SAT Preparation

Questions 1 – 11 are based on the following passage.

Interval Training Is a HIIT
3. ___
Interval training, known as IT, is the practice of alternating A) NO CHANGE
periods of high‐intensity exercise with periods of lighter B) Nevertheless,
exercise or rest. First developed as part of a training regimen C) For example,
D) In any case,
for Olympic athletes, IT was initially considered too intense
for the average person. However, several studies have 4. ___
demonstrated that healthy nonathletes and some individuals Which choice best introduces paragraph 3?
A) NO CHANGE.
who have chronic health 1 conditions that can benefit from a
B) For both athletes and fit nonathletes, the primary
particular form of IT: high‐intensity interval training, or HIIT. benefit of HIIT is a reduction in body fat.
The HIIT method involves alternating periods of exercising C) Studies about the benefits of HIIT for fit nonathletes
normally involve experimental and control groups.
at or near 100 percent of 2 its maximum heart rate with
D) Many athletes and fit nonathletes experiment with a
periods of exercising at a lower level of intensity. 3 Instead, variety of methods.
an HIIT workout might consist of sprinting for 30 seconds and
then jogging for 60 seconds, followed by additional exercise‐ 5. ___
A) NO CHANGE
and‐recovery cycles.
B) when practicing
4 HIIT provides two primary benefits for fit nonathletes. C) those practicing
First, HIIT burns calories and reduces body fat more efficiently D) DELETE the underlined portion.

than 5 individuals who practice modes of exercise that rely on

6. ___
sustained low‐or medium‐intensity efforts. In fact, a 2012 The writer discovered the following graph while doing
study showed that participants who performed HIIT workout research.
Changes in Body Composition Following 6
for six weeks decreased their body fat by 12 percent, whereas
Weeks of CET or HIIT
those participants who performed continuous endurance
training, or CET, decreased their body fat by only about 6 14%
percent. 6 Second, HIIT improves aerobic functioning. An 12%

article in the Journal of Applied Physiology reported that a 10%

8%
group of male college students showed enhanced skeletal‐
6%
muscle metabolic performance after a seven‐week HIIT
4%
cycling regimen.
2%
0%
1. ___ HITT CET
A) NO CHANGE
B) conditions, which
C) conditions; they Should the writer include the graph at this point in the
D) conditions passage?
A) Yes, because it illustrates information from the first
2. ___ study mentioned in paragraph 3.
A) NO CHANGE B) Yes, because it clarifies a result of the second study
B) their discussed in paragraph 3.
C) his C) No, because it contradicts information given earlier
D) one’s in the passage.
D) No, because it fails to demonstrate that HIIT is a
more effective exercise method than CET.

1
SAT Preparation

The benefits of HIIT also 7 embrace some people who 7. ___

suffer from chronic health conditions. Researchers at A) NO CHANGE
B) enfold
McMaster University in Canada examined the effects of a
C) extend to
modified HIIT regimen (1 minute of exercise at 90 percent of D) reach out to
one’s maximum heart rate with 1 minutes of 8 recovery), on a
8. ___
group of middle‐aged and older participants who had
A) NO CHANGE
cardiovascular disease. After several weeks of regular 20‐ B) recovery)
minutes HIIT workouts, these individuals exhibited improved C) recovery);
D) recovery
performance of the heart and blood vessels. Lead researcher
Dr. Maureen MacDonald noted that while the 9 exertion to
9. ___
HIIT is intense, the heart seems to be “insulated from the
A) NO CHANGE
intensity” because of the 10 short, brief time of the activity.”
B) exertion in
While the exact mechanisms accounting for its
C) assertion by
effectiveness are still studied, HIIT appears to be a promising
D) assertion with
fitness method. Of course, anyone contemplating interval
workouts should consult with a physician and a fitness
10. ___
specialist. Given that adults commonly cite 11 lack of time
A) NO CHANGE
and proneness to boredom as two key reasons for not
B) brevity in duration
pursuing a fitness regimen, short bursts of intense exercise
C) brief and limited time
may be the perfect solution.
D) brevity

11. ___
Which choice provides the most logical support for the
writer’s statement about HIIT in the sentence?
A) NO CHANGE
B) insufficient confidence and lack of financial support.
C) lack of self‐management skills and a tendency to
procrastinate.
D) absence of proper instruction and inconveniently
located facilities.

2
SAT Preparation

Questions 12 – 22 are based on the following passage

Socrates Sculpture Park

12. ___
Urban waterfronts are increasingly prized as prime real
A) NO CHANGE
estate and dedicated to upscale housing and shopping. 12 In
B) For example,
addition, not long ago, waterfront areas in many cities were
C) However,
considered undesirable. In the mid‐1980s, the studio of New
D) In other words,
York City sculptor Mark di Suvero looked out on a debris‐
strewn patch of landfill adjacent to the East River in the
13. ___
borough of Queens. Tired of watching the four acre vacant lot
A) NO CHANGE
fill with trash from illegal dumping, di Suvero decided to take
B) Leasing the land from the city for a relatively low
action. He developed a plan to transform this urban
cost was the first step di Suvero took
wasteland into a sculpture park.
C) The first step di Suvero took, for a relatively low cost,
13 The first step di Suvero took was to lease the land from
was to lease the land from the city
the city, which he did for a relatively low cost given the
D) For a relatively low cost, the first step di Suvero took
unattractiveness of the area. Di Suvero then enlisted local
was to lease the land form the city
kids to help clean up the lot and partnered with other
sculptors to raise money and 14 awareness of the site’s 14. ___
possibilities. For years New York City sculptors 15 have not A) NO CHANGE
had a suitable place to exhibit their large‐scale 16 artworks; B) insight
some of which could not even fit through the doors of C) perception
existing galleries. As a result, they jumped at the chance to D) comprehension
join di Suvero in promoting his 17 venture, the Socrates
Sculpture Park which opened in 1986. The park initially had 15. ___
only a short‐term lease, but in 1998 New York City agreed to A) NO CHANGE
make it an official city park, thereby securing its future. B) will not have
C) had not had
D) would not have

16. ___
A) NO CHANGE
B) artworks, some of which
C) artworks, some of them
D) would not have

17. ___
A) NO CHANGE
B) venture the Socrates Sculpture Park,
C) venture, the Socrates Sculpture Park,
D) venture the Socrates Sculpture Park

3
SAT Preparation

18 Today this Queens park features a dazzling array of 19. ___

large sculptures ornamenting the windswept terrain set
against the backdrop of the river, with spiky towers of
Manhattan on the far shore. The result is a unique blend of
scenery and sculpture. Indeed, the art and striking visual
landscape often interact: over the years, the park has hosted
many memorable exhibitions, including an installation of
surreal billboards visible from local highways and a giant,
clear inflatable Buddha serenely bobbing in the East River. Of
Course, 19 the park is always more crowded during the
summer month: during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, almost the
entire park was flooded. Fortunately, artists were able to
repair the affected pieces, and the park has reopened.
20 This free park is largely supported through donations
from the public. A fellowship program invites sculptors to
apply for grant money and access to the park’s studio space,
materials, and staff. The park also serves the nonartist public,
offering a variety of educational programs and free
community events, including a kite festival and a bike parade.
Beloved by sculptors and the local community, 21 visitors
have been inspired by the Socrates Sculpture Park for over
twenty‐five years. Mark di Suvero’s dream 22 continues to
serve as a reminder of the value of parkland – and the art –
on the urban waterfront.
A) NO CHANGE
B) the park is one of the New York City’s more offbeat
tourist attractions:
C) the waterfront location brings risks as well as
benefits:
D) Severe weather is a fact of life around the world:
20. ___
Which choice most effectively sets up the information
that follows in the next sentence?
A) NO CHANGE
B) The park provides exciting opportunities for artists.
C) Many Queens residents volunteer at the Socrates
Sculpture Park.
D) The park is open to the public on a year‐round basis.
21. ___
A) NO CHANGE
B) visitors to the Socrates Sculpture Park have been
inspired
C) the Socrates Sculpture Park’s visitors have been
inspired
D) The Socrates Sculpture Park has inspired visitors

18. ___
22. ___
Which version of the sentence places the emphasis most
Which choice provides an effective sense of closure for
firmly on the main subject of the passage?
the passage while maintaining the time frame
A) NO CHANGE
established in paragraph 4?
B) The river and the spiky towers of Manhattan on the
A) NO CHANGE
far shore today serve as a backdrop for the
B) is of the sort that often leads those of an artistic bent
windswept terrain that is ornamented by the
to transform their surroundings for the better.
dazzling array of large sculptures featured in this
C) motivated him to turn a patch of landfill into a
Queens park.
beautiful park area.
C) The windswept terrain that today features this
D) came true.
Queens park’s dazzling array of large sculptures has
as its backdrop the river, with the spiky towers of
Manhattan on the far shore.
D) Today serving as a backdrop for the dazzling array of
large sculptures ornamenting the windswept terrain
in this Queens park are the river and the spiky
towers of Manhattan on the far shore.
4
SAT Preparation

Questions 23 – 33 are based on the following passage

Building Bridges to the Future

The American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2013 Report Card 25. ___

for America’s Infrastructure 23 indicated that, one out of A) NO CHANGE

every nine bridges in the United States is structurally 24 B) state, or

needing. The projected cost of making needed repairs to C) state, nor any

bridges is no small issue for any municipal, county, 25 state; D) state, or any

or a federal government agency. For the sake of the public’s

safety, 26 however, repairs must be made. Furthermore, it’s 26. ___

time to commit to building environmentally and financially A) NO CHANGE

sustainable structures. To do so, civil engineers must utilize B) therefore,

new technologies that will improve the condition of bridges C) consequently,

nationwide and keep them in good working order for as ong D) likewise,

as possible.
By using innovative materials, civil engineers can make 27. ___

bridges stronger and longer lasting. The Mars Hill Bridge in A) NO CHANGE

Wapello County, Iowa, for instance, was reconstructed using B) that

an ultra‐high performance concrete (UHPC) that is so durable C) which

and lightweight 27 to where the 113‐foot span does not need D) so that

traditional reinforcing steel bars. Without such “rebars,” the

bridge is smaller and lighter than many other bridges, though 28. ___

it is just as strong. 28 The absence of steel bars means the The writer is considering deleting the underlined

bridge is also less susceptible to corrosion. Although the initial sentence. Should the sentence be kept or deleted?

costs of materials such as UHPC are 29 high, those expenses A) Kept, because it serves as a necessary transition in

can be more than offset over the long term through reduced paragraph 2.

maintenance costs and a longer life span. B) Kept, because it provides a detail that supports the
main point of paragraph 2.

23. ___ C) Deleted, because it blurs the focus of paragraph 2 by

A) NO CHANGE introducing an irrelevant idea.

B) indicated that D) Deleted, because it contradicts another point about

C) indicated, that corrosion mentioned later in the passage.

D) indicated that:
29. ___

24. ___ A) NO CHANGE

A) NO CHANGE B) high;

B) meager. C) high, yet

C) deprived. D) high; however

D) deficient.

5
SAT Preparation
30 The costs of upgrading or repairing old bridges
sometimes exceed those of building new ones. In some cases,
on‐site solar or water power can generate enough energy for
the electrical needs of a bridge (such as lighting). 31 Another
technological advance should be explored. That advance is
the use of automated systems that detect minor cracks and
corrosion. The National Institute of Standards and Technology
is already funding some self‐monitoring technologies: one
bridge on I‐35Win Minnesota was recently fitted with 320
sensors that record the bridge’s performance under different
traffic conditions. By equipping the bridges with these types
of sensors, which can be monitored remotely, engineers can
both improve the safety of bridges and reduce the time and
cost associated with physical inspections.
The need for significance infrastructure reengineering is
an opportunity that holds the promise of wide‐ranging
benefits. Innovative and forward‐thinking civil engineers have
the chance to make US infrastructure truly sustainable –
environmentally and financially. 32 As Gregory DiLoreto,
president of the American Society of Civil 33 Engineers noted
upon release of the 2013 report, “Investment in our
infrastructure will help grow or economy; it will help create
jobs and improve our quality of life.”
30. ___
Which choice is the best introduction to paragraph 3?
A) NO CHANGE
B) It is important for civil engineers to consider the
aesthetics as well as the functions of he bridges they
design.
C) New technology should be integrated into the bridge
when it is first built, though some elements can be
added later.
D) Civil engineers should also take advantage of
technological advances that can make bridges more
self‐sufficient.
6
31. ___
Which choice most effectively combines the underlined
sentences?
A) Another technological advance that should be
explored is the use of automated systems that
detect minor cracks and corrosion.
B) A technological advance – the use of automated
systems that detect minor cracks and corrosion – is
another one that should be explored.
C) The technological advance of using automated
systems that detect minor cracks and corrosion is
another advance that should be explored.
D) Exploring the use of automated systems that detect
minor cracks and corrosion, another technological
advance, should be done.
32. ___
At this point, the writer is considering adding the
following sentence.
Much of the work civil engineers do is actually done
at drafting tables and computers rather than on
location at constructed sites.
Should the writer make this addition?
A) Yes, because it includes a relevant detail about how
civil engineers do their jobs.
B) Yes, because it provides an example that supports a
claim made earlier in paragraph 4.
C) No, because it contradicts a point about engineers
made earlier in the passage.
D) No, because it digresses from paragraph 4’s
discussion of infrastructure improvement.
33. ___
A) NO CHANGE
B) Engineers;
C) Engineers,
D) Engineers –
SAT Preparation

Questions 34 – 44 are based on the following passage 35. ___

A) NO CHANGE
Wake Up and Smell the Caffeine
B) built
About 90 percent of Americans consume caffeine daily in C) are building
the form of coffee, tea, soft drinks, or energy drinks. Caffeine, D) build
or trimethylxanthine, can increase a person’s metabolic rate
36. ___
and is also used in some prescription 34 and over‐the‐counter
A) NO CHANGE
medications to speed up their effects and make them work
B) neurotransmitter, it
faster. Furthermore, studies suggest that regular caffeine
C) neurotransmitter, which
intake decreases a person’s likelihood of being affected by
D) neurotransmitter: which
diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, gallstone, and
several kinds of cancer. 37. To make paragraph 2 most logical, sentence 5 should be
[1] In order to understand how caffeine works, one must placed
first know how another compound, adenosine, functions. [2] A) where it is now
Neurons produce adenosine molecules, which 35 builds up B) after sentence 1
over the course of the day and bind to adenosine receptors in C) after sentence 2
the brain. [3] As the molecules bind to these receptors, the D) after sentence 3
nervous system slows the body down and increases
drowsiness, which causes one to fall asleep. [4] Adenosine is 38. ___
then broken down while one sleeps. [5] Adenosine is an A) NO CHANGE
inhibitory 36 neurotransmitter; which means that it slows B) that of adenosine molecules.
down the activity of neurons, or nerve cells. 37 C) those adenosine molecules.
Caffeine molecules have a shape very similar to 38 how D) molecules of adenosine shapes.
adenosine molecules are shaped. Therefore, when a person
39. ___
consumes caffeine, the caffeine molecules bind to the
A) NO CHANGE
adenosine receptors. While caffeine occupies the receptors,
B) binding, as a result
adenosine is blocked from 39 binding; as a result, the nervous
C) binding, as a result,
system does not receive adenosine’s signal to cause
D) binding; as a result:
sleepiness. 40 Furthermore, since the neurons are not slowed
down, other chemical compounds produced in the brain are 40. At this point, the writer is considering adding the
not inhibited. following sentence.
Thus, one feels more awake.
34. ___
Should the writer make this decision here?
A) NO CHANGE
B) and over‐the‐counter medications to speed up their A) Yes, because it clarifies the overall effect of
effects, making them work faster. caffeine’s interaction with adenosine.
C) and over‐the‐counter medications to speed up their B) Yes, because it adds an important qualification to the
effects.
argument.
D) medications, too, and also in some over‐the‐counter
medications as well as to speed up their effects and C) No, because it detracts from the overall focus of
make them work faster. paragraph 3.
D) No, because it contradicts information presented
earlier in the passage.

7
SAT Preparation

These chemicals include dopamine, a stimulant whose 41. ___

presence heightens the wakefulness effect. Dopamine also A) NO CHANGE
signals pleasure in parts of the brain, so the chemical effects B) boost
of caffeine help 41 incline one’s mood as well. The pituitary C) rise
gland responds to the extra activity in the brain by signaling D) ascend
the release of adrenaline, also referred to as the fight‐or‐
42. ___
flight hormone, from adrenal glands. This release includes
A) NO CHANGE
elevated blood pressure and a faster heartbeat, increasing
B) it's
alertness.
C) their
Despite these perceived benefits, caffeine should be
D) one’s
consumed only in moderation. While caffeine is not usually
harmful in normal doses, it can be addictive, as the body
43. ___
builds up a tolerance to 42 its effects. The brain eventually
At this point, the writer is considering adding the
begins responding to caffeine with the creation of more
following sentence.
adenosine receptors. 43 Therefore, one has to consume more
Many people use caffeine to help them stay awake.
caffeine to achieve the same effect and can suffer headaches
Should the writer make this addition here?
and other symptoms upon ceasing regular caffeine intake. 44
A) Yes, because it provides a reason that people want
Due to this fact, caffeine’s long‐ and short‐term benefits
to consume caffeine even though doing so can
appear to be enough to support a moderate habit equivalent
addictive
to a cup or two of coffee daily.
B) Yes, because it improves the flow of the passage by
clarifying an idea mentioned in a previous paragraph.
C) No, because it is not supported by evidence in the
passage.
D) No, because it introduces an idea that interrupts the
development of paragraph 4.

44. ___
A) NO CHANGE
B) Lastly,
C) Thus,
D) Still,

8
SAT Preparation

1.D 2.D 3.C 4.A 5.D 6.A 7.C 8.B 9.B 10. D 11.A
12.C 13.B 14.A 15.C 16.B 17.C 18.A 19.C 20.B 21.D
22.A
23. B 24.D 25.B 26.A 27.B 28.B 29.A 30.D 31.A 32.D
33.C
34.C 35.D 36.C 37.B 38.B 39.A 40.A 41.B 42.A
43.D 44.D