SAT Reading Practice

Over the course of the passage, the main focus of the narrative shifts from the  

• A. reservations a character has about a person he has just met to a growing appreciation that character has of the person's worth.
• B. ambivalence a character feels about his sensitive nature to the character's recognition of the advantages of having profound emotions
• C. intensity of feeling a character has for another for another person to the character's concern that the intensity is not reciprocated. 
• D. value a character attaches to the wonders of the natural world to a rejection of that sort of beauty in favor of human artistry. 

In the context of the passage, the author's use of the phrase "her light step flying to keep time with his long stride" (first sentence of paragraph 1) is primarily meant to convey the idea that

• A. Ethan and Mattie share a powerful enthusiasm
• B. Mattie strives to match the speed at which Ethan works
• C. Mattie and Ethan playfully compete with each other
• D. Ethan walks at a pace that frustrates Mattie

The description in the first paragraph indicates that what Ethan values most about Mattie is her

• A. fitness from farm labor
• B. vivacious youth
• C. receptive nature
• D. freedom from worry

Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to question 3?

• A. Lines 1-6 ("Mattie ... farm")
• B. Lines 7-13 ("He had anyhow")
• C. Lines 13-15 ("But it ... hearth")
• D. Lines 17-20 (She had ... will)

The author includes the descriptions of the sunset, the clouds and the hemlock shadows (in the eighth sentence of paragraph 2) primarily to

• A. suggest the peacefulness of the natural world.
• B. emphasize the acuteness of two characters' sensations.
• C. foreshadow the declining fortunes of two characters.
• D. offer a sense of how fleeting time can be. 

The passage most strongly suggests that researchers at the Martin Prosperity Institute share which assumptions?

• A. Employees who work from home are more valuable to their employers than employees who commute.
• B. Employees whose commutes are shortened will use the time saved to do additional productive work for their employers.
• C. Employees can conduct business activities, such as composing memos or joining conference calls, while commuting. 
• D. Employees who have lengthy commutes tend to make more money than employees who have shorter commutes. 

As used in the first sentence of paragraph 5, intense most nearly means

• A. emotional
• B. concentrated
• C. brilliant
• D. determined.

Which claim about traffic congestion is supported by the graph

• A. New York City commuters spend less time annually delayed by traffic congestion than the average for very large cities. 
• B. Los Angeles commuters are delayed more hours annually by traffic congestion than are commuters in Washington D.C. 
• C. Commuters in Washington D.C., face greater delays annually due to traffic congestion than do commuters in New York City. 
• D. Commuters in Detroit spend more time delayed annually by traffic congestion than do commuters in Houston, Atlanta, and Chicago.

What is first step to first and last reading method

• Read italicized information first
• Read whole first half of passage
• Read first paragraph
• Read first sentence of each paragraph

What is the second step to the first and last method? 

• Read the thesis
• Read the first and last sentences of each additional paragraph
• Read the first paragraph
• Read the subheadings