Real questions from the SAT Climb bank, all at the hard difficulty tier. Pick an answer before you open the explanation. Every question tells you why the answer is right and why each wrong choice is tempting.
Reading & Writing · Craft and Structure~4 per testHard tier
Right topic, wrong rhetorical verb — too strong or too weak.
Describes one sentence's job instead of the whole text's.
A move the passage never actually makes.
Question 1Hard
In the early twentieth century, many archaeologists believed that the ancient city of Troy, described in Homer's Iliad, was purely mythological. However, Heinrich Schliemann's excavations at Hisarlik in modern-day Turkey in the 1870s uncovered multiple layers of settlement, including a layer showing evidence of destruction by fire during the Bronze Age. While scholars initially dismissed Schliemann's identification of this layer as Homer's Troy, subsequent archaeological work by Carl Blegen in the 1930s and Manfred Korfmann in the 1990s has lent substantial credibility to the claim that Hisarlik is indeed the site of ancient Troy. The convergence of archaeological evidence with the geographical descriptions in the Iliad suggests that Homer's epic, though poetic and embellished, may have been rooted in historical events.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The text builds a case that archaeological evidence has substantiated the historical existence of Troy at Hisarlik, moving from initial skepticism to credible confirmation. The rhetorical move is argumentative, not merely descriptive or neutral.
Why the others are wrong
AWhile the text mentions Schliemann's discovery of multiple settlement layers, this detail supports the larger argument rather than constituting the text's main purpose.
CThe verb 'discuss' suggests a neutral survey, but the text takes a clear stance that the evidence supports Troy's historical reality, making this too weak rhetorically.
DThe text does mention scholars' initial rejection of Schliemann's claims, but this is context for the larger argument about how subsequent work changed scholarly opinion.
Question 2Hard
Linguist Thomas Kavanagh's 2020 investigation of code-switching among bilingual Quechua-Spanish speakers in urban Peru examined how language choice reflects social identity negotiation. Kavanagh's interviews revealed that younger speakers consistently used Spanish in professional contexts while reserving Quechua for family interactions, a pattern that appeared to confirm traditional models of domain-specific language use. However, Kavanagh's subsequent acoustic analysis detected frequent phonological features from Quechua embedded within the Spanish speech of professional settings, suggesting that these speakers maintain indigenous linguistic identity even when ostensibly speaking only Spanish, thereby complicating simplistic categorizations of code-switching behavior.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The underlined portion presents interview findings that seemed to fit traditional models, which Kavanagh's acoustic analysis then shows is more nuanced due to the embedded phonological features. This makes it an initial observation that is complicated by deeper investigation.
Why the others are wrong
AThe underlined portion presents findings that appear consistent with traditional models; it does not contradict Kavanagh's hypothesis but rather represents an incomplete picture that further analysis refines.
CThe underlined portion describes domain-specific language use from interviews, but Kavanagh's acoustic analysis shows that Quechua features persist in professional Spanish, so speakers have not completely abandoned indigenous practices.
DThe underlined portion presents findings from interviews, but the focus is on what was discovered, not on describing the methodology itself.
Question 3Hard
During the 1930s, the federal government initiated an ambitious program to document American life through photography. The Farm Security Administration hired photographers like Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans to travel across the country capturing images of rural poverty and the effects of the Great Depression. While the program's stated purpose was to build public support for New Deal policies, historians now recognize that the photographs also served as powerful works of art that shaped how subsequent generations understood this era. The FSA archive, containing over 170000 images, remains one of the most significant visual records of 20th-century American history.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The text describes the FSA photography program and its photographers, identifies its original purpose (building support for New Deal policies), and explains how historians now also recognize the photographs as art that shaped historical understanding—a reinterpretation of their significance.
Why the others are wrong
BThe text does not indicate the program failed. It notes the original purpose and adds that the photographs also became recognized as art, suggesting success rather than failure.
CWhile Lange and Evans are mentioned, the text does not compare their styles, contrast their approaches, or determine which had greater impact. They are cited as examples of FSA photographers.
DThe text does not claim the program ended the Great Depression, prove photography is the most effective medium for social change, or establish the FSA as the greatest artistic achievement. These extreme assertions are unsupported.
Question 4Hard
Biologist Rachel Carson's 1962 book Silent Spring documented the harmful effects of synthetic pesticides on bird populations and broader ecosystems. Carson presented evidence that DDT and similar chemicals accumulated in the food chain, causing eggshell thinning in raptors and threatening species with extinction. Her meticulous research and compelling prose not only informed the public about environmental dangers but also galvanized a nascent environmental movement. Within a decade of the book's publication, the United States had established the Environmental Protection Agency and banned DDT for agricultural use. Carson's work thus illustrates how rigorous scientific communication can catalyze significant policy reform.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
Show the answer and explanation
Why C is right
The text uses Carson's work as a case study to make a broader claim about the power of scientific communication to influence policy. The final sentence explicitly frames Carson's achievement as illustrative of this principle.
Why the others are wrong
ADDT's effect on eggshells is supporting evidence for the text's larger point about policy impact, not the main purpose itself.
BThe EPA's establishment is one outcome mentioned, but the text's scope is broader—it addresses how scientific communication generally can drive reform, using Carson as the example.
DThe verb 'describe' is too weak; the text is making an argument about causation and impact, not merely recounting what Carson documented.
Question 5Hard
Marine biologist Sofia Ramirez's 2023 study of deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems investigated bacterial communities that metabolize sulfur compounds in extreme conditions. Ramirez's genomic sequencing identified several bacterial species whose metabolic pathways matched those previously documented in shallow-water sulfur-rich environments, suggesting that these mechanisms evolved before the diversification of vent and coastal populations. However, Ramirez discovered that vent bacteria possess additional gene clusters absent in their shallow-water relatives, clusters that encode enzymes capable of functioning at the extreme pressures and temperatures found at vent sites, a finding that indicates significant evolutionary adaptation occurred after habitat divergence.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The underlined portion establishes that certain metabolic pathways are shared between vent and shallow-water bacteria, which Ramirez then builds upon by identifying additional adaptations unique to vent bacteria. This creates a foundation of similarity before highlighting evolutionary differences.
Why the others are wrong
BThe underlined portion notes shared metabolic pathways, but Ramirez's subsequent discovery of additional gene clusters in vent bacteria indicates that genetic divergence has occurred, contradicting this choice.
CThe underlined portion describes an initial finding about shared metabolic pathways; Ramirez's primary conclusion involves the additional gene clusters and post-divergence adaptation mentioned afterward.
DThe underlined portion presents a finding from genomic sequencing, not an explanation of the technical procedure itself.
Question 6Hard
For decades, economists assumed that increased automation would displace workers in manufacturing but create new jobs in the service sector at roughly the same rate. Recent studies by MIT economists Daron Acemoglu and Pascual Restrepo, however, suggest this assumption may be incorrect. Analyzing labor market data from 1990 to 2007, they found that each additional robot per thousand workers reduced employment in a given region by approximately six workers, with no corresponding job creation in other sectors. These findings indicate that the relationship between automation and employment may be more complex than traditional economic models predicted.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The text begins with a traditional economic assumption (automation displaces some workers but creates others), introduces research that questions this assumption (Acemoglu and Restrepo's findings of net job loss), and concludes that the relationship may be more complex than models predicted.
Why the others are wrong
AWhile the text mentions findings and methodology, it does not advocate for policy changes. It simply notes that the findings indicate greater complexity.
CThe research findings challenge rather than confirm the traditional economic framework. The text explicitly states the assumption may be incorrect.
DThough manufacturing and service sectors are mentioned, the text does not compare employment trends between them, examine wage impacts, or evaluate regional policies. These are details mentioned to support the main point about job displacement.
Question 7Hard
Economist Raj Chetty and his colleagues analyzed intergenerational income mobility across US counties and found substantial geographic variation. In some regions, children born into low-income families had mobility rates comparable to those in Denmark, while other regions showed significantly lower mobility. The researchers identified several county-level factors associated with higher mobility: less residential segregation, lower income inequality, better primary schools, greater social capital, and more stable family structures. However, the causal mechanisms linking these factors to mobility remain contested, as the observational nature of the data limits the researchers' ability to distinguish correlation from causation.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The underlined portion presents the key empirical finding of geographic variation in mobility. This variation then prompts the researchers to identify county-level factors that might account for the differences, making it the motivating observation for the subsequent analysis.
Why the others are wrong
BThis misidentifies the function. The underlined portion presents an empirical finding about variation, not a hypothesis, and the text indicates the study is observational, not experimental.
CThis overstates the impact. While the text notes methodological limitations regarding causation, these limitations are mentioned separately and do not invalidate the finding of geographic variation.
DThis contradicts the text. The underlined portion states that some US regions have mobility comparable to Denmark, not that Danish rates are universally lower.
Question 8Hard
Literary critic Helen Vendler argues that Emily Dickinson's poem "Because I could not stop for Death" achieves its emotional power through sustained personification of death as a courteous gentleman caller. However, poet and scholar Susan Howe contends that this reading overlooks the poem's engagement with 19th-century funeral customs and mourning practices. For Howe, the carriage ride represents not a romantic encounter but a documentary record of ritualized grief, and she points to Dickinson's meticulous attention to clothing and spatial details as evidence of this ethnographic dimension.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The text first presents Vendler's interpretation (personification of death as courteous gentleman), then introduces Howe's challenge to this reading (engagement with funeral customs), and explains Howe's reasoning (the carriage ride as ritualized grief, supported by attention to details).
Why the others are wrong
ANeither critic is described as using biographical approaches. Vendler focuses on personification and Howe on cultural practices, but the text does not compare methodologies or endorse either view.
CThe text does not indicate that recent discoveries proved either interpretation correct. Howe's reading challenges rather than confirms Vendler's understanding.
DWhile the text contrasts two views, it does not demonstrate they are fundamentally incompatible or attempt to synthesize them. It simply presents Howe's alternative and her supporting evidence.
Question 9Hard
Musicologist Patricia Huang's 2022 study of Javanese gamelan music explores how colonial-era recordings have shaped Western understanding of Indonesian musical traditions. Huang notes that early twentieth-century ethnomusicologists, working with limited recording technology, tended to capture gamelan performances in controlled settings that emphasized melodic clarity over the improvisational interplay characteristic of ceremonial contexts. This documentation practice, Huang contends, contributed to persistent misconceptions among Western scholars that gamelan music follows rigid compositional structures, a view that overlooks the sophisticated spontaneous decision-making that musicians exercise during traditional performances.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The underlined portion describes how recording technology limitations led ethnomusicologists to capture performances in ways that emphasized certain aspects over others, which Huang then argues contributed to misconceptions. This establishes a technical constraint with interpretive consequences.
Why the others are wrong
BThe underlined portion suggests the recording choices were influenced by technological limitations, not deliberate misrepresentation; this choice overstates intentionality.
CThe underlined portion describes how gamelan was recorded and documented, not how the music itself changed; Huang's argument is about misconceptions, not actual structural changes to the music.
DThe underlined portion presents a historical observation that supports Huang's argument, not the research question that initiated her study.
Question 10Hard
Archaeologist Sarah Parcak has pioneered the use of satellite imagery to locate ancient sites in Egypt. By analyzing infrared photographs taken from space, she can detect subtle variations in soil density and moisture that indicate buried structures invisible to observers on the ground. Using this technique, Parcak has identified seventeen potential pyramids, over a thousand tombs, and three thousand ancient settlements. Her work demonstrates how remote sensing technology can revolutionize archaeological exploration by revealing sites that might otherwise remain undiscovered for generations.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The text introduces Parcak's use of satellite imagery (the innovation), explains the mechanism (infrared detection of soil variations), and provides concrete examples of discoveries (pyramids, tombs, settlements) to illustrate the technique's impact.
Why the others are wrong
BThe text does not mention criticism from traditional archaeologists or argue for a balanced approach. It presents Parcak's work as a positive development without discussing opposition.
CWhile infrared imagery is mentioned, the text does not compare it with visible-light methods or rank technologies by effectiveness. These details serve to explain how the technique works.
DThe text states the technique can revolutionize exploration but does not claim all previous methods are obsolete or predict complete transformation within a specific timeframe. These are overstatements not supported by the passage.
Question 11Hard
In her 2019 study of medieval European trade networks, historian Petra Hofmann examined guild records from fourteenth-century Florence and found that wool merchants frequently collaborated with dye producers in Venice despite the significant travel time between cities. Hofmann notes that these partnerships persisted even after local dye production became available in Florence. She argues that Venetian dyes were prized not merely for their quality but for the symbolic prestige associated with imports from the renowned maritime republic, suggesting that economic decisions in this period were shaped by considerations beyond simple cost efficiency.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The underlined portion presents a surprising persistence in trade patterns that sets up the author's subsequent argument about symbolic prestige overriding practical considerations. This counterintuitive detail functions as supporting evidence for the claim that economic decisions were shaped by factors beyond cost efficiency.
Why the others are wrong
AThe text does not frame this as contradicting a widely held assumption; rather, it presents a specific observation that supports the author's own argument.
CThe direction is reversed—the persistence of Venetian partnerships suggests merchants prioritized quality and prestige over convenience.
DThe underlined portion does not introduce a chronological marker about trade decline; it describes the continuation of a partnership pattern.
Question 12Hard
In the 1970s, astronomers observed that galaxies at the edges of galaxy clusters were moving faster than expected based on visible matter. This discrepancy suggested the presence of additional mass that could not be detected through telescopes. Subsequent observations of gravitational lensing—the bending of light around massive objects—provided further evidence for this unseen mass. Today, scientists refer to this undetectable substance as dark matter, though its exact nature remains one of the most significant unsolved problems in physics.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The text begins with an observation that suggested something unknown (additional mass), provides additional evidence for this unseen substance (gravitational lensing), and concludes by noting that while we have a name for it (dark matter), its nature remains unsolved.
Why the others are wrong
BThe text does not refute a hypothesis or propose an alternative. Instead, the evidence strengthens rather than contradicts the idea of unseen mass.
CWhile the text mentions dark matter as a term scientists use, it does not claim a revolutionary theory emerged or that all related problems were solved—the passage explicitly states the problem remains unsolved.
DAlthough the text mentions galaxy speeds and gravitational lensing, it does not evaluate competing measurement methods. These details serve as evidence rather than subjects being compared.
Question 13Hard
In her 2019 analysis of Victorian-era botanical illustration, art historian Elena Cortez examined how scientific accuracy and aesthetic appeal coexisted in the work of illustrator Marianne North. Cortez notes that North's paintings of exotic flora, created during her travels through colonial territories, were lauded by botanists for their taxonomic precision. However, Cortez argues that this scientific credibility obscured the ways North's compositional choices—such as her dramatic use of light and her tendency to isolate specimens against dark backgrounds—reflected contemporary Romantic ideals rather than purely documentary intentions.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The underlined portion presents the established reputation of North's work as scientifically precise, which serves as a foundation that Cortez then complicates by arguing this credibility obscured the Romantic aesthetic influences. This makes it a conventional view that is partially challenged.
Why the others are wrong
BThe underlined portion does not contradict Cortez's argument; rather, it presents information that Cortez acknowledges but then argues is incomplete, which is different from contradiction.
CThe underlined portion mentions scientific value but does not compare it to aesthetic significance or suggest one was considered more important than the other.
DThe underlined portion provides context about how North's work was received, not a methodological framework that Cortez employs in her analysis.
Question 14Hard
When historian Carla Rahn Phillips examined Spanish colonial trade records from the 16th century, she found that official accounts significantly underreported the volume of silver exported from the Americas. Phillips cross-referenced these records with Asian import documentation and discovered that actual silver flows were nearly double the reported figures. She concluded that Spanish merchants routinely evaded royal taxes by smuggling precious metals through unofficial channels, a practice that had profound implications for understanding the true scale of early modern global commerce.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The text begins by identifying a discrepancy (underreported silver exports), explains how Phillips discovered its extent (cross-referencing with Asian records), and states her conclusion about the significance (implications for understanding global commerce).
Why the others are wrong
AThe text does not trace the development of regulations or assess their effectiveness. Instead, it focuses on uncovering actual trade practices through record analysis.
CPhillips did not revise a contradicted hypothesis. Her cross-referencing confirmed and quantified the underreporting she initially found rather than contradicting her assumptions.
DThe text states that records underreported volumes, not that they were entirely fabricated. It also does not call for invalidating all previous scholarship or demand complete reinterpretation.
Question 15Hard
In her 2021 study of nineteenth-century American domestic architecture, historian Rebecca Montoya examined how middle-class homeowners adapted spatial designs to accommodate emerging social practices. Montoya observes that architectural pattern books from the 1870s increasingly featured floor plans with dedicated parlors positioned near the front entrance, reflecting the period's emphasis on formal social calls and public presentation of domestic respectability. Yet Montoya's analysis of actual constructed homes reveals that many families modified these designs during construction, repositioning parlors toward the rear of the house and expanding kitchen spaces, changes that suggest a growing priority for family privacy and domestic labor efficiency over adherence to prescriptive social norms.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The underlined portion describes what pattern books featured, which Montoya then shows was modified by homeowners in actual practice. This establishes a design trend that serves as a point of comparison for the adaptations Montoya documents.
Why the others are wrong
BThe underlined portion describes what pattern books featured, but Montoya's subsequent evidence shows that many families modified these designs, so the pattern books did not dictate exact layouts.
CThe underlined portion describes a design trend from pattern books; Montoya's research shows homeowners deviated from this trend, which complicates rather than validates it.
DThe underlined portion describes what pattern books reflected about social practices, but Montoya's evidence about actual modifications suggests homeowners had different priorities, so this does not explain homeowner values.
Question 16Hard
In her 2018 novel The Overstory, Richard Powers weaves together nine separate storylines, each following a different character whose life becomes intertwined with trees. The narratives initially appear disconnected, spanning different time periods and geographical locations. Gradually, however, Powers reveals subtle connections between the characters, until in the final section they converge in a shared environmental protest. This structure mirrors the novel's central theme: that seemingly isolated lives are part of a larger, interconnected ecosystem.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The text describes the novel's approach (nine separate storylines), traces how it develops (from appearing disconnected to revealing connections to converging), and explains how this structure mirrors and reinforces the theme of interconnection.
Why the others are wrong
AThe text does not discuss Powers's biographical influences or the novel's critical reception. It focuses solely on narrative structure and theme.
CThe text does not present the technique as a failure or suggest improvements. Instead, it explains how the structure successfully reinforces the novel's theme.
DWhile the text describes the structure, it does not claim the novel redefined contemporary fiction or establish Powers as the most important novelist of his generation. These are extreme claims not made in the passage.
Question 17Hard
Astrophysicist Karen Nordstrom's 2023 analysis of stellar formation in the Carina Nebula utilized infrared spectroscopy to detect protostars obscured by dense molecular clouds. Nordstrom's initial observations confirmed the presence of over two hundred previously undetected protostars, a finding consistent with theoretical predictions about star formation rates in high-density regions. Further analysis, however, revealed that these protostars exhibited mass distributions significantly different from those in nearby nebulae, with a higher proportion of low-mass stellar objects than current models of gravitational collapse would predict, suggesting that environmental factors unique to Carina may alter the fragmentation process.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The underlined portion presents initial observations that confirmed theoretical predictions, which is then followed by further analysis revealing unexpected differences. This makes it an early result that sets up the more significant finding about mass distributions.
Why the others are wrong
AThe underlined portion describes initial observations, but the passage makes clear that further analysis revealed additional, unexpected findings, so this does not summarize the complete conclusions.
CThe underlined portion states that initial findings were consistent with theoretical predictions; it is the subsequent findings about mass distributions that suggest models may need revision.
DThe underlined portion describes a finding (number of protostars detected) rather than the methodological approach of using infrared spectroscopy.
Question 18Hard
Ecologist Maria Delgado's 2021 study examined nitrogen cycling in high-altitude Andean peatlands, ecosystems that store significant amounts of carbon. Previous research had established that these peatlands absorb atmospheric nitrogen at rates comparable to lowland wetlands, suggesting similar nitrogen-processing mechanisms across elevation gradients. Delgado's isotopic analysis, however, revealed that microbial communities in Andean peatlands convert nitrogen compounds through pathways distinct from those in lowland systems, a finding that has implications for predicting how these ecosystems will respond to increased nitrogen deposition from agricultural runoff.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The underlined portion describes what previous research had suggested about similar nitrogen-processing mechanisms, which Delgado's findings then complicate by revealing that the pathways are actually distinct. This establishes an earlier conclusion that is refined by new evidence.
Why the others are wrong
AWhile the underlined portion describes earlier findings, there is no indication that Delgado specifically designed her research to test this as a hypothesis; rather, her isotopic analysis revealed unexpected differences.
CThe underlined portion provides context about existing knowledge, not an explanation of Delgado's choice of research subject.
DThe underlined portion mentions nitrogen absorption rates but does not establish them as the primary factor for carbon storage or emphasize this relationship.
Question 19Hard
Chemist Carolyn Bertozzi's development of bioorthogonal chemistry addressed a longstanding challenge in studying biomolecules within living systems. Traditional chemical reactions used to label and track molecules often disrupted cellular processes or required conditions incompatible with life. Bertozzi's innovation involved designing reactions that could occur inside living cells without interfering with native biochemical processes—reactions using molecular structures that biological systems do not naturally recognize or metabolize. This approach has enabled researchers to observe glycan formation, protein trafficking, and other dynamic processes in real time without the artifacts introduced by earlier labeling techniques.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The underlined portion describes how Bertozzi's reactions work—by using structures that cells do not naturally recognize—which directly addresses the problem of traditional reactions disrupting cellular processes. This explanation bridges the problem statement and the subsequent discussion of applications.
Why the others are wrong
BThe underlined portion describes a fundamental innovation involving entirely new reaction chemistry, not a minor refinement of traditional techniques.
CThe underlined portion does not present a complication; it explains how the innovation successfully avoids interference with biological systems.
DWhile specific processes are mentioned later, the underlined portion explains the innovation's mechanism, not the processes it was designed to study.
Question 20Hard
In her 2019 analysis of Harlem Renaissance literature, scholar Cheryl Wall examines Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, noting that the protagonist Janie's journey toward self-realization unfolds through three distinct marriages. Wall observes that while the first two marriages represent societal expectations imposed upon Janie, the third marriage with Tea Cake allows her to discover her authentic voice. This progression, Wall argues, mirrors the broader cultural awakening of Black women writers in the 1930s who sought to articulate experiences that had been marginalized in both mainstream and male-dominated African American literary traditions.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The underlined portion describes Wall's interpretation of the marriage progression in Hurston's novel, which the text then uses as evidence for the larger claim about Black women writers' cultural awakening. The specific textual analysis sets up the broader generalization that follows.
Why the others are wrong
AThe underlined portion presents Wall's observation about the novel, not a debate among scholars. No competing interpretations are introduced.
CThe underlined portion affirms that Janie's third marriage enabled self-expression, rather than contradicting any connection between marriage and voice.
DThe underlined portion discusses Tea Cake's role in Janie's story specifically, not his influence on all Harlem Renaissance narratives, which would be an unsupported overstatement.
Question 21Hard
In her 2019 analysis of coral reef ecosystems, marine biologist Adriana Humanes documented how certain coral species in the Caribbean exhibited unexpected resilience to warming events. Humanes noted that these corals had survived multiple bleaching episodes over the preceding decade. However, genetic sequencing revealed that the surviving populations had undergone significant shifts in their symbiotic algae communities, replacing heat-sensitive strains with more thermally tolerant varieties. This finding suggests that apparent resilience may mask fundamental changes in coral-algae partnerships that could affect long-term ecosystem stability.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The underlined portion presents an initial observation of coral survival that appears straightforward. The text then complicates this observation by revealing that the survival involved significant genetic and symbiotic changes, meaning the resilience is more complex than it first appeared.
Why the others are wrong
AThis reverses the text's logic. The text does not resolve a contrast by showing unchanged relationships; rather, it reveals that relationships did change.
CThis overstates the underlined portion's role. It merely notes survival, not permanent adaptation, and the subsequent text questions the nature of this resilience.
DThis misidentifies the function. The underlined portion presents a finding about coral survival, not a description of Humanes's research methods.
Question 22Hard
Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett's theory of constructed emotion challenges the classical view that emotions are universal biological responses. Barrett proposes that the brain constructs emotional experiences by combining sensory input with learned conceptual knowledge about emotion categories. This account predicts that individuals from different cultures, having learned different emotion concepts, should experience and recognize emotions differently—a prediction supported by cross-cultural studies showing that emotion recognition is not universal but varies with cultural context. Barrett's theory thus implies that emotional experiences are not discovered but created through the interaction of physiology, culture, and individual learning history.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The underlined portion presents Barrett's central theoretical claim about how emotions are constructed. The text then shows how this theoretical mechanism leads to predictions about cultural variation that are confirmed by research, positioning the underlined portion as the generative theoretical core.
Why the others are wrong
BThis overstates Barrett's position. The text indicates her theory involves an interaction of physiology and culture, not a purely cultural account replacing biology.
CThis contradicts the text. The underlined portion presents Barrett's challenge to the classical view, not a restatement of that view.
DThis misidentifies the function. The underlined portion articulates a theoretical claim, not a methodological procedure for measurement.
Question 23Hard
Historian Erika Lee's 2019 book America for Americans traces the development of xenophobic sentiment in the United States from the eighteenth century to the present. Lee opens her study by recounting the 1885 Rock Springs massacre, in which white miners murdered twenty-eight Chinese workers in Wyoming Territory. This violent episode, Lee argues, was not an isolated incident but rather exemplified patterns of racialized economic competition and legally sanctioned discrimination that recurred throughout American history. By foregrounding this event, Lee establishes that xenophobia has deep historical roots and that understanding its contemporary manifestations requires examining its structural precedents.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The underlined portion describes Lee's opening strategy of beginning with a specific violent episode. The text then explains that Lee uses this episode not as an isolated case but as an exemplar of broader patterns, establishing it as a framing device for her larger historical argument.
Why the others are wrong
BThis contradicts the text's logic. Lee treats the massacre as exemplary of recurring patterns, not as anomalous.
CThis misstates both the scope and the content. The underlined portion describes an opening episode, not a thesis, and the text indicates Lee's study begins in the eighteenth century, not the 1880s.
DThis mischaracterizes the function. The underlined portion describes a violent event used for framing purposes, not demographic data for quantification.
Question 24Hard
In analyzing the poetry of Phillis Wheatley, the first published African American poet, literary scholar Honorée Fanonne Jeffers challenges readings that emphasize only Wheatley's adoption of neoclassical conventions. Jeffers argues that Wheatley's use of classical allusions and formal structures should be understood as strategic choices that enabled her to critique slavery from within an accepted literary tradition. For instance, when Wheatley compares herself to the Roman poet Terence, who was also enslaved, she establishes a genealogy of enslaved intellectuals while simultaneously asserting her rightful place in Western literary culture. This rhetorical positioning, Jeffers contends, allowed Wheatley to make radical claims about Black humanity and citizenship that might otherwise have been dismissed by her predominantly white readership.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The underlined portion presents Jeffers's reinterpretation of Wheatley's use of classical forms as strategic rather than merely conventional. The remainder of the text then supports this claim with a specific example of how Wheatley's formal choices enabled critique.
Why the others are wrong
AThis misidentifies the function. The underlined portion presents a critical argument about strategic rhetorical choices, not biographical information about education.
CThis contradicts the text's logic. Jeffers defends Wheatley's sophistication and strategic acumen rather than conceding a lack of originality.
DThis overgeneralizes and overstates. Jeffers makes a specific claim about Wheatley's strategic use of conventions, not a universal claim about all neoclassical poetry by enslaved writers.
Question 25Hard
Critic James Whitmore's reading of F. Scott Fitzgerald's *The Great Gatsby* emphasizes the novel's treatment of temporal displacement. He notes that Gatsby's obsessive recreation of past events—particularly his attempt to erase five years of separation from Daisy—structures both his psychology and the narrative's key dramatic turns. The green light at the end of Daisy's dock, which Gatsby gazes at nightly, thus functions not merely as a symbol of longing but as a spatial manifestation of temporal impossibility. For Whitmore, this conflation of time and space exemplifies modernist fiction's engagement with Bergsonian duration and the collapse of linear chronology in subjective experience.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The underlined sentence takes the green light—a well-known Gatsby symbol—and reframes it specifically in terms of Gatsby's temporal obsession (spatial manifestation of temporal impossibility), deepening its connection to the theme of past-recreation discussed earlier.
Why the others are wrong
BThis reverses the claim—the sentence shows how spatial imagery reinforces the novel's thematic and psychological depth, not undermines it.
CThis understates the function—the sentence does more than note the image; it explicitly analyzes its thematic function (representing temporal impossibility).
DThis misplaces the sequence—the underlined sentence develops the temporal-displacement theme already introduced in prior sentences; the subsequent sentence extends it to broader modernist contexts.
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