Question ID c966ad55

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

1
The following text is from Srimati Svarna Kumari Devi’s 1894 novel The Fatal Garland (translated by A. Christina Albers in
1910). Shakti is walking near a riverbank that she visited frequently during her childhood.

She crossed the woods she knew so well. The trees seemed to extend their branches like welcoming arms. They greeted
her as an old friend. Soon she reached the river-side.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

A. It suggests that Shakti feels uncomfortable near the river.

B. It indicates that Shakti has lost her sense of direction in the woods.

C. It emphasizes Shakti’s sense of belonging in the landscape.

D. It conveys Shakti’s appreciation for her long-term friendships.

1
Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately describes how the underlined sentence functions in the text
as a whole. The first sentence of the text states that Shakti knows the woods she is walking in well. The next
sentence, which is underlined, emphasizes Shakti’s familiarity with, and sense of security within, the woods by
describing how the tree branches are friendly and “welcoming,” as they are depicted as extending open arms to her.
The remainder of the text also shows that Shakti is comfortable and content in the woods by describing her as “an
old friend” of the trees. Thus, the function of the underlined portion is to emphasize Shakti’s sense of belonging in
the wooded landscape that she visits.

Choice A is incorrect because the text and underlined portion suggest that Shakti is comfortable, not uncomfortable,
in her surroundings: the trees around her are described as welcoming and reassuring. Moreover, the underlined
portion discusses Shakti’s feelings in the forest, not the river, since she hasn’t reached the river yet. Choice B is
incorrect because the text and underlined portion emphasize Shakti’s familiarity with the woods. The trees are
inviting, and she feels like “an old friend” to the woods, so she isn’t lost or confused there. Choice D is incorrect
because the third sentence uses the phrase “as an old friend” figuratively in reference to Shakti’s sense of familiarity
with the landscape, not in reference to her long-standing friendships with other people, and the text and underlined
portion never discuss her feelings about such friendships.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 066a3295
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

2
Researchers have found a nearly 164,000-year-old molar from a member of the archaic human species known as Denisovans
in a cave in Laos, suggesting that Denisovans lived in a wider range of environments than indicated by earlier evidence.
Before the discovery, Denisovans were thought to have lived only at high altitudes in relatively cold climates in what are now
Russia and China, but the discovery of the tooth in Laos suggests that they may have lived at low altitudes in relatively warm
climates in Southeast Asia as well.

Which choice best states the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

A. It dismisses as untrue the research presented in the previous sentence.

B. It defines a term used in the description that follows in the rest of the sentence.

C. It emphasizes the main goal of the research introduced in the previous sentence.

D. It provides context that clarifies the significance of the information that follows in the rest of the sentence.

2
Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The text describes how a new discovery expands our understanding of Denisovans. The
underlined portion describes what we used to believe about Denisovans, which helps the reader understand the
significance of the discovery of the molar: it suggests that they lived in more places than we’d previously thought.

Choice A is incorrect. The underlined portion doesn’t do this. Instead, it explains what we used to believe about
Denisovans before the discovery—it doesn’t dismiss the new discovery as false. Choice B is incorrect. The
underlined portion doesn’t do this. No term is defined here. Choice C is incorrect. The underlined portion doesn’t do
this. The text never tells us what the “goal” of the research was, just what its discovery was.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID e13171c4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

3
Historians Tiya Miles and Roy E. Finkenbine have both documented the assistance Indigenous peoples gave to Black freedom
seekers leaving the South before the US Civil War. Much of the historical evidence of this help comes from Indigenous oral
traditions and from autobiographies written by the freedom seekers. One such narrative is Jermain Loguen’s autobiography,
which tells about how Neshnabé (Potawatomi) villagers offered him food, lodging, and directions during his 1835 journey
from Tennessee to Canada.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence?

A. It provides an example of an autobiography that describes help given by an Indigenous people to a Black freedom
seeker.

B. It shows why Loguen decided to write in great detail about his experiences traveling from Tennessee to Canada in his
autobiography.

C. It argues that autobiographies are particularly important sources of information about geography in the United States
before the Civil War.

D. It suggests that most historians believe that Neshnabé villagers were more successful in assisting freedom seekers than
other people were.

3
Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The previous sentence broadly mentions "autobiographies written by the freedom
seekers." This sentence identifies Loguen’s autobiography as a specific example.

Choice B is incorrect. The sentence never explains why Loguen chose to write about his experiences. Choice C is
incorrect. The previous sentence identifies autobiographies as useful sources of historical information about a
specific topic, but not for "information about geography." The underlined sentence provides details of one
autobiography as an example of a source of information about that specific topic (interactions between Indigenous
people and Black freedom seekers). Choice D is incorrect. The text never discusses other specific people who helped
freedom seekers, and therefore can’t make a comparison between the Neshnabé and anyone else.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 9421ed62
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

4
In 2007, computer scientist Luis von Ahn was working on converting printed books into a digital format. He found that some
words were distorted enough that digital scanners couldn’t recognize them, but most humans could easily read them. Based
on that finding, von Ahn invented a simple security test to keep automated “bots” out of websites. The first version of the
reCAPTCHA test asked users to type one known word and one of the many words scanners couldn’t recognize. Correct
answers proved the users were humans and added data to the book-digitizing project.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To discuss von Ahn’s invention of reCAPTCHA

B. To explain how digital scanners work

C. To call attention to von Ahn’s book-digitizing project

D. To indicate how popular reCAPTCHA is

4
Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately states the main purpose of the text. After providing a brief
introduction to computer scientist Luis von Ahn, the text focuses on discussing how von Ahn’s digitization work led
to the invention of a digital security test known as reCAPTCHA.

Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t address how digital scanners work. Choice C is incorrect. Although
the text mentions von Ahn’s book-digitizing project, that information is provided as a detail, not as the main
purpose of the text. Choice D is incorrect because the text doesn’t provide any indication of reCAPTCHA’s popularity;
instead, it describes reCAPTCHA’s origin.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID e929fe98
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

5
Composer Florence Price won first place for her score Symphony in E Minor at the 1932 Wanamaker Foundation Awards. The
piece was performed the following year by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a significant recognition of its quality. Price
continued to compose many musical pieces throughout her career, blending traditional Black spirituals with classical
European Romantic musical traditions. In recent years, Price’s concertos and symphonies have been performed and recorded
by several major orchestras, further preserving her work for others to enjoy.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To provide examples of Price’s importance as a composer

B. To argue that more major orchestras should perform Price’s compositions

C. To describe the musical styles that inspired many of Price’s symphonies

D. To compare Price’s scores with those of classical European composers

5
Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The text provides an overview of Florence Price’s importance by describing her success
at the 1932 Wanamaker Foundation Awards, her blending of Black spirituals and classical European Romantic
musical traditions, and the recent performances and recordings of her concertos and symphonies by major
orchestras.

Choice B is incorrect. The text does mention that Price’s compositions have been performed and recorded by major
orchestras, but it doesn’t argue that more orchestras should do so. Choice C is incorrect. The text does mention the
blending of Black spirituals and classical European Romantic musical traditions, but only briefly, as part of a
broader overview of Price’s career. Choice D is incorrect. The text mentions Price’s blending of Black spirituals with
classical European Romantic musical traditions, but it doesn’t directly compare Price’s scores with those of
classical European composers.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 2aaee77f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

6
Some bird species don’t raise their own chicks. Instead, adult females lay their eggs in other nests, next to another bird
species’ own eggs. Female cuckoos have been seen quickly laying eggs in the nests of other bird species when those birds
are out looking for food. After the eggs hatch, the noncuckoo parents will typically raise the cuckoo chicks as if they were
their own offspring, even if the cuckoos look very different from the other chicks.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?

A. It introduces a physical feature of female cuckoos that is described later in the text.

B. It describes the appearance of the cuckoo nests mentioned earlier in the text.

C. It offers a detail about how female cuckoos carry out the behavior discussed in the text.

D. It explains how other birds react to the female cuckoo behavior discussed in the text.

6
Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it best describes how the underlined sentence functions in the text as a whole.
The first two sentences establish that birds of some species don’t raise their own young; instead, they lay their eggs
in the nests of birds of other species. The underlined sentence then states that female cuckoo birds engage in this
behavior, having been observed specifically laying their eggs in other nests while the other birds are out finding
food. According to the text, the cuckoo chicks are then raised by the other birds. Thus, the underlined sentence
provides a particular detail about how female cuckoos carry out the behavior of laying eggs for other birds to raise.

Choice A is incorrect. Rather than mentioning a physical feature of female cuckoos, the underlined sentence
introduces a specific behavior of female cuckoos: laying eggs in the nests of birds of other species when the other
birds are away. The only reference to physical features is the last sentence’s general mention of cuckoo chicks
looking different from chicks of other species. Choice B is incorrect because the underlined sentence refers to the
nests of birds other than cuckoos and doesn’t describe how any nests look, cuckoo or otherwise. Instead, the
sentence addresses how female cuckoos use other birds’ nests. Choice D is incorrect because the underlined
sentence describes only female cuckoo behavior (laying eggs in the nests of birds of other species when the other
birds are away); it’s the last sentence of the text that addresses the other birds’ reaction, indicating that those birds
usually raise the cuckoo chicks once they’ve hatched.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID ea971260
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

7
The following text is adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s 1869 novel An Old-Fashioned Girl. Polly, a teenager, is visiting her
friend Fanny.

Fanny’s friends did not interest Polly much; she was rather afraid of them [because] they seemed so much older and
wiser than herself, even those younger in years. They talked about things of which she knew nothing and when Fanny
tried to explain, she didn’t find them interesting; indeed, some of them rather shocked and puzzled her.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To portray Polly’s reaction to Fanny’s friends

B. To identify the topics Polly talks about with Fanny’s friends

C. To explain how Fanny met some of her friends

D. To illustrate how Fanny’s friends feel about Polly

7
Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately describes the main purpose of the text, which is to show
how Polly reacted to some of Fanny’s other friends. The text describes Polly as being frightened of Fanny’s friends
because they seemed “much older and wiser” to her and elaborates that they “talked about things of which” Polly
was unfamiliar, uninterested, and shocked. Thus, the main purpose of the text is to describe Polly’s impressions of
Fanny’s other friends.

Choice B is incorrect because the text does not provide any of the topics Polly discussed with Fanny’s friends,
stating only that Polly found the topics unfamiliar, uninteresting, and shocking. Choice C is incorrect because the
text says nothing about how Fanny and her other friends first met. Choice D is incorrect because the focus of the
text is on Polly’s feelings about Fanny’s other friends, not on the other friends’ feelings about Polly.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID c8603ed7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

8
San Francisco is known for the colorful murals painted on many of its buildings. The densest collection of murals is found on
Balmy Alley in the Mission District neighborhood. In the 1970s, Latina artists painted vivid scenes of community life on walls
along this block. As the original murals have faded, later generations of artists have painted new ones over them. As a result,
Balmy Alley has become a living showcase of San Francisco’s artistic spirit, with its murals reflecting changes in the cultural
life of the city.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To compare the Balmy Alley murals to other murals in San Francisco

B. To offer an overview of the history and importance of the Balmy Alley murals

C. To urge people to protect the murals of San Francisco from decay

D. To describe the rise of mural painting in San Francisco beginning in the 1970s

8
Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it best states the main purpose of the text. The text begins by briefly stating
that San Francisco is known for its murals, then transitions to a discussion of a single collection of murals, which is
found on Balmy Alley in the city’s Mission District. The text explains that the murals in this area were originally
created in the 1970s, then observes that they have changed over time: as some have faded through the decades,
others have been painted in their place. The text ends by emphasizing that these murals are significant because
they reflect San Francisco’s artistic spirit and cultural life. Therefore, the text provides an overview of the history
and importance of the Balmy Alley murals.

Choice A is incorrect. Although it can be inferred from the text that there are murals in other areas of San Francisco
besides Balmy Alley, the text doesn’t specifically discuss murals in other areas or compare the murals of Balmy
Alley to those in other areas. Choice C is incorrect. By observing that some of the murals of Balmy Alley have been
replaced due to fading, the text implies that murals can decay, but it never urges readers to protect this specific
collection of murals—or any murals elsewhere in San Francisco, for that matter. Indeed, by describing the ever-
changing murals of Balmy Alley as “a living showcase of San Francisco’s artistic spirit,” the text emphasizes the
positive aspects of the fact that the original Balmy Alley murals have faded and been replaced with new murals.
Choice D is incorrect because the text doesn’t describe the rise of mural painting in San Francisco generally or note
when this occurred. The only historical development of the 1970s mentioned in the text is the origin of the murals in
a specific area of the city: Balmy Alley in the Mission District.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 9c759a09
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

9
The following text is from Georgia Douglas Johnson’s 1922 poem “Benediction.”
Go forth, my son,
Winged by my heart’s desire!
Great reaches, yet unknown,
Await
For your possession.
I may not, if I would,
Retrace the way with you,
My pilgrimage is through,
But life is calling you!

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To express hope that a child will have the same accomplishments as his parent did

B. To suggest that raising a child involves many struggles

C. To warn a child that he will face many challenges throughout his life

D. To encourage a child to embrace the experiences life will offer

9
Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because it accurately states the text’s main purpose. The poem begins with the speaker
urging a child to “go forth” with her encouragement (“my heart’s desire”). The speaker goes on to suggest that new
experiences (“Great reaches, yet unknown”) lie ahead for the son that “life is calling” him to seek out. Thus, the main
purpose is to encourage a child to embrace the experiences available to him in his life.

Choice A is incorrect because the speaker encourages the child to pursue new experiences (“Great reaches”) without
knowing exactly what those experiences will be (“yet unknown”) or suggesting that they should match the speaker’s
own accomplishments. Choice B is incorrect because the speaker focuses on positive possibilities for her son
(“Great reaches, yet unknown”) and her enthusiastic encouragement to embrace those possibilities (“life is calling
you!”), while there is no mention of raising a child or associated struggles. Choice C is incorrect because the speaker
frames the possibilities for her son in a positive light when she says that “great reaches, yet unknown” are waiting
for him, and this positive outlook for the son is consistent throughout the text.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID a68239ed
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

10
The following text is adapted from Oscar Wilde’s 1897 nonfiction work De Profundis.

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

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined question in the text as a whole?

A. It reinforces the text’s skepticism about the possibility of truly achieving self-knowledge.

B. It speculates that some readers will share the doubts expressed in the text about the value of self-knowledge.

C. It cautions readers that the text’s directions for how to achieve self-knowledge are hard to follow.

D. It concedes that the definition of self-knowledge advanced in the text is unpopular.

10
Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The text repeatedly claims that true self-knowledge can’t possibly be achieved, and this
rhetorical question emphasizes that point.

Choice B is incorrect. The underlined question doesn’t do this. The text never expresses doubts about the value of
self-knowledge—rather, the text expresses doubts about the possibility of achieving self-knowledge. Choice C is
incorrect. The underlined question doesn’t do this. The text doesn’t provide directions for how to achieve self-
knowledge—rather, it claims that true self-knowledge is impossible to achieve. Choice D is incorrect. The underlined
question doesn’t do this. The text doesn’t ever define self-knowledge, and popularity isn’t mentioned in the text at
all.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID a2dd51c1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

11
In most building demolitions, the building materials are destroyed and sent to landfills. City officials in Portland, Oregon,
wanted to reduce this waste. The officials passed a law requiring demolition companies to deconstruct some buildings
instead. Deconstruction involves carefully taking buildings apart piece by piece. Damage to the materials is avoided so that
they can be reused in new constructions. A 2019 study found that 27 percent of materials from deconstructions in Portland
were able to be reused. The remaining materials were processed for recycling instead of going to a landfill.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To explain an effort made by the city of Portland to reduce demolition waste and some results of that effort

B. To show that popular support for measures that reduce demolition waste has increased since 2019

C. To argue that building deconstruction is not as effective as other measures at reducing demolition waste

D. To discuss laws aimed to reduce demolition waste in Portland and compare them to similar laws in other cities

11
Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The author first describes a Portland law aimed at reducing demolition waste, and then
goes on to explain that 27% of materials from building deconstructions were able to be reused and the rest were
recycled.

Choice B is incorrect. The text never discusses the popularity of the law. Choice C is incorrect. The text never
compares building deconstruction to other measures designed to reduce demolition waste. Choice D is incorrect.
The text never mentions laws in cities other than Portland, Oregon.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 48e4021d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

12
The following text is from Holly Goldberg Sloan’s 2017 novel Short.

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

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. It explains why the narrator always wanted a piano close to her bedroom.

B. It establishes how the narrator feels about the piano.

C. It suggests that the narrator’s brothers are talented piano players.

D. It describes the event that led the narrator’s parents to buy a piano.

12
Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it best states the main purpose of the text, which is to establish the narrator’s
feelings about the piano. The narrator reveals that she “had to act really happy” about the piano even though she
“pretty much hated the thing” as soon as it was placed upstairs near her bedroom. The narrator also describes the
piano as glaring at her and compares it to a caged bird that wants to be set free. These details establish the
narrator’s feelings about the piano, suggesting that it makes her uneasy.

Choice A is incorrect because the text indicates that the narrator hated having the piano upstairs right next to her
bedroom, not that she wanted a piano to be close to her bedroom. Choice C is incorrect because the only information
provided in the text about the narrator’s brothers is that they were given the piano along with the narrator. Choice D
is incorrect because the text does not describe the event that led the narrator’s parents to buy the piano from the
people moving to Utah. Instead, the text focuses on the narrator’s feelings about the piano after it was given to her
and her brothers.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID e5da61f1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

13
The following text is adapted from Charles Chesnutt’s 1899 short story “Mars Jeems’s Nightmare.” The narrator and his wife
have recently moved to the southern United States, and Julius is their carriage driver.

Julius [was] very useful when we moved to our new residence. He had a thorough knowledge of the neighborhood, was
familiar with the roads and the watercourses, knew the qualities of the various soils and what they would produce, and
where the best hunting and fishing were to be had. He was a marvelous hand in the management of horses and dogs.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To compare the narrator’s reaction to a new home with his wife’s reaction

B. To give an example of Julius’s knowledge about soil

C. To show that the narrator and Julius often hunt and fish together

D. To explain different ways in which Julius was helpful

13
Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because it most accurately describes the main purpose of the text, which is to explain
different ways in which Julius was helpful. The text begins with the narrator stating that Julius was very helpful to
him and his wife when they moved to their new residence. The narrator then provides a list of examples to illustrate
Julius’s helpfulness. For instance, the narrator states that Julius was familiar with the neighborhood’s roads, which
suggests that he was helpful in navigating them, and that Julius helped manage the horses and dogs. The text’s
many examples of Julius’s usefulness reinforce just how helpful he was and in how many different ways.

Choice A is incorrect because the text doesn’t portray either the narrator’s or his wife’s reaction to their new home.
Rather, the text focuses on how Julius was useful to the narrator and his wife in their new home. Choice B is
incorrect. Although the text states that Julius was knowledgeable about the soil, this is one of several supporting
details that illustrate how helpful Julius was. Moreover, the text merely states that Julius was knowledgeable about
soil; it doesn’t provide an example of that knowledge. Choice C is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to
suggest the frequency with which the narrator and Julius hunted and fished together. In fact, it’s unclear from the
text whether the narrator and Julius hunted and fished together at all. The text merely indicates that Julius knew
the best places to hunt and fish—a detail that supports the text’s main purpose by conveying Julius’s usefulness.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 0ed94d4c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

14
Jackie Ormes’s Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem (1937–38) was the first comic strip by a Black woman to appear in a widely
read newspaper. The strip tells the story of Torchy, a young woman who leaves Mississippi to become a performer in New
York City. Torchy’s story reflects the experience of the Great Migration (1910–1970), when millions of Black Americans left the
South in search of opportunities in other parts of the United States. Torchy Brown thus shows how Ormes used comics to
comment humorously on issues affecting Black Americans, which she continued to do throughout her career.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To show how Ormes’s Torchy Brown inspired other Black women to write comic strips in the 1930s

B. To illustrate how the subjects Ormes addressed in her comic strips changed over the course of her career

C. To give an example of how Ormes presented the experiences of Black Americans in her comic strips

D. To claim that several characters in Torchy Brown were based on people that Ormes knew personally

14
Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The text describes how Torchy Brown depicted the experiences of a young Black
woman experiencing America’s Great Migration. It further states that Ormes continued to use comics throughout
her career to humorously comment on important issues impacting Black Americans.

Choice A is incorrect. The text never mentions other Black women comic strip writers. Choice B is incorrect. The
text never mentions any changes in the subjects Ormes addressed. Choice D is incorrect. The text never mentions
the inspiration for characters in Torchy Brown.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID fcc328c6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

15
Streams and rivers carry soil and rocks from one location to another. But there is another way for these geological materials
to move. Scientists call this process “aeolian transport.” In aeolian transport, winds move small particles of soil or rock over
potentially great distances. Geologist Melisa Diaz and her team studied dust in Antarctica to find out if it was moved by
aeolian transport. They discovered that the dust matched geological material in Australia. Aeolian transport had carried it
from one continent to another, across thousands of miles of open ocean.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

A. It presents Melisa Diaz’s remarks about difficulties that her team encountered.

B. It introduces a scientific term that is used in the discussion that follows.

C. It emphasizes the surprising nature of the findings that are presented.

D. It explains the difference between two kinds of geological material.

15
Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it most accurately describes the function of the underlined portion in the text
as a whole. The first two sentences introduce the idea that soil and rocks can be moved from one location to another
by something other than rivers and streams. The underlined sentence then states that the term used by scientists to
refer to this process is “aeolian transport.” The discussion that follows explains what aeolian transport is (the
movement of small geological materials over potentially great distances by the wind) and describes an example of a
study that found that dust particles had been moved by aeolian transport from Australia to Antarctica. Thus, the
underlined portion introduces a scientific term that is used in the discussion that follows.

Choice A is incorrect because the underlined portion of the text doesn’t present any remarks from Melisa Diaz, nor
does it suggest that Diaz and her team encountered difficulties in their study. Instead, the phrase in quotation marks
in the underlined portion simply presents a term that is used by scientists to refer to a specific process discussed in
the text. Choice C is incorrect because nothing in either the underlined portion or the text as a whole suggests that
the findings of the study presented in the text were surprising or unexpected. In fact, the text suggests that Diaz and
her team wanted to see if aeolian transport could explain the appearance of certain geological materials in
Antarctica, and their findings did indeed confirm the involvement of aeolian transport. Choice D is incorrect.
Although the first sentence of the text mentions soil and rocks, which are two different kinds of geological material,
the underlined portion doesn’t refer to these materials, nor does it explain the difference between them. Rather, the
underlined portion introduces the scientific term “aeolian transport,” which is used in the discussion that follows.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 5e732e67
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

16
Many films from the early 1900s have been lost. These losses include several films by the first wave of Black women
filmmakers. We know about these lost movies only from small pieces of evidence. For example, an advertisement for Jennie
Louise Touissant Welcome’s documentary Doing Their Bit still exists. There’s a reference in a magazine to Tressie Souders’s
film A Woman’s Error. And Maria P. Williams’s The Flames of Wrath is mentioned in a letter and a newspaper article, and one
image from the movie was discovered in the 1990s.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A. The text identifies a complex problem, then presents examples of unsuccessful attempts to solve that problem.

B. The text summarizes a debate among researchers, then gives reasons for supporting one side in that debate.

C. The text describes a general situation, then illustrates that situation with specific examples.

D. The text discusses several notable individuals, then explains commonly overlooked differences between those
individuals.

16
Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The first three sentences describe the general situation: these early films have been lost,
and we only know about them from small pieces of evidence. The rest of the text offers specific examples of the
small pieces of evidence.

Choice A is incorrect. This isn’t the overall structure. The fact that we only know about these lost early films from
small pieces of evidence isn’t presented as a “complex problem”—that’s too extreme. And the examples presented
are not “unsuccessful attempts” to solve it. If anything, the examples represent a success, because we discovered
that these films existed in the first place. Choice B is incorrect. This isn’t the overall structure. There’s no “debate”
presented in the text, so there’s no “side” for the text to support. Choice D is incorrect. This isn’t the overall structure.
The text doesn’t discuss any “differences” between the filmmakers.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 56ec23a0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

17
Hiroshi Senju is known worldwide for his paintings of waterfalls. These paintings are large and tend not to show the entire
waterfall. Instead, Senju focuses on just the point where the falling water reaches the pool below, keeping the top of the
waterfall out of view. While Senju’s paintings are rooted in art movements originating in the United States, the artist uses
traditional Japanese techniques and materials that make his work instantly recognizable.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A. It introduces an artist and then explains some common characteristics of well-known paintings by that artist.

B. It explains a specific painting technique and then provides examples of artists who use the technique.

C. It describes a famous painting and then compares it to a lesser-known painting from the same time period.

D. It gives an opinion on an artist and then suggests multiple reasons why the artist’s work has been largely overlooked.

17
Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The first sentence introduces Senju as a famous artist, while the next three sentences
describe the defining features of his art, such as it only showing part of the waterfall and its origins in US art
movements and Japanese techniques.

Choice B is incorrect. The text doesn’t provide examples of any other artists who use Senju’s techniques. Choice C is
incorrect. The text doesn’t describe any single famous painting or make comparisons between paintings. Choice D
is incorrect. The text doesn’t provide an opinion on Senju (just facts), nor does it suggest that his art has been
overlooked—in fact, it states that he is “known worldwide.”

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 1c6b1fa0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

18
In 1801, a Blackfoot chief named Ac Ko Mok Ki drew a finely detailed map of the Upper Missouri region. This work
demonstrates a vast amount of topographic knowledge, as the map features specific names of mountains and rivers, as well
as the first-known sketch of the drainage network of the Missouri River. The map is especially notable because Ac Ko Mok Ki
also included details about the numerous tribes that lived in the area.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?

A. It emphasizes Ac Ko Mok Ki’s desire to represent other tribes on the map.

B. It explains how Ac Ko Mok Ki developed an interest in mapmaking.

C. It identifies some reasons why the map is impressive.

D. It details how the map was used for hunting and trading purposes.

18
Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it best describes how the underlined sentence functions in the text as a whole.
The text presents information about a map drawn by Blackfoot chief Ac Ko Mok Ki in 1801. The underlined sentence
states that the map "demonstrates a vast amount of topographic knowledge" and mentions that it features the
"specific names of mountains and rivers" and includes the first-known sketch of the Missouri River’s drainage
network. These are all characteristics that indicate that the map was executed with remarkable skill. Thus, the
underlined sentence identifies some reasons why the map is impressive.

Choice A is incorrect. Though the sentence after the underlined sentence in the text mentions that Ac Ko Mok Ki
included information about other tribes on his map, the underlined sentence itself does not address this topic.
Choice B is incorrect because nothing in the underlined sentence indicates how Ac Ko Mok Ki became interested in
mapmaking, only that his mapmaking skills are impressive. Choice D is incorrect because though the underlined
sentence describes several features of the map, it does not specifically describe how the map was used.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 1782cdd7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

19
In many agricultural environments, the banks of streams are kept forested to protect water quality, but it’s been unclear what
effects these forests may have on stream biodiversity. To investigate the issue, biologist Xingli Giam and colleagues studied
an Indonesian oil palm plantation, comparing the species richness of forested streams with that of nonforested streams.
Giam and colleagues found that species richness was significantly higher in forested streams, a finding the researchers
attribute to the role leaf litter plays in sheltering fish from predators and providing food resources.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. It discusses research intended to settle a debate about how agricultural yields can be increased without negative effects
on water quality.

B. It explains the differences between stream-protection strategies used in oil palm plantations and stream-protection
strategies used in other kinds of agricultural environments.

C. It describes findings that challenge a previously held view about how fish that inhabit streams in agricultural
environments attempt to avoid predators.

D. It presents a study that addresses an unresolved question about the presence of forests along streams in agricultural
environments.

19
Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The author first describes an unresolved question: what effect do bank forests have on
stream biodiversity? Then the author presents a study that answers the question: bank forests increase stream
biodiversity.

Choice A is incorrect. This isn’t the main purpose of the text. The text never mentions agricultural yields. Choice B
is incorrect. This isn’t the main purpose of the text. The text never mentions other kinds of agricultural
environments. Choice C is incorrect. This isn’t the main purpose of the text. The text never mentions any previously
held view about how fish in these streams try to avoid predators.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 02e49a0c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

20
Genetic studies have led researchers to suggest that turtles are most closely related to the group that includes modern
crocodiles. But studies of fossils have suggested instead that turtles are most closely related to other groups, such as the one
that contains modern snakes. However, many of the fossil studies have relied on incomplete data sets. For a 2022
investigation, biologist Tiago R. Simões and colleagues examined more than 1,000 reptile fossils collected worldwide. From
this large data set, they found clear agreement with the results of the genetic studies.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence?

A. It offers an overview of the tools scientists use to examine fossils.

B. It describes a limitation of some studies about the origin of turtles.

C. It summarizes previous research on the evolution of crocodiles.

D. It criticizes a widely held belief about genetic studies of reptiles.

20
Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The sentence mentions that some fossil studies have relied on incomplete data sets,
suggesting that these studies are limited in what they can tell us about turtles’ origins.

Choice A is incorrect. While the sentence mentions the incompleteness of the data sets studied, it doesn’t mention
any tools or techniques used to examine fossils. Choice C is incorrect. The sentence doesn’t mention anything about
the evolution of crocodiles. Choice D is incorrect. This sentence doesn’t directly mention or criticize any "widely
held belief," and it focuses on a limitation of fossil studies of reptiles, not genetic studies.

Question Difficulty: Easy