SAT Reading & Writing: Command of Evidence (Drill 3)

Question 1. Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?

• A) peaks in summer at 2.3 inches in July, which is the lowest July precipitation of any park in the table, within the passage's comparison.
• B) is highest in July at 2.3 inches and lowest in January at 0.5 inches, the opposite of Olympic's pattern. ✓
• C) is consistently lower than the precipitation at every other park during each month shown in the table.
• D) peaks in October at 2.1 inches and is lowest in April at 0.8 inches.

Explanation: Choice B is the best answer because the statement sets up a comparison with Olympic, which peaks in winter (January, 12.1 inches). Big Bend's data shows the opposite: its highest value is in July (2.3 inches, summer) and its lowest is in January (0.5 inches, winter). This accurately uses the data and completes the contrast the passage establishes. Choice A is incorrect because while Big Bend's July figure is 2.3 inches, it is not the lowest July precipitation in the table; Olympic's 1.2 inches is lower. Choice C is incorrect because Big Bend does not have the lowest precipitation in every month; in July, Olympic (1.2) is lower than Big Bend (2.3). Choice D is incorrect because Big Bend's highest precipitation is in July (2.3), not October (2.1).

Question 2. Which finding, if true, would most directly support Voss's hypothesis?

• A) The amber ornaments found at the settlement displayed a wider variety of artistic styles than ornaments found at any single neighboring site.
• B) Excavations revealed large quantities of unfinished amber pieces and crafting tools at the settlement, along with finished ornaments at nearby sites that were chemically matched to the same amber source. ✓
• C) Amber deposits are known to form naturally along the coastline approximately 40 kilometers north of the settlement.
• D) Other Bronze Age settlements in Scandinavia have also been found with collections of amber ornaments.

Explanation: Choice B is the best answer because Voss's hypothesis has two components: (1) inhabitants crafted amber ornaments at this settlement, and (2) the ornaments were distributed to surrounding communities. Finding unfinished amber and crafting tools supports the manufacturing claim, and finding chemically matched finished ornaments at nearby sites supports the distribution claim. Together, these directly support both parts of the hypothesis. Choice A is incorrect because varied artistic styles don't indicate whether the settlement was a production and distribution center. Choice C is incorrect because the existence of a nearby amber source is consistent with the hypothesis but doesn't directly support the specific claims about crafting and distribution. Choice D is incorrect because similar finds elsewhere don't address the particular role of Voss's site as a regional trade center.

Question 3. Which quotation from Northanger Abbey most effectively illustrates the claim?

• A) "She had a thin awkward figure, a sallow skin without colour, dark lank hair, and strong features — so much for her person; and not less unpropitious for heroism seemed her mind." ✓
• B) "In the evening she read aloud to the rest of the family."
• C) "The Allens were quite sorry to lose their young friend, whose good humour and cheerfulness had made her a valuable companion."
• D) "She was fond of all boy's plays, and greatly preferred cricket not merely to dolls, but to the more heroic enjoyments of infancy."

Explanation: Choice A is the best answer because the quotation directly illustrates both the mocking tone and the claim that Catherine's childhood was unsuited to heroism. The narrator catalogs Catherine's plain physical features and then uses the phrase 'not less unpropitious for heroism seemed her mind,' gently ridiculing the idea that this ordinary girl could be a novel's heroine. Choice B is incorrect because it describes a routine family activity with no mocking tone or reference to heroism. Choice C is incorrect because it positively describes Catherine's good humor as perceived by others, without mocking her ordinariness. Choice D is incorrect because while it describes an unconventional preference (cricket over dolls), the tone is more charming than mocking, and the reference to 'heroic enjoyments' is about games, not about Catherine being unsuited for heroism.

Question 4. Which choice best describes data from the table that support Reyes's assertion?

• A) Online video preference drops from 58% in the 18–24 group to 11% in the 65+ group, while in-person class preference rises from 12% to 38% across those same groups, but mentoring remains at 21–22% for every age group. ✓
• B) The 18–24 age group prefers online video at 58%, which is the highest percentage for any single method across all age groups in the table.
• C) Written guide preference increases steadily from 8% in the youngest group to 29% in the oldest group, while mentoring remains stable at approximately 22%.
• D) In-person class preference is lowest in the 18–24 group at 12% and highest in the 65+ group at 38%, a difference of 26 percentage points.

Explanation: Choice A is the best answer because Reyes's assertion makes three claims: (1) online video preference decreases sharply with age, (2) in-person class preference increases, and (3) mentoring preference is consistent across ages. Only Choice A addresses all three claims with supporting data: online video drops from 58% to 11%, in-person rises from 12% to 38%, and mentoring stays at 21–22% across every group. Choice B is incorrect because it only addresses one data point about online video and doesn't support the claims about in-person classes or mentoring consistency. Choice C is incorrect because it describes written guide preference, but Reyes's assertion is specifically about online video and in-person classes (along with mentoring). Choice D is incorrect because it only describes the in-person class trend and omits the online video and mentoring claims.

Question 5. Which finding, if true, would most directly weaken Cho's conclusion?

• A) Residents surveyed about the redesigned streets reported that the wider sidewalks and trees made walking more pleasant.
• B) During the same year the streets were redesigned, three major employers relocated their offices to buildings on those streets, adding approximately 2,000 daily commuters to the area. ✓
• C) Other cities that have implemented similar street redesigns have also seen increases in pedestrian traffic.
• D) The city spent more on the street redesign project than originally budgeted.

Explanation: Choice B is the best answer because Cho attributes the 40% increase in pedestrian traffic to the physical street redesign. If three major employers moved to those streets during the same period, the increase could be largely explained by 2,000 new daily commuters rather than by the wider sidewalks, trees, and seating. This alternative explanation directly weakens Cho's conclusion that the redesign was the main factor. Choice A is incorrect because resident satisfaction with the design features actually supports, rather than weakens, Cho's conclusion. Choice C is incorrect because similar results in other cities would strengthen the idea that street redesign increases foot traffic, not weaken it. Choice D is incorrect because the project's cost overruns have no bearing on whether the redesign caused the increase in pedestrian activity.