SAT Writing & Language: Stefan Zweig's Return

Stefan Zweig's name has been showing up a lot lately. In addition to a 1 large amount of recently republished works, Wes Anderson cites Zweig as the major influence on Anderson's recent film The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). It seems that Zweig has suddenly become 2 revelant again after nearly 75 years of obscurity. Why this sudden interest? What can he offer that our culture seems to need?

1. Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would be LEAST acceptable?

• A. bevy

• B. mass

• C. multitude

• D. volume

Stefan Zweig's name has been showing up a lot lately. In addition to a 1 large amount of recently republished works, Wes Anderson cites Zweig as the major influence on Anderson's recent film The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). It seems that Zweig has suddenly become 2 revelant again after nearly 75 years of obscurity. Why this sudden interest? What can he offer that our culture seems to need?

2.

• A. NO CHANGE

• B. relevant

• C. irrelevant

• D. irrevelant

Stefan Zweig was born in 1881. 3 His parents were part of the Jewish cultural elite in Vienna at the time. Stefan was afforded every possible luxury and privilege. By 1904, Zweig had earned a doctoral degree from the University of Vienna, and he formed the connections that would allow his entry into the 4 city's cultural elite. Zweig went on to publish a near infinitude of works of fiction, drama, journalism, and biography, and enjoyed a period of major celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. 5

3. The author would like to combine the two sentences reproduced below:

His parents were part of the Jewish cultural elite in Vienna at the time. Stefan was afforded every possible luxury and privilege.

Which of the following gives the best combination of the two sentences?

• A. His parents were part of the Jewish cultural elite in Vienna at the time; Stefan was afforded every possible luxury and privilege.

• B. Zweig was afforded every possible luxury and privilege because his parents were part of the Jewish cultural elite in Vienna at the time.

• C. Born to parents who were part of Vienna's Jewish cultural elite, Stefan was afforded every possible luxury and privilege.

• D. His parents were part of the Jewish cultural elite in Vienna at the time, and so Stefan benefited from their eliteness with luxury.

Stefan Zweig was born in 1881. 3 His parents were part of the Jewish cultural elite in Vienna at the time. Stefan was afforded every possible luxury and privilege. By 1904, Zweig had earned a doctoral degree from the University of Vienna, and he formed the connections that would allow his entry into the 4 city's cultural elite. Zweig went on to publish a near infinitude of works of fiction, drama, journalism, and biography, and enjoyed a period of major celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. 5

4.

• A. NO CHANGE

• B. cities

• C. citie's

• D. cities'

Stefan Zweig was born in 1881. 3 His parents were part of the Jewish cultural elite in Vienna at the time. Stefan was afforded every possible luxury and privilege. By 1904, Zweig had earned a doctoral degree from the University of Vienna, and he formed the connections that would allow his entry into the 4 city's cultural elite. Zweig went on to publish a near infinitude of works of fiction, drama, journalism, and biography, and enjoyed a period of major celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. 5

5. The writer is considering deleting the phrase "of fiction, drama, journalism, and biography" and placing a comma after the word works. Should the phrase be kept or deleted?

• A. Kept, because it shows that Zweig had no problem finding work after he left Vienna.

• B. Kept, because it demonstrates the range of Zweig's talents.

• C. Deleted, because it is implausible that a single writer could work well in so many forms.

• D. Deleted, because it presents information given in numerous places throughout the essay.

Still, Zweig's relationship with his homeland was always tenuous. While he did support the German side in World War I, Zweig remained a committed pacifist and participated only in the Archives of the Ministry of War. By the second war, 6 however, Zweig's pacifism was no longer looked on with such understanding. Zweig and his wife fled Nazi Germany in 1939 and spent their remaining years in the Americas. Only a few short years after their escape, Zweig and his wife took their own lives out of despair over what had become of Europe. Zweig's ancestral home, 7 which, you'll recall, was in Vienna, insisted on tearing itself apart, and Jewish men like himself were being slaughtered by the millions.

6.

• A. NO CHANGE

• B. indeed,

• C. on the one hand,

• D. although,

Still, Zweig's relationship with his homeland was always tenuous. While he did support the German side in World War I, Zweig remained a committed pacifist and participated only in the Archives of the Ministry of War. By the second war, 6 however, Zweig's pacifism was no longer looked on with such understanding. Zweig and his wife fled Nazi Germany in 1939 and spent their remaining years in the Americas. Only a few short years after their escape, Zweig and his wife took their own lives out of despair over what had become of Europe. Zweig's ancestral home, 7 which, you'll recall, was in Vienna, insisted on tearing itself apart, and Jewish men like himself were being slaughtered by the millions.

7. Which of the following choices would best emphasize the personal stake that Zweig had in the conflict in Europe?

• A. NO CHANGE

• B. not the Americas to which he had moved,

• C. in which he had such pride,

• D. the land of Goethe and Beethoven,

For many years, cultural critics saw Zweig's work as a historical curiosity. His decision to flee Europe was seen as an act of quaint pacifism, and his ultimate decision to end his own life was seen as the act of a privileged man for 8 which everyday realities were simply too much to bear. Much more popular in the post-WWII era were more traditionally "masculine" figures, who not only went to war but treated writing, painting, and filmmaking 9 like competitive sports.

8.

• A. NO CHANGE

• B. who

• C. whose

• D. whom

For many years, cultural critics saw Zweig's work as a historical curiosity. His decision to flee Europe was seen as an act of quaint pacifism, and his ultimate decision to end his own life was seen as the act of a privileged man for 8 which everyday realities were simply too much to bear. Much more popular in the post-WWII era were more traditionally "masculine" figures, who not only went to war but treated writing, painting, and filmmaking 9 like competitive sports.

9. Which of the following conclusions to this sentence would best support the idea presented at the beginning in the sentence?

• A. NO CHANGE

• B. with a pacifist bent.

• C. like proper gentlemen.

• D. as the province of veterans.

Today, however, Zweig's sensibility makes a good deal more sense. Like Zweig, many of us were alive and aware before the great catastrophes of 10 his own age, and our longing for a "simpler time" is not pure nostalgia. We know that things cannot be as they once were, but we 11 have sensed the injustice in the world being so complicated, and in the power just a few people have to take it all away from us.

10.

• A. NO CHANGE

• B. their

• C. her

• D. our