Help with Writing problems from Official 09-10 Practice SAT

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>Could someone please help to explain these answers to me? Thank you!</p>

<p>SECTION 5</p>

<ol>
<li>It was <a href="A">B</a>** a Chinese American grower who finally succeeded with adapting <a href="B">B</a>** the now familiar <a href="C">B</a>** orange tree to <a href="D">B</a>** the American climate. No error <a href="E">B</a>**</li>
</ol>

<p>ANSWER: <a href="B">B</a>** LEVEL: <a href="3">B</a>**</p>

<ol>
<li>Five years in the writing, <a href="A">B</a>** her new book is both a response <a href="B">B</a>** to her critics' mistrust with <a href="C">B</a>** her earlier findings and an elaboration <a href="D">B</a>** of her original thesis. No error <a href="E">B</a>**</li>
</ol>

<p>ANSWER: <a href="C">B</a>** LEVEL: <a href="5">B</a>**</p>

<ol>
<li>Despite <a href="A">B</a>** its cultural importance, the Daily Gazette lost <a href="B">B</a>** 70 percent of its subscribers since 1920 and, by 1955, was losing <a href="C">B</a>** as much as <a href="D">B</a>** $200,000 a year. No error <a href="E">B</a>**</li>
</ol>

<p>ANSWER: <a href="B">B</a>** LEVEL: <a href="5">B</a>**</p>

<p>SECTION 10</p>

<ol>
<li>Psychologists advise that before making any major changes in your life, a person needs to focus on one's goals.</li>
</ol>

<p><a href="A">B</a>** your life, a person needs to focus on one's goals
<a href="B">B</a>** their life, a person needs to focus on their goals
<a href="C">B</a>** their lives, focus on the goals
<a href="D">B</a>** one's life, you should focus on your goals
<a href="E">B</a>** their lives, people should focus on their goals</p>

<p>ANSWER: <a href="E">B</a>** why not B? LEVEL: <a href="5">B</a>**</p>

<ol>
<li>Some beaches are frequently contaminated by untreated sewage that flows into the ocean, which can last for several days.</li>
</ol>

<p><a href="A">B</a>** ocean, which can last for several days
<a href="B">B</a>** ocean that can last for several days
<a href="C">B</a>** ocean, it can last for several days
<a href="D">B</a>** ocean, while contamination can last several days
<a href="E">B</a>** ocean; the contamination can last for several days</p>

<p>ANSWER: <a href="E">B</a>** LEVEL: <a href="5">B</a>**</p>

2

<ol>
<li>it is supposed to be “succeeding IN”. That is what I thought when I did this practice test. Succeeded in adapting…is idiomatically correct I believe.</li>
</ol>

3

<p>^that’s right.</p>

4

<ol>
<li>Despite (A) its cultural importance, the Daily Gazette lost (B) 70 percent of its subscribers since 1920 and, by 1955, was losing (C) as much as (D) $200,000 a year. No error (E)</li>
</ol>

<p>ANSWER: (B) LEVEL: (5)</p>

<p>The trigger word here is “…since 1920” and thus it should be “has lost”</p>

5

<ol>
<li><p>Idiom - should be “succeeded in adapting.”</p></li>
<li><p>Idiom - should be “mistrust of.”</p></li>
<li><p>Verb tense - because of “since,” it should be “had lost.”</p></li>
<li><p>Parallelism - B is incorrect because the plural “their” conflicts with the singular “person.”</p></li>
<li><p>A and B incorrectly state that the ocean lasts for several days. C and D incorrectly join two independent clauses. E correctly joins two independent clauses and correctly matches “can last for several days” with “contamination.”</p></li>
</ol>

6

<ol>
<li>Psychologists advise that before making any major changes in your life, a person needs to focus on one’s goals.</li>
</ol>

<p>(A) your life, a person needs to focus on one’s goals
(B) their life, a person needs to focus on their goals
(C) their lives, focus on the goals
(D) one’s life, you should focus on your goals
(E) their lives, people should focus on their goals</p>

<p>ANSWER: (E) why not B? LEVEL: (5)</p>

<p>This is the case of pronoun shift. In (B), “their” has no antecedent because “a person”, which is singular, is mentioned, not “people”, the plural tense that “their” is supposed to refer. In (E), “their” refers to people and “…their goals” is referring to the people’s goals.</p>

7

<p>Verb tense - because of “since,” it should be “had lost.”</p>

<p>How is it “had lost.”?</p>

8

<p>I just wish more people that post writing questions would do so in the format that the OP did. <em>sighs</em></p>

9

<p>“has lost” not “had lost”</p>

10

<p>

</p>

<p>Yes, (B) should be “has lost.”</p>

11

<p>Yeah my bad. Either way you only need to pick out the incorrect phrase.</p>