Question ID ed314256

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: ed314256
The most recent iteration of the immersive theater experience Sleep No More, which premiered in New York City in 2011,
transforms its performance space—a five-story warehouse—into a 1930s-era hotel. Audience members, who wander through
the labyrinthine venue at their own pace and follow the actors as they play out simultaneous, interweaving narrative loops,
confront the impossibility of experiencing the production in its entirety. The play’s refusal of narrative coherence thus hinges
on the sense of spatial fragmentation that the venue’s immense and intricate layout generates.

What does the text most strongly suggest about Sleep No More’s use of its performance space?

The choice of a New York City venue likely enabled the play’s creators to experiment with the use of theatrical space in a
A. way that venues from earlier productions could not.

Audience members likely find the experience of the play disappointing because they generally cannot make their way
B. through the entire venue.

The production’s dependence on a particular performance environment would likely make it difficult to reproduce exactly
C. in a different theatrical space.

Audience members who navigate the space according to a recommended itinerary will likely have a better grasp of the
D. play’s narrative than audience members who depart from that itinerary.

ID: ed314256 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The text says that the production’s use of its large, winding space has a very specific effect on
the audience. Given that the space itself is so important to creating this effect, it would be difficult to reproduce the
production in a different space.

Choice A is incorrect. The fact that the venue is in New York City isn’t connected to the experimental nature of the
performance. It’s the size of the venue, not its location in New York, that affects the theatrical experience. Choice B is
incorrect. The text never suggests that audience members are disappointed because they can’t see the entire production. In
fact, it suggests that that’s an important part of the experience. Choice D is incorrect. The text doesn’t mention a
recommended itinerary for audience members.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a3fb5e77
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: a3fb5e77
Some animal-behavior studies involve observing wild animals in their natural habitat, and some involve capturing wild
animals and observing them in a laboratory. Each approach has advantages over the other. In wild studies, researchers can
more easily presume that the animals are behaving normally, and in lab studies, researchers can more easily control factors
that might affect the results. But if, for example, the results from a wild study and a lab study of Western scrub-jays
(Aphelocoma californica) contradict each other, one or both of the studies must have failed to account for some factor that
was relevant to the birds’ behavior.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

When the results of a natural-habitat study and those from a lab study of a wild animal such as the Western scrub-jay
A. conflict, the study in the natural habitat is more likely than the lab study to have accurate results.

Studying wild animals such as the Western scrub-jay in both their natural habitat and lab settings is likely to yield
B. conflicting results that researchers cannot fully resolve.

Wild animals such as the Western scrub-jay can be effectively studied in their natural habitat and in the lab, but each
C. approach has drawbacks that could affect the accuracy of the findings.

Differing results between natural-habitat and lab studies of wild animals such as the Western scrub-jay are a strong
D. indication that both of the studies had design flaws that affected the accuracy of their results.

ID: a3fb5e77 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately states the main idea of the text. The text begins by explaining that
wild animals can be studied in their natural habitat or in a laboratory setting, with each setting offering unique advantages to
researchers. The text then highlights an instance in which Western scrub-jays were studied in both settings but with
conflicting results, indicating that one or both studies may have failed to account for the disadvantages of its research
setting. Thus, the main idea of the text is that while wild animals can be effectively studied in natural or lab settings, there
are drawbacks to each that need to be considered to ensure accurate results.

Choice A is incorrect because the text does not position one study setting (natural or lab) as superior to the other; rather, the
text states that each one has advantages over the other. Choice B is incorrect. The text provides a hypothetical example of
two studies in different environments with conflicting results, but this single example cannot be extrapolated to a general
claim about the likelihood that results of studies in different environments will conflict. Additionally, the text does not assert
anything about how researchers can or cannot resolve conflicting study results. Choice D is incorrect because the text does
not state that discrepancies between natural-habitat and lab-based animal behavior studies are due to both of the designs
being flawed. Rather, the text states that the conflict in results can be the consequence of one or both of the studies having
failed to account for some factor.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID 303537cf
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 303537cf
The following text is adapted from Lewis Carroll’s 1889 satirical novel Sylvie and Bruno. A crowd has gathered outside a
room belonging to the Warden, an official who reports to the Lord Chancellor.
One man, who was more excited than the rest, flung his hat high into the air, and shouted (as well as I could make out)
“Who roar for the Sub-Warden?” Everybody roared, but whether it was for the Sub-Warden, or not, did not clearly appear:
some were shouting “Bread!” and some “Taxes!”, but no one seemed to know what it was they really wanted.
All this I saw from the open window of the Warden’s breakfast-saloon, looking across the shoulder of the Lord Chancellor.
“What can it all mean?” he kept repeating to himself. “I never heard such shouting before—and at this time of the morning,
too! And with such unanimity!”

Based on the text, how does the Lord Chancellor respond to the crowd?

A. He asks about the meaning of the crowd’s shouting, even though he claims to know what the crowd wants.

B. He indicates a desire to speak to the crowd, even though the crowd has asked to speak to the Sub-Warden.

C. He expresses sympathy for the crowd’s demands, even though the crowd’s shouting annoys him.

D. He describes the crowd as being united, even though the crowd clearly appears otherwise.

ID: 303537cf Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it presents a statement about how the Lord Chancellor responds to the crowd that is
supported by the text. The text indicates that the people in the crowd are roaring and shouting “Bread!” or “Taxes!” and
presents them as not knowing what they really want. The Lord Chancellor’s response is to ask what their shouting means but
also to observe that they’re shouting with “unanimity,” or total agreement. Clearly, this isn’t the case, which supports the
statement that the Lord Chancellor describes the crowd as being united even though it’s not.

Choice A is incorrect because it isn’t supported by the text. Although the text indicates that the Lord Chancellor asks about
the meaning of the crowd’s shouting, it doesn’t suggest that he knows what the crowd really wants. Choice B is incorrect
because the text doesn’t suggest that the Lord Chancellor wants to speak to the crowd. Furthermore, the text doesn’t
indicate that the crowd wants to hear from the Sub-Warden. Although the crowd roars when asked “Who roar for the Sub-
Warden?” it’s unclear what the roaring means. Choice C is incorrect because the text doesn’t suggest that the Lord
Chancellor knows of or sympathizes with the crowd’s demands. In addition, the text doesn’t indicate that the crowd’s
shouting annoys the Lord Chancellor, just that it causes him to keep repeating “What can it all mean?”

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 7c9a65bb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 7c9a65bb
Optical tweezers are specialized scientific tools—particularly useful in biology and medicine—that use high-powered beams
of light to trap and manipulate minuscule particles for study. Use of the tool has led to several scientific and medical
breakthroughs over the last few decades, but the particles are often under prolonged exposure to the intense heat of the
light beams. To overcome the risk of overheating, and thereby damage, researchers sometimes attach nano-sized glass
beads to particles, allowing the light to focus on the beads instead of the particles.

Based on the text, what is one advantage of attaching glass beads to particles when using optical tweezers?

A. It decreases the time it takes for the optical tweezers to locate and capture the particles.

B. It facilitates the maneuvering of particles without directly heating the particles themselves.

C. It allows researchers to use weaker light beams to manipulate particles.

D. It adds a material to which particles can transfer any heat absorbed from the optical tweezers’ light beam.

ID: 7c9a65bb Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The text says that the glass beads get the "focus" of the light beams so that the particles don’t
overheat. From this, we can infer that the beads allow the particles to be manipulated without being directly heated by the
light beams.

Choice A is incorrect. The text never says that attaching the glass beads saves time in any way. Choice C is incorrect. The
text never says that attaching the glass beads allows researchers to use weaker light beams. Choice D is incorrect. The text
doesn’t say that the particles can transfer heat to the glass beads—rather, it says the heat from the light focuses on the glass
beads instead of the particles.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID d2e0cba5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: d2e0cba5
In a study of new technology adoption, Davit Marikyan et al. examined negative disconfirmation (which occurs when
experiences fall short of one’s expectations) to determine whether it could lead to positive outcomes for users. The team
focused on established users of “smart home” technology, which presents inherent utilization challenges but tends to
attract users with high expectations, often leading to feelings of dissonance. The researchers found that many users
employed cognitive mechanisms to mitigate those feelings, ultimately reversing their initial sense of disappointment.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

Research suggests that most users of smart home technology will not achieve a feeling of satisfaction given the
A. utilization challenges of such technology.

Although most smart home technology is aimed at meeting or exceeding users’ high expectations, those expectations in
B. general remain poorly understood.

Research suggests that users with high expectations for a new technology can feel content with that technology even
C. after experiencing negative disconfirmation.

Although negative disconfirmation has often been studied, little is known about the cognitive mechanisms shaping users’
D. reactions to it in the context of new technology adoption.

ID: d2e0cba5 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The passage begins by describing the study, and concludes with its results: "many users
employed cognitive mechanisms to mitigate those feelings [of negative disconfirmation]."

Choice A is incorrect. This is the opposite of what the text claims. Rather, the researchers found that "many users" reversed
"their initial sense of disappointment." Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t reflect the text. What the expectations of
smart home tech users are is not discussed. Choice D is incorrect. This choice doesn’t reflect the text. How often these
topics have been studied is not mentioned.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 5eda42a3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 5eda42a3
The following text is from Maggie Pogue Johnson’s 1910 poem “Poet of Our Race.” In this poem, the speaker is addressing
Paul Laurence Dunbar, a Black author.
Thou, with stroke of mighty pen, The language of the flowers,
Hast told of joy and mirth, Thou hast read them all,
And read the hearts and souls of men And e’en the little brook
As cradled from their birth. Responded to thy call.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To praise a certain writer for being especially perceptive regarding people and nature

B. To establish that a certain writer has read extensively about a variety of topics

C. To call attention to a certain writer’s careful and elaborately detailed writing process

D. To recount fond memories of an afternoon spent in nature with a certain writer

ID: 5eda42a3 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately states the main purpose of the text. In the first part of the text, the
speaker addresses Paul Laurence Dunbar’s ability to understand people (he has “read the hearts and souls of men” and
written of their “joy and mirth”). In the second part of the text, the speaker describes Dunbar’s thorough understanding of the
natural world (he has read “the language of the flowers” and engaged with “the little brook”). Thus, the text mainly praises
Dunbar for being especially perceptive about people and nature.

Choice B is incorrect because the speaker describes Dunbar as having read the “hearts and souls of men” and the “language
of flowers” to convey Dunbar’s ability to comprehend people and nature, not to suggest that Dunbar has literally read any of
these things or has read a great deal about them. Choice C is incorrect because the text notes how well Dunbar has made
sense of the topics he’s written about but doesn’t address any specific parts of Dunbar’s writing process beyond the
suggestion that he used a pen. Choice D is incorrect because the text focuses on Dunbar’s understanding of people and
nature as expressed in his writing. Nothing in the text suggests that the speaker is recalling a particular afternoon actually
spent in nature with Dunbar; even if there had been a shared experience, the text isn’t focused on reminiscing.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID db2da2bf
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: db2da2bf
In 2019, 20 previously unknown moons were confirmed to be orbiting Saturn. Three of the moons have prograde orbits
(orbiting in the direction the planet spins), and the other 17 have retrograde orbits (orbiting in the opposite direction of the
planet’s spin). All but one of the 20 moons are thought to be remnants of bodies that orbited Saturn until they broke apart in
collisions. Although the one exceptional moon orbits in the same direction as the planet’s spin, its orbit is highly eccentric
compared to the rest, which may suggest that it has a different origin than the other 19 moons.

Based on the text, which choice best describes the moon with the eccentric orbit?

A. It doesn’t have a retrograde orbit, but it likely has the same origin as the moons with retrograde orbits.

B. Its orbit is so tilted with respect to the other moons’ orbits that it’s neither prograde nor retrograde.

C. It has a prograde orbit that is likely the result of having collided with another body orbiting Saturn.

D. It has a prograde orbit and may not be a remnant of an earlier body that orbited Saturn.

ID: db2da2bf Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it most accurately describes the moon with the eccentric orbit. The text indicates that
three of the 20 newly discovered moons have prograde orbits, meaning that they orbit Saturn in the same direction as the
planet’s spin, while the other 17 moons have retrograde orbits, meaning that they orbit Saturn in the opposite direction of the
planet’s spin. The text then states that 19 of the 20 moons appear to be the remains of earlier bodies that orbited Saturn but
were broken apart in collisions. The one exception is a moon that orbits Saturn in the same direction as the planet’s spin,
meaning that the exceptional moon’s orbit is prograde. The text goes on to state that the exceptional moon’s orbit is so
eccentric that the moon may have formed through a different process than the other 19 moons. The moon with the eccentric
orbit, therefore, has a prograde orbit and may not be a remnant of an earlier body that orbited Saturn.

Choice A is incorrect because nothing in the text supports the idea that the moon with the eccentric orbit likely has the same
origin as the moons with retrograde orbits. Although it’s true that the moon has a prograde orbit (and thus doesn’t have a
retrograde orbit), the only information the text provides about the moon’s origin is that it may be different than the origin of
the other 19 moons. Choice B is incorrect because the text states that the moon in question orbits Saturn in the same
direction as the planet’s spin, meaning that the moon’s orbit is prograde, not that its orbit is neither prograde nor retrograde.
Choice C is incorrect because the text merely notes that the moon in question has a prograde orbit without giving any
indication of what likely caused that orbit.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 16025337
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 16025337
The following text is adapted from William Shakespeare’s 1609 poem “Sonnet 27.” The poem is addressed to a close friend
as if he were physically present.
Weary with toil, I [hurry] to my bed, The dear repose for limbs with travel tired; But then begins a journey in my head
To work my mind, when body’s work’s expired: For then my thoughts—from far where I abide—
[Begin] a zealous pilgrimage to thee, And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,

What is the main idea of the text?

A. The speaker is asleep and dreaming about traveling to see the friend.

B. The speaker is planning an upcoming trip to the friend’s house.

C. The speaker is too fatigued to continue a discussion with the friend.

D. The speaker is thinking about the friend instead of immediately falling asleep.

ID: 16025337 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer it most accurately states the main idea of the text. The speaker describes going to bed for
“repose” (rest) but finding that his thoughts are focused on the friend the speaker is addressing, and the thoughts are
keeping the speaker awake.

Choice A is incorrect because the speaker isn’t asleep; the thoughts about the friend are keeping the speaker awake. Choice
B is incorrect because the speaker isn’t talking about taking a literal trip; rather, the speaker uses the metaphor of a journey
to describe internal thoughts. Choice C is incorrect because the speaker isn’t having a discussion with the friend.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID d1b8a9ad
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: d1b8a9ad
Disco remains one of the most ridiculed popular music genres of the late twentieth century. But as scholars have argued, the
genre is far less superficial than many people believe. Take the case of disco icon Donna Summer: she may have been
associated with popular songs about love and heartbreak (subjects hardly unique to disco, by the way), but like many Black
women singers before her, much of her music also reflects concerns about community and identity. These concerns are
present in many of the genre’s greatest songs, and they generally don’t require much digging to reveal.

What does the text most strongly suggest about the disco genre?

It has been unjustly ignored by most scholars despite the importance of the themes addressed by many of the genre’s
A. songs.

B. It evolved over time from a superficial genre focused on romance to a genre focused on more serious concerns.

C. It has been unfairly dismissed for the inclusion of subject matter that is also found in other musical genres.

It gave rise to a Black women’s musical tradition that has endured even though the genre itself faded in the late twentieth
D. century.

ID: d1b8a9ad Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The text argues that disco is "far less superficial" than its popular perception might indicate, and
that love and heartbreak are "subjects hardly unique to disco."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice conflicts with the text, which says that scholars argue that disco "is far less superficial
than many people believe." Choice B is incorrect. This choice says the opposite of what the text suggests. The writer argues
that the genre is not as superficial as commonly believed, but that it always reflected "concerns about community and
identity." Choice D is incorrect. The text doesn’t support this choice. There’s nothing in the text about disco giving rise to an
enduring Black women’s musical tradition.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 4d3e3c52
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 4d3e3c52
In a paper about p-i-n planar perovskite solar cells (one of several perovskite cell architectures designed to collect and store
solar power), Lyndsey McMillon-Brown et al. describe a method for fabricating the cell’s electronic transport layer (ETL)
using a spray coating. Conventional ETL fabrication is accomplished using a solution of nanoparticles. The process can
result in a loss of up to 80% of the solution, increasing the cost of manufacturing at scale—an issue that may be obviated by
spray coating fabrication, which the researchers describe as “highly reproducible, concise, and practical.”

What does the text most strongly suggest about conventional ETL fabrication?

It is less suitable for manufacturing large volumes of planar p-i-n perovskite solar cells than an alternative fabrication
A. method may be.

It is more expensive when manufacturing at scale than are processes for fabricating ETLs used in other perovskite solar
B. cell architectures.

C. It typically entails a greater loss of nanoparticle solution than do other established approaches for ETL fabrication.

It is somewhat imprecise and therefore limits the potential effectiveness of p-i-n planar perovskite solar cells at capturing
D. and storing solar power.

ID: 4d3e3c52 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. Conventional solar cell fabrication increases “the cost of manufacturing at scale,” but spray
coating might get rid of that problem.

Choice B is incorrect. This is not completely supported by the text. While it’s true that conventional ETL fabrication is
expensive at scale, there’s nothing in the text that mentions other perovskite solar cell architectures. Choice C is incorrect.
This choice does not match the text. Only one conventional method of ETL fabrication is described, so we can’t compare the
solution loss in this method to that of other conventional methods. Choice D is incorrect. This choice isn’t supported by the
text. The text never suggests that the effectiveness of solar cells changes based on their method of fabrication.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 14189fbb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 14189fbb
Having written the impassioned call to arms “Letter to the Spanish Americans” in 1791, Peruvian intellectual Juan Pablo
Viscardo y Guzmán is often considered a forerunner for the independence movements in Latin America. But Viscardo’s role
in history would have remained insignificant were it not for Venezuelan revolutionary Francisco de Miranda, who was handed
the unpublished letter after Viscardo’s death. Miranda not only helped circulate the letter, but his edits and footnotes to the
text position Miranda as a central figure in the text’s creation.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. The original authorship of “Letter to the Spanish Americans” is disputed by contemporary historians.

B. The majority of the most eloquently stated arguments in “Letter to the Spanish Americans” were written by Miranda.

C. Miranda played a crucial role in influencing the content and distribution of “Letter to the Spanish Americans.”

D. “Letter to the Spanish Americans” persuaded many people in Latin America to pursue national independence.

ID: 14189fbb Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The text describes how Miranda circulated, edited, and added footnotes to “Letter to the
Spanish Americans,” and it claims that the letter and its author would have “remained insignificant” if it weren’t for Miranda’s
efforts.

Choice A is incorrect. The text only says that Viscardo wrote the letter and that Miranda edited it: it never suggests that the
original authorship of the letter is up for debate. Choice B is incorrect. This contradicts the text. The text says that Miranda
edited and footnoted the letter, but it identifies Viscardo as the letter’s author. It also never identifies certain arguments as
more eloquent than others. Choice D is incorrect. This is outside the scope of the text. The paragraph describes Miranda’s
role in the creation and distribution of the letter, but it doesn’t get into the effects of the letter on other people.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID d0fbf1ae
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: d0fbf1ae
Algae living within the tissues of corals play a critical role in keeping corals, and the marine ecosystems they are part of,
thriving. Some coral species appear brown in color when healthy due to the algae colonies living in their tissues. In the event
of an environmental stressor, the algae can die or be expelled, causing the corals to appear white. To recover the algae, the
bleached corals then begin to produce bright colors, which block intense sunlight, encouraging the light-sensitive algae to
recolonize the corals.

What does the text most strongly suggest about corals that produce bright colors?

A. These corals have likely been subjected to stressful environmental conditions.

B. These corals are likely more vulnerable to exposure from intense sunlight than white corals are.

C. These corals have likely recovered from an environmental event without the assistance of algae colonies.

D. These corals are more likely to survive without algae colonies than brown corals are.

ID: d0fbf1ae Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The text says that corals produce bright colors to block sunlight and encourage algae to
recolonize after “an environmental stressor.” From this, we can infer that corals that produce bright colors have probably
been subjected to an environmental stressor.

Choice B is incorrect. The text says that corals produce bright colors to block intense sunlight, which protects the light-
sensitive algae that keep the coral healthy. In other words, bright colors make the coral’s health less vulnerable to intense
sunlight. Choice C is incorrect. The text says that corals produce bright colors to encourage algae to recolonize, not that they
have recovered without the assistance of algae colonies. Choice D is incorrect. The text never compares the likelihood of
differently colored corals surviving without algae colonies.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID d0f51067
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: d0f51067
Modern dog breeds are largely the result of 160 years of owners crossbreeding certain dogs in order to select for particular
physical appearances. Owners often say that some breeds are also more likely than others to have particular personality
traits—basset hounds are affectionate; boxers are easy to train—but Kathleen Morrill and colleagues found through a
combination of owner surveys and DNA sequencing of 2,000 dogs that while physical traits are predictably heritable among
purebred dogs, behavior varies widely among dogs of the same breed.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Dog breeds would not exist without many years of human intervention in dogs’ reproduction.

B. Research fails to confirm a commonly held belief about dog breeds and behavior.

C. The dog breeds most popular among owners have often changed over the past 160 years.

D. A study of dog breeds is notable for its usage of both opinion surveys and DNA sequencing.

ID: d0f51067 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer because it most accurately states the main idea of the text. The text indicates that dog owners
typically claim that some dog breeds are “more likely than others to have particular personality traits.” In other words, the text
points out that a commonly held belief about dog breeds is that their personality traits are heritable. The text then states that
Kathleen Morrill and colleagues undertook research about dog trait heritability and found that “behavior varies widely among
dogs of the same breed.” Because Morrill and colleagues found evidence for variability rather than consistency in the
behavior of dogs of the same breed, the statement that research fails to uphold a commonly held belief about dog breeds
and behavior accurately reflects the main idea of the text.

Choice A is incorrect. Although the text mentions that humans have long intervened in dogs’ reproduction by intentionally
crossbreeding certain dogs, it doesn’t argue that such intervention is essential to the existence of dog breeds. Choice C is
incorrect because the text doesn’t discuss the popularity of any dog breeds; breeds are mentioned as having certain traits,
but the text says nothing about the popularity of these breeds or traits. Choice D is incorrect. Although the text briefly
mentions that Morrill and colleagues conducted a study about dog traits using both surveys and DNA sequencing, this is not
the main focus of the text. The text concerns the study’s results about the heritability of dog traits, not the particular
methodology used by Morrill and colleagues.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 96802cc0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 96802cc0
For centuries, the widespread acknowledgment of the involvement of the cerebellum—a dense brain structure in vertebrates
—in coordinating motor control in humans has hindered recognition of other possible functions of the structure.
Neuroscience research from the last two decades now suggests that the cerebellum regulates emotion and social behavior,
and recent research by Ilaria Carta and colleagues has identified a pathway connecting the cerebellum to a center for
motivation and reward processing known as the ventral tegmental area (VTA).

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

The recent verification of a pathway between the VTA and the cerebellum confirms the cerebellum’s long-suspected role
A. in motor coordination.

Recent advances in the field of neuroscience have challenged widely accepted claims about the function of a pathway
B. connecting the VTA and the cerebellum.

The cerebellum has primarily been thought to regulate motor functioning, but in recent years neuroscience researchers
C. have been uncovering additional functions.

Technological limitations have historically hindered the study of the cerebellum, but the recent development of new
D. technologies has led to greater insights into its functions.

ID: 96802cc0 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The text says that the cerebellum has long been thought to regulate motor functioning, but new
research shows that it may also have other functions—including regulating emotion and social behavior and some
connection to motivation and rewards processing.

Choice A is incorrect. The VTA is described as “a center for motivation and reward processing,” and the discovery of the
pathway between the VTA and the cerebellum supports the theory that the cerebellum is involved in functions other than
motor coordination. Choice B is incorrect. The text says that recent research has identified this pathway, but it doesn’t
discuss any previous “widely accepted claims” about the pathway’s function. The “widespread acknowledgement”
mentioned early in the passage is about the cerebellum alone, not its connection to the VTA. Choice D is incorrect. The text
never discusses any technological limitations or any new technologies.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1c69ff20
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 1c69ff20
For many years, the only existing fossil evidence of mixopterid eurypterids—an extinct family of large aquatic arthropods
known as sea scorpions and related to modern arachnids and horseshoe crabs—came from four species living on the
paleocontinent of Laurussia. In a discovery that expands our understanding of the geographical distribution of mixopterids,
paleontologist Bo Wang and others have identified fossilized remains of a new mixopterid species, Terropterus xiushanensis,
that lived over 400 million years ago on the paleocontinent of Gondwana.

According to the text, why was Wang and his team’s discovery of the Terropterus xiushanensis fossil significant?

A. The fossil constitutes the first evidence found by scientists that mixopterids lived more than 400 million years ago.

The fossil helps establish that mixopterids are more closely related to modern arachnids and horseshoe crabs than
B. previously thought.

The fossil helps establish a more accurate timeline of the evolution of mixopterids on the paleocontinents of Laurussia
C. and Gondwana.

The fossil constitutes the first evidence found by scientists that mixopterids existed outside the paleocontinent of
D. Laurussia.

ID: 1c69ff20 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it states why Wang and his team’s discovery of the Terropterus xiushanensis fossil was
significant. The text explains that up until Wang and his team’s discovery, the only fossil evidence of mixopterids came from
the paleocontinent of Laurussia. Wang and his team, however, identified fossil remains of a mixopterid species from the
paleocontinent Gondwana. Therefore, the team’s discovery was significant because the fossil remains of a mixopterid
species were outside of the paleocontinent Laurussia.

Choice A is incorrect. Although the text states that Wang and his team identified fossilized remains of a mixopterid species
that lived more than 400 million years ago, it doesn’t indicate that mixopterid fossils previously found by scientists dated to a
more recent period than that. Choice B is incorrect. Although the text states that mixopterids are related to modern
arachnids and horseshoe crabs, it doesn’t suggest that the fossil discovered by Wang and his team confirmed that this
relationship is closer than scientists had previously thought. Choice C is incorrect because the team’s fossil established the
presence of mixopterids on Gondwana, not on Laurussia. Moreover, the text only discusses the fossil in relation to the
geographical distribution of mixopterids, not in relation to their evolution.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID f7bd14de
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: f7bd14de
Several scholars have argued that conditions in England in the late ninth through early eleventh centuries—namely,
burgeoning literacy amid running conflicts between England’s Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and Danish invaders—were especially
conducive to the production of the Old English epic poem Beowulf, and they have dated the poem’s composition accordingly.
It is not inconceivable that Beowulf emerged from such a context, but privileging contextual fit over the linguistic evidence of
an eighth- or even seventh-century composition requires a level of justification that thus far has not been presented.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

Although there are some grounds for believing that Beowulf was composed between the late ninth and early eleventh
centuries, advocates for that view tend to rely on evidence that has been called into question by advocates for an earlier
A. date.

Although several scholars have dated Beowulf to the late ninth through early eleventh centuries, others have argued that
B. doing so privileges a controversial interpretation of the social conditions of the period.

Although Beowulf fits well with the historical context of England in the late ninth through early eleventh centuries, it fits
C. equally well with the historical context of England in the seventh and eighth centuries.

Although the claim of a late ninth- through early eleventh-century composition date for Beowulf has some plausibility,
D. advocates for the claim have not compellingly addressed evidence suggesting an earlier date.

ID: f7bd14de Answer

Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it most accurately states the main idea of the text. The text states that some scholars
have dated the composition of Beowulf to the late ninth through early eleventh centuries due to the poem’s fit with that
period’s historical context. The text goes on to say that while it is “not inconceivable that Beowulf emerged from such a
context”—that is, it is possible that Beowulf was composed during the late ninth through eleventh centuries—there is
linguistic evidence that the poem was composed earlier, in the seventh or eighth century. According to the text, favoring the
historical context over the linguistic evidence requires justification that scholars have not yet supplied. In other words, the
text suggests that scholars who favor the later composition date need to explain why the poem’s fit with historical context
should take precedence over the linguistic evidence, but they have not yet done so. Thus, the main idea of the text is that
while there is some plausibility to the later composition date, advocates for the later date have not compellingly addressed
evidence suggestive of an earlier date.

Choice A is incorrect because the text says that scholars who date the poem to the late ninth through early eleventh
centuries have failed to account for the linguistic evidence that the poem may have been composed earlier, not that the
evidence those scholars cite in favor of their view is unreliable or that anyone has cast doubt on that evidence. In other
words, the text does not suggest that there are problems with the evidence cited by advocates of the later composition date,
only that there is other evidence of an earlier composition date that those advocates need to consider. Choice B is incorrect
because nothing in the text suggests that those scholars who date the poem to the late ninth through early eleventh
centuries are giving priority to a controversial view of the social conditions at that time. The text makes no reference to any
controversy about how scholars interpret that historical period. Instead, the text suggests that scholars who date the poem
on the basis of its fit with the historical context of England in the late ninth through early eleventh centuries have failed to
account for linguistic evidence that the poem may have been composed earlier. Choice C is incorrect because the text says
nothing about how well the poem fits the historical context of England in the seventh and eighth centuries, let alone that it
fits that historical context as well as it fits the historical context of the late ninth through early eleventh centuries. Rather, the
text says that there is linguistic evidence that the poem may have been composed in the seventh or eighth century.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 9731a22b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 9731a22b
Paleontologist Lucas E. Fiorelli and colleagues have reported the discovery at a mine in Brazil of several egg clutches,
partially preserved single eggs, and egg shells from the Late Cretaceous period. The researchers have concluded that the
area was once a nesting and breeding site for titanosaurs, a group of sauropod dinosaurs. The finding is significant given the
previous lack of known nesting sites in northern regions of South America, which led many paleontologists to assume that
titanosaurs migrated south to lay eggs.

What does the text most strongly suggest about the site discovered by the researchers?

A. It is the earliest known example of a titanosaur nesting and breeding site.

B. It was very difficult to excavate given that it was discovered in a mine.

C. It may have been occupied by other sauropods in addition to titanosaurs.

D. It is farther north than any other nesting site discovered in South America.

ID: 9731a22b Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it presents a statement about the site discovered by the researchers that is supported
by the text. The text discusses Fiorelli and colleagues’ discovery of egg clutches, single eggs, and eggshells in a Brazilian
mine. According to the text, the presence of these eggs, which are from the Late Cretaceous period, led the researchers to
conclude that the location was once a nesting and breeding site for titanosaurs. The text then explains that the finding is
important because of the “previous lack of known nesting sites in northern regions of South America.” If there haven’t been
any other discoveries of a nesting site in South America’s northern regions and the site in the Brazilian mine is the first, then
the text strongly suggests that the site is farther north than other nesting sites that have been discovered in South America.

Choice A is incorrect because the text doesn’t suggest that the site discovered by Fiorelli and colleagues is the earliest
titanosaur nesting and breeding site known to paleontologists but rather that it’s the first nesting site found in northern
regions of South America. Moreover, the text doesn’t suggest how the timeline of the newly discovered site compares with
that of other titanosaur nesting and breeding sites. Choice B is incorrect because there is no mention in the text about any
difficulties that Fiorelli and colleagues faced when they were excavating the nesting and breeding site in the Brazilian
mine. Choice C is incorrect because the text doesn’t support the idea that the nesting and breeding site in the Brazilian mine
was occupied by sauropods other than titanosaurs. The text simply mentions that titanosaurs are sauropod dinosaurs and
presents the researchers’ conclusion that the site they discovered was for titanosaurs.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 701126bc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 701126bc
In superfluorescence, electrical charges known as dipoles emit light in synchronized bursts so intense that they are visible to
the eye. Until recently, this phenomenon has only been observed at extremely cold temperatures because dipoles cannot
synchronize at higher temperatures. But in a study, Melike Biliroglu and colleagues observed superfluorescence at room
temperature in thin films made of perovskite and other similarly crystalline materials; the researchers propose that the
formation of shock-absorbing quasiparticles called polarons in the material protects dipoles from thermal interference.

Based on the text, how are polarons believed to be involved in the superfluorescence observed in Biliroglu and colleagues’
study?

A. Polarons enable superfluorescent bursts to cross from one crystalline material to another.

B. Polarons allow for the dipoles to synchronize despite higher temperatures.

C. Polarons accelerate the dipoles’ release of superfluorescent bursts.

D. Polarons decrease the intensity of the superfluorescent burst.

ID: 701126bc Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer because it most accurately describes Biliroglu and colleagues’ claim about how the polarons
function in relation to superfluorescence. The text indicates that “until recently,” superfluorescence (intense, synchronized
bursts of light emitted by dipoles) has solely been observed at very cold temperatures. However, it also states that, recently,
Biliroglu and colleagues report observing the phenomenon at room temperature. They achieved this using “thin films made
of perovskite and other similarly crystalline materials,” which the researchers claim allows for the formation of polarons.
They also suggest that these polarons might absorb the thermal shocks that typically disrupt dipole synchronization at
warmer temperatures. Thus, based on the text, Biliroglu and colleagues believe that polarons help dipoles synchronize at
temperatures well above those at which superfluorescence had previously been observed.

Choice A is incorrect because the text doesn’t address the prospect of a superfluorescent burst moving between crystalline
materials or any other mediums. Choice C is incorrect because the text’s discussion of polarons is about how they might
enable superfluorescence at higher temperatures than those at which it had previously been observed. Rather than
suggesting that polarons speed up superfluorescent bursts, the text suggests that no superfluorescence can occur at room
temperature in the absence of polarons. Thus, the text indicates that polarons make superfluorescent bursts more likely to
occur at higher temperatures than those at which it had previously been observed, not that polarons accelerate the bursts.
Choice D is incorrect because the text’s discussion of polarons is about how they might enable superfluorescence at higher
temperatures than those at which it had previously been observed. In the absence of polarons, the text suggests there would
be no superfluorescence at room temperature. Thus, rather than decrease the intensity of superfluorescent bursts, polarons
make them more likely to occur under certain circumstances.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID 2fdfe002
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 2fdfe002
The following text is adapted from Countee Cullen’s 1926 poem “Thoughts in a Zoo.”

They in their cruel traps, and we in ours, Survey each other’s rage, and pass the hours
Commiserating each the other’s woe, To mitigate his own pain’s fiery glow. Man could but little proffer in exchange
Save that his cages have a larger range. That lion with his lordly, untamed heart
Has in some man his human counterpart, Some lofty soul in dreams and visions wrapped,
But in the stifling flesh securely trapped.

Based on the text, what challenge do humans sometimes experience?

A. They cannot effectively tame certain wild animals because of a lack of compassion.

B. They cannot focus on setting attainable goals because of a lack of motivation.

C. They quickly become frustrated when faced with difficult tasks because of a lack of self-control.

D. They have aspirations that cannot be fulfilled because of certain limitations.

ID: 2fdfe002 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The text metaphorically likens humans to animals in a zoo, suggesting that humans have
dreams that they cannot fulfill because they are trapped.

Choice A is incorrect. The speaker says that the lion has an “untamed heart,” but the speaker doesn’t actually mention
anything about humans taming wild animals or a lack of compassion. Choice B is incorrect. The speaker doesn’t suggest
that humans lack motivation. Rather, the speaker thinks that humans are “trapped” and prevented from achieving their
dreams. Choice C is incorrect. The speaker doesn’t mention anything about humans becoming frustrated or lacking self-
control. Rather, the speaker thinks that humans are “trapped” and prevented from achieving their dreams.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1a2b29c9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Information and Central Ideas and

Ideas Details

ID: 1a2b29c9
The following text is adapted from María Cristina Mena’s 1914 short story “The Vine-Leaf.”

It is a saying in the capital of Mexico that Dr. Malsufrido carries more family secrets under his hat than any archbishop.
The doctor’s hat is, appropriately enough, uncommonly capacious, rising very high, and sinking so low that it seems to
be supported by his ears and eyebrows, and it has a furry look, as if it had been brushed the wrong way, which is
perhaps what happens to it if it is ever brushed at all. When the doctor takes it off, the family secrets do not fly out like a
flock of parrots, but remain nicely bottled up beneath a dome of old and highly polished ivory.

Based on the text, how do people in the capital of Mexico most likely regard Dr. Malsufrido?

A. Many have come to tolerate him despite his disheveled appearance.

B. Few feel concerned that he will divulge their confidences.

C. Some dislike how freely he discusses his own family.

D. Most would be unimpressed by him were it not for his professional expertise.

ID: 1a2b29c9 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The text describes a saying in the capital that Malsufrido keeps more secrets than an
archbishop. It also says that when he takes off his hat, “the family secrets do not fly out… but remain nicely bottled up,”
suggesting that he will not betray his confidences.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice doesn’t reflect the text. While his hat is large and appears to have been brushed in the
wrong direction, Dr. Malsufrido does not seem to be regarded as ill-dressed or disheveled. Choice C is incorrect. This choice
is the opposite of what the text says. The secrets of families (his and others’) remain “bottled up” in his head. Choice D is
incorrect. This choice isn’t supported by the text. His professional expertise is not discussed in the passage.

Question Difficulty: Hard