SAT Effective Language Use: Syntax

Lars Kristofferson is the CEO of Kristoff Markets. He recently announced his plan to open a small chain of affordable health food stores.

Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences?

• Lars Kristofferson is the CEO of Kristoff Markets; Kristofferson recently announced his plan to open a small chain of affordable health food stores.

• As the CEO of Kristoff Markets, Lars Kristofferson made a recent proclamation: he recently announced his plan to open a small chain of affordable health food stores.

• In a recent announcement, Lars Kristofferson, the CEO of Kristoff Markets, recently announced his plan to open a small chain of affordable health food stores.

• Lars Kristofferson, CEO of Kristoff Markets, recently announced his plan to open a small chain of affordable health food stores.

Archaeologists have discovered that some Vikings deliberately carved grooves into their teeth. The reasons behind this dental decision remain unclear.

Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences?

• Archaeologists have discovered that some Vikings deliberately carved grooves into their teeth; the reasoning behind the decision to make this adjustment to their teeth is unclear.

• Archaeologists have discovered that some Vikings deliberately carved grooves into their teeth; consequently, the reasons behind this dental decision remain unclear.

• Archaeologists have discovered that some Vikings deliberately carved grooves into their teeth, but the reasons behind this dental decision remain unclear.

• Archaeologists have discovered that some Vikings deliberately carved grooves into their teeth; however, the reasons behind this dental decision remain unclear to archaeologists.

Urban environments and metropolitan areas are making gradual advances on natural wildlife habitats. These gradual advances have negative consequences: some animals are perishing from habitat loss.

Which choice most effectively combines the sentences?

• Urban environments and metropolitan areas are making gradual advances on natural wildlife habitats, and these gradual advances have negative consequences, because some animals are perishing from habitat loss.

• Urban environments and metropolitan areas are making gradual advances on natural wildlife habitats, resulting in negative consequences: some animals are perishing from habitat loss.

• Urban environments and metropolitan areas are making gradual advances on natural wildlife habitats; these advances have negative consequences: some animals are perishing from habitat loss.

• Urban environments and metropolitan areas are making gradual advances on natural wildlife habitats, and with negative consequences, because some animals are perishing from habitat loss.

Fans were very excited to see the final installment of the Royal Battleground trilogy. Hundreds of eager viewers lined up outside the movie theater days in advance.

Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences at the underlined portion?

• Fans were very excited to see the final installment of the Royal Battleground trilogy; in fact, these fans were so excited that they lined up outside the movie theater days in advance.

• In order to ensure their viewing ability for the final installment of the Royal Battleground trilogy, hundreds of eager viewers lined up outside the movie theater days in advance.

• Fans were so excited to see the final installment of the Royal Battleground trilogy that hundreds of eager viewers lined up outside the movie theater days in advance.

• Fans of the Royal Battleground trilogy, excited to see the final installment of it, numbered in the hundreds and lined up outside the movie theater days in advance.

In 1962, Michael Murphy and Dick Price founded the Esalen Institute. The Big Sur, California location was one of the first homes of the Western New Age movement.

Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences at the underlined portion?

• In 1962, Michael Murphy and Dick Price founded the Esalen Institute; the location, in Big Sur, California, was one of the first homes of the Western New Age movement.

• In 1962, Michael Murphy and Dick Price founded the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, one of the first homes of the Western New Age movement.

• In 1962, Michael Murphy and Dick Price founded the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California; and the location was one of the first homes of the Western New Age movement.

• In 1962, Michael Murphy and Dick Price founded the Esalen Institute located in Big Sur, California, it became one of the first homes of the Western New Age movement.

Capitalism is a controversial economic system. The argument that capitalism rewards innovation and hard work has been made by some people,_ while others believe it encourages greed.

Which choice most effectively combines the sentences?

• Capitalism is a controversial economic system, because some people are arguing that capitalism rewarding innovation, also rewards hard work, while others believe it encourages greed.

• Capitalism is a controversial economic system: some argue that it rewards innovation and hard work, while others believe it encourages greed.

• Capitalism is a controversial economic system: the argument that it rewards innovation and hard work has been made by some people, while others believe it encourages greed.

• Capitalism is a controversial economic system, because rewarding hard work and innovation is an advantage some people argue for, while others believe it encourages greed.

Rachelle and Lydia did not know what to expect on their first catamaran trip to the Channel Islands. Therefore, they were surprised and thrilled to see dolphins leaping out of the water.

Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences?

• The catamaran trip to the Channel Islands was Rachelle and Lydia's first trip, and they did not know what to expect, so they were surprised and thrilled to see dolphins leaping out of the water.

• The Channel Islands trip was the first catamaran trip Rachelle and Lydia would be taking, so they did not know what to expect, and they were surprised and thrilled to see dolphins leaping out of the water.

• Rachelle and Lydia did not know what to expect on their first catamaran trip to the Channel Islands, so they were surprised and thrilled to see dolphins leaping out of the water.

• Rachelle and Lydia, on their first catamaran trip to the Channel Islands, did not know what to expect, they were surprised and thrilled to see dolphins leaping out of the water.

Yesterday, I drove to work past the lemon tree. It was, as is usual, covered with fruit.

Which choice most effectively combines the sentences?

• Yesterday, I drove to work past the lemon tree; as usual, it was covered with fruit.

• Yesterday, I drove to work past the lemon tree; it was, as usually, covered with fruit.

• Yesterday, I drove to work past the lemon tree, which was, as usual, being covered with fruit.

• Yesterday, I drove to work past the lemon tree, and, as usual, it is covered with fruit.

The Oarfish, a serpentine deep-sea fish, has long been featured in Japanese folklore as a predictor of earthquakes. Their predictive power comes from living close to the ocean floor. With that proximity to the sea bottom, Oarfish can pick up the sensitive vibrations of tectonic plate movement.

Which choice most effectively combines the sentences at the underlined portion?

• Their predictive power comes from living close to the ocean floor, where they can pick up the sensitive vibrations of tectonic plate movement.

• Their predictive power comes from living close to the ocean floor; that proximity to the sea bottom can pick up the sensitive vibrations of tectonic plate movement.

• Their predictive power comes from living close to the ocean floor; oarfish, a close proximity to the sea bottom, can pick up the sensitive vibrations of tectonic plate movement.

• Their predictive power comes from living close to the ocean floor, where, because they have such a close proximity to the sea bottom, can pick up the sensitive vibrations of tectonic plate movement.

The Bridge Foundation awarded the Early Childhood Center a grant. The one condition of the grant was that the Center would be required to report back quarterly with parent and teacher surveys.

Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences at the underlined portion?

• The Bridge Foundation awarded the Early Childhood Center a grant, and the one condition of the grant was that the Center would be required to report back quarterly with parent and teacher surveys.

• The Bridge Foundation awarded the Early Childhood Center a grant, but there was a condition that the Bridge Foundation instated: that the Center would be required to report back quarterly with parent and teacher surveys.

• The condition of the grant that the Bridge Foundation awarded the Early Childhood Center was that the Center would be required to report back quarterly with parent and teacher surveys.

• The Bridge Foundation awarded the Early Childhood Center a grant on the condition that the Center would be required to report back quarterly with parent and teacher surveys.