DSAT Evidence-Based Reading 2

Question 1

A student reads a passage arguing that urban green spaces reduce stress. The author cites a study showing lower cortisol levels in city residents who visit parks weekly. What is the primary purpose of including this study?

Accepted Answer

To provide empirical support for the claim about stress reduction

Answer

The study provides empirical data (cortisol measurements) that directly supports the author's central argument about green spaces reducing stress.

Question 2

In a passage about deep-sea ecosystems, the author writes: 'These organisms have evolved extraordinary adaptations—bioluminescence, pressure-resistant cell membranes, and chemosynthetic metabolisms—that allow them to thrive where sunlight never reaches.' The word 'extraordinary' most nearly suggests that these adaptations are:

Accepted Answer

Unusually remarkable given their environment

Answer

The author uses 'extraordinary' to convey that these adaptations are remarkably exceptional, contrasting them with typical biological traits found in most organisms.

Question 3

A passage presents two historians debating whether economic factors or political ideology primarily caused the French Revolution. Historian A emphasizes bread prices and famine; Historian B emphasizes Enlightenment ideas. Based on this structure, the passage is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Exploring competing interpretations of a complex historical cause

Answer

The passage presents two contrasting scholarly perspectives on causation, which is a classic structure for exploring interpretive disagreement in historical writing.

Question 4

A passage about social media states: 'While platforms claim to connect people, research consistently shows that heavy social media use correlates with increased loneliness among teenagers.' The phrase 'While platforms claim' signals that the author is about to:

Accepted Answer

Contrast a stated claim with contradicting evidence

Answer

'While' introduces a concessive contrast, signaling that the research evidence will challenge or complicate the platforms' own claims.

Question 5

In a literary passage, a character named Elena discovers her grandmother's hidden letters and feels 'a vertigo of recognition—as if the stranger's handwriting were somehow her own.' This figurative language primarily conveys:

Accepted Answer

An overwhelming sense of unexpected personal connection

Answer

The metaphor 'vertigo of recognition' conveys the disorienting emotional intensity of Elena feeling a profound, unexpected connection to her ancestor.

(DSAT) Digital SAT Practice Test

(DSAT) Digital SAT Practice Test

DSAT Evidence-Based Reading 2