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The Sagrada Familia has stood, incomplete, as part of the Barcelona skyline since the early phases of its construction in 1882. The project, originally intended to be a cathedral in the gothic style, was begun by the bookseller Joseph Maria Bocabella under the direction of the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. Del Villar and Bocabella imagined a basilica modeled on the Gothic revival churches Bocabella had seen on trips to Italy. However, Bocabella’s ideal basilica never came to be. In 1883 del Villar resigned from the project, and 30-year old Antoni Gaudi, a young but already 1 big architect from Catalonia, took over as lead architect.
Whenever the SAT asks you to differentiate between four synonyms or near synonyms on the Writing and Language section, it is either testing formality (whether the word choice matches the tone of the rest of the passage) or meaning (whether you recognize which of several closely related words to use). In this case, it is testing formality. Good writing has a consistent tone and is appropriate to the audience it is being presented to. This essay is about the history of a famous architectural site and has a formal tone. To fit with that, you need to have an equally formal word in this sentence. The only word that fits the tone of the passage is, well-known. The other three answer choices vary from informal ("big name") to vague ("big") and can be eliminated.
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The pair brought scientific thinking and equipment to the kitchen, challenging perceptions about what belonged in the lab and 1 whether it belonged in a chef’s kitchen. For example, an early experiment in pie baking involved injecting pies with a syringe full of liquid after baking in order to preserve the crust. Other experiments involved creating meringue (cooked whipped egg whites with sugar) in a vacuum chamber and a “reverse” baked Alaska (ice cream topped with meringue) with the hot merengue on the inside and the ice cream on the outside. Although the experiments themselves might not have been useful to the home cook, they did give insights into the science of cooking that improved recipes and techniques for cooks everywhere.
There are two major decision points in this question: whether to use "whether" or "what" and whether to use a period or a question mark. Because this sentence contains a list of two items, those two items must be parallel. And since the first item in the list is "what belonged in the lab," the second item in the list should also start with the word "what" rather than "whether". Eliminate "NO CHANGE" and "whether it belonged in a chef’s kitchen?". Because this is a statement, the sentence should end with a period rather than a question mark even though it contains the word "what". Eliminate "what belonged in a chef’s kitchen?" and choose "what belonged in a chef’s kitchen."
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Despite this criticism, the belief in experimentation lives on outside the world of molecular gastronomy. Cooking magazines and websites now often have what are called “test kitchens” – departments dedicated not only to testing new recipes but also to improving techniques and testing uses for kitchen implements themselves. These test kitchens have taken the 1 resolve of experimentation from Kurti and This’s early work and have applied it to everything from the best way to make fried chicken to the ideal temperature at which to bake chocolate chip cookies. While these experiments might not involve lab equipment, they have fulfilled one of Kurti and This’s early dreams: they show the importance of scientific thinking outside of the halls of science.
When the SAT asks you to choose between similar words with the same meaning in some contexts but different meanings in others, they are testing your ability to choose the appropriate word for the situation. Look to see which answer choice works thematically with the sentence. All will probably be grammatically correct, so focus on meaning. Only "spirit" logically works - the sentence is discussing whether the idea behind molecular gastronomy moves on, an idea captured by the word "spirit." Choice "resolve" can be eliminated because resolve indicates a decision, which doesn't make sense in this context. Similarly, influence and mood can be eliminated because influence indicates that Kurti and This were influenced, not that they influenced others and because mood isn't a logical modifier in the context of the sentence.
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Without earthworms, modern land-based ecosystems would look very different. There is no way to predict the exact changes that would exist without earthworms, but it is easy to recognize earthworms’ 1 impression. As research continues into the effect of earthworms, scientists are confident that it will show an even more complex picture of the earthworm’s contribution to the land-based ecosystem.
Whenever the SAT asks you to choose between four words that have nearly the same meaning, they are testing logic. While the words do have similar meanings, only one makes sense in the context of the passage. As with a reading section vocabulary in context questions, look at the sentence as a whole. It's talking about the effect that earthworms have on the environment. While the answer choices are similar in meaning, the only answer choice that fits this is "impact".
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The traditional view of archaeologists usually involves a college professor who spends much of his or her time digging and researching in ancient foreign libraries or a museum curator who works every day to preserve the artifacts the museum holds. While this view isn’t completely incorrect, it is incomplete, both in terms of the types of jobs available to archaeologists and in terms of the types of work within those jobs. For example, college professors may spend summers at dig sites, but much of their time is also spent writing grants, teaching students, and writing about their research projects. Additionally, although there are still many people who work in archaeology as professors and museum curators, the demand for these job far outstrips the number of positions available, making the positions 1 a pain to acquire.
Which of the following best fits the tone of the rest of the passage?
The key to succeeding on this question is remembering that the SAT tests not only grammar and logic, but also consistent style. This question gives you a selection of synonyms (or near synonyms) and then asks you to choose the one that best fits the tone of the rest of the passage. Since only one, "difficult," is an acceptable choice for formal writing, it is the correct answer. The other three answers are either colloquially used or inappropriate for the sentence.
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Whereas most casualties in 19th-century wars resulted from disease, over two-thirds of the troops in World War I resulted from direct combat on the battlefield.
This question primarily tests us on diction, essentially, using the correct word in context. Here, not only do we need the comparison of comparing “casualties” to “casualties,” as our correct answer addresses - we also need a sentence that is logical in wording after the comma. While we likely understand what the author is trying to say (this can sometimes work against us in meaning-based writing questions on the SAT!) it is illogical to say that troops resulted from direct combat. Even if we modify the troops as “troops killed” or “killed troops,” the core of the sentence without the modifier seems to be suggesting that troops resulted from direct combat on the battlefield. Thus, only “casualties” fits what we’re looking for.
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An extract of the plant Decalepis hamiltonii, which has proved helpful in protecting brain cells from damaging effects of alcohol, is grown across India, where it has been used in traditional folk medicine for centuries.
In this example, we’re being tested on the logical vs. illogical word choice for the subject of our sentence. Since the non-underlined portion of the sentence includes the verb “is grown,” the subject of the sentence must be something that can be grown. If we read past the modifier in the original construction, we can see that “an extract” is the subject of the sentence, making the meaning of the core of the sentence, “an extract is grown,” illogical. Only our correct answer, “The Decalepis hamiltonii plant, an extract of which” corrects this error by reconstructing the underlined portion such that “the decalepis hamiltonii plant” is the subject of the sentence taking on the verb phrase “is grown.”
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The Chinese language is known for it’s diversity, as there are over 200 documented dialects of the language.
In this example, we need to choose the wording that expresses a logical meaning. In the original construction, “it’s” - the contraction for “it is” is illogical, as the sentence is attempting to use the possessive to refer to the diversity of the Chinese language. “It’s diversity, as their” makes the same mistake, and also mistakenly uses the possessive “their” when the term “there” is the appropriate spelling for the meaning the sentence is attempting to convey. Since “they’re” - the contraction for “they are” is also illogical in the context, we can eliminate “its diversity, as they’re.” This leaves us with the correct answer, “its diversity, as there,” the only option that uses the appropriate version of each homophone (term that sounds the same but carries a different meaning when spelled differently).
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Though the current line of common contemporary fashion is often perceived as a recent trend, it’s roots date back to early Egypt.
In this example, we need to choose the wording that expresses a logical meaning. The original sentence construction illogically utilizes the contraction “it’s.” Since it would not make sense to say “it is roots date back,” this word choice is illogical, and we can eliminate any answer options that include this wording. Our final incorrect answer, “Its roots dates” lacks agreement, as the plural “roots” requires the plural verb “date.” Our correct answer, “Its roots date” corrects both of these errors by utilizing the possessive pronoun and the plural form of the verb.
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Excessive caffeine consumption has been scientifically shown to effect your nervous system in both positive and negative respects, providing mood-boosting stimulant reactions, but also creating dependency and withdrawal when consumed in excess over extended periods.
In this example, we’re being tested on the use of different forms of homophones (words that sound the same but have different meanings when spelled differently). If we look to our answer options, we can see that we’ll need to determine which form of affect vs. effect and which form of your vs. you’re we need. Since, in context, affect is being used as a verb rather than a noun, we need the term “affect.” Additionally, we need the possessive “your” to refer to the nervous system belonging to you (the possessive form). Our correct answer, “affect your” makes both of these corrections.
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The Sagrada Familia has stood, incomplete, as part of the Barcelona skyline since the early phases of its construction in 1882. The project, originally intended to be a cathedral in the gothic style, was begun by the bookseller Joseph Maria Bocabella under the direction of the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. Del Villar and Bocabella imagined a basilica modeled on the Gothic revival churches Bocabella had seen on trips to Italy. 1 However, Bocabella’s ideal basilica never came to be. In 1883 del Villar resigned from the project, and 30-year old Antoni Gaudi, a young but already well-known architect from Catalonia, took over as lead architect.
Whenever the SAT Writing and Language section asks you for the best transition between two paragraphs or sentences, read the sentence before and after the transition and determine the relationship between the two sentences. The sentence before in this case states that the original vision of the church was based on Gothic revival churches from Italy. The sentence after the transition word states that this ideal wasn't built. Because of the contrast between the two sentences, you're looking for a word that indicates contrast. The only choice that indicates contrast is, NO CHANGE. Since the other options all indicate that the next sentence should be a continuation, they can all be eliminated.
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For thousands of years, cooking was considered more of a practice than a science. Much of what chefs and food scientists alike knew about cooking came from conventional wisdom rather than carefully designed research. For individuals who considered cooking to be an art rather than a science, this seemed to be for the best; 1 surprisingly, for physicist Nicholas Kurti and chemist Herve This, the lack on empirical knowledge around what we eat was not just an affront to science. It was a challenge. In 1988 the pair coined the term “molecular gastronomy,” which they defined as the investigation of the physical and chemical transformation that ingredients undergo during the course of cooking. They argued that if chefs understood these processes, they could produce dishes improved by the findings.
Whenever you are asked to choose a transition between two thoughts, you should first consider each thought separately and then how they relate together. The phrase before the transition states that many people have considered the fact that cooking was not science-like to be good. The phrase after the transition states that Kurti and This considered this an "affront to science". The two phrases are meant to contrast with one another and require a transition word that reflects this. Neither "in fact" nor "indeed" indicate a contrast and can be eliminated. "Surprisingly" does indicate a contrast, but the second phrase isn't surprising so it too can be eliminated. "however" is correct.
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Since 1988, the mission of molecular gastronomy has shifted. Kurti and This originally sought to investigate “kitchen old wives’ tales,” invent new recipes, improve old ones, and make the case to the public that science was a useful part of everyday life. Even if their experiments weren’t intended to be replicated in home kitchens, they were intended to encourage home cooks to experiment. Today, molecular gastronomists seek to explore the social, artistic, and technical aspects of food preparation. Some have argued that this shift in focus, along with the fact that techniques in molecular gastronomy have so far surpassed what any home cook could do, means that molecular gastronomy has lost its ability to impact how the world cooks at home.
1 To these ends, the belief in experimentation lives on outside the world of molecular gastronomy. Cooking magazines and websites now often have what are called “test kitchens” – departments dedicated not only to testing new recipes but also to improving techniques and testing uses for kitchen implements themselves. These test kitchens have taken the spirit of experimentation from Kurti and This’s early work and have applied it to everything from the best way to make fried chicken to the ideal temperature at which to bake chocolate chip cookies. While these experiments might not involve lab equipment, they have fulfilled one of Kurti and This’s early dreams: they show the importance of scientific thinking outside of the halls of science.
As with other transition phrases, you should look at the sentence before and the sentence containing the transition and determine their relationship in order to correctly answer this problem. The sentence before talks about the criticism that molecular gastronomy no longer affects how the world cooks at home. The sentence containing the transition states that experimentation lives on outside of molecular gastronomy. While this isn't a direct contrast, it is a contrast. The only transition that correctly indicates this contrast is answer choice "Despite this criticism."
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Niche constructors are particularly important in colonizing new environments. One of the easiest ways to measure this effect on evolution has been in the effect that the number of earthworms has on soil fertility, a measure of how hospitable an environment is to plant growth. Even the least fertile soil has around 62 worms per square meter, and as the number of worms increases so does soil fertility. As worms move through the different layers of soil, they eat, digest, and excrete massive amounts of organic matter. They leave their excretions behind in the form of nutrient-rich droppings known as casings. As these casings decompose, they release nutrients into the soil. This process not only moves nutrients from one layer of the soil to another but also converts the nutrients to forms that plants can absorb and process more easily. Because it is easier for plants to get the proper nutrients, plants don’t have to invest time and energy into making better root systems to gather nutrients. 1 Therefore, plants have, over time, lost some of these mechanisms – a form of evolution.
As with the previous question, to pick the best transition you need to be able to understand the sentence before and the sentence you are transitioning to. The previous sentence states that plants don't have to work as hard to get nutrients because of changes to the soil. The current sentence states that plants have lost the ability to work hard. The second sentence is not just a continuation of the first - it's a consequence. The only answer that shows this relationship is, "as a result."
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As the research progresses, they must present their findings in both written and oral reports to stakeholders in the project. Therefore, depending on the site and what they find, CRM archaeologists may also work with architects and planners. This work is to revise building sites to protect sensitive areas. So while everyday archaeologists may not be involved in saving the world from existential threats, they do play an important role in society, helping us preserve and consider the past even as we plan for the future. As cities and communities continue to expand, the work they do will only grow in importance.
This question asks you to choose between different transition words and to determine whether you need a transition word at all between these two sentences. As with any question dealing with transitions, you should first look at what each sentence is saying and then determine the relationship between those two sentences. The first sentence states that the archaeologists must present their findings to the members of the project, and the second states that after that they may work with architects and planners to change the plan. These are two separate facts - one does not flow into the other except sequentially. Thus, the best transition is in fact no transition at all, "depending."
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People looking to eat a healthy diet would be well advised to look beyond the advertised benefits of food products. For example, most products labeled “fat free” or “low fat” contain large amounts of carbohydrates and starches, elements that don’t qualify as “fat” themselves but that nonetheless lead to weight gain and obesity. For instance, ingredients like sugar and corn syrup are more likely to lead to weight gain than are many ingredients with large amounts of fat. Accordingly, those people interested in eating “healthy” would be well advised to look more closely at all the ingredients and nutritional facts on a product’s packaging, not just at the advertising language that trumpets a particular attribute.
When looking to understand what type of transition terminology best fits in the underlined portion of the sentence, context should guide our analysis. Here, we begin the paragraph with a conclusion, followed by an example in support of the conclusion that begins “for example.” So, it would be illogical to continue the paragraph with another “for example.” We need a continuation term, rather than an initial example term. So, “for instance” and “as an illustration” can both be eliminated. It’s also worth keeping in mind that when two answers can be used in identically the same context, we should be suspicious of both answers, since they cannot both be correct, and it's way more likely that there's something wrong with both options. Here, example terminology does not fit the context, and nor does the conclusion language “therefore.” Our correct answer, “moreover” correctly expresses the continuation of the following sentence, and is the only appropriate option.
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“Scientists who study fluids know that they produce fractal patterns,” said Taylor. Once he confirmed that they were fractals, he ran a test that enabled him to quantify how complicated the fractal patterns were—1 is a not-very-complex fractal and 2 is highly complex. He did this because his team had a wealth of historic data from when Rorschach tests were used to as a psychological exam—they could compare the fractal complexity of a Rorschach blot with the number of images people tended to see in them. What they found was that the more fractal complexity an image had, the fewer images people claimed to spot.
This matters because fractals are all over nature: trees, coastlines, clouds are all fractal. Conversely, when a Rorschach blot has a simple fractal pattern, it could look like a lot of different things that we see in the natural world. As the image gets increasingly complex, the number of things it might resemble goes down. But what’s puzzling is the fact that our brain does this at all.
In this example, we’re being tested on meaning and the use of an appropriate transition word to convey a meaning that is logical. Here, the portion before the underline serves as evidence or cause for the portion after the underline. So, “consequently” is the appropriate term, as it expresses the cause-effect relationship between the fact that “fractals are all over nature: trees, coastlines, clouds are all fractal” and that “when a Rorschach blot has a simple fractal pattern, it could look like a lot of different things that we see in the natural world.” All other answers seem to present a point of contrast. This should immediately throw a red flag in this question, as two or more answers cannot both/all be correct, so if they seem to play the same role, there’s a far better chance that there’s something problematic with both/all of them - as is the case here.
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Despite the warnings of environmental scientists, the waterfront building project has not yet had an adverse effect on the riverbed ecosystem.
In this example, we’re being tested on meaning and the use of an appropriate transition word to convey a meaning that is logical. Since the fact that the waterfront building project hasn’t had an adverse effect seems to be countering the warnings of environmental scientists, we need a contrast term, and can thus eliminate “because of” and “taking into account.” Additionally, both “taking into account” and “against” seem to attribute agency to the waterfront building project and suggest that it is choosing not to have an adverse effect - an illogical construction. Our correct answer and original construction “despite” effectively expresses the necessary contrast without falsely attributing agency to the building project, and is thus logical.
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Studies have linked literacy to a variety of both individual and societal benefits. However, in an increasingly digital and fast-paced world, emphasis on and access to literacy and literary-building resources have decreased over the past several years. Additionally, to combat this important issue, we should reallocate public funds to resources such as the public library and school reading clubs and competitions.
In this example, we’re being tested on meaning and the use of an appropriate transition word to convey a meaning that is logical. If we utilize the surrounding context, we can see that the author presents a call to action in the sentence introduced by the transition in our underlined portion. So, we need conclusion language to introduce this call to action. Only “therefore,” our correct answer, provides us with this conclusion language. Our original construction falsely suggests that the sentence that follows provides additional support/evidence, and both “however” and “nonetheless” present a contrast term that doesn’t fit our context. It’s also worth noting that if two answer choices seem to play the same role, they cannot feasibly both be correct - so there’s a good chance there’s something wrong with both, and we’ll want to be suspicious of cases where two answer choices seem identical in application.
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Video games are commonly associated with addictive and potentially violent tendencies in young children. However, there is far more evidence to suggest that video games, in moderation, help children to develop cognitive and social skills.
In this example, we’re being tested on meaning and the use of an appropriate transition word to convey a meaning that is logical. In order to do so, we’ll want to look at the relationship between the sentence before the transition word at hand and the sentence that follows. In this case, the fact that “video games are commonly associated with addictive and potentially violent tendencies in young children” seems to contrast with the following sentence suggesting that “there is far more evidence to suggest that video games, in moderation, help children to develop cognitive and social skills.” So, we need a contrast term to address this connection. “Additionally” and “furthermore” both provide a continuation term, which would not be appropriate in this context. “Hence” suggests that what follows is a conclusion based on the earlier sentence, which would also be illogical. In this case, the original construction, “however” is the only option that appropriately expresses the contrast between the perceived negative impacts of video games and the evidence provided about the potential positive factors.
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