Digital SAT Practice Test 11 — Module 2 Reading & Writing: Full Walkthrough of All 33 Questions with Answers & Explanations

Question 1 · Words in Context

Ancient Inca inhabiting the Andes Mountains used terraces, rows of flattened land with built-in irrigation systems, to grow crops at different altitudes. This method of farming proved to be highly __________, as evidenced by the great number and variety of crops grown at that time. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

• A) chaotic
• B) uniform
• C) effective
• D) burdensome

Question 2 · Words in Context

Since the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into space in 1990, astronauts have needed to complete regular missions to repair the telescope and keep it working smoothly. Researchers hope that robots will soon be able to make these repairs. Employing robots instead of humans to make repairs will be helpful, as __________ astronauts to maintain the telescope can be expensive. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

• A) straightening
• B) forgetting about
• C) relying on
• D) reducing

Question 3 · Words in Context

There are many famous examples of election pollsters making inaccurate predictions in presidential elections. But neuroscientist and election pollster Sam Wang has said that these prediction failures should not lead campaigns to __________ election polling entirely. Polling is about more than just predicting the winner; throughout campaigns, it helps strategists identify where their efforts are most likely to be effective. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

• A) distort
• B) enact
• C) neglect
• D) supplement

Question 4 · Words in Context

Steiger Butte Drum, a family ensemble from the Klamath Tribes of the Pacific Northwest, collaborated with composer Michael Gordon to create Natural History, a work featuring traditional drumming and vocals alongside an orchestra and chorus. Steiger Butte Drum's participation is __________ to the piece: members not only contributed to its composition but also must be included in all performances. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

• A) tangential
• B) subsequent
• C) analogous
• D) integral

Question 5 · Words in Context

The following text is from a 1955 translation of Samuel Beckett's 1951 novel Molloy (translated by the author and Patrick Bowles). In the text, Molloy has arrived at the town ramparts, an elevated walkway atop the city walls.

And having cleared the ramparts I had to confess the sky was clearing, prior to its winding in the other shroud, night. Yes, the great cloud was ravelling, discovering here and there a pale and dying sky, and the sun, already down, was manifest in the livid tongues of fire darting towards the zenith, falling and darting again, ever more pale and languid, and doomed no sooner lit to be extinguished.

As used in the text, what does the word "manifest" most nearly mean?

• A) Realized
• B) Perceptible
• C) Situated
• D) Dwindling

Question 6 · Text Structure

In the past, historians who wanted to examine Frederick Douglass's diary and other personal papers had to visit the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, to view them on microfilm (film containing scaled-down reproductions of documents). But traveling to the library often added time and costs to research projects. Now, by going to the library's website, researchers can access digitized versions of Douglass's papers without physically going anywhere. Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

• A) It gives information about a famous person.
• B) It explains the meaning of a word.
• C) It describes a debate among historians.
• D) It summarizes an unexpected finding.

Question 7 · Text Structure

Following the eradication of the gray wolf in Yellowstone National Park in 1926, the population of elk — a primary prey of the gray wolf — exceeded a healthy size for the park's ecosystem. Elk overpopulation led to overgrazing of areas that a multitude of other animals relied on for food and shelter. As scientists began to see how essential the gray wolf was to the Yellowstone food chain, ecological restoration strategies were employed to reintroduce the gray wolf to the park in 1996. The rebound effect in the park's natural ecosystem was noticed almost immediately. Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

• A) It summarizes a problem that developed in Yellowstone National Park in the 1920s and then offers potential solutions to that problem.
• B) It mentions the elimination of the gray wolf from Yellowstone National Park and then explains why the wolf was eventually restored to the park.
• C) It presents a claim about the health of the Yellowstone National Park gray wolf population and then gives specific examples to support that claim.
• D) It explains why Yellowstone National Park allowed the eradication of the gray wolf and then discusses the consequences of reintroducing the wolf to the park.

Question 8 · Text Structure

A team of researchers discovered that Matabele ants can identify an infected wound in a member of the colony and then treat the infection by covering the wound with antimicrobial secretions that the ants produce. The team found that the mortality rate for Matabele ants with infected injuries was reduced by 90% with this treatment, and they are hopeful that this discovery could aid in the development of new antibiotics for human use. Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

• A) It summarizes research findings on Matabele ants and then identifies an area for further research.
• B) It introduces a study of Matabele ants and then explains the research methods used in the study.
• C) It describes unique properties of Matabele ants and then speculates on how those properties evolved.
• D) It identifies an issue concerning Matabele ants and then proposes a solution to address the issue.

Question 9 · Text Structure & Purpose

Built in the 1970s, Raccoon Mountain is a pumped-storage hydropower facility (a "water-battery") located in the United States along the Tennessee River. When energy demand is low, excess power from the regional electric utility's nuclear plants is used to pump water (from a lower reservoir filled from the Tennessee River) up a shaft to the summit lake, where the water is stored as gravitational potential energy. When energy demand peaks, the water drains down from the summit lake, spinning turbines and generating upward of 1,700 megawatts of power — enough to power one million homes for twenty hours. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

• A) To point out the differences between two methods of energy generation
• B) To explain the basics of how a specific energy technology works
• C) To encourage regional electric utilities to build energy storage facilities
• D) To discuss the benefits of a new energy technology

Question 10 · Central Ideas & Details

Ruth Asawa was an accomplished artist who worked in many art forms, including her unique tied-wire sculptures, but she was dedicated to more than the creation of art. Asawa also wanted to bring art to children in her hometown of San Francisco, California. To that end, in 1968 she cofounded the Alvarado School Arts Workshop, which brought works of art and artists into public schools, and in 1982 she helped found a San Francisco public arts high school, which was later named after her. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

• A) Asawa inspired many other artists to share their work with students in public schools.
• B) Asawa's unique sculptures were appreciated more by local art communities than they were nationwide.
• C) Asawa's interest in art education prompted her to create art programs for students in San Francisco.
• D) Asawa left a promising career as a sculptor to work as an art teacher in San Francisco schools.

Question 11 · Command of Evidence — Quantitative

The first national census in Canada was conducted in 1871. The graph shows the population sizes of some of the largest Canadian cities from each of the first four national censuses, which occurred every ten years. According to the graph, which city had the largest population in 1891?

See the four-city population graph in the original College Board PDF above.

• A) Toronto
• B) Montréal
• C) Québec City
• D) Halifax

Question 12 · Command of Evidence — Quantitative

Researchers Kate Howlett and Edgar Turner asked 401 schoolchildren in the United Kingdom to draw and label local wildlife. The researchers suggest that the children may be more aware of mammals than of other animals in their environments. Which choice best describes data from the graph that support the researchers' conclusion?

See the "Percent of Drawings Containing an Example of Each Animal Group" bar chart in the original College Board PDF above.

• A) There were about as many drawings with an example of an insect as there were with an example of a bird.
• B) The fewest number of drawings contained an example of a bird.
• C) More of the drawings had an example of an insect than an example of a mammal.
• D) More of the drawings had an example of a mammal than either an example of a bird or an example of an insect.

Question 13 · Command of Evidence — Quantitative

Since the nation's earliest days, both houses of the United States Congress have counted many military veterans among their elected officials, including Hiram L. Fong (who served in the US Army Air Force) and Ralph Harold Metcalfe Sr. (who served in the US Army). A research institute gathered historical data about congressional members who have reported past military experience and determined that __________ Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the sentence?

See "Percentage of US Congress Members Who Self-Identified as Veterans, 1953–2023" line graph in the original College Board PDF above.

• A) from 2003 to 2023, the House of Representatives had a higher percentage of those members than the Senate did.
• B) from 1953 to 2003, those members constituted a majority in both houses of Congress.
• C) the percentage of those members decreased substantially in both houses of Congress from 1973 to 2013.
• D) the percentage of those members remained fairly consistent, regardless of house, from 1993 to 2023.

Question 14 · Command of Evidence — Textual

"Aunt Sue's Stories" is a 1926 poem by Langston Hughes. In the poem, the speaker indicates that the stories Aunt Sue tells are based on Aunt Sue's personal experiences, saying that __________ Which choice most effectively uses a quotation from "Aunt Sue's Stories" to illustrate the claim?

• A) dark shadows "cross and recross / Aunt Sue's stories."
• B) a listening child "knows that Aunt Sue / Never got her stories out of any book at all, / But that they came / Right out of her own life."
• C) the stories are told during "Summer nights on the front porch."
• D) the people in the stories "Mingle themselves softly / In the flow of old Aunt Sue's voice, / Mingle themselves softly."

Question 15 · Command of Evidence — Textual

Olms are salamanders that live in underwater caves. Scientists once thought that olms stay in their caves all their lives. However, Raoul Manenti and team claim that olms regularly come to the surface to perform important activities such as finding food. Which finding, if true, would most strongly support the underlined claim?

• A) Researchers determine that olms don't breed often.
• B) Researchers confirm that olms live in only a few cave systems.
• C) Researchers discover that earthworms from surface soils are a major part of olms' diet.
• D) Researchers learn that olms' brains differ from other salamanders' brains.

Question 16 · Command of Evidence — Textual

In Diné (Navajo) culture, ikaah (sandpaintings) are created and then erased as part of sacred healing ceremonies lasting no more than a few days, but Diné hataałii (chanter, healer, cultural guide) Fred Stevens developed fixatives to preserve desacralized sandpaintings. While on a US-sponsored cultural ambassadorial trip in Europe and the Americas in the 1960s, Stevens produced several such sandpaintings and gave them to cultural institutions. This may seem in tension with the role of cultural ambassador — how could static objects authentically represent an inherently ephemeral and dynamic practice? — but such a view is itself overly object-focused and neglects how Stevens strove to convey exactly those characteristics of ikaah as a cultural practice. Which quotation from an art historian would most directly support the claim made in the text?

• A) "While Stevens's ambassadorial sandpaintings are undoubtedly educative for audiences that have little exposure to Diné culture, they should not be confused with authentic ikaah, which cannot be extricated from a practice that is intentionally and necessarily transitory nor condensed into a single persistent object."
• B) "The most compelling way to reconcile the apparent tension between the temporary and performative nature of ikaah and the persistent and static nature of Stevens's ambassadorial sandpaintings is to recognize that Stevens was an ambassador not only of Diné culture but of a US art culture that tended to value permanent works over ephemeral ones."
• C) "Stevens's ambassadorial sandpaintings are best understood not as self-contained objects but as reminders of the public creations of the sandpaintings, during which Stevens conducted appropriate ikaah rituals and encouraged viewers to closely track his movements and subtle shifts in the sand throughout the process."
• D) "It is important to recall Stevens's own actions as a gift-giver — a temporary and performative role — of the sandpaintings, for by taking those actions, Stevens publicly enacted the transmission of knowledge of both traditional ikaah practices and cutting-edge chemistry (in the form of the preservative additives), a hybrid that reflects the dynamism of Diné culture."

Question 17 · Inferences

In Switzerland, the white fuzzy mountain flowers known as edelweiss are widely treated as a symbol of strength and courage. Although edelweiss can thrive in extreme conditions, they aren't notably tougher or harder to reach than other mountain flowers growing in the Swiss Alps. Historian Tobias Scheidegger has shown that the popular view of the flowers originated in the mid-1800s when mountain climbing became popular in Switzerland. Mountain climbers spread the idea that the flowers grew only in steep, icy terrains that were dangerous to climb to. Scheidegger says that these claims were self-interested. He suggests that mountain climbers presented edelweiss in this way in order to __________ Which choice most logically completes the text?

• A) make themselves appear brave and strong for being able to climb to difficult places where edelweiss supposedly grew.
• B) encourage more flower enthusiasts to explore the Swiss Alps.
• C) share their observations about the unusual characteristics of edelweiss with scientists.
• D) prove that edelweiss were more common in the Swiss Alps than in other mountain regions in Europe.

Question 18 · Inferences

The ratio of methane to other atmospheric constituents — represented by a measure called the methane mole fraction — influences a variety of meteorological phenomena, notably precipitation and humidity. For Titan, Saturn's largest moon, the observational data that exist are too sparse and discrepant to fully constrain the range of the methane mole fraction at various atmospheric levels. Juan Lora and colleagues point out that outputs of the IPSL atmospheric model of Titan, which track closely to observations in some respects, reflect how the model's developers responded to this challenge: by prescribing a uniform methane mole fraction for the lowest level of the atmosphere. It is therefore important to note that __________ Which choice most logically completes the text?

• A) some disagreements between the model's simulations of Titan's precipitation and humidity and the moon's actual precipitation and humidity are to be expected.
• B) further observations of Titan may clarify the moon's methane mole fraction sufficiently for the model to employ a single value rather than a range.
• C) even though the model's outputs sometimes agree with observational data, Titan's real methane mole fraction is likely higher than the methane mole fraction used in the model.
• D) inconsistencies across the model's simulations of Titan's precipitation and humidity could be attributable to variations in the moon's methane mole fraction.

Question 19 · Boundaries — Punctuation

Ganga is a folk singing tradition that originated in the Dinaric Alps in southern Europe. Ganga singers sing different melodies at the same time. The clashing notes can echo a long way across the mountains, which is why __________ Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• A) ganga has been used as a communication method?
• B) ganga has been used as a communication method.
• C) has ganga been used as a communication method.
• D) has ganga been used as a communication method?

Question 20 · Form/Structure/Sense — Verb Form

A popular suite of mapping and spatial analysis software, ArcGIS enables cartographers like Karachi Cartography founder Namra Khalid __________ maps by analyzing and arranging raw geospatial data. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• A) create
• B) to create
• C) creating
• D) created

Question 21 · Boundaries — Punctuation

The part of a compound that determines the compound's color is __________ the chromophore. One example of a chromophore is hemoglobin, which gives human blood its red color. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• A) called,
• B) called
• C) called—
• D) called;

Question 22 · Boundaries — Punctuation

In rural Minnesota, ecologist Leroy Walston conducted a study to determine whether seeding solar panel fields with wildflowers could bolster pollinator populations in nearby food crops. Walston's findings indicate that — assuming solar panel installers' __________ practice has the potential to increase the number of native bees in crops near solar fields throughout the Midwest by up to 20 percent. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• A) cooperation, this
• B) cooperation—this
• C) cooperation: this
• D) cooperation this

Question 23 · Boundaries — Punctuation

Key-value pairs are an important aspect of JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), an electronic file format for storing and transmitting data. Keys function as labels, while values contain the actual information. In a JSON file storing data about fire belly __________ instance, you could encounter a key such as "species" with the associated value of "Cynops orientalis." Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• A) newts. For
• B) newts, for
• C) newts: for
• D) newts; for

Question 24 · Form/Structure/Sense — Modifiers

Most of the ice found on Earth is ice Ih, distinguished by a crystalline structure in which molecules form a hexagonal pattern. Amorphous ice, on the other hand, constitutes most of the ice in the ultrafrigid environment of outer space. Defined by a disorganized molecular structure, __________ Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• A) ice Ih contains crystals, whereas amorphous ice, which lacks the thermal energy to form them, does not.
• B) amorphous ice lacks the thermal energy to form the crystals found in ice Ih.
• C) the lack of thermal energy in amorphous ice explains its inability to form the crystals found in ice Ih.
• D) ice Ih differs from amorphous ice in that it possesses the thermal energy to form crystals.

Question 25 · Form/Structure/Sense — Modifiers

Recordings of electrical activity in the brain, __________ increased activity in brain areas associated with suppressing motor functions. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• A) electrograms show that while responding to hypothetical match scenarios, the most highly skilled soccer players have
• B) the most highly skilled soccer players responding to hypothetical match scenarios have electrograms that show
• C) responses to hypothetical match scenarios show that the most highly skilled soccer players have electrograms with
• D) hypothetical match scenario responses show that the most highly skilled soccer players captured in electrograms have

Question 26 · Form/Structure/Sense — Verb Form

If an animal can recognize itself in a reflective surface ("the mirror test"), it is considered to have self-awareness. In a recent study, scientists __________ for evidence of self-awareness in snakes, species that rely primarily on olfactory rather than visual processing, adapted the test to foreground smell, modifying the scent trails of North American eastern garter snakes and African ball pythons. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

• A) searched
• B) searching
• C) were searching
• D) have searched

Question 27 · Transitions

The traditional process of Turkish paper marbling (ebru) generally proceeds like this: First, the artisan fills a shallow tray with a water bath solution. Next, the artisan adds inks or paints to the solution, which can then be manipulated into intricate designs. __________ the artisan slips paper in and out of the liquid, transferring the design onto the paper. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• A) Actually,
• B) Therefore,
• C) Nevertheless,
• D) Finally,

Question 28 · Transitions

While studying jorō spiders, a large species originally from East Asia, University of Georgia researchers wondered if the spiders' rapid spread throughout the southeastern US was a result of aggressive behavior. __________ they discovered that jorō spiders are gentle giants who react to even minor disturbances by "freezing" in place for an hour or more. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• A) Therefore,
• B) Instead,
• C) For example,
• D) In other words,

Question 29 · Transitions

Upper-atmospheric jets — phenomena whereby electrical discharges cause narrow cones of blue light to briefly burst upward from the tops of thunderclouds — have been observed reaching the ionosphere. The extreme altitudes involved (the ionosphere begins about 80 km above Earth) mark these gigantic jets as outliers; __________ the majority of jets reach heights of only 20 to 50 km. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• A) nevertheless,
• B) consequently,
• C) indeed,
• D) in addition,

Question 30 · Transitions

In Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek — where, early on, the author marvels at a single goldfish's delicate fins but later winces when imagining a horde of goldfish laying and eating their own eggs — Dillard struggles to reconcile the complicated juxtapositions of the natural world. __________ nature's mesmerizing intricacy and pitiless harshness prove inextricably linked for Dillard, like "two branches of the same creek." Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• A) To that end,
• B) Ultimately,
• C) Moreover,
• D) Hence,

Question 31 · Rhetorical Synthesis

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

• In a 2020 study, researchers in California investigated how many potential nesting sites female wood ducks visited during the nesting season.
• The researchers placed nest boxes throughout the survey area and tagged 138 female wood ducks with radio frequency ID trackers.
• These trackers recorded how many nest boxes each duck visited.
• 67 ducks (48.5%) visited only one nest box.
• 18 ducks (13.0%) visited 10 or more nest boxes.
• Younger ducks were more likely to visit multiple nest boxes.

The student wants to present the methods used in the 2020 study. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

• A) By recording how many nest boxes each duck visited, the researchers discovered that only a relatively small percentage (13.0%) of the ducks visited 10 or more nest boxes.
• B) After tracking how many nest boxes the 138 wood ducks visited, the researchers found that the younger ducks tended to visit more nest boxes than the older ducks.
• C) The researchers tagged 138 female wood ducks with radio frequency ID trackers and recorded how many nest boxes each duck visited during the nesting season.
• D) The researchers investigated each nesting site for signs that it had been visited by the female wood ducks.

Question 32 · Rhetorical Synthesis

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

• Pedestrian malls are outdoor streets in a city or town where vehicle traffic is prohibited.
• Many pedestrian malls were built in the 19th and 20th centuries in Europe and Asia.
• Qianmen Dajie is a famous pedestrian mall in Beijing.
• It has existed since the Ming dynasty (1368–1644 CE).
• Rue Mouffetard is a famous pedestrian mall in Paris.
• It has existed since the mid-Roman Empire (117–235 CE).

The student wants to emphasize a similarity between the ages of the malls. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

• A) The Qianmen Dajie pedestrian mall has roots as far back as the Ming dynasty; likewise, Rue Mouffetard has existed for centuries.
• B) Both Qianmen Dajie and Rue Mouffetard are famous pedestrian malls, the former in Beijing and the latter in Paris.
• C) Qianmen Dajie and Rue Mouffetard are pedestrian malls, outdoor streets closed to vehicle traffic.
• D) Qianmen Dajie and Rue Mouffetard are examples of pedestrian malls, which proliferated in Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Question 33 · Rhetorical Synthesis

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

• Modularity of mind is the notion that the mind is at least partly composed of innate neural structures (modules) that perform fast, necessary tasks.
• 1983: cognitive scientist Jerry A. Fodor hypothesized that low-level cognitive systems (e.g., perception, language) are modular.
• In Fodorian modularity, high-level systems (e.g., reasoning) are not modular.
• 2003: cognitive scientist Peter Carruthers proposed the massive modularity hypothesis (MMH).
• MMH expands modularity to include all cognitive systems.

The student wants to compare Fodor's hypothesis with Carruthers's. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

• A) In considering some but not all cognitive systems modular, Fodorian modularity is not as expansive in its definition of modularity as MMH is.
• B) Following Fodor's 1983 hypothesis, Carruthers proposed that modularity of mind includes all cognitive systems.
• C) The hypotheses of Fodor and Carruthers differ in whether they consider low-level cognitive systems, such as perception and language, modular.
• D) In 2003, Carruthers proposed the massive modularity hypothesis, disagreeing with Fodor's earlier hypothesis that the mind is composed of innate neural structures.