry conditions than in environments
with harsh temperatures.
B. A much higher number of microbes would probably be found if another sample of soil were taken from the
Antarctic study site.
C. Microbes are likely difficult to detect in the soil at the Antarctic study site because they tend to be smaller
than microbes found in typical soil elsewhere.
D. Most microbes are probably unable to withstand the soil conditions at the Antarctic study site.
ID: 7bf79a90 Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it presents a statement about microbes with which Fierer’s team (Text 1)
and the author of Text 2 would most likely agree. Text 1 states that microbes usually thrive in very harsh
conditions, and so Fierer’s team was surprised when samples collected from an extremely cold and dry area of
Antarctica didn’t appear to contain any life. Fierer’s team says that though this doesn’t conclusively prove
there are no microbes in the area, it suggests that microbes would have a notably difficult time surviving in the
environment. The author of Text 2 says it’s unlikely that there would be no microbes at all in the Antarctic
study site from which Fierer’s team retrieved soil samples and that there may have been hard-to-detect
microbes in the samples. However, the presence of only a few microbes in the Antarctic samples rather than
the billions found in a typical soil sample (which would presumably be much easier to detect) would illustrate
conditions in the Antarctic soil that make it difficult for microbes to thrive. Since Fierer’s team says that the
seeming absence of microbes in the Antarctic samples suggests an unusually harsh environment and the
author of Text 2 says that even if there are a few undetectable microbes in the samples, the relatively tiny
number of microbes would also suggest an unusually harsh environment, then Fierer’s team and the author of
Text 2 would most likely agree that most microbes are unable to withstand the soil conditions at the Antarctic
study site.
Choice A is incorrect. The samples taken by Fierer’s team were from an area of Antarctica that is described in
part as extremely dry, and these samples didn’t appear to have any life. Therefore, even though these samples
also came from an extremely cold area, Fierer’s team wouldn’t argue based on the evidence available that
microbes were better able to survive in dry conditions than in areas with harsh temperatures. Moreover, the
author of Text 2 says that microbes are found in virtually every environment on Earth but doesn’t compare dry
environments and harsh environments. Choice B is incorrect. Nothing in Text 1 indicates that another
collection of samples from the Antarctic study site might yield different results from the samples already
taken by Fierer’s team. The author of Text 2 does state that microbes are found in virtually every environment
on Earth and suggests that new technology may be better able to detect so few microbes in a soil sample, but
the author of Text 2 concludes that the unusual absence of microbes in the Antarctic samples is evidence of
the harsh Antarctic environment. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that the author of Text 2 thinks that
another sample drawn from that same harsh environment would yield a much higher number of microbes.
Choice C is incorrect. The author of Text 2 does speculate that there may have been so few microbes in the
Antarctic samples that current technology couldn’t detect them, but the author doesn’t speculate that this is
due to the size of the microbes. Moreover, nothing that Fierer’s team says suggests that they are speculating
that their samples might have microbes that are smaller than microbes in typical soil samples.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 8de51658
2.2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Cross-Text
Connections
ID: 8de51658
Text 1
The idea that time moves in only one direction is instinctively understood, yet it puzzles physicists. According to the
second law of thermodynamics, at a macroscopic level some processes of heat transfer are irreversible due to the
production of entropy—after a transfer we cannot rewind time and place molecules back exactly where they were
before, just as we cannot unbreak dropped eggs. But laws of physics at a microscopic or quantum level hold that those
processes should be reversible.
Text 2
In 2015, physicists Tiago Batalhão et al. performed an experiment in which they confirmed the irreversibility of
thermodynamic processes at a quantum level, producing entropy by applying a rapidly oscillating magnetic field to a
system of carbon-13 atoms in liquid chloroform. But the experiment “does not pinpoint ... what causes [irreversibility] at
the microscopic level,” coauthor Mauro Paternostro said.
Based on the texts, what would the author of Text 1 most likely say about the experiment described in Text 2?
A. It would suggest an interesting direction for future research were it not the case that two of the physicists who
conducted the experiment disagree on the significance of its findings.
B. It provides empirical evidence that the current understanding of an aspect of physics at a microscopic level must be
incomplete.
C. It is consistent with the current understanding of physics at a microscopic level but not at a macroscopic level.
D. It supports a claim about an isolated system of atoms in a laboratory, but that claim should not be extrapolated to a
general claim about the universe.
ID: 8de51658 Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. Author 1 describes the puzzle that physicists still can’t solve: at a microscopic level, the
“laws of physics” suggest that we should be able to reverse processes that are not reversible at a macroscopic level
(and, maybe, turn back time!). The experiment confirmed that those processes are not reversible even on the
microscopic level, but it didn’t explain why. This supports Author 1’s point that physicists still don’t fully
understand how things work at a microscopic level—maybe the laws need to be revised.
Choice A is incorrect. We can’t infer that the author of Text 1 would respond this way to the experiment. Text 2 does
name two of the physicists involved in the experiment, but it never suggests that they disagree on anything. Choice
C is incorrect. This is the opposite of what the experiment suggests. The experiment confirmed that the
macroscopic-level law (“these things can’t be reversed—like time”) was still true on the microscopic level—meaning
it supports the current understanding of physics at a macroscopic level. Choice D is incorrect. We can’t infer that
the author of Text 1 would respond this way to the experiment. Neither text makes this distinction between
laboratory findings and the way the universe works in general.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 82c05b34
2.3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Cross-Text
Connections
ID: 82c05b34
Text 1
The live music festival business is growing in event size and genre variety. With so many consumer options, organizers
are finding ways to cement festival attendance as a special experience worth sharing. This phenomenon is linked to the
growing “experiential economy,” where many find it gratifying to purchase lived experiences. To ensure a profitable
event, venues need to consider the overall consumer experience, not just the band lineup.
Text 2
Music festival appearances are becoming a more important part of musicians’ careers. One factor in this shift is the
rising use of streaming services that allow access to huge numbers of songs for a monthly fee, subsequently reducing
sales of full-length albums. With this shift in consumer behavior, musicians are increasingly dependent on revenue from
live performances.
Based on the texts, both authors would most likely agree with which statement?
A. Consumers are more interested in paying subscription fees to stream music than in attending music festivals in
person.
B. Consumers’ growing interest in purchasing experiences is mostly confined to the music industry.
C. Changing consumer behaviors are leading to changes in music-related businesses.
D. The rising consumer demand for live music festivals also generates higher demand for music streaming platforms.
ID: 82c05b34 Answer
Correct Answer: C
Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. Both authors mention how consumer behaviors have shifted, and how this affects
different aspects of the music industry. Text 1 states that consumers enjoy purchasing “lived experiences,” and that
this influences how organizers design music festivals. Text 2 states that consumers are using streaming services
more, and that this reduces album sales and increases the importance of live performances for musicians.
Choice A is incorrect. Neither text claims that consumers prefer streaming to festivals, or that these are mutually
exclusive options. Text 1 implies that festivals are popular and profitable, and Text 2 never suggests that streaming
services diminish the demand for live music. Choice B is incorrect. This choice misreads Text 1, which identifies
music festivals as just one example of a broader trend of purchasing “lived experiences.” Text 2 doesn’t mention
growing interest in purchasing experiences, in the music industry or otherwise. Choice D is incorrect. Neither text
establishes a cause/effect relationship between the demand for festivals and the demand for streaming platforms.
Text 1 does not mention streaming platforms at all, and Text 2 does not imply that streaming platforms benefit from
the popularity of festivals.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID f1c9d2c1
2.4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Cross-Text
Connections
ID: f1c9d2c1
Text 1
Stage lighting theorist Adolphe Appia was perhaps the first to argue that light must be considered alongside all the
various elements of a stage to create a single, unified performance. Researcher Kelly Bremner, however, has noted that
Appia lacked technical expertise in the use of light in the theater. As a result of Appia’s inexperience, Bremner argues,
Appia’s theory of light called for lighting practices that weren’t possible until after the advent of electricity around
1881.
Text 2
Adolphe Appia was not an amateur in the practice of lighting. Instead, it is precisely his exposure to lighting techniques
at the time that contributed to his theory on the importance of light. When working as an apprentice for a lighting
specialist in his youth, Appia observed the use of portable lighting devices that could be operated by hand. This
experience developed his understanding of what was possible in the coordination of elements on the stage.
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the claim about Appia’s level of technical
expertise made by Bremner in Text 1?
A. Many lighting technicians dismissed Appia’s ideas about light on the stage.
B. Appia likely gained a level of technical expertise during his time as an apprentice.
C. Theater practitioners who worked with Appia greatly admired his work.
D. Appia was unfamiliar with the use of music and sound in theater.
ID: f1c9d2c1 Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The author of Text 2 directly contradicts Bremner’s claim that Appia lacked technical
expertise by stating that Appia was “not an amateur in the practice of lighting.” His experience as a lighting
specialist’s apprentice would have, the author of Text 2 argues, allowed Appia to “[develop] his understanding of
what was possible” with the elements of theatrical design.
Choice A is incorrect. Neither text describes how other lighting technicians responded to Appia’s ideas.
Furthermore, this claim isn’t relevant to Bremner’s evaluation of Appia’s technical expertise. Choice C is incorrect.
Neither text mentions anything about the opinions of theater practitioners who worked with Appia, so this answer
choice does not relate to the claim about Appia’s level of technical expertise made by Bremner in Text 1. Choice D is
incorrect. Neither text mentions anything about Appia’s familiarity with or ignorance of the use of music and sound
in theater. Both focus on his expertise (or lack thereof) in lighting.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID eae66bf9
2.5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Cross-Text
Connections
ID: eae66bf9
Text 1
In 2021, a team led by Amir Siraj hypothesized that the Chicxulub impactor—the object that struck the Yucatán
Peninsula sixty-six million years ago, precipitating the mass extinction of the dinosaurs—was likely a member of the
class of long-period comets. As evidence, Siraj cited the carbonaceous chondritic composition of samples from the
Chicxulub impact crater as well as of samples obtained from long-period comet Wild 2 in 2006.
Text 2
Although long-period comets contain carbonaceous chondrites, asteroids are similarly rich in these materials.
Furthermore, some asteroids are rich in iridium, as Natalia Artemieva points out, whereas long-period comets are not.
Given the prevalence of iridium at the crater and, more broadly, in geological layers deposited worldwide following the
impact, Artemieva argues that an asteroid is a more plausible candidate for the Chicxulub impactor.
Based on the texts, how would Artemieva likely respond to Siraj’s hypothesis, as presented in Text 1?
A. By insisting that it overestimates how representative Wild 2 is of long-period comets as a class
B. By arguing that it does not account for the amount of iridium found in geological layers dating to the Chicxulub
impact
C. By praising it for connecting the composition of Chicxulub crater samples to the composition of certain asteroids
D. By concurring that carbonaceous chondrites are prevalent in soil samples from sites distant from the Chicxulub
crater
ID: eae66bf9 Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. Siraj’s hypothesis is that the Chicxulub impactor was a long-period comet. But
Artemieva points to the iridium found in the crater and in “geological layers that were deposited worldwide after the
impact” as evidence that it was actually an asteroid, not a long-period comet.
Choice A is incorrect. We can’t infer that this is how Artemieva would respond to Siraj’s hypothesis. Text 2 never
discusses whether Wild 2 is representative of long-period comets in general. Rather, Text 2 presents Artemieva’s
argument that the Chicxulub impactor was an asteroid, not a long-term comet. Choice C is incorrect. We can’t infer
that this is how Artemieva would respond to Siraj’s hypothesis. Siraj’s hypothesis doesn’t make this connection:
rather, Siraj hypothesizes that the Chicxulub impactor was a long-term comet. Choice D is incorrect. We can’t infer
that this is how Artemieva would respond to Siraj’s hypothesis. “Soil samples from sites distant from the Chicxulub
crater” is too vague. Only soil samples from sites that are connected to the impact in some way are involved in
either hypothesis.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 03080769
2.6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Cross-Text
Connections
ID: 03080769
Text 1
Philosopher G.E. Moore’s most influential work entails the concept of common sense. He asserts that there are certain
beliefs that all people, including philosophers, know instinctively to be true, whether or not they profess otherwise:
among them, that they have bodies, or that they exist in a world with other objects that have three dimensions. Moore’s
careful work on common sense may seem obvious but was in fact groundbreaking.
Text 2
External world skepticism is a philosophical stance supposing that we cannot be sure of the existence of anything
outside our own minds. During a lecture, G.E. Moore once offered a proof refuting this stance by holding out his hands
and saying, “Here is one hand, and here is another.” Many philosophers reflexively reject this proof (Annalisa Coliva
called it “an obviously annoying failure”) but have found it a challenge to articulate exactly why the proof fails.
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 1 most likely respond to proponents of the philosophical stance
outlined in Text 2?
A. By agreeing with those proponents that Moore’s treatment of positions that contradict his own is fundamentally
unserious
B. By suggesting that an instinctive distaste for Moore’s position is preventing external world skeptics from
constructing a sufficiently rigorous refutation of Moore
C. By arguing that if it is valid to assert that some facts are true based on instinct, it is also valid to assert that some
proofs are inadequate based on instinct
D. By pointing out that Moore would assert that external world skepticism is at odds with other beliefs those
proponents must unavoidably hold
ID: 03080769 Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. According to the author of Text 1, Moore’s definition of common sense—things we
instinctively know are true—includes the belief that we all “exist in a world with other objects.” The author of Text 1
describes this notion as both “obvious” and “groundbreaking.” So it’s safe to infer that the author would observe that
Moore would respond to external world skeptics by arguing that since everyone instinctively knows that things
exist outside of their own minds, then external world skepticism must be wrong.
Choice A is incorrect. We can’t infer that the author of Text 1 would respond this way to external world skeptics. If
anything, the author of Text 1 seems to agree with Moore. Choice B is incorrect. We can’t infer that the author of Text
1 would respond this way to external world skeptics. The author of Text 1 never mentions external world skeptics
directly, let alone why they have a hard time refuting Moore’s position. Choice C is incorrect. We can’t infer that the
author of Text 1 would respond this way to external world skeptics. Text 1’s presentation of Moore’s concept of
common sense only includes the idea that some facts are true based on instinct—it doesn’t mention the idea that
some proofs are inadequate based on instinct.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 12d81fc1
2.7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Cross-Text
Connections
ID: 12d81fc1
Text 1
Because literacy in Nahuatl script, the writing system of the Aztec Empire, was lost after Spain invaded central Mexico
in the 1500s, it is unclear exactly how meaning was encoded in the script’s symbols. Although many scholars had
assumed that the symbols signified entire words, linguist Alfonso Lacadena theorized in 2008 that they signified units
of language smaller than words: individual syllables.
Text 2
The growing consensus among scholars of Nahuatl script is that many of its symbols could signify either words or
syllables, depending on syntax and content at any given site within a text. For example, the symbol signifying the word
huipil (blouse) in some contexts could signify the syllable “pil” in others, as in the place name “Chipiltepec.” Thus, for
the Aztecs, reading required a determination of how such symbols functioned each time they appeared in a text.
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely characterize Lacadena’s theory, as described in Text 1?
A. By praising the theory for recognizing that the script’s symbols could represent entire words
B. By arguing that the theory is overly influenced by the work of earlier scholars
C. By approving of the theory’s emphasis on how the script changed over time
D. By cautioning that the theory overlooks certain important aspects of how the script functioned
ID: 12d81fc1 Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. Lacadena’s theory is that Nahuatl script symbols signified syllables, but the consensus
described in Text 2 is that they can signify either symbols or full words, depending on the context. So the author of
Text 2 would likely consider Lacadena’s theory too simplistic: it’s missing the importance of the context in
determining the meaning of a symbol.
Choice A is incorrect. This conflicts with Text 1’s description of Lacadena’s theory. Lacadena’s theory is that Nahuatl
script symbols signified syllables. Choice B is incorrect. This conflicts with Text 1’s description of Lacadena’s theory.
Text 1 states that Lacadena’s theory differed from what earlier scholars believed. Choice C is incorrect. We can’t infer
that this is how the author of Text 2 would characterize Lacadena’s theory. Neither text mentions how or even if the
script changed over time.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 27d9bb69
2.8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Cross-Text
Connections
ID: 27d9bb69
Text 1
Many studies in psychology have shown that people seek out information even when they know in advance that they
have no immediate use for it and that they won’t directly benefit from it. Such findings support the consensus view
among researchers of curiosity: namely, that curiosity is not instrumental but instead represents a drive to acquire
information for its own sake.
Text 2
While acknowledging that acquiring information is a powerful motivator, Rachit Dubey and colleagues ran an experiment
to test whether emphasizing the usefulness of scientific information could increase curiosity about it. They found that
when research involving rats and fruit flies was presented as having medical applications for humans, participants
expressed greater interest in learning about it than when the research was not presented as useful.
Based on the texts, how would Dubey and colleagues (Text 2) most likely respond to the consensus view discussed in
Text 1?
A. By suggesting that curiosity may not be exclusively motivated by the desire to merely acquire information
B. By conceding that people may seek out information that serves no immediate purpose only because they think they
can use it later
C. By pointing out that it is challenging to determine when information-seeking serves no goal beyond acquiring
information
D. By disputing the idea that curiosity can help explain apparently purposeless information-seeking behaviors
ID: 27d9bb69 Answer
Correct Answer: A
Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The researchers in Text 2 recognize that acquiring information is a powerful motivator,
but showed that this motivation can still be affected by other factors, like whether or not the information is
expected to be useful or not. This suggests that other desires may play a part in driving people to acquire
information.
Choice B is incorrect. The consensus view in Text 1 is that people acquire information regardless of whether they
think they can use it later. Dubey and colleagues acknowledge this fact (so they don’t claim people seek out
information “only” because it might be useful later). Choice C is incorrect. This choice misreads the results of Dubey
and colleagues’ study in Text 2. Neither text discusses the difficulty of determining the motivation for information-
seeking. Choice D is incorrect. This choice contradicts Text 2, which starts with Dubey and colleagues
“acknowledging that acquiring information is a powerful motivator” (i.e., agreeing that curiosity explains the
seeking of apparently purposeless information). The research in Text 2 simply suggests that more than just
curiosity can motivate information-seeking behavior when the information has a purpose.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID f52cc78c
2.9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Cross-Text
Connections
ID: f52cc78c
Text 1
Polar bears sustain themselves primarily by hunting seals on the Arctic sea ice, but rising ocean temperatures are
causing the ice to diminish, raising concerns about polar bear population declines as these large predators’ seal-
hunting habitats continue to shrink. A 2020 study examining polar bear populations across the Arctic concluded that
populations affected by sea-ice loss are at great risk of extinction by the end of the twenty-first century.
Text 2
Monitoring carried out by researchers from the Norwegian Polar Institute shows that the polar bear population on the
Arctic archipelago of Svalbard remains stable and well nourished despite rapidly declining sea ice in recent years. The
researchers attribute this population’s resilience in part to a shift in feeding strategies: in addition to hunting seals, the
Svalbard polar bears have begun relying on a diet of reindeer meat and birds’ eggs.
Based on the texts, how would the researchers in Text 2 most likely respond to the conclusion presented in the
underlined portion of Text 1?
A. By noting that it neglects the possibility of some polar bear populations adapting to changes in their environment
B. By suggesting that it is likely incorrect about the rates at which warming ocean temperatures have caused sea ice to
melt in the Arctic
C. By asserting that it overlooks polar bear populations that have not yet been affected by loss of seal-hunting habitats
D. By arguing that it fails to account for polar bears’ reliance on a single seal-hunting strategy
ID: f52cc78c Answer
Correct Answer: A
Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. Text 2 describes how the Svalbard polar bears have adapted to the loss of sea ice by
diversifying their diet and feeding on reindeer and seabird eggs, resulting in a “stable and well nourished”
population despite environmental challenges. This counters the underlined claim that polar bears facing a loss of
sea ice are at “great risk of extinction” by the end of the century.
Choice B is incorrect. Text 2 does not challenge the fact that sea ice is rapidly declining in the Arctic due to
warming ocean temperatures. In fact, it states that the Svalbard polar bears have faced “rapidly declining sea ice in
recent years.” Choice C is incorrect. The claim in Text 1 is specific to polar bear populations affected by the loss of
seal hunting habitats, so unaffected populations are irrelevant to the claim. Also, Text 2 doesn’t mention any polar
bear populations that haven’t yet been affected by loss of seal hunting habitats. It focuses on a population that has
been affected by sea-ice loss but has managed to survive and thrive nevertheless. Choice D is incorrect. Text 2
doesn’t imply that polar bears rely on a single seal-hunting strategy. In fact, the researcher in Text 2 would say that
Text 1 fails to account for polar bears’ ability to develop other hunting strategies and food sources.
Question Difficulty: Medium
