42 - ] Model SAT Tests - Test Forty Two

42 - ] Model SAT Tests

Test Forty Two

 The passage below is the unedited draft of a student’s essay . Parts of the essay need to be rewritten to make the meaning clearer and more precise . Read the essay carefully .

The essay is followed by six questions about changes that might improve all or part of the organization , development , sentence structure , use of language , appropriateness to the audience ,or use of standard written English . In each case , choose the answer that most clearly and effectively expresses the student’s intended meaning . Indicate your choice by blackening the corresponding space on the answer sheet .

         [1]At the beginning of the twentieth century , no one knew the technological developments that would be made by the 1990s . [2] The area of communication media is one of the significant developments in the twentieth century . [3] Also nuclear energy and great advancements in medicine and the treatment of disease .

         [4] One important development was the invention of communication satellites which allow images and messages to be sent wirelessly around the world . [5] One advantage is that current events can be sent worldwide in seconds . [6] News used to travel by boat and take weeks or months to get overseas . [7] When a disaster struck the World Trade Center , the world saw it immediately and condemned the terrorists actions .[8] One weak aspect of communication satellites is that they are launched from a space shuttle , and that is an extremely costly operation .[9] They also cost millions of dollars to build and operate .[10] Therefore , many poor countries are left out of the so-called “Global Village.”

         [11] The invention and use of nuclear energy is another important technological development . [12] One positive feature of nuclear energy is that energy is cheaper , and can be made easy. [13] This is important in countries like France where almost all of the electricity is nuclear . [14] A negative consequence of nuclear energy is the probability of major nuclear accidents . [15] Watch out for human error and careless workmanship . [16] They were the cause of the meltdown in Chernobyl , which killed hundreds or maybe even thousands , and radiated half the Earth .

         [17] There have been many significant technological advances in medicine in the twentieth century . [18] One development was the invention of the CAT scan . [19] The CAT scan allows doctors to make a picture of your brain to see it there is a growth on it . [20] One positive effect of the CAT scan is that doctors can diagnose brain tumors and brain cancer at an early stage . [21] One negative effect is that CAT scans are costly , so they are not used in third world countries .

1 . In view of the main idea of the whole essay , which of the following is the best revision of sentence 1 ?

(A) In 1900 no one could anticipate the technological developments in the 1990s .

(B) Recent technological achievements would blow the minds of people at the beginning of the twentieth century .

(C) The twentieth century has seen remarkable technological achievements , but there has also been a price to pay for progress .

(D) No one knows if the twenty-first century will produce as much technological progress as the twentieth century did .

(E) Technological progress in communications , nuclear energy , and medicine is wonderful , but in the process we are destroying ourselves and our environment .

2 . Which is the best revision of the underlined segment of sentence 12 below ?

One positive feature of nuclear energy is that energy is cheaper , and can be made easy.

(A) energy is cheaper and can be made easily

(B) energy is made cheaper and more easily made

(C) it is cheap and easy to make

(D) it is both cheap as well as made easily

(E) it’s more cheaper and easier to make

3 . To improve the coherence of paragraph 2 , which of the following is the best sentence to delete from the essay ?

(A) Sentence 5 (B) Sentence 6 (C) Sentence 7 (D) Sentence 8 (E) Sentence 9

4 . In the context of the sentences that precede and follow sentence 15 , which is the best revision of sentence 15  ?

(A) Human error and careless workmanship are almost unavoidable .

(B) Especially human error and careless workmanship .

(C) There’s hardly no foolproof was to prevent human error and careless workmanship .

(D) You must never put down your guard against human error and careless workmanship .

(E) Accidents can happen accidentally by human error and careless workmanship .

5 . With regard to the entire essay , which of the following best explains the writer’s intention in paragraphs 2 ,3 , and 4 ?

(A) To compare and contrast three technological achievements

(B) To provide examples of the pros and cons of technological progress

(C) To analyze the steps needed for achievement in three areas

(D) To convince the reader to be open to technological change

(E) To advocate more funds for technological research and development

6 . Assume that sentence 17 and 18 were combined as follows : A significant advance in medicine has been the invention of the CAT scan . Which of the following is the best way to continue the paragraph ?

(A) The CAT scan allows your doctors to make pictures of a brain to see if it has a growth on it , a cancer is growing , or tumors at an early stage .

(B) The CAT scan permits your doctors to make a picture and see if your brain has a growth on it , or whether or not you have brain tumors or brain cancer at an early stage .

(C) Taking pictures with a CAT scan , your brain is studied by doctors for growths , brain tumors , and cancer at an early stage .

(D) Doctors may make pictures of your brain to see if there is a growth , a tumor , or cancer at an early stage on it .

(E) With this device a doctor may look into a patient’s brain to check for growths and to detect cancerous rumors at an early stage .

Essay

The statement below makes a point about a particular topic . Read the statement carefully , and think about the assignment that follows .

W e most resent in others the very flaws that we ourselves possess .

ASSIGNMENT : What are your thoughts on the statement above ? Compose an essay in which you express your views on this topic . Your essay may support , refute , or qualify the view expressed in the statement . What you write , however , must be relevant to the topic under discussion . Additionally , you must support your viewpoint , indicating your reasoning and providing examples based on your studies and / or experience .