Writing Question (Level 4)

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>From the 2008-2009 Official Practice SAT/October 2005 QAS:</p>

<p>The museum is submitting proposals to several foundations in the hope to gain funds to build a tropical butterfly conservatory. No error</p>

<p>The error is in D, to gain. </p>

<p>Why, and what would the correction be? </p>

<p>"To gain" should be idiomatically correct (at least in certain contexts). For example:</p>

<p>I hope to gain the respect of my peers.</p>

<p>Why is it incorrect in this context?</p>

<p>--</p>

<p>Medical insurance coverage that requires high monthly premiums and that is beyond the financial means of many people. </p>

<p>I had narrowed this down to C and E and I chose C. Ouch. E is the correct answer. Why? </p>

<p>C) requiring high monthly premiums are
E) that requires high monthly premiums</p>

2

<p>For the 2nd one I think it’s C. </p>

<p>I have noo idea about the 1st.</p>

3

<p>I believe the first should be “in the hope of gaining”.</p>

<p>Gain modifies hope (ex. I practiced in the hope of winning or I practiced to win)</p>

<p>The second one is E because C requires insurance to be plural.</p>

4

<p>I thought it was C as well, Lesley, but the answer key says E.</p>

5

<p>I’m definitely no expert, but for the second problem I think that C is not the correct answer because of subject-verb agreement; “are” is a plural verb and “medical insurance coverage” is a singular noun.
Right?
I fail at grammar >.<</p>

6

<p>First: The museum is submitting proposals to several foundations in the hope of gaining funds to build a tropical butterfly conservatory.</p>

<p>In your second sentence, “hope” is a verb. “I hope to gain”. However, in the provided example, hope is a noun. “I study in the hope of getting a high SAT score”. NOT -> “I study in the hope to get a high SAT score”. Understand? Idiomatic error.</p>

<p>Second: Medical insurance coverage that requires high monthly premiums and that is beyond the financial means of many people. </p>

<p>I’m assuming you underlined the ‘is’ that follows the underlined portion by mistake? Well, the reason is: Medical insurance coverage is a singular noun. You can’t say “Medical insurance coverage are”. Faulty noun-verb agreement. Therefore, the only logical answer would be E. Let’s review the sentence together.</p>

<p>“Medical insurance coverage that requires high monthly premiums is beyond the financial means of many people.” Much clearer and concise.</p>

7

<p>No, I did not underline anything by mistake. I was thinking that with “high monthly premiums,” I had to choose a plural verb. I see now. </p>

<p>[SAT</a> Writing Question.png](<a href=“http://min.us/mbniex6lj9]SAT”>http://min.us/mbniex6lj9)</p>

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8

<p>You gave an incomplete form of answer E.
E) that requires high monthly premiums
You forgot the “is”.
It is actually E) that requires high monthly premiums is
Anyway, rest my point, “is” refers to medical insurance coverage. Whenever there’s a nonrestrictive clause in the middle of a sentence, always remove it and see if the sentence makes sense without it. Let’s do it here:
“Medical insurance coverage requiring high monthly premiums are beyond the financial means of many people.” Now remove “requiring high monthly premiums” to give the sentence “Medical insurance coverage are…” which doesn’t make any sense. Good luck.</p>

9

<p>I thought “that” was restrictive, and “which” was non-restrictive?</p>

10

<p>Correct. But we’re not looking at a correct sentence. We’re looking at a faulty sentence that may or may not have a restrictive clause, which we are required to modify to give a better, more concise meaning.</p>

11

<p>Thanks! That makes sense :).</p>

12

<p>^ Not correct ‘‘rule’’</p>

<p>Which can also be used with a restrictive clause, but THAT cannot be used with a nonrestrictive clause.</p>

<p>I totally agree with SIRWANKSALOT in his expl. for ques 2. However,in question 1, I think it is of gaining simply because of the awkward structure. It has no relation with a noun or a verb.</p>