SAT Reading Comprehension 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage states the author 'reluctantly conceded' a point during a debate. The word 'conceded' most nearly means:
- Acknowledged (Correct answer)
- Argued
- Ignored
- Repeated
Correct answer: Acknowledged
To concede is to admit or acknowledge something is true, often unwillingly.
Question 2: An author writes that a policy 'failed to deliver the prosperity its champions had promised.' This sentence primarily serves to:
- Praise the policy's results
- Critique a gap between promise and outcome (Correct answer)
- Define an economic term
- Introduce a new character
Correct answer: Critique a gap between promise and outcome
The contrast between promised prosperity and failure highlights a shortfall, signaling criticism.
Question 3: In a paired-passage set, Passage 1 argues for strict regulation while Passage 2 favors voluntary compliance. Their relationship is best described as:
- Identical viewpoints
- One disproving the other's facts
- Differing approaches to a shared problem (Correct answer)
- Unrelated topics
Correct answer: Differing approaches to a shared problem
Both address the same issue but propose different solutions, a common dual-passage structure.
Question 4: A line reference asks why the author includes a personal anecdote about her childhood garden. The most likely purpose is to:
- Provide statistical evidence
- Illustrate an abstract idea with a concrete example (Correct answer)
- Contradict the thesis
- List sources
Correct answer: Illustrate an abstract idea with a concrete example
Anecdotes typically make abstract claims relatable through vivid, concrete detail.
Question 5: Which choice provides the BEST evidence for a claim that a scientist remained skeptical? The strongest support would be a line where the scientist:
- Celebrates the discovery openly
- Demands further testing before accepting results (Correct answer)
- Funds the project generously
- Names the experiment
Correct answer: Demands further testing before accepting results
Demanding more testing directly shows ongoing doubt, the definition of skepticism.
Question 6: A passage's tone shifts from 'cautious optimism' in the first paragraph to 'firm conviction' by the end. This shift suggests the author:
- Lost interest in the topic
- Grew more confident as evidence accumulated (Correct answer)
- Changed the subject entirely
- Became confused
Correct answer: Grew more confident as evidence accumulated
Moving from caution to conviction indicates increasing confidence, usually driven by mounting evidence.
Question 7: The word 'novel' in the phrase 'a novel approach to the disease' most nearly means:
- Fictional
- Lengthy
- New (Correct answer)
- Difficult
Correct answer: New
As an adjective, 'novel' means new or original, not a work of fiction.
SAT Reading Comprehension 2
A passage states the author 'reluctantly conceded' a point during a debate.
The word 'conceded' most nearly means: