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A quick taste of the SAT Reading & Writing bank — every question below is a real, quality-reviewed item. Answer them, then see how you did.
- While the Compromise of 1850 temporarily quelled sectional tensions by admitting California as a free state and enacting a stricter Fugitive Slave Act, it fundamentally failed to resolve the underlying moral and political conflict over slavery’s expansion. Instead, it polarized national politics by empowering Northern abolitionists, who viewed the Fugitive Slave Act as a moral outrage, while satisfying Southern slaveholders’ demand for federal protection of their 'property.' Consequently, rather than serving as a permanent peace treaty, the Compromise acted as a fragile truce that merely delayed the inevitable clash, demonstrating that legislative compromises could not bridge the growing ideological chasm between the North and South.
Choose the option that best captures the text's central point.
- According to recent studies, regular physical activity not only improves cardiovascular health but also ____ mental well-being by reducing stress and anxiety levels.
Choose the option that follows the conventions of standard written English.
- Recent studies indicate that solar power is becoming increasingly viable as a primary energy source. Unlike fossil fuels, which release significant amounts of carbon dioxide, solar panels generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases. This clean energy alternative is ____ for reducing global warming.
Choose the option that follows the conventions of standard written English.
- Urban planners have long debated the efficacy of 'green corridors'—linear parks connecting urban centers—in reducing heat islands. Recent data from Metro City shows a 2°C average temperature drop within 500 meters of these corridors during peak summer hours. However, air quality sensors installed along the same routes recorded negligible changes in particulate matter levels compared to nearby streets without greenery. While the cooling effect is significant, the data suggests that green corridors primarily mitigate thermal stress rather than improve respiratory health conditions associated with pollution.
Choose the option that best captures the text's central point.
- Neuroscientists have long debated whether the brain's structure is fixed at birth or if it changes in response to experience. Recent studies suggest that the brain is highly ____, constantly forming new neural connections throughout life in a process known as neuroplasticity.
Choose the word or phrase that fits the blank most logically and precisely.
- In urban economics, the 'agglomeration effect' describes how economic benefits arise when firms and people cluster in cities. Proximity reduces transportation costs and facilitates the rapid exchange of ideas, fostering innovation. However, this clustering also generates 'congestion costs,' such as traffic delays and higher housing prices. Recent studies suggest that while agglomeration drives productivity growth, the net benefit to workers diminishes in cities where congestion costs outpace the efficiency gains from proximity. Therefore, optimal city size is not infinite but represents a balance between these opposing forces.
Choose the option that best captures the text's central idea.
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GRE · Analyze an Issue Governments should invest more heavily in public transportation than in new highways.
Whether to prioritize public transportation over new highways is ultimately a question of what kind of future a city wants to build. While highways promise immediate relief from congestion, governments should indeed invest more heavily in public transportation, because it addresses the root causes of urban gridlock rather than temporarily masking them.
The strongest case for transit is that highways tend to create the very demand they aim to satisfy. Planners call this 'induced demand': when a city widens a road, the extra capacity draws more drivers until traffic returns to its former crawl. Los Angeles, despite decades of highway expansion, remains among the most congested cities in the world. A dollar spent on a new lane often buys only a few years of relief, whereas a dollar spent on reliable rail removes cars from the road permanently.
Transit also distributes opportunity more fairly. A household that cannot afford a car is effectively cut off from jobs in a highway-dependent city, and efficient transit reconnects those residents to the economy while lowering emissions per passenger.
None of this means highways are worthless. In sparsely populated regions, and for freight, roads remain essential. The claim is not that highways should be abandoned, but that, at the margin, the next public dollar does more good on rails than under asphalt.
Sample response · scroll to read
AWA score
- Position5/6
Takes a clear, appropriately qualified stance and holds it throughout.
- Development4/6
A strong central idea (induced demand) with a concrete example; the equity and environmental points are asserted more than developed.
- Organization5/6
A logical arc from claim to reasons to concession; transitions guide the reader well.
- Language4/6
Fluent and largely precise, though a few sentences run long and could be tightened.
- Conventions5/6
Solid command of grammar and mechanics, with only minor slips.
Strengths
- Clear, nuanced thesis that avoids overclaiming
- The 'induced demand' argument is well-chosen and genuinely persuasive
- Concedes the strongest counterpoint (rural roads, freight) rather than ignoring it
To improve
- Develop the equity/environment paragraph with a specific example or figure
- Trim wordy sentences to sharpen the prose
- Address a likely objection to transit (cost, ridership risk) head-on
A focused, well-structured response with a persuasive core argument and a fair concession. Deepening the supporting evidence and tightening the language would lift it toward the top of the scale.
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lasting for a very short time; temporary
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