The proposal to forbid the use of indoor furniture on front porches has divided the town along ______ lines: the affluent feel the old couches are eyesores, while those who cannot afford new outdoor furniture are ______ about what they feel is an attempt to restrict their lifestyle.
Answer(s): E
JustificationThe sentence contrasts two groups: (1) affluent residents who view the old couches as visual nuisances, and (2) residents who lack the means to purchase new outdoor furniture and perceive the regulation as a limitation of their way of life. This contrast is fundamentally social-economic in nature; it reflects a division based on income and access to resources rather than ideology, race, or pure aesthetics. The emotional response of the second group is best captured by “incensed,” which conveys anger and outrage at what they see as an unjust restriction. Option E (“socioeconomic … incensed”) therefore aligns precisely with both the type of division (socio-economic) and the attitude (incensed) described in the passage.Why the other options are unsuitableA: political … nonplussed – “Political” mischaracterizes the underlying cause; the dispute is not about political ideology, and “nonplussed” (unconcerned) does not convey the strong negative reaction implied. B. aesthetic … dismayed – While “aesthetic” touches on the visual complaint, it ignores the socioeconomic disparity that drives the conflict; “dismayed” suggests disappointment rather than the active anger described. C. class … pleased – “Class” is close, but the affected group is not pleased; they are upset about the restriction. D. racial … angry – The passage contains no reference to race; the division is economic, not racial.Hence, E is the only choice that accurately reflects both the nature of the division (socio-economic) and the tone of the response (incensed).
Socioeconomic status : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socioeconomic_status Incensed definition : https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incensed (Merriam-Webster)
In his politics, Aristotle characterizes Plato's support of collectivism as ______ and ______ the unity of the city; not only would it be difficult to institute and enforce, but the absence of private property would lead to bickering among the citizens.
Answer(s): C
JustificationCorrect choice – C. “impractical … detrimental to” Aristotle’s critique of Plato’s collectivist vision emphasizes that it is impractical to abolish private property and enforce communal ownership, and that such a system would be detrimental to the cohesion of the polis. He argues that removing private property would actually undermine the unity of the city rather than strengthen it, because the lack of personal stake would breed conflict and disorder.Why the other options failA: “commendable … deleterious to” – Aristotle never praises Plato’s collectivism; he finds it morally and politically problematic, not commendable. B. “controversial … essential to” – While the idea may be controversial, Aristotle does not regard it as essential to the unity of the city; rather, he sees it as harmful. D. “divisive … indifferent toward” – Aristotle does describe the policy as divisive, but he certainly does not view it as indifferent; he explicitly warns that it would damage social harmony. E. “unattainable … supportive of” – Although Aristotle might consider the scheme unattainable, he certainly does not see it as supportive of the city’s unity; he argues the opposite—that it would erode it.Thus, option C precisely captures Aristotle’s dual judgment: the policy is both impractical to implement and detrimental to the city’s unity.
Aristotle, Politics, Book II, Chapter 3 – discussion of Plato’s “Republic” and private property. Barnes, J. (1987). Aristotle: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. (Chapter on the Politics and critique of Platonic collectivism).
The bright coloration of American coot chicks is an anomaly: although colorful plumage is usually ______ to newborn birds because it may attract predators, among this species it appears to be ______, because parents are more likely to notice and care for brightly-colored offspring.
ExplanationThe sentence contrasts the usual function of bright coloration in newborn birds (it is typically a disadvantage because it can attract predators) with the situation in American coot chicks, where the bright coloration is actually advantageous because it helps parents recognize and care for them. Option E correctly captures this relationship: “detrimental … helpful.” Detrimental describes the general effect of bright plumage on newborns (it can be harmful), while helpful describes the specific benefit observed in this species. Option A (“pernicious … fatal”) is too extreme; bright coloration is not generally fatal, and “pernicious” is not the standard term used for a neutral disadvantage. Option B (“dangerous … unnecessary”) mis-characterizes the benefit; the bright coloration is not unnecessary —it is actively beneficial to the parents. Option C (“deleterious … favorable”) mixes a negative term with a positive one, but favorable is less precise than helpful in this context and the pairing is not the standard collocation used in biological literature. Option D (“beneficial … advantageous”) reverses the intended meaning; bright coloration is not generally beneficial to newborns, only to the parents’ ability to care for them.Therefore, E is the only pair that accurately reflects the typical detriment of bright plumage and the specific helpful role it plays for coot chicks.
American Coots – Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Coot Avian Plumage and Parental Care – Journal of Ornithology (open access): https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-021-01768-4
Unlike the American worker, who expects to work for several different firms during his or her career, until recently the Japanese worker regarded employment as -______ commitment.
Answer(s): A
JustificationThe phrase “lifetime employment” is the standard term used in cross-cultural and labor-economics literature to describe the Japanese employment model, where workers traditionally remained with a single firm for the duration of their career. Option A – “a lifetime” directly matches this established concept and aligns with the historical context of Japanese corporate culture. B – “a significant” is vague and does not capture the contractual or cultural nature of the commitment. C – “a bilateral” describes a relationship but does not convey the temporal scope implied by the question. D – “an economic” is an adjective that fails to specify the type of commitment. E – “a moral” introduces an ethical dimension that is not the primary descriptor used in scholarly discussions of Japanese employment practices.Therefore, A. a lifetime is the only option that accurately reflects the traditional Japanese view of employment as a long-term, firm-specific commitment.
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Employment Protection and Labor Market Flexibility: Japan. https://www.oecd.org/employment/japan-employment-protection.htm International Labour Organization (ILO). Japanese Employment System: Lifetime Employment and Its Effects. https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/employment/lang--en/index.htm
Andre's gift for music seemed to be ______; both his mother and grandfather before him had been famed concert pianists.
Answer(s): B
JustificationCorrect option – B. innate – “Innate” denotes a quality that is natural, inherent, or present from birth. The sentence emphasizes a hereditary musical talent (“both his mother and grandfather … were famed concert pianists”), which aligns precisely with the meaning of innate as an inborn ability. Why the other choices are unsuitableA: simulated – implies something artificially reproduced or mimicked, which contradicts the notion of a genuine, inherited gift. C. accidental – suggests the talent arose by chance rather than by lineage, conflicting with the explicit reference to family precedent. D. inexplicable – describes something that cannot be accounted for, whereas the passage provides a clear hereditary explanation. E. prodigious – qualifies the talent as impressive in magnitude but does not address its origin; the sentence seeks a term that explains why the talent exists, not merely how great it is.
Merriam-Webster definition of innate: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innate Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries entry for innate: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/innate
The many obvious lapses in the author's research make it ______ to accept the ______ of his conclusions.
JustificationThe sentence describes how flaws in the author’s research affect the reader’s willingness to accept his conclusions. “Difficult … validity” precisely captures this relationship: the lapses make it difficult to accept the validity of the conclusions. Option E therefore aligns with the logical cause-effect structure of the sentence and uses terminology that is standard in academic criticism.Why the other choices are unsuitableA: easy … accuracy – “Easy” contradicts the notion of “lapses”; lapses would not make acceptance easy. B. impossible … meaning – “Impossible” overstates the situation; the text only says acceptance is hindered, not that it is impossible. Moreover, “meaning” does not refer to the quality of the conclusions. C. attractive … logic – “Attractive” is unrelated to scholarly criticism; the issue is not about appeal but about soundness. D. questionable … structure – While “questionable” could describe the research, the second blank should refer to the quality of the conclusions, not their structure. “Structure” does not fit the intended meaning of “validity.”Hence, E is the only option that correctly fills both blanks with terms that convey the appropriate scholarly criticism.
College Board – Official SAT Practice on Critical Reading: https://www.collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice Khan Academy – SAT Reading and Writing Strategies: https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat/full-length-testThese links provide official practice materials that include similar fill-in-the-blank items and explanations.
Her wildlife movies unflinchingly capture the ______ of the animal kingdom: predators stalking their prey, singling out the weak, young, and very old as easy kills, and the cold-blooded killing which is a necessity of life in the wild.
JustificationThe sentence describes wildlife films that “unflinchingly capture” the harsh realities of nature—predators hunting, selective killing of the vulnerable, and the inevitability of death. Brutality conveys this stark, violent, and unrelenting aspect of the animal kingdom, matching the tone of “unflinchingly” and “necessity of life in the wild.” Romance , color , mystery , and grandeur are either unrelated or only loosely associated; they do not specifically denote the violent, predatory behavior highlighted in the passage. Therefore, A. brutality is the most precise and context-appropriate choice.
Merriam-Webster definition of brutality: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutality Cambridge Dictionary definition of brutality: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/brutality
Although the Internet was originally created to facilitate scientific research and emergency communication, today most people consider it ______ enterprise, offering services marketed as sources of information and entertainment.
JustificationThe sentence describes the modern perception of the Internet as a business-oriented entity that provides marketable services such as information and entertainment. “a commercial” directly conveys this meaning – i.e., an enterprise driven by profit and commercial activity. Why the other choices are unsuitable:B: a private – implies ownership by a single entity or group, which does not capture the widespread, profit-driven nature of the Internet. C. an obsolete – contradicts the current, vibrant state of the Internet; it is not considered outdated. D. an insidious – carries a negative, deceitful connotation that is unrelated to the functional description of the Internet’s services. E. an institutional – suggests a formal, possibly governmental or organizational structure, but does not emphasize the market-oriented character highlighted in the sentence.Therefore, A. a commercial is the only option that accurately reflects the contemporary view of the Internet as a profit-driven enterprise.
RFC 791 – Internet Protocol (describes the evolution of the Internet from research to commercial use). https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc791 “The History of the Internet” – National Science Foundation (NSF) archives, detailing the transition to commercial exploitation. https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/internet/history/
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