Writing MC Questions

Test Preparation
1

<ol>
<li>In the nineteenth century, reproductions of cathedrals or castles made entirely of ice was often a popular feature in North American winter carnivals.
(a) was often a popular feature
(b) often were popular features
(c) often was featured popularly
(d) often being popular features
(e) have been featured popularly</li>
</ol>

<p>I narrowed it down to b and e. I chose E but B is the correct answer. I just don't see the difference b/w the two</p>

<ol>
<li>(Among) the discoveries (made possible by) (the invention of) the telescope (they found) that dark spots existed on the Sun in varying numbers.</li>
</ol>

<p>I put E but the answer is D. I think this is because the sentence is comparing discoveries to "they" but I'm entirely sure what you would do to (they found) to fix it.</p>

<ol>
<li>More than forty years (have passed) (since) a quarter of a million people marched on Washington, D.C. , (in an attempt) (to secure) civil rights for Black Americans.</li>
</ol>

<p>I put C. The comma after D.C. confused me. I thought "in an attempt" should have been "attempting." The correct choice is E</p>

<ol>
<li>The famous filmmaker (had a tendency) (of changing) his recollections, perhaps (out of boredom) (at having) to tell interviewers the same story over and over.</li>
</ol>

<p>I first though I saw two errors here. "Tendency of changing" and "boredom at having." I chose D since it sounded more awkward than B but I don't understand the rule here.</p>

2

<p>1) “Have been” is incorrect. Read the sentence again and see what tense is proper.</p>

<p>2) Who is “they”? The sentence should read “scientists” or some other noun. They is incorrect because the sentence doesn’t tell you who “they” are.</p>

<p>3) “In an attempt” is correct.</p>

<p>4) B is incorrect because you cannot have a tendency “of” something. You only have tendencies “to” do something. Bordedom at having may sound awkward, but it’s correct. “The boredom at having to do this is killing me” – That’s still correct wouldn’t you agree?</p>

3

<p>1) you need “were”. “Have been” means that it is still popular, which is NOT what the sentence is trying to say.</p>

<p>2)“they” is ambiguous. An example my math teacher always uses (not for SAT practice, but for other reasons) “They say it is important”. Who is “they”? What is “it”? You need specific references before you can use ambiguous pronouns. </p>

<p>3) “attempting” wouldn’t be incorrect… I don’t think. But it’s obviously fine as it is. Just because you would word it differently doesn’t mean it isn’t correct. Don’t worry, it happens to me a lot too. </p>

<p>4) I agree with you it DOES sound awkward, but like the above poster said. It’s an idiomatic problem, study a list of idiomatic phrases like: “Between…[A]…and…**”.</p>