636 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
13.D The chaosis mentioned as the result of fail-
ing to impose standards for spelling particular
words and instead spelling a word in many different
ways according to how it is pronounced in different
dialects.
- B Passage 2 says that standardized spelling ob-
scures those spoken dialects that are so often used to
stratify and separate us(lines 116–118). - A Passage 2 says that the silent letters in the
word “eight” are a treasure trove(lines 126–127) to
those who study the history of language. - A Passage 1 is clearly intended to be humorous,
while Passage 2 is very systematic in discussing the
problems with the spelling reform movement. - D Passage 1 says that Americans do not like sud-
den changes(line 29) to suggest the difficulty in en-
acting spelling reform. Similarly, Passage 2 says that
languages are not influenced very much by plan or rea-
son(lines 131–132). - D Because the final paragraph of Passage 2 dis-
cusses the problem of enacting a planto change the
conventions of language, the author of Passage 2
would likely regard such a plan as unworkable. - C The first passage discusses althoughas a word
with too many silent letters, while Passage 2 discusses
it because it contains a letter sequence that can be
pronounced in many different ways.
Section 9
- C The original sentence is a run-on sentence.
Answer choice (C) properly coordinates the two ideas.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 15: Coordinating Ideas) - B In the original sentence, a better debater should
instead be better debaters,the plural form. Answer
choice(B) corrects this error.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 5: Pronoun-Antecedent
Disagreement) - B Billy the Bobcatis a singular subject and the
verb haveis plural. It should instead be has.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 1: Subject-Verb Disagreement) - B The pronoun whenshould be used only to
refer to a time. It should be replaced by who.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 5: Pronoun-Antecedent
Disagreement) - A This sentence is correct as written.
- E The original sentence is phrased awkwardly.
As constructed it suggests that the U.S. enjoyed peace
and economic well beingmore than any timedid,
which makes no sense. Answer choice (E) corrects
this comparison error.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 4: Comparison Problems) - D The phrase because ofis awkward. Answer
choice (D) corrects the error in the most concise and
logical fashion.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 10: Idiom Errors) - D The sentence requires parallel structure. Jerry
Lewis hosted a variety showand an annual telethon.
Answer choice (D) corrects the error.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 3: Parallelism) - B You should not begin the clause after a semi-
colon with andbecause it is supposed to be an inde-
pendentclause. Answer choice (B) properly coordinates
the two ideas.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 15: Coordinating Ideas) - B As originally constructed, the sentence sug-
gests that the children themselves contain violent im-
agery, rather than the video games contain violent
imagery. Answer choice (B) corrects this error.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 15: Coordinating Ideas) - B The opening participial phrase, walking hand-
in-handimproperly modifies the vendorrather than
the couple.Answer choice (B) corrects this error.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 7: Dangling and Misplaced
Participles) - C The original sentence is awkward and wordy.
The phrasing in answer choice (C) is the most concise
and logical of the choices.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 2: Trimming Sentences) - D This question presents an illogical compari-
son. As written, the parents today spend more time
working than 30 years ago did. The sentence is trying
to say that parents today spend more time working
than parents did30 years ago. Answer choice (D) cor-
rects the error.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 4: Comparison Problems) - B The phrase if they would havein (E) is incor-
rect subjunctive form, and the comparison between
the languageand the Borneansis illogical.
(Chapter 15, Lesson 14: The Subjunctive Mood)
(Chapter 15, Lesson 4: Comparison Problems)