SAT Practice Test

^{The sentence(s) below has one or more blanks. Beneath each sentence(s) are five words or sets of words. Choose the word or set of words that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.}

He believed that in order to _________ the problem fully, he would need to understand all of its _________.

• solve...positions

• comprehend...extreme

• experience...thoughts

• embrace...nuances

• address...intricacies

^{The sentence(s) below has one or more blanks. Beneath each sentence(s) are five words or sets of words. Choose the word or set of words that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.}

The author's novel was _________ but she managed to develop numerous _________ fully and enjoyably by its end.

• long-winded...chapters

• brief...characters

• surprising...plots

• uninsightful...answers

• thought-provoking...storylines

^{The sentence(s) below has one or more blanks. Beneath each sentence(s) are five words or sets of words. Choose the word or set of words that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.}

The rumors were _________ and she welcomed the opportunity to _________ them.

• pertinent...demystify

• true...repudiate

• fabricated...correction

• believable...enjoy

• odious...refute

^{The sentence(s) below has one or more blanks. Beneath each sentence(s) are five words or sets of words. Choose the word or set of words that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.}

I was sorry to see her in that _________, she looked so _________.

• situation...arbitrary

• condition...despondent

• state...demure

• position...pensive

• mood...abstruse

^{The sentence(s) below has one or more blanks. Beneath each sentence(s) are five words or sets of words. Choose the word or set of words that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.}

The disarray was _________; the office had to be closed for the day so all the furniture could be placed where it belonged, papers could be re-filed and a general cleaning done.

• inconsequential

• contemptible

• severe

• trifling

• intermittent

What Is Disturbing the Fun?

It was in this apartment, also, that there stood against the western wall, a gigantic clock of ebony. Its pendulum swung to and fro with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang; and when the minute-hand made the circuit of the face, and the hour was to be stricken, there came from the brazen lungs of the clock a sound which was clear and loud and deep and exceedingly musical, but of so peculiar a note and emphasis that, at each lapse of an hour, the musicians of the orchestra were constrained to pause, momentarily, in their performance, to harken to the sound; and thus the waltzers perforce ceased their evolutions; and there was a brief disconcert of the whole gay company; and, while the chimes of the clock yet rang, it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused revery or meditation. But when the echoes had fully ceased, a light laughter at once pervaded the assembly; the musicians looked at each other and smiled as if at their own nervousness and folly, and made whispering vows, each to the other, that the next chiming of the clock should produce in them no similar emotion; and then, after the lapse of sixty minutes (which embrace three thousand and six hundred seconds of the Time that flies), there came yet another chiming of the clock, and then were the same disconcert and tremulousness and meditation as before.

The clock in this passage symbolizes

• the fading beauty of all things.

• the lack of attention the dancers paid to the music.

• the brief amount of time the orchestra played.

• the movement from early morning to evening.

• the passage of time and nearness of death.

What Is Disturbing the Fun?

It was in this apartment, also, that there stood against the western wall, a gigantic clock of ebony. Its pendulum swung to and fro with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang; and when the minute-hand made the circuit of the face, and the hour was to be stricken, there came from the brazen lungs of the clock a sound which was clear and loud and deep and exceedingly musical, but of so peculiar a note and emphasis that, at each lapse of an hour, the musicians of the orchestra were constrained to pause, momentarily, in their performance, to harken to the sound; and thus the waltzers perforce ceased their evolutions; and there was a brief disconcert of the whole gay company; and, while the chimes of the clock yet rang, it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused revery or meditation. But when the echoes had fully ceased, a light laughter at once pervaded the assembly; the musicians looked at each other and smiled as if at their own nervousness and folly, and made whispering vows, each to the other, that the next chiming of the clock should produce in them no similar emotion; and then, after the lapse of sixty minutes (which embrace three thousand and six hundred seconds of the Time that flies), there came yet another chiming of the clock, and then were the same disconcert and tremulousness and meditation as before.

The scene that is being described is of a

• concert.

• formal dinner.

• garden party.

• boating tournament.

• ball.

What Is Disturbing the Fun?

It was in this apartment, also, that there stood against the western wall, a gigantic clock of ebony. Its pendulum swung to and fro with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang; and when the minute-hand made the circuit of the face, and the hour was to be stricken, there came from the brazen lungs of the clock a sound which was clear and loud and deep and exceedingly musical, but of so peculiar a note and emphasis that, at each lapse of an hour, the musicians of the orchestra were constrained to pause, momentarily, in their performance, to harken to the sound; and thus the waltzers perforce ceased their evolutions; and there was a brief disconcert of the whole gay company; and, while the chimes of the clock yet rang, it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused revery or meditation. But when the echoes had fully ceased, a light laughter at once pervaded the assembly; the musicians looked at each other and smiled as if at their own nervousness and folly, and made whispering vows, each to the other, that the next chiming of the clock should produce in them no similar emotion; and then, after the lapse of sixty minutes (which embrace three thousand and six hundred seconds of the Time that flies), there came yet another chiming of the clock, and then were the same disconcert and tremulousness and meditation as before.

What does the reader infer will happen in the story?

• The host will throw out the rowdy guests.

• At least one person there will die.

• The musicians will soon be playing for the king.

• The police will arrive to stop the evening's pleasures.

• The clock will explode at midnight.

What Is Disturbing the Fun?

It was in this apartment, also, that there stood against the western wall, a gigantic clock of ebony. Its pendulum swung to and fro with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang; and when the minute-hand made the circuit of the face, and the hour was to be stricken, there came from the brazen lungs of the clock a sound which was clear and loud and deep and exceedingly musical, but of so peculiar a note and emphasis that, at each lapse of an hour, the musicians of the orchestra were constrained to pause, momentarily, in their performance, to harken to the sound; and thus the waltzers perforce ceased their evolutions; and there was a brief disconcert of the whole gay company; and, while the chimes of the clock yet rang, it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused revery or meditation. But when the echoes had fully ceased, a light laughter at once pervaded the assembly; the musicians looked at each other and smiled as if at their own nervousness and folly, and made whispering vows, each to the other, that the next chiming of the clock should produce in them no similar emotion; and then, after the lapse of sixty minutes (which embrace three thousand and six hundred seconds of the Time that flies), there came yet another chiming of the clock, and then were the same disconcert and tremulousness and meditation as before.

Which words best describes the tone of this passage?

• negative and sarcastic

• lighthearted and sunny

• humorous and merry

• mysterious and forbidding

• angry and bitter