32 > McGraw-Hill’s 500 SAT Critical Reading Questions Passage 1 ‘The South Bronx has experienced a significant urban renewal and is neatly unrecognizable from the nadir seen in the 1970s. This renewal is evident, starting with rchabilicated and new residential structures, including multifamily cown homes, apartment buildings, and prefabricated ranch-style homes. Much of the new development has taken place in vacant lots in traditionally poor areas. Popular commercial restaurants and retail chains, such as Applebee's, Mar- shalls, Staples, and Target, have opened stores, which have turned many formally dismal areas into desirable places to live. Other efforts to improve traditionally poor neighborhoods are underway, such as petitions for granting landmark status to the Grand Concourse, in recognition + of the areas Art Deco architecture. ‘The Yankees baseball franchise also recently razed “the house that Ruth buile” and replaced it with a state-of-the-art stadium, which was completed in time for the start of the 2009 baseball season. Along with the new billion-dollar field, athletic fields, bicyele and walking paths, stores, res- taurants, and a new Metto-North railroad station will be opened, “The South Bronx is also home to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations shat offer a range of professional training and other educational programs, as well as a renewed grassroots art scene. Clearly, the South Bronx is experiencing a much- deserved renaissance, both of the physical appearance of the borough and for its residents. Passage 2 Although there have been considerable improvements since the 1970s, the South Bronx is still a long way from sustained prosperity. It contains over half of the Bronx’s housing projects, and nearly half of the people in the South Bronx eke out an existence below the poverty line, Many of the problems that have plagued the arca since the “Bronx is burning” days, such as drug trafficking, gang activity, and prostitution, are still common. In fact, the South Bronx still has some of the highest violent crime rates in all of New York City, Certainly, there are pockets of progress. The South Bronx has experienced sub- stantial new building construction and renovations in the 2000s, and national retailers have begun to open stores in the borough, attracting new business and residents. Nevertheless, this is largely true of areas within or around the outskirts of tra- ditionally stable, affluent areas of the Bronx, such as the city blocks directly sur- rounding Yankee Stadium, as well as the Riverdale neighborhood, which is far away in the northwest part of the borough. ‘The fact is, most of the areas that fell into terrible decay in the late twentieth century remain lose in an endless spiral of poverty. 6 25 38Set 1 Questions ¢ 33 85. Which one of the following statements most accurately expresses the main idea of Passage 1? (A). The South Bronx is home to numerous for-profit and nonprofit organizations. (B) The Grand Concourse should be granted landmark status. (©) A socioeconomic revitalization is taking place in the South Bronx. (D) The Yankees bascball franchise is the savior of the South Bronx. (E) Manhattan residents flock to the South Bronx for its renewed grassroots art scene. 86. As used in line 8 of Passage 1, the word “dismal” most nearly means (A) miserable (B) seditious (©) exemplary (D) blithe ©) vociferous 87. Which of the following statements most accurately describes the relationship between Passage 1 and Passage 2? (A) Passage 1 is a direct rebuttal of the ideas in Passage 2. (B) Both passages arrive at the same conclusion through different analyses. (C) Passage 1 provides an alternative theory to that of Passage 2. (D) The passages address the same topic but arrive at different conclusions. (E) Passage 2 provides the evidence to support the conclusions in Passage 1. 88. Compared with the author of Passage 1, the author of Passage 2 displays an attitude that is (A) pessimistic (B)_supercilious (©) appreciative (D) flippant (E)_ mendacious34 > McGraw-Hill’s 500 SAT Critical Reading Questions 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. As used in lines 23-24 of Passage 2, the phrase “eke out” most nearly means to (A) infinitely vex (B)_ paralyze outright (©) completely abstain (D) wholly consecrate (E) scrounge together In the final sentence of Passage 2, the author expresses (A)_ an optimistic appraisal of the South Bronx’s entrepreneurial spirit (B) an affectionate ode to his hometown (C)_ amixed evaluation of the mayor's efforts to revitalize the South Bronx (D) a cautious judgment of the effect of retail culture on the South Bronx (E) a cynical assessment of the South Bronx's current economic standing As used in line 21 of Passage 2, the word “considerable” most nearly means (A) hedonistic (B) significant (©) prominent (D) absurd (E) inevitable As used in line 12 of Passage 1, “the house that Ruth built” represents (A) the original stadium where Babe Ruth played (B) the mansion that the Yankees owner bought for Babe Ruth (©) the 161st Street subway station next to Yankee Stadium (D) the bullpen in the new Yankee Stadium, named after Babe Ruth (E) the childhood home of Babe Ruth As used in line 12 of Passage 1, the word “razed” most nearly means (A) legislated (B) defiled (©) curtailed (D) demolished (E) suppressed.