SAT Reading and Writing Practice Test: Practice Test 25

Productivity dashboards promise objective insight into how work gets done, yet their presence can alter the very practices they monitor. Teams paid by resolved tickets, for instance, may subdivide tasks to maximize counts, even if throughput on meaningful projects slows. This inversion suggests that the metric itself may be shaping behavior rather than merely measuring it. Recognizing this possibility changes how organizations should interpret trends: a spike might reflect gaming rather than genuine improvement. Consequently, researchers studying workplace analytics recommend pairing quantitative indicators with qualitative audits to detect misalignment between reported efficiencies and substantive outcomes.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text?

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

A technology columnist notes that a phone’s newest feature is impressive in controlled demonstrations but less reliable in everyday use. Background noise, poor lighting, and older hardware can all degrade performance, making the upgrade feel   for many consumers. The columnist recommends waiting until the software matures.

Many cities encourage residents to replace lawns with drought-tolerant plants, a strategy that reduces water use, provides habitat for pollinators, and adds visual variety to neighborhoods.   also lowers long-term maintenance costs for homeowners and decreases the need for chemical fertilizers, benefits that can make participation more appealing even to people hesitant to change their yards.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A five-year field experiment excluded pollinators from some plots of a flowering shrub while leaving others open. Excluded plots produced about 70% fewer seeds than open plots but compensated by spreading clonally, keeping total biomass similar across treatments. The reserve's management plan prioritizes maximizing genetic diversity, not biomass. Because clonal expansion reproduces existing genotypes rather than introducing new ones, relying on it would not meet the plan's goal. Given these results and the reserve's goal of maximizing genetic diversity, managers should  .

Which choice most logically completes the text?

During a six-month pilot program, the city converted several busy corridors into bus-only lanes, adjusted signal timing to favor transit, and tracked the results with GPS data and rider surveys, which showed shorter trips and fewer delays during rush hour; although some drivers reported longer car commutes on those roads, overall corridor throughput increased as buses carried more passengers per hour.   citing these improvements, the city council voted to make the bus lanes permanent and expand them to additional streets.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A table reports the proportion of voters (%) favoring four candidates in a poll. A campaign memo claims that Candidate D is in second place, trailing Candidate B by 4 percentage points. Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text? Candidate D trails Candidate B by  .

When I start a new interface, I reach for paper before pixels. A pen slows me down just enough to notice what a cursor excuses: the way a label crowds a button, the path a thumb actually takes. Sketches make it cheap to be wrong, so ideas multiply; only the sturdy ones earn a rectangle on a screen. If I commit too early to software, polish seduces me into defending weak choices. Rough lines invite questions about hierarchy, contrast, and flow, and they let clients join the conversation while change is still painless. Drawing first is not nostalgia; it is a practical tactic for clearer thinking and stronger design. By the time I open a layout tool, I am solving problems, not decorating them.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

We are planning a regional tour focused on small-business workshops and will travel by train to keep costs low. Our itinerary includes Richmond, Virginia   Portland, Maine; and Columbus, Ohio, where we will host evening sessions with local entrepreneurs, meet with city officials, and collect feedback to refine our curriculum.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Early critics portrayed the novelist as a recluse indifferent to contemporary politics, citing diary entries that fixate on private anxieties. Recent archival work complicates that portrait. A newly discovered letter to a labor organizer details the writer's donations to strike funds and proposes using serialized fiction to publicize unsafe factory conditions. The letter's practical tone and concrete suggestions suggest not only awareness but active engagement with reform efforts. Even the novels' ostensibly domestic plots, long read as apolitical, can be reinterpreted as allegories for workplace exploitation when placed alongside the letter. This does not render the diaries irrelevant; rather, it situates them within a broader spectrum of concerns that included, and sometimes prioritized, public advocacy.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text?

Elena Torres (2019), Design for Welcome: When our small coastal museum redesigned its galleries, we did not add flashy screens or expensive exhibits. We moved wall labels six inches lower, increased contrast on text, and placed benches where the hallways bottlenecked. Attendance did not spike, but linger time did, especially among visitors using strollers or canes. Docents reported more questions, and school groups clustered around works that once seemed invisible to them. These changes cost little but changed who felt the space was for them. Accessibility, I have learned, is not a special feature that benefits a few; it is a lens that quietly reshapes everyone's experience. If a sign is readable without strain, more people read. If resting is possible, more people stay. Design the edges, and the center becomes welcoming.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

Five city clinics implemented automated text reminders for appointments on October 15; four comparable clinics did not. For six weeks before October 15, no-show rates at all nine clinics hovered around 18%. Immediately after October 15, the five adopting clinics saw no-shows fall to 12% and remain there for six weeks, while the nonadopting clinics stayed near 18%. The clinics use the same scheduling software, serve similar patient mixes, and reported no staffing or policy changes during the period. Day-of-week patterns were accounted for by comparing like weekdays. Since the drop occurred only where reminders were introduced and not in the comparison clinics, the data indicate that  .

Which choice most logically completes the text?

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• In 1854 at New York's Crystal Palace, Elisha Otis publicly cut his elevator's hoisting rope.
• The platform stopped safely, and the crowd reportedly gasped before applauding the brake mechanism.
• Newspapers widely covered the demonstration, increasing public awareness beyond the exhibition's attendees.
• Prior safety devices existed, but buyers distrusted them and hesitated to install passenger lifts.
• After the show, orders for Otis's safety elevator surged and installations began in prominent buildings.
• The exhibit also displayed a model explaining the brake's toothed rack and spring-loaded pawls.

The student wants to emphasize the crucial demonstration that built public trust. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

At the community workshop, volunteers cataloged donations, swept sawdust into bins, and cleared workbenches to prepare for the semester's repair classes, which draw curious neighbors each weekend. Among the odds and ends on the back shelf, a set of specialized calipers   the most intriguing find, complete with attachments the group seldom sees and a manual tucked inside.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

City Hall launched a monthlong outreach campaign featuring neighborhood fairs, text-message alerts, and visits to commuter hubs. The goal is to expand the pool of volunteers for emergency preparedness trainings, which have lagged since the pandemic. Planners say the biggest obstacle is not apathy but logistics: many residents are interested yet unsure how to get started. Organizers hope the new sign-up kiosks will   people to participate by lowering the hassle of registering.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Interpreting prehistoric migration patterns often relies on artifacts found at inland settlements. Such assemblages, however, disproportionately represent long-occupied sites, biasing estimates toward stability. By contrast, coastal deposits record short-lived expansions that inland surveys often miss. Shell middens and seasonal camps preserve traces of movements tied to fisheries and trade winds. Incorporating these data changes the timeline: bursts of settlement appear punctuating longer periods of local residency. The revised chronology helps explain genetic findings that suggest episodic mixing among distant groups. Rather than a steady march across continents, migration likely unfolded in fits and starts, with environmental windows enabling rapid dispersals followed by consolidation.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text?

By pooling their orders for panels and inverters, households in the solar cooperative negotiated volume discounts, compared installer bids in an open forum, and used a shared contract template to avoid hidden fees, steps that reduced project costs for participants across several neighborhoods and gave first-time buyers confidence about what to expect from installation timelines and warranties.  , the program offered free energy audits and simple weatherization kits, which helped members lower consumption before installing any equipment.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

On Saturday mornings, the community garden hosts free workshops on composting and soil health, and a rotating group of volunteers   eager to answer questions from new gardeners. The program began as a small neighborhood effort but has grown into a citywide resource, attracting visitors who bring their families, trade seeds, and share tips about keeping herbs alive on apartment windowsills.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Air-quality sensors deployed around the harbor recorded sharp declines in particulate pollution after the shipping company switched to low-sulfur fuel. Hospital admissions for asthma exacerbations in nearby neighborhoods fell in the following months, and school absences for respiratory illness also decreased. Taken together, these findings point toward a need for coordinated regional planning. The fuel transition by a single firm yielded measurable health benefits, but more comprehensive policies could amplify the effect, especially along busy freight corridors. Coordinated schedules, shared fueling infrastructure, and port-wide standards would likely reduce emissions more than piecemeal efforts. Such alignment would also reduce compliance costs by clarifying expectations.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text?

Two adjacent counties adopted different drought strategies. County M mailed each household a monthly report comparing its water use to that of similar neighbors. County N ran billboard and radio ads urging conservation. Over eight weeks, average daily household use in M fell from 310 to 280 gallons, while in N it stayed around 305 gallons. Water prices, meter technology, and weather patterns remained stable in both counties, and the utilities spot-checked meter accuracy. The two approaches may differ in cost or scalability, but the recorded outcomes diverged. Based on these records, it must be that  .

Which choice most logically completes the text?

Cities often experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas, a phenomenon that strains energy systems and public health. An urban heat island is a region in which dense buildings and paved surfaces cause local temperatures to exceed those of nearby landscapes. Researchers attribute these temperature increases to heat-absorbing materials, reduced vegetation, and waste heat from vehicles and industry. Because heat waves are becoming more frequent, urban planners are testing reflective roofs and expanding tree canopies to cool neighborhoods. Early results from pilot programs show modest drops in afternoon temperatures, suggesting that small design changes can produce measurable benefits. Ongoing studies aim to determine which combinations of shading, surface materials, and building orientation most effectively reduce heat while remaining affordable for municipalities.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text?

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• Scientists use microfragmentation, cutting corals into small pieces that regrow when fused together.
• Small fragments have proportionally more growing edge, accelerating tissue expansion across the substrate.
• Under lab conditions, tanks control temperature and light before fragments are outplanted to reefs.
• Growth rates can be up to 25 times faster than conventional coral propagation methods.
• Diverse coral genotypes are combined to reduce disease risk across restored patches.
• Microfragmentation programs are labor-intensive and expensive compared to some other restoration approaches.

The student wants to emphasize why microfragmentation accelerates coral growth. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Facing an unpredictable supply chain and flattening device sales, the company is shifting from hardware to subscription services. Executives framed the move as an investment in long-term resilience rather than a retreat. In that light, the pivot appears less a capitulation than a   recalibration, aligning resources with stable revenue streams and customer retention metrics while preserving research teams that could drive future breakthroughs.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

In May, the vacant lot at Third and Willow was a patchwork of concrete and thistles. By August, neighbors had cleared trash, tested the soil, and built raised beds from salvaged lumber. Saturday work parties turned into potluck dinners, and a painted sign invited anyone to pick herbs for free. Local teachers used the garden to show students how composting works, and a retired botanist led bird counts at dawn. The harvest was modest, but residents say the bigger yield is conversation; people who once hurried past now linger to swap recipes. The group plans to keep a small fund for tools and soil tests, but mostly they rely on volunteers and curiosity to carry the project forward.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

Critics often praise Del Rojo's late paintings for their restraint, but restraint alone misstates what is new in those canvases. My claim is that Del Rojo's late style centers on negative space as a narrative device: it is the emptiness, not the figures, that does most of the emotional work. In earlier periods, he packed the frame with bodies and objects that choreographed the viewer's attention. In the final decade, by contrast, figures thin to contours while wide fields of unpainted ground accumulate meaning—isolating gestures, erasing backdrops, and letting the eye complete the scene. This strategy does more than simplify; it actively suggests loss and absence. To demonstrate the point, we should look for descriptions that credit the blanks—the untreated canvas, the margins, the quiet interstices—with carrying the scene's weight, rather than reviews that note only subdued color or fewer objects.

Which quotation from the museum catalog for Del Rojo's Late Paintings most effectively illustrates the claim?

Tourists often walk past without glancing at the marquee, assuming the venue is closed or long past its prime. From the street the theater looks shabby, with peeling paint and several burnt-out bulbs   however, the lobby fills quickly on show nights, and the chatter gives the place a lively character the neighborhood lacks during the day.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?