510 McGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Answer Key 4:
Attacking “Improving Paragraphs” Questions
- A Sentence 3 indicates that John could have added to the family fortune. Sentence 4 indicates that he did
not, but rather used the money for philanthropic purposes. This contrast of ideas should be accompa-
nied by a contrasting transition, as provided by the word however. - C Because sentence 4 introduces John’s “discovery of philanthropy,” and because sentence 5 explains why
it “could hardly have come at a better time,” the sentence belongs most logically between sentence 4
and sentence 5. - B The original sentence is unclear because the word thisdoes not have a clear antecedent; that is, it is
unclear what thisrefers to. A reader could probably figure out that it refers to the problem with the
Rockefeller reputation, discussed in the previous sentence, but sentence 5 does not actually contain
the words the problem with the Rockefeller reputation,so the reference is unclear. Choice (B) is the only
sentence that clarifies that reference.