Digital PSAT Reading and Writing Practie Test 15

1

Whatever your preference, the method by which a product finds its way to you, the consumer, is logistics. Originally a term that described the flow of materiel for the military in the conflicts around the globe, it has now found its way into every element of consumerism. Major retailers have emerged that specialize in on-line shopping; others have outlet stores and websites where the buyer can choose a channel for procurement.

Which choice best states the function of the underlined phrase in the text as a whole?

2

Disinterested in a bleak future of more debt and less freedom, and wary of aligning themselves within partisanship, today's youth are doubtful of a government that promises few of the assurances it once pledged. Naturally, this trend is disquieting for a nation that depends on its voters and an interest in representation, both of which are in a state of deterioration. Yet, some may applaud the veer from partisanship-a phenomenon that has left more undone than accomplished. Still, if democracy is to survive, something must be done to align the cynical millennials with a system that desperately needs their interference.

What is the purpose of the underlined sentence in the text?

3

The intrinsic difficulty of predicting a comet's greatness makes the consistency of Halley's visibility even more remarkable. Most great comets will pass near Earth only once every several thousand years, whereas Halley's does so on a cycle of about seventy-five years-making it the only great comet with the potential to appear twice in a human lifetime. With an eccentricity of 0.967, the orbit of Halley's Comet is extremely elliptical; at one end of its major axis Halley's is roughly the same distance from the sun as Pluto, whereas at the other it passes between the orbits of Mercury and Venus. The highly elliptic character of Halley's orbit means that, apart from having one of the highest velocities of any body in our solar system, it passes near Earth both during its approach and its return from the sun.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

4

Text 1

One promising alternative fuel source is ethanol. This alternative fuel is made by fermenting crops such as wheat, corn, and sugarcane. One glucose molecule is broken down to form two ethanol molecules and two carbon dioxide molecules. Because it is made from organic matter, it is renewable-a big pro compared to oil. Another benefit is that it's domestically made, so we don't have to rely on other countries for it.

Text 2

Despite decades of apocalyptic forecasting of peak oil, petroleum output is as healthy as ever. In fact, petroleum companies are leaving the industry not because oil reserves are dwindling, but rather because oil production is so massive that demand is falling considerably.

The author of Text 1 would most likely state that the author of Text 2 needs to make what important clarification to the underlined statement in the text?

5

Text 1

There is and must remain a standard by which good writing is measured and acknowledged. Take a moment to consider the alternative, and you'll surely come to agree with me. Without a standard, anything and everything could be considered literature. More so, it would change from person to person and place to place based solely on the rudimentary preference of varied individuals.

Text 2

Many will adore language that others detest, and some will gasp appreciatively at a metaphor that makes the masses vomit. And so I say, to each their own. What is thoughtful, good, and stirring is without impartiality, contingent not only on the reader but also on the reader's mood, location, and even on what the reader has recently read. Therefore, write what you will and read what you wish, and if you like it, then declare with authority that it is indeed exceptional.

Which option best expresses the overall relationship between the texts?

6

The following text is from Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1852 novel The Blithedale Romance.

I recognized no severe culture in Zenobia; her mind was full of weeds. It startled me, sometimes, in my state of moral as well as bodily faint-heartedness, to observe the hardihood of her philosophy. She made no scruple of oversetting all human institutions and scattering them as with a breeze from her fan. A female reformer, in her attacks upon society, has an instinctive sense of where the life lies, and is inclined to aim directly at that spot. Especially the relation between the sexes is naturally among the earliest to attract her notice. Zenobia was truly a magnificent woman.

Based on the text, what aspect of society is Zenobia most eager to reform?

7

The following text is from Irina Petrov's 1917 work More than Many Sparrows.

Already that winter, [Kolya] had fed [the fire in the fireplace] half the books in his great grandfather's library. It had eaten up all the Napoleonic settees and tables that once adorned his ancestral home. He'd even offered it his mother's beloved mandolin, letting the strings on which she'd plucked his somber lullabies catch fire, snap, and turn to ash. He watched it happen, and felt nothing. Nothing, that is, but warm. It was winter, and sentimentality was not in season-nor had it been for many months. Besides, no one still living in the house knew how to play it.

What is a main idea of the text?

8

Source: npr.org

Using the information in the graph, which statement is true?

9

I used to revel at my anxiety after turning in an assignment in my first years of my creative writing degree. One moment, I was quite sure that my work was genius. And another, I was the most dim-witted simpleton to ever put pen to paper. I had absolutely no idea whether my fiction would come back with an A or an F stamped on it-no clue how the professor might decide between the two. Often, I'd pull decent grades, but moan aloud when the instructor picked out my very favorite sentence-the one that was going to mark me the next Vonnegut or Kerouac-and crossed it out in red ink. Rethink this she'd scribble underneath. It took me two years and the onset of carpal tunnel to realize that there is no real way to know what's good, and that what's good is entirely subjective.

Which of the following, if true, would present the greatest challenge to the argument of the text?

10

Encryption, as evident from the preceding information, has advanced throughout the centuries from rudimentary to labyrinthine: today's encryption systems are even more complicated than they were in 1970. And, frankly, that's with good reason; from nuclear launch codes to social security numbers to human intelligence gathered on enemy attack plans, information has never been more dangerous. To some nefarious sorts, that means it's never been more valuable, which means it's never been more vulnerable.

The text most strongly implies that