BB2 Writing question: pg 411 / #32

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p><a href="1">b</a>** A castle is not the same thing as a palace, though some people use the terms "castle" and "palace" interchangeably. <a href="2">b</a>** Castles are fortified dwellings, built by feudal lords of the Middle Ages. <a href="3">b</a>** Their stone walls, moats, iron gates, and drawbridges were designed to ward off marauding plunderers and hostile armies. <a href="4">b</a>** Small windows in castle walls allowed archers to shoot at intruders from positions of comparative safety. <a href="5">b</a>** But even welcomed guests would have found castles less than inviting. <a href="6">b</a>** In royal palaces there were to be found many comforts that medieval castles did not offer. <a href="7">b</a>** These had dark dungeons and damp, drafty living quarters instead. </p>

<p>...(etc)</p>

<p>32. In context, which of the following is the best way to combine sentences 6 and 7?</p>

<p>"In royal palaces there were to be found many comforts that medieval castles did not offer. These had dark dungeons and damp, drafty living quarters instead."</p>

<p><a href="A">b</a>** Because medieval castles had dark dungeons and damp, drafty living quarters, royal palaces offered many more comforts than could be found there.</p>

<p><a href="B">b</a>** Lacking many comforts compared to royal palaces, medieval castles instead offered dark dungeons and damp, drafty living quarters.</p>

<p><a href="C">b</a>** While medieval castles offered only dark dungeons and damp, drafty living quarters, many comforts were to be found in royal palaces.</p>

<p><a href="D">b</a>** Unlike medieval castles, royal palaces offered many comforts not found in dark dungeons and damp, drafty living quarters.</p>

<p><a href="E">b</a>** With their dark dungeons and damp, drafty living quarters, medieval castles offered few of the comforts to be found in royal palaces.</p>

<p>Both B and E seem correct. What is your reasoning why one is better than the other?</p>

2

<p>E is more consistent with its structure, while B is a little unidiomatic. “Compare” should be changed to “in comparison”.</p>

3

<p>It is not E, in my opinion. The “to be found” part is sketchy. It doesn’t seem consistent with the past tense “offered.” Although, I could be wrong… :)</p>

4

<p>I agree with bsmd11. The to be found part is a bit strnage.</p>

5

<p>Actually the correct answer is E…Although I don’t know why.</p>

6

<p>I chose E only because it sounded most grammatically correct to me. I too would like to know the real grammar rules behind the answer. Silverturtle?</p>

7

<p>I actually missed this question when I took that practice test. I didn’t see any reason to prefer either (B) or (E) over the other, so I just went with (B) arbitrarily.</p>

<p>There is no grammar rule here. Here’s what the College Board claims about (B):</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I don’t buy that. Here is what the Random House Dictionary says about one sense of “instead”:</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I don’t think that “instead” needs to imply that something is an alternative; it can merely function as does “rather” (e.g., He is not hungry; rather, he is full). I found this to be a problematic question.</p>

8

<p>Both E and B good work, but I’d say E is the better choice. Look at the previous sentence-“But even welcomed guests would have found castles less than inviting”. Context clues tell us that author wants to expand more about the living conditions of a castle in the next sentence. Choice E is able to expand further upon this topic whereas choice B is simply not suitable.</p>

9

<p><a href=“B”>quote</a> Lacking many comforts compared to royal palaces, medieval castles instead offered dark dungeons and damp, drafty living quarters.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Actually Choice B offers one of the clearest reasons to eliminate. Although the explanation of TCB is a tad confusing, the reason to eliminate is not, as it represents a favorite of TCB, namely a faulty comparison. </p>

<p>You do not need to go farther than “Lacking many comforts compared to royal palaces” to eliminate B. Pay attention that there are no commas in this part of the sentence … forcing the comparison between “Lacking many comforts” and “royal palaces.” In the world of TCB, that is all that is needed. </p>

<p>OTOH, Choice E is correct. And easily the only possible choice.</p>

<p>PS Remember two things: 1) no overthinking and 2) the answers provided by TCB are rarely the best available. :)</p>

10

<p>I have problems with this question too. Why cant C work?</p>

11

<p>@Ash9622</p>

<ol>
<li><p>“were to be found” is just icky. You don’t read this construction very often because it says almost nothing in 4 words, and because there really isn’t any “finding” going on.</p></li>
<li><p>Parallel construction would be better: “While medieval castles [blah blah blah], royal palaces [blah blah blah].”</p></li>
</ol>

12

<p>@WasatchWriter‌ thanks ! (:</p>