Digital SAT — Reading & Writing, Module 1 (Practice Test B)

Format: 27 questions · 32 minutes Coverage (in test order): Craft & Structure · Information & Ideas · Standard English Conventions · Expression of Ideas Answer key and rule-naming explanations follow. (Correct answers spread across A–D.)

Craft & Structure

1. "The instructions were concise, fitting on a single index card." Concise most nearly means: A) lengthy B) brief and clear C) confusing D) decorative

2. "Critics found the sequel derivative, lacking any fresh ideas." Derivative most nearly means: A) original B) expensive C) unoriginal D) complex

3. A writer opens an essay on ocean plastic with a startling statistic. This most likely serves to: A) grab attention and frame the issue B) confuse the reader C) conclude the argument D) cite a source

4. Text 1 praises standardized testing for fairness; Text 2 argues it narrows curricula. Text 2 relates to Text 1 by: A) fully agreeing B) repeating Text 1 C) changing the subject D) raising a drawback Text 1 overlooks

5. "Her meticulous notes left nothing to chance." Meticulous most nearly means: A) careless B) extremely careful C) brief D) loud

6. A passage that presents a problem and then proposes a fix uses ____ structure. A) chronological B) spatial C) problem-solution D) alphabetical

7. "The mayor's tepid endorsement satisfied no one." Tepid most nearly means: A) enthusiastic B) hostile C) detailed D) lukewarm/unenthusiastic

Information & Ideas

8. Urban gardens cut neighborhood food costs and increase access to fresh produce. The main idea is that urban gardens: A) provide community food benefits B) are expensive C) require space D) are decorative

9. A researcher claims a tutoring program raises grades. Which finding best supports this? A) Students liked the tutors. B) It was free. C) Grades rose more than a comparable untutored group's. D) It lasted a year.

10. Wolves control deer populations; where wolves vanished, deer overgrazed and forests thinned. It can be inferred that wolves: A) harm forests B) indirectly protect forests C) eat trees D) have no effect

11. A passage notes recycling rose 35% after curbside pickup began. The data most support that: A) recycling is costly B) the city is small C) bins are blue D) convenient access can raise recycling

12. Which detail would most weaken "the new traffic light reduced accidents"? A) Accidents fell after installation. B) Accidents were already declining citywide beforehand. C) Drivers liked it. D) It was expensive.

13. The author concedes the plan is costly but argues its long-term savings justify it. The author's stance is: A) total opposition B) qualified support C) indifference D) confusion

14. A study reports two variables rising together but cautions against concluding causation. This reflects that: A) correlation does not prove causation B) the data are fake C) the variables are unrelated D) causation is impossible

Standard English Conventions

15. "The collection of essays ____ widely admired." A) are B) is C) were D) being

16. "Maria and ____ presented the findings together." A) I B) me C) myself D) her and me

17. "We toured three landmarks ____ the cathedral, the tower, and the bridge." A) landmarks, B) landmarks C) landmarks: D) landmarks;

18. "Each of the runners ____ a number." A) have B) having C) has D) have had

19. "The orchestra finished ____ final piece to applause." A) it's B) its' C) their D) its

20. "By the time we arrived, the show ____ already started." A) has B) had C) have D) having

21. "The road was icy ____ the race was postponed." A) icy the B) icy so C) icy, so D) icy; so,

22. "Neither the coach nor the players ____ satisfied with the call." A) were B) was C) is D) being

Expression of Ideas

23. "The first design failed every stress test. ____, the engineers scrapped it." Best transition: A) However B) Nevertheless C) For example D) Therefore

24. "Sales dipped in autumn. ____, winter set new records." Best transition: A) However B) Likewise C) Consequently D) For instance

25. A writer wants to add a precise supporting statistic. Best choice: A) On the contrary, B) Many agreed. C) In fact, a 2022 survey found 68% agreed. D) Regardless,

26. Goal: emphasize an unexpected result. Best option: A) As expected, results matched predictions. B) Surprisingly, the cheaper material lasted longer. C) The result occurred. D) Results were results.

27. Notes: (1) The bridge opened in 1932. (2) It now carries 100,000 cars daily. Goal: emphasize growth in use. Best sentence: A) The bridge opened in 1932. B) The bridge carries cars. C) The bridge is old. D) Since opening in 1932, the bridge has grown to carry 100,000 cars daily.

Answer key

Key distribution: A×6, B×8, C×7, D×6.

Explanations

1. (B) "Fitting on a single index card" signals brevity → concise. 2. (C) "Lacking fresh ideas" → unoriginal. 3. (A) A startling statistic hooks attention and frames the topic. 4. (D) Text 2 raises a drawback (narrowed curricula) Text 1 overlooks. 5. (B) "Nothing to chance" → meticulous = very careful. 6. (C) Problem then fix = problem-solution structure. 7. (D) "Satisfied no one" → tepid = lukewarm. 8. (A) The point is the community food benefit. 9. (C) A control-group comparison best supports the claim. 10. (B) Wolves curb deer, indirectly protecting forests. 11. (D) A rise after curbside pickup supports that access raises recycling. 12. (B) Pre-existing decline removes the light as the cause. 13. (B) Concedes cost but supports → qualified support. 14. (A) Rising together without causation = correlation ≠ causation. 15. (B) Singular subject "collection" → is. 16. (A) Subject pronoun "I." 17. (C) Colon before a list after a complete clause. 18. (C) "Each" is singular → has. 19. (D) Possessive "its." 20. (B) Past perfect "had started" before another past event. 21. (C) Comma + "so" joins two independent clauses. 22. (A) "Neither…nor": agree with nearer plural "players" → were. 23. (D) Failing tests logically leads to scrapping → Therefore. 24. (A) Dip then records = contrast → However. 25. (C) A dated, specific statistic is most precise support. 26. (B) "Surprisingly … cheaper lasted longer" emphasizes the unexpected. 27. (D) Combining the 1932 opening with current usage emphasizes growth.

Scoring & routing note

• 0–11: Module 2 easier form — prioritize Conventions and Craft & Structure.
• 12–18: Solid — drill evidence/inference and transitions.
• 19–27: Harder Module 2 — focus on two-text synthesis and subtle vocabulary.

Pedagogy: each explanation names the decisive signal — a context cue ("nothing to chance"), a control-group comparison, or a grammar rule (subject–verb agreement, colon-after-clause, past perfect) — so the skill transfers to new questions.