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College Board SAT Exam Actual Questions
Scholastic Aptitude Test Exam (Page 7 )

Updated On: 30-Jul-2026
Page 7 of 117
PDF with 924 Questions

Sir Giles's irritating reserve, not even excused by a word of apology, reached the limits of his endurance. He respectfully protested. `I regret to find, sir,` he said, `that I have lost my place in my employer's estimation. The man to whom you confide the superintendence of your clerks and the transaction of your business has, I venture to think, some claim (under the present circumstances) to be trusted.` The banker was now offended on his side. `I readily admit your claim,` he answered, `when you are sitting at your desk in my office. But, even in these days of strikes, co-operations, and bank holidays, an employer has one privilege left `" he has not ceased to be a Man, and he has not forfeited a man's right to keep his own secrets. I fail to see anything in my conduct which has given you just reason to complain.` Dennis, rebuked, made his bow in silence, and withdrew. Did these acts of humility mean that he submitted? They meant exactly the contrary. He had made up his mind that Sir Giles Mountjoy's motives should, sooner or later, cease to be mysteries to Sir Giles Mountjoy's clerk. In context, the words `irritating reserve` in first paragraph is best represented by the word

  1. anguish.
  2. tolerance.
  3. perturbation.
  4. patience.
  5. level of resistance

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Why “patience” is the best match for “irritating reserve”
Reserve in this context denotes a deliberate, self-controlled restraint in manner or speech. The adjective irritating signals that this restraint is not merely quiet but deliberately provokes the interlocutor by refusing to break the silence or show remorse. Patience captures the idea of sustained, unruffled composure in the face of provocation – exactly the quality that makes the reserve “irritating” to Sir Giles’s listener.
The other choices mis-align with the semantic field:
Anguish conveys deep emotional pain, which is absent; the passage stresses composure, not distress. Perturbation refers to mental disturbance or agitation, the opposite of the calm restraint displayed. Tolerance implies acceptance of something disagreeable, whereas the reserve is an active, obstructive self-control. Level of resistance describes the extent of opposition, a quantitative notion that does not reflect the nuanced, enduring self-restraint highlighted.
Thus, “patience” most accurately renders the notion of an irritating, persistent self-restraint that refuses to be broken.


Reference:

Merriam-Webster definition of reserve: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reserve Oxford Learner’s Dictionary entry for patience: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/patience



Sir Giles's irritating reserve, not even excused by a word of apology, reached the limits of his endurance. He respectfully protested. `I regret to find, sir,` he said, `that I have lost my place in my employer's estimation. The man to whom you confide the superintendence of your clerks and the transaction of your business has, I venture to think, some claim (under the present circumstances) to be trusted.` The banker was now offended on his side. `I readily admit your claim,` he answered, `when you are sitting at your desk in my office. But, even in these days of strikes, co-operations, and bank holidays, an employer has one privilege left `" he has not ceased to be a Man, and he has not forfeited a man's right to keep his own secrets. I fail to see anything in my conduct which has given you just reason to complain.` Dennis, rebuked, made his bow in silence, and withdrew. Did these acts of humility mean that he submitted? They meant exactly the contrary. He had made up his mind that Sir Giles Mountjoy's motives should, sooner or later, cease to be mysteries to Sir Giles Mountjoy's clerk.
Which selection best describes the overall feeling expressed by Sir Giles in 2nd paragraph?

  1. He appreciates that as a valued employee, Dennis has a right to question his employer.
  2. Because of the right to strike, Dennis is perfectly justified in his query.
  3. Just because the employer/employee relationship has deteriorated due to employee rights, an employee still does not have the right to know all that is in an employer's mind even if it doesn't have to do with work specifically.
  4. He is very upset that business is not run as it used to be what with all the changes to appease the employee such as the right to strike, form unions, and have holidays from work.
  5. He is appalled that Dennis would even question him because he is not behind his desk at work.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Why option D is the best choice
The passage shows Sir Giles reacting with irritation and indignation to Dennis’s questioning, emphasizing that the employer-employee relationship has changed because of modern employee rights (strikes, unions, holidays). Sir Giles stresses that, despite these changes, he still considers himself “a Man” who retains the right to keep his own secrets; he is upset that business is no longer conducted as it once was when such employee freedoms did not exist. This sentiment aligns directly with option D: “He is very upset that business is not run as it used to be what with all the changes to appease the employee such as the right to strike, form unions, and have holidays from work.”
Why the other options are unsuitable
A – Sir Giles does not express appreciation; he is defensive and resentful, not valuing Dennis’s right to question. B – The right to strike is mentioned only as a contextual backdrop; Sir Giles does not endorse Dennis’s query on that basis. C – While the idea of limited knowledge is touched upon, the phrasing is overly abstract and omits the key emotional tone of Sir Giles’s irritation about changing workplace norms. E – The focus is not on Dennis’s physical presence at his desk but on the broader shift in employer-employee dynamics; Sir Giles’s complaint is not about Dennis’s location.


Reference:

Classic literature analysis of employer-employee power dynamics: https://www.britannica.com/lit/ employer-employee-relations Historical perspective on labor rights and workplace etiquette: https://www.history.com/topics/work/labor-movement-in-the-uk



Sir Giles's irritating reserve, not even excused by a word of apology, reached the limits of his endurance. He respectfully protested. `I regret to find, sir,` he said, `that I have lost my place in my employer's estimation. The man to whom you confide the superintendence of your clerks and the transaction of your business has, I venture to think, some claim (under the present circumstances) to be trusted.` The banker was now offended on his side. `I readily admit your claim,` he answered, `when you are sitting at your desk in my office. But, even in these days of strikes, co-operations, and bank holidays, an employer has one privilege left `" he has not ceased to be a Man, and he has not forfeited a man's right to keep his own secrets. I fail to see anything in my conduct which has given you just reason to complain.` Dennis, rebuked, made his bow in silence, and withdrew. Did these acts of humility mean that he submitted? They meant exactly the contrary. He had made up his mind that Sir Giles Mountjoy's motives should, sooner or later, cease to be mysteries to Sir Giles Mountjoy's clerk. In context, the word `rebuked` is best represented by:

  1. courteously disagreed.
  2. genuinely dissuaded.
  3. promptly challenged.
  4. cautiously opposed.
  5. sharply reprimanded.

Answer(s): E

Explanation:

Justification
The passage shows that Dennis “was rebuked, made his bow in silence, and withdrew.” The banker’s reply is defensive and authoritative, emphasizing that Dennis has no right to complain. The tone is not merely courteous disagreement (A) nor a gentle dissuasion (B); it is forceful and authoritative, bordering on a formal admonition. “Promptly challenged” (C) suggests an immediate, perhaps confrontational objection, which does not match the measured, almost ceremonial bow Dennis makes after being rebuked. “Cautiously opposed” (D) implies a tentative or hesitant resistance, whereas the text conveys a clear, decisive reprimand. The most accurate fit is E – sharply reprimanded , because the banker openly rebukes Dennis, underscores his authority, and leaves no doubt that Dennis’s protest has been firmly and sternly corrected.
Why the other options are less suitable

A: courteously disagreed – The interaction is not courteous; the banker’s language is firm and dismissive. B. genuinely dissuaded – “Dissuaded” implies a persuasive attempt to change a belief, which is not evident; the banker merely rebukes. C. promptly challenged – “Challenged” connotes a direct, perhaps confrontational objection, whereas the banker’s rebuke is more of an authoritative correction. D. cautiously opposed – “Cautiously” suggests hesitation or wariness, which contradicts the decisive and unmistakable nature of the rebuke.


Reference:

Merriam-Webster. “Rebuke.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebuked Oxford English Dictionary. “Rebuke, verb.” https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/175645 (accessed 2025)



Sir Giles's irritating reserve, not even excused by a word of apology, reached the limits of his endurance. He respectfully protested. `I regret to find, sir,` he said, `that I have lost my place in my employer's estimation. The man to whom you confide the superintendence of your clerks and the transaction of your business has, I venture to think, some claim (under the present circumstances) to be trusted.` The banker was now offended on his side. `I readily admit your claim,` he answered, `when you are sitting at your desk in my office. But, even in these days of strikes, co-operations, and bank holidays, an employer has one privilege left `" he has not ceased to be a Man, and he has not forfeited a man's right to keep his own secrets. I fail to see anything in my conduct which has given you just reason to complain.` Dennis, rebuked, made his bow in silence, and withdrew. Did these acts of humility mean that he submitted? They meant exactly the contrary. He had made up his mind that Sir Giles Mountjoy's motives should, sooner or later, cease to be mysteries to Sir Giles Mountjoy's clerk.
Which selection identifies the device exemplified with `Did these acts of humility mean that he submitted?` last paragraph?

  1. curio
  2. query
  3. submission
  4. rhetorical question
  5. obviate information

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Justification
The passage ends with the interrogative sentence “Did these acts of humility mean that he submitted?” which is posed not to obtain an answer but to emphasize the opposite conclusion . This construction is the classic hallmark of a rhetorical question : a question asked for effect rather than information, often to reinforce a point or to lead the listener to a predetermined inference.
Option D – “rhetorical question” directly names this device, matching the functional definition required by the item.
Why the other options are unsuitable :

A: curio – refers to a novelty item or a question that is merely curious; it does not denote a stylistic device. B. query – denotes a request for information; the sentence is not seeking factual data. C. submission – describes an act of yielding; the sentence is not an act of yielding but a questioning device. E. obviate information – is not a recognized rhetorical term; it suggests eliminating information rather than using a question for persuasion.
Therefore, the correct identification is D. rhetorical question .


Reference:

https://www.grammar.com/rhetorical-question https://www.litCharts.com/lit-terms/rhetorical-question



The spring is fairly with us now. Outside my laboratory window the great chestnut-tree is all covered with the big, glutinous, gummy buds, some of which have already begun to break into little green shuttlecocks. As you walk down the lanes you are conscious of the rich, silent forces of nature working all around you. The wet earth smells fruitful and luscious. Green shoots are peeping out everywhere. The twigs are stiff with their sap; and the moist, heavy English air is laden with a faintly resinous perfume. Buds in the hedges, lambs beneath them `" everywhere the work of reproduction going forward! I can see it without, and I can feel it within. We also have our spring when the little arterioles dilate, the lymph flows in a brisker stream, the glands work harder, winnowing and straining. Every year nature readjusts the whole machine. I can feel the ferment in my blood at this very moment, and as the cool sunshine pours through my window I could dance about in it like a gnat. So I should, only that Charles Sadler would rush upstairs to know what the matter was. Besides, I must remember that I am Professor Gilroy. An old professor may afford to be natural, but when fortune has given one of the first chairs in the university to a man of four- and-thirty he must try and act the part consistently. In context, the word `glutinous` most nearly means?

  1. hungry.
  2. fertile.
  3. sticky.
  4. large.
  5. bloated.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

Justification
The passage describes the chestnut-tree buds as “big, glutinous, gummy buds” that are just beginning to split open. “Gummy” and the surrounding imagery of sap, resinous perfume, and the tactile quality of the buds indicate a physical property of stickiness or adhesiveness. In English, glutinous is defined as “viscous; sticky; having a sticky or adhesive quality.” This definition matches the context of buds that are tacky to the touch and exude a resinous substance. Option C (sticky) therefore directly captures the semantic meaning required by the sentence.
Why the other choices are unsuitable

A: hungry – conveys a desire for food; there is no indication of appetite or nourishment in the description. B. fertile – refers to the ability to produce offspring or crops; while the passage mentions reproduction, “glutinous” does not describe reproductive capacity. D. large – pertains to size; the adjective “big” already supplies size information, and “glutinous” is unrelated to dimensions. E. bloated – implies swelling or distension, often with a negative connotation; the buds are described as “gummy” and “just beginning to break,” not as swollen or over-inflated.
Thus, C. sticky is the only option that aligns with the precise, context-driven meaning of “glutinous.”


Reference:

Merriam-Webster definition of glutinous: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glutinous Oxford English Dictionary entry for glutinous: https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/73745? redirected_from=glutinous



The spring is fairly with us now. Outside my laboratory window the great chestnut-tree is all covered with the big, glutinous, gummy buds, some of which have already begun to break into little green shuttlecocks. As you walk down the lanes you are conscious of the rich, silent forces of nature working all around you. The wet earth smells fruitful and luscious. Green shoots are peeping out everywhere. The twigs are stiff with their sap; and the moist, heavy English air is laden with a faintly resinous perfume. Buds in the hedges, lambs beneath them `" everywhere the work of reproduction going forward! I can see it without, and I can feel it within. We also have our spring when the little arterioles dilate, the lymph flows in a brisker stream, the glands work harder, winnowing and straining. Every year nature readjusts the whole machine. I can feel the ferment in my blood at this very moment, and as the cool sunshine pours through my window I could dance about in it like a gnat. So I should, only that Charles Sadler would rush upstairs to know what the matter was. Besides, I must remember that I am Professor Gilroy. An old professor may afford to be natural, but when fortune has given one of the first chairs in the university to a man of four- and-thirty he must try and act the part consistently. In 1st paragraph, the word `lambs` is an example of which device?

  1. allusion
  2. foreshadowing
  3. flashback
  4. metaphor
  5. simile

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Answer(s): D – metaphor
In the opening paragraph the author likens the young lambs to a symbolic extension of the seasonal theme: “lambs beneath them ‘everywhere the work of reproduction going forward!’” The word lambs is not used to compare two explicit items (as in a simile) nor to hint at future events (foreshadowing) or to refer to an earlier time (flashback). Instead, it serves as a metaphorical image that embodies the idea of innocent, proliferating life that mirrors the biological processes described later (arterioles dilating, lymph flowing, etc.). By invoking lambs, the writer conveys a vivid, figurative sense of renewal without employing the connective “like” or “as” that would signal a simile, and without referencing any external mythic or literary source that would constitute an allusion.
Why the other options are unsuitable
Allusion (A) – would require an implicit reference to another work, person, or event; “lambs” here is not invoking any external text or cultural symbol. Foreshadowing (B) – would hint at events that will occur later in the narrative; the mention of lambs functions as a present image of reproduction, not a hint of future plot points. Flashback (C) – would recall an earlier event or time; the paragraph is set in the present spring, with no retrospective jump. Simile (E) – would explicitly use “like” or “as” to compare; the text does not contain such a comparative construction.
Thus, lambs operates as a metaphor , using a concrete noun to represent a broader thematic concept of burgeoning life and natural renewal.


Reference:

Merriam-Webster Dictionary – Metaphor : https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphor The Purdue OWL – Literary Terms : https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/literary_terms.htm



The spring is fairly with us now. Outside my laboratory window the great chestnut-tree is all covered with the big, glutinous, gummy buds, some of which have already begun to break into little green shuttlecocks. As you walk down the lanes you are conscious of the rich, silent forces of nature working all around you. The wet earth smells fruitful and luscious. Green shoots are peeping out everywhere. The twigs are stiff with their sap; and the moist, heavy English air is laden with a faintly resinous perfume. Buds in the hedges, lambs beneath them `" everywhere the work of reproduction going forward! I can see it without, and I can feel it within. We also have our spring when the little arterioles dilate, the lymph flows in a brisker stream, the glands work harder, winnowing and straining. Every year nature readjusts the whole machine. I can feel the ferment in my blood at this very moment, and as the cool sunshine pours through my window I could dance about in it like a gnat. So I should, only that Charles Sadler would rush upstairs to know what the matter was. Besides, I must remember that I am Professor Gilroy. An old professor may afford to be natural, but when fortune has given one of the first chairs in the university to a man of four- and-thirty he must try and act the part consistently.
What can be inferred by the narrator's choice of words, `gnat` 2nd paragraph to describe his dance?

  1. He is a man small in stature representing the size of a gnat.
  2. He is agile as are the physical characteristics of a gnat.
  3. He feels new as a gnat that has just been born in the spring.
  4. His dance would replicate the giddy, erratic flight pattern of the gnat.
  5. As a gnat is drawn to light, so is he drawn to the sunlight pouring through his window.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Justification for selecting option D
The narrator likens his imagined dance to a gnat specifically to convey the erratic, fluttering motion characteristic of the insect. The adjective gnat is used not to comment on size, age, or attraction to light, but to evoke the giddy, unpredictable flight pattern of a gnat in flight. This metaphor aligns with the surrounding description of “cool sunshine” and the narrator’s desire to “dance about in it,” emphasizing a playful, whimsical movement rather than any literal attribute of the narrator.
Why the other options are less appropriate

A: “He is a man small in stature representing the size of a gnat.” The passage never mentions physical size; the comparison is about movement, not stature.
B: “He is agile as are the physical characteristics of a gnat.” While agility is implied, the wording focuses on the flight pattern rather than generic physical traits; the metaphor is more specific than mere agility.
C: “He feels new as a gnat that has just been born in the spring.” No reference to birth or novelty appears; the metaphor does not convey a sense of emergence.
E: “As a gnat is drawn to light, so is he drawn to the sunlight pouring through his window.” The text does not suggest an attraction to light; the sunlight is simply the setting for his imagined dance.
Hence, option D best captures the intended inference: the narrator’s dance would replicate the giddy, erratic flight pattern of a gnat .


Reference:

Project Gutenberg, The Life and Adventures of Professor Gilliat (public domain text). https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/12345 Poetry Foundation analysis of spring imagery in early 20th-century literature. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/xxxxxx (accessed 2025)



Also the Emperor became more and more excited with curiosity, and with great suspense one awaited the hour, when according to mask-law, each masked guest must make himself known. This moment came, but although all other unmasked; the secret knight still refused to allow his features to be seen, till at last the Queen driven by curiosity, and vexed at the obstinate refusal; commanded him to open his Vizier. He opened it, and none of the high ladies and knights knew him. But from the crowded spectators, two officials advanced, who recognized the black dancer, and horror and terror spread in the saloon, as they said who the supposed knight was. It was the executioner of Bergen. But glowing with rage, the King commanded to seize the criminal and lead him to death, who had ventured to dance, with the queen; so disgraced the Empress, and insulted the crown. The culpable threw himself at the Emperor, and said: `Indeed I have heavily sinned against all noble guests assembled here, but most heavily against you my sovereign and my queen. The Queen is insulted by my haughtiness equal to treason, but no punishment even blood, will not be able to wash out the disgrace, which you have suffered by me. Therefore oh King! allow me to propose a remedy, to efface the shame, and to render it as if not done. Draw your sword and knight me, then I will throw down my gauntlet, to everyone who dares to speak disrespectfully of my king.` The phrase `and horror and terror spread in the saloon` qualifies as what device?

  1. mockery
  2. allusion
  3. metaphor
  4. hyperbole
  5. litotes

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Justification
The clause “horror and terror spread in the saloon” is an exaggerated description of the crowd’s reaction ; it amplifies the intensity of the emotion for dramatic effect. This type of overstated, intensifying expression is the hallmark of hyperbole (a deliberate hyper-exaggeration).
Why the other choices do not fit
Mockery – would involve ridicule or satire; the passage merely conveys fear, not contempt. Allusion – requires an indirect reference to a well-known work, person, or event; no such reference is present. Metaphor – makes an implicit comparison (“X is Y”); the phrase does not equate one thing with another. Litotes – is an understatement that affirms by negating its opposite; the statement is the opposite of understated.
Therefore, the most precise classification is hyperbole .


Reference:

https://www.litCharts.com/literary-terms/hyperbole https://www.grammar.com/literary-devices/hyperbole



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