<p>1.</p>
<p>[An unusually talented painter,] Artesmesia Gentileschi could render human figures and clothing, including intricate embroidery and lacework, with accuracy and beauty</p>
<p>[Painting pictures with unusual talent], Artesmesia Gentileschi could render human figures and clothing, including intricate embroidery and lacework, with accuracy and beauty</p>
<p>First is correct. Is it because in the second "painting" does not match up with the past tense "could" ?</p>
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<p>2.</p>
<p>The validity of personality tests as accurate measures of a person's innate capacities and desires [is frequently called into question]</p>
<p>The validity of personality tests as accurate measures of a person's innate capacities and desires [has been frequently called into question]</p>
<h2>Why is the 2nd correct? I don't understand :(</h2>
<p>For the first one: The second option makes it seem as though the PICTURES have unusual talent, however, it is the painter not the picture that has the talent. Therefore it is the first option.</p>
<p>that doesn’t seem right… are you sure of your explanation?</p>
<p>Somewhere2017’s explanation sounds so whack.</p>
<p>For number one, the succinctness of the first option renders it the correct answer. It avoids the awkward participial phrase utilized in the second option. Furthermore, the “an unusually talented painter” directly describes the artist whereas the second option offers a more vague reference.</p>
<p>I agree with somewhere’s explanation. The clause “Painting pictures with unusual talent” is ambiguous. Try this: “Painting pictures with wooden frames”. Most readers would interpret that we are writing about “framed pictures”. So, by analogy, are we writing about “talented pictures”? In any case the subject to which “unusual talent” applies is ambiguous. Is it “pictures” or “Artesmesia Gentileschi”. This a common error in written English, and questions such as this appear frequently in the SAT.</p>
<p>The second question is less clear. Striping away the secondary text, the question is simplified to:</p>
<p>(1) The validity of personality tests is frequently called into question.</p>
<p>(2) The validity of personality tests has been frequently called into question.</p>
<p>Which is right? My sense is that either could be. They have different meanings. Without additional context I find it hard to decide. Is this an actual SAT question?</p>