78 McGRAW-HILL’S SAT
15.B The passage mentions that human twins “have
their own unique thoughts”in order to refute the claim
that identical genes put a human into a genetic strait-
jacket(lines 77–78).
16.A The passage says that familiarity[with procre-
ational technologies] dissipates fear(line 128), imply-
ing that these technologies become more acceptable
as they become more familiar.
17.A This paragraph says that ignorant superstition
(line 136) stands in the way of technologies that can
produce ample food for a starving world and cure dev-
astating illnesses(lines 133–135). This indicates anger
at an unjust situation.
18.C In each case, the questions represent the per-
spective that the author argues against.
19.B The first passage says that cloning technolo-
gies will make the world forever different from what it
is today(lines 51–52), and the second says that these
technologies can produce ample food for a starving
world and cure devastating illnesses(lines 134–135).
Section 9
1.C The infinitive to movemore effectively con-
veys purpose than does the phrase by moving.Also,
the modifier more closelyhas the incorrect form. It
should be in adjectival form closer,because it modi-
fies the noun source.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 12: Other Modifier Problems)
2.E The original sentence illogically suggests that
cell phones standardized their own technology. The
only choice that logically coordinates the ideas is
choice (E).
(Chapter 15, Lesson 15: Coordinating Ideas)
3.E The colon is misused in the original sentence,
since it does not introduce a list of examples or an inde-
pendent explanatory clause. Choice (B) has the same
problem. Choices (C) and (D) use improper idioms. Only
choice (E) conveys the idea clearly and idiomatically.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 15: Coordinating Ideas)
4.B The original phrasing is a sentence fragment; it
contains no verb. Choices (B), (C), and (D) correct this
mistake, but (C) and (D) do not clearly convey what pro-
tected the city. Only choice (B) conveys the idea logically.
(Chapter 12, Lesson 7: Write Logically)
5.A The original sentence is correct. The phrase
preceding the comma is an appositive modifying On
Writing Well.Therefore, (B) and (C) cause this modi-
fier to be misplaced. Choice (D) is a fragment and (E)
misplaces the modifier by William Zinsser.6.E The original phrase shifts the pronoun from
youto one. Choices (B) and (C) are illogical, and (D)
is unidiomatic. Choice (E) is concise and avoids these
problems.7.A The original sentence conveys the idea clearly
and effectively. Choices (B) and (C) misuse the singu-
lar pronoun itto refer to the plural noun pigeons.
Choice (D) is awkward, and (E) produces a fragment.8.D Choice (D) is the only choice that makes the
comparison idiomatic, logical, and parallel.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 3: Parallelism)9.C In the original sentence, the participle reveal-
ingis misplaced, since it does not modify the closest
noun friends. Choice (B) repeats this error, and
choices (D) and (E) are unidiomatic. The only choice
that fixes this problem and conveys the logical se-
quence of ideas is choice (C).
(Chapter 15, Lesson 7: Dangling and Misplaced
Participles)10.B The participle inspiredis left dangling in the
original sentence. Its subject, Gerald, must follow the
comma. Since choice (E) produces a sentence frag-
ment, the best choice is (B).
(Chapter 15, Lesson 7: Dangling and Misplaced
Participles)11.B The original phrasing does not clearly convey
who decided. Also, the noun clubis singular, so the
plural pronoun theyis inappropriate. Choice (B)
concisely and clearly fixes these problems.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 5: Pronoun-Antecedent
Disagreement)12.A The original phrasing is clear, logical, and
effective.13.C Since this sentence is giving general advice
about a general practice, the gerund acknowledgingis
more effective than the infinitive to acknowledge. Fur-
ther, the gerund is parallel with the gerund subverting
with which it is compared.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 3: Parallelism)14.E The sentence is not parallel. The first two
items in the list establish the pattern: get... avoid....
So the last item should be reduce....
(Chapter 15, Lesson 3: Parallelism)