Hard SAT writing questions

Test Preparation
1

Hi, it’s my first time posting on this forum. I’m currently preparing for the coming SAT, hope you could help answer my qualms as currently I’m having much trouble with the writing section. Thank you!

  1. (There is speculation that the name "Wendy" was) the invention of J.M. Barrie, who created a character by that name for his famous play Peter Pan. A. There is speculation that the name "Wendy" was B. There is speculation saying the name "Wendy" was C. They speculate saying that the name "Wendy" was D. The name "Wendy" speculated to have been E. The name "Wendy" is by some speculation The answer for this is A, but I chose E, shouldn't it be instead " There is speculation that the name "Wendy" was invented by J.M. Barrie?
  2. (Raised by Laguna Pueblo reservation, the novels of Leslie Marmon Silko) affirm the enduring role of oral traditions and ceremonies in the Pueblo culture A. Raised on the Laguna Pueblo reservation, the novels of Leslie Marmon Silko B. Raised on the Laguna Pueblo reservation, Leslie Marmon Silko's novels C. Leslie Marmon Silko was raised on the Laguna Pueblo reservation, her novels D. Leslie Marmon Silko's novels, and that she was raised on the Laguna Pueblo reservation E. The novels of Leslie Marmon Silko, who was raised on the Laguna Pueblo reservations The answer is E, i chose B, but E sounds like the novels are raised by the Laguna Pueblo reservations instead of the novels themselves?
  3. (We had never seen) anything like this style of architecture before, we thought we were looking at giant sculptures, not buildings. A. We had never seen B. We never saw C. Never had we seen D. Never having seen E. Never seeing The answer for this is D, but i chose A, doesn't D adopt a passive voice, which makes it more confusing than A, which evidently it is in the past that they didn't see the style of architecture so using "had" makes sense.
  4. Early rock and roll A(music, like) jazz and the blues; B(celebrated) characteristics of urban life that C(was once) only disparaged: loud, repetitive city sounds were D(reproduced as) raucous melodies and insistent rhythms. E(No error) The answer is C but i chose B. Isn't rock and roll music still celebrating characteristics of urban life? For C, why is "was once" wrong? Shouldn't once means something like happening at one time in the past? So wouldn't then was work?

Thanks in advance for the replies, I would greatly appreciate them!

2
  1. Both "was the invention of" and "was invented by" are correct. However, in choice E we have "IS the invention of". Because the author is dead, you need the past tense.
  2. Choice B is incorrect because the noun modified by the modifer "Raised on the Laguna Pueblo reservation" is "novels" when it should be Leslie Marmon Silko. In the phrase, "Leslie Marmon Silko's novels", the possessive noun "Silko's" acts as an adjective. The noun modifier modifies the noun "novels".
  3. Choice A has a comma splice: two independent clauses separated by a comma.
  4. C has a subject-verb number error. The verb "was" is singular but the subject of the verb is "characteristics" which is plural. There is no problem with "once".