Hi, I’m preparing for the SAT, and while taking some practice tests, I found some questions that I could not understand its explanation.
(the passage for the following question can be found on 22nd page of this link (or, as the page number goes, on pg. 21): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-SjC2QWxqXRTHdSYzBSNDRISEE/view )
- The narrator's attitude toward her situation is best described as: (A) incredulous (B) apprehensive (C) contented (D) ambivalent (E) self-congratulatory
I chose (D), because of the last sentence of the passage: “although I wanted to avoid him on my return to my lodging I knew very well I had something to gain from a confrontation, should it happen.” I didn’t quite get the sentence, but it seemed that from the statement “I wanted to avoid him” seemed to indicate that the author wasn’t not entirely happy. The answer is ©, contented. But I don’t get this, and I don’t get at all what the last sentence is saying. Could you explain these to me?
Another question:
- the passage for the following question can be found on 339th page of the same link above (or, as the page number goes, on pg. 38)
- The scenario in lines 3-7("When...occurrence") is best characterized as (A) a landmark traffic decision (B) an entertaining historical fact (C) an annoying aristocratic custom (D) an exceptionally dangerous behavior (E) a potentially useful lesson
I vacillated a lot between choice (A) and (B). I chose B, then switched to A, then changed to B, then changed to A. Although I completely understand how choices ©, (D), and (E) are wrong, I still don’t get how the answer’s (B), not (A). Why is (A) wrong? and how can the scenario be described as “an entertaining historical fact”?
Much help will be greatly appreciated. 