SAT Practice 1: Mapping What the SAT Critical Reading Is All About 170 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT demonstrated that pions carry the nuclear force only over distances greater than half a fermi—the radius of a proton—yet the 50 distance between bound protons is far less than that. The pion seemed to be a giant plumber’s wrench trying to do a tweezer’s job. In the years since, physicists have refined Yukawa’s theory to suggest that closely 55 bound protons or neutrons are held by a “residual” force left over from the strong forces binding quarks together into protons and neutrons, so that pions don’t need to be exchanged. If the protons and neutrons are 60 far enough apart within the nucleus, however, perhaps pions do the job. 1. Which of the following best summarizes the “paradox” mentioned in line 1? (A) Teachers don’t utilize educational materials effectively. (B) A law of physics appears to be violated. (C) Scientists continue to test hypotheses that they suspect are false. (D) Hideki Yukawa’s theory is incorrect. (E) Scientists are increasingly reluctant to ex- plore the difficult field of nuclear physics. 2. In lines 3–4, the author uses the term “vast knowl- edge” in order to (A) emphasize the daunting task faced by sci- ence teachers (B) empathize with overburdened students (C) draw a contrast to an area of relative ignorance (D) praise the productivity of physicists relative to other scientists (E) acknowledge the difficulty of writing physics textbooks The following is an essay regarding current knowledge of subatomic physics. A tantalizing paradox peers out from every basic physics textbook, but rarely do students Line notice it or teachers exploit it. Despite the vast knowledge that scientists have accumulated 5 about the subatomic realm, including aston- ishingly accurate equations for predicting the behavior of barely detectable particles, an ob- vious conundrum persists that they are only recently beginning to understand: protons 10 stick together in atomic nuclei. All first-year physics students learn that the atomic nucleus contains neutrons, which have no charge, and protons, which are positively charged. They also learn that while opposite 15 charges attract, all like charges repel each other, just like the north poles of two magnets. So what keeps all of those positively charged protons bound together in a nucleus? Physi- cists have long postulated that there must be 20 another special force, called the nuclear force, that counteracts the electrical repulsion be- tween protons. But where does it come from? One theory, proposed by Nobel laureate Hideki Yukawa in the 1930s, held that the nu- 25 clear force is conveyed by a particle called a pion, which, he claimed, is exchanged among the neutrons and protons in the nucleus. Forty years later, physicists discovered that pions, not to mention the protons and neu- 30 trons themselves, are actually composed of yet smaller particles called “quarks,” which are held together by aptly named “gluons.” The force conveyed by gluons is called the “strong” force. Although experiments had clearly 35 demonstrated that these gluons are responsi- ble for the force that binds quarks within pro- tons and neutrons, nothing suggested that gluons are exchanged between protons and neutrons. Nevertheless, by the early 1980s, 40 most physicists became convinced that some combination of gluons and quarks, perhaps the pion, must be responsible for the nuclear force. Professor Yukawa’s theory, however, was dealt a blow by a series of experiments that 45 were conducted at Los Alamos National Labo- ratory in the early 1990s. These experiments © 2004 Christopher Black. All rights reserved. Reprinted by per- mission of the author. CHAPTER 4 / CRITICAL READING SKILLS 171 6. Which of the following best describes the organi- zation of this passage as a whole? (A) presentation of a theory followed by refutation (B) description of a problem followed by a history of attempts to solve it (C) statement of fact followed by logical analysis (D) description of a scientific discovery followed by a discussion of its implications (E) analysis of a theory and suggestions on how it should be taught 3. In lines 35–36, the phrase “responsible for” most nearly means (A) guardians of (B) indebted to (C) representative of (D) capable of conveying (E) responsive to 4. According to the passage, the nuclear force can- not be completely explained in terms of the exchange of pions because pions (A) are not composed of quarks (B) have little or no effect on the distances between nuclear particles (C) repel each other (D) cannot coexist with the gluons that convey the “strong” force (E) are positively charged 5. Which of the following best describes the pur- pose of the fifth paragraph (lines 53–61)? (A) It resolves a problem indicated in the previ- ous paragraph. (B) It provides an example of a concept intro- duced in the previous paragraph. (C) It presents a counterexample to a miscon- ception described in the previous paragraph. (D) It provides an example similar to the one presented in the previous paragraph. (E) It logically analyzes a claim made in the previous paragraph. Perfecting your Critical Reading skills takes lots of practice. Check out our Online Practice Plus at www.MHPracticePlus.com/ SATverbal for more tools and resources you can use to get ready for the SAT. Answer Key 1: Mapping What the SAT Critical Reading Is All About 172 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT evidence in the passage—because if they weren’t, there would be no consistent way to score the test. People would be arguing incessantly about the an- swers to the questions. 6. English teachers ask lots of interesting questions that could never be asked on the SAT because they are too subjective, such as “What personal experi- ences does this story remind you of?” or “What kind of job would Hamlet have if he were alive today?” or “What could water represent in this story?” Contrary to what some claim, SAT Critical Reading questions are certainly not “worse” than English teachers’ questions just because they are less creative. Indeed, you can’t begin to interpret a passage subjectively until you first interpret it objectively. You have to understand what the pas- sage says before you can get creative. Concept Review 1 1. What is the purpose of this passage? What is the central idea of this passage? What is the general structure of this passage? 2. It’s better to read the passage first, before reading the questions, because you get the most points on the questions only when you get the “big picture” of the passage. The “read the questions first” strat- egy only distracts you from getting the big picture. 3. Active reading means reading with the three key questions in mind. “Passive” reading (which is reading without questions in mind and merely “hoping” to absorb information) is utterly ineffec- tive on the SAT. Top scorers must read actively. 4. “Objective” means based on clear evidence and facts, not on your opinion or conjecture. 5. SAT Critical Reading questions must be objective—that is, based only on the clear, literal SAT Practice 1 1. B The paradox is that “protons stick together” (lines 9–10) even though a law of physics suggests that they should repel each other. 2. C The passage states that “Despite the vast knowledge that scientists have accumulated” (lines 3–4), “an obvious conundrum persists” (lines 7–8). Therefore, the phrase “vast knowl- edge” is being used to contrast the “conundrum,” which is a vexing problem yet to be solved. 3. D The passage states that gluons “are responsi- ble for the force that binds quarks within protons and neutrons” (lines 35–37). In other words, they convey the force that binds the particles. 4. B The passage states that “pions carry the nu- clear force only over distances greater than half a fermi—the radius of a proton—yet the distance between bound protons is far less than that” (lines 47–51). This indicates that pions do not bind pro- tons because they are ineffective in the small dis- tances between bound nuclear particles. 5. A The fifth paragraph describes how “physicists have refined Yukawa’s theory” (lines 53–54) in order to resolve the problem described in the fourth paragraph, namely, the fact that pions are not effective in the distances within nuclei. 6. B This is essentially the third key question: What is the overall structure of the passage? The passage begins by describing a “conundrum” (line 8), then describing attempts to resolve it. The passage ends, however, without a definitive solution: Scientists still don’t know precisely what holds an atomic nucleus together. Thus the pas- sage is a description of a problem followed by a history of attempts to solve it. CHAPTER 4 / CRITICAL READING SKILLS 173 Lesson 2: Analyzing the Purpose and Central Idea Finding the Purpose About 20–30% of SAT CR questions are “pur- pose” questions, such as “The overall purpose of this passage is to . . .” or “The author refers to the ‘mountaintop’ in line 6 in order to em- phasize. . . .” These questions ask why the au- thor wrote the passage or used a particular word, phrase, or reference. You will always be prepared for these questions if you focus on overall purpose as you read. SAT CR passages are drawn from a wide range of disciplines, but every passage has only one of three possible purposes: • To examine a concept objectively. A passage that examines a concept is an analysis. It is strictly informative, like a newspaper article or a textbook passage. Think of it as a response to an essay ques- tion. It is objective—sticking to facts rather than opinions. • To prove a point. A passage that proves a point is an argument. It presents the author’s point of view on a topic and explains why it is better than another point of view. It is subjective—a matter of opinion rather than fact. • To tell a story. A passage that tells a story is a narrative—a piece of fiction, a biography, or a memoir. It describes how a character changes in order to deal with a conflict or problem. To understand a passage, begin by asking, “Is this passage an analysis, an argument, or a narrative? Is its main purpose to inform to per- suade, or to inform?” Knowing this makes an- swering many SAT questions easier. Often, the introduction to the passage gives you clues about the purpose. Look for key words such as these: • Analysis key words: examine, analyze, scien- tific, historical, explore • Argument key words: comment, argue, opinion, perspective, point of view, position • Narrative key words: biography, story, auto- biography, memoir, novel, fiction, account Finding the Central Idea Often, the first question after an SAT passage is a “central idea” question such as “With which of the following statements would the author most likely agree?” or “This passage is primarily concerned with. . . .” Knowing the central idea is critical to answering these ques- tions. When you are given two “paired” pas- sages, it is particularly important to know how their central ideas compare and contrast. Although SAT passages contain lots of ideas, each has only one central idea. Find it. Every different type of prose has a different type of central idea. • Every analysis focuses on a question that might interest a college professor. It might answer a question such as “What methods do scientists use to measure the location and intensity of earth- quakes?” or “What were the social conditions of women in 19th-century England?” • Every argument focuses on a thesis—the point the writer is trying to make. An argument takes a side and makes an evaluation. It argues against something substantial and doesn’t merely support a claim that everyone already agrees with. Too many students for- get this. When reading an argument, ask “What sub- stantial idea is this author arguing against?” • Every narrative focuses on a conflict—the prob- lem that the main character must deal with. There is no story without conflict—conflict drives the story. Basically, every story consists of (1) the intro- duction of the conflict, (2) the development of the conflict, and (3) the resolution of the conflict. Understanding a story begins with understanding this structure. Once you discover the purpose of the passage, find its central idea—the question, the thesis, or the conflict. Underline it in the passage or jot it down in the margin. To make sure that you really have the central idea, check that it is supported by every paragraph. Often, students mistakenly think that the first idea in the pas- sage must be the central idea. Not necessarily. For instance, an author may describe an oppos- ing viewpoint before presenting his or her own, so his or her central idea doesn’t appear until the second or third paragraph. Concept Review 2: Analyzing the Purpose and Central Idea 174 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT 1. Name the three kinds of prose, and describe the purpose of each. 2. For each type of prose, name four “key words” in the introduction that indicate that particular type of prose: a. Narrative b. Argument c. Analysis 3. What is the function of the “central idea” of a piece of prose? 4. The central idea of a narrative is the 5. The central idea of an argument is the 6. The central idea of an analysis is the 7. How do you know whether you’ve found the central idea of a passage? 8. After reading the passage on the next page, write what type of prose it is and its central idea. CHAPTER 4 / CRITICAL READING SKILLS 175 SAT Practice 2: Analyzing the Purpose and the Central Idea feeble light is but a presentiment, and 45 the soul, when it sees it, trembles in doubt whether the light is not a dream, and the gulf of darkness reality. This doubt and the still- harsh tyranny of the materialistic philosophy divide our soul sharply from that of the Primi- 50 tives. Our soul rings cracked when we seem to play upon it, as does a costly vase, long buried in the earth, which is found to have a flaw when it is dug up once more. For this reason, the Primitive phase, through which we are 55 now passing, with its temporary similarity of form, can only be of short duration. 1. Which of the following is the best title for this passage? (A) The Art of the Early 20th Century (B) The Dangers of Materialism (C) Obstacles to the Revival of Primitive Art (D) The Similarities in Artistic Movements (E) The Lack of Purpose in Art 2. In context, the word “aspect” (line 16) most nearly means (A) meaningful perspective (B) facial expression (C) configuration (D) contemplation (E) minor part 3. Which of the following is an example of the “fundamental truth” mentioned in lines 19–20? (A) the inability of great artists like Vincent Van Gogh to achieve fame in their lifetimes (B) the tendency of artists from all cultures to eschew social conventions (C) the failure to reproduce artwork that was created in the fourth century BC. (D) the ability of apes to create paintings that resemble abstract works by humans (E) the similarity between two paintings created a century apart, each in the midst of a great class war The following passage was written in 1911 by Wassily Kandinsky, a renowned abstract painter. Here he discusses the relationship between Prim- itivism, an artistic movement that seeks to move away from technology and the divisions of mod- ern society, and Materialism, which denies that there is a spiritual component of reality. Every work of art is the child of its age and, in many cases, the mother of our emotions. It Line follows that each period of culture produces an art of its own which can never be repeated. 5 Efforts to revive the art-principles of the past will at best produce an art that is still-born. It is impossible for us to live and feel as did the ancient Greeks. In the same way those who strive to follow the Greek methods in sculp- 10 ture achieve only a similarity of form, the work remaining soulless for all time. Such imitation is mere aping. Externally the mon- key completely resembles the human being; he will sit holding a book in front of his nose, 15 and turn over the pages with a thoughtful aspect, but his actions have for him no real meaning. There is, however, in art another kind of external similarity which is founded on a fun- 20 damental truth. When there is a similarity of inner tendency in the whole moral and spiri- tual atmosphere, a similarity of ideals, at first closely pursued but later lost to sight, a simi- larity in the inner feeling of any one period to 25 that of another, the logical result will be a revival of the external forms which served to express those inner feelings in an earlier age. An example of this today is our sympathy, our spiritual relationship, with the Primitives. 30 Like ourselves, these artists sought to express in their work only internal truths, renouncing in consequence all considerations of external form. This all-important spark of inner life today 35 is at present only a spark. Our minds, which are even now only just awakening after years of materialism, are infected with the despair of unbelief, of lack of purpose and ideal. The nightmare of materialism, which has turned 40 the life of the universe into an evil, useless game, is not yet past; it holds the awakening soul still in its grip. Only a feeble light glimmers like a tiny star in a vast gulf of darkness. This Wassily Kandinsky, Concerning the Spiritual in Art. © 1997 Dover Publications. Reprinted by permission of Dover Publications. 176 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT 6. According to the metaphor in the final paragraph, the “costly vase” (line 51) represents (A) a materialistic aspiration (B) a meticulously crafted piece of modern art (C) an irretrievable frame of mind (D) a cynical attempt at forgery (E) a lack of purpose 4. In saying that the soul “trembles in doubt” (line 45) when it sees the “feeble light” (line 44), the author suggests that (A) artists have doubts about whether the era of materialism is truly past (B) the public is unsure that its hunger for art will be met (C) artists do not know from where their next inspiration will come (D) the Primitives found mysterious lights more frightening than modern people do (E) artists usually do not work well under the harsh light of scrutiny 5. How would the author characterize the effect of materialism on the artist’s soul? (A) supportive (B) confusing (C) calming (D) oppressive (E) inspirational CHAPTER 4 / CRITICAL READING SKILLS 177 Answer Key 2: Analyzing the Purpose and Central Idea 6. the question being analyzed 7. The central idea must “carry through” the entire passage, so to check that you’ve found the central idea, make sure that every paragraph contributes to that central idea. If not, then reread the para- graph until it “fits” with the central idea, or recon- sider what the central idea is. 8. This passage is an argument; the author is pre- senting a subjective theory about art and artistic movements. Its central idea, or thesis, is summa- rized in lines 3–4: each period of culture produces an art of its own which can never be repeated. Concept Review 2 1. Narrative: to tell a story; argument: to persuade; analysis: to inform. 2. a. Narrative: biography, story, autobiography, memoir, novel, fiction, account b. Argument: comment, argue, opinion, perspec- tive, point of view, position c. Analysis: examine, analyze, scientific, historical, explore 3. The central idea is the idea that focuses, organizes, and unifies the passage. Every paragraph must contribute to the central idea. 4. the conflict 5. the thesis SAT Practice 2 1. C The title should capture the central idea of the passage, which is the thesis that it is difficult to rekindle primitive art because all art is “a child of its age” (line 1) and because modern material- ism is interfering with primitive impulses. The best title, then, is (C) Obstacles to the Revival of Primitive Art. 2. B The passage says that a monkey can look at a book with a “thoughtful aspect” but really have no understanding of the book. Since the monkey does not understand the book, choices (A) and (D) are illogical. The sentence is saying that the mon- key only looks thoughtful, so choice (B) is the only sensible one. 3. E The “fundamental truth” described in the sec- ond paragraph is that a “revival of external forms” (line 26), that is, art forms that resemble those of the past, can occur only when there is “a similar- ity of inner tendency in the whole moral and spiritual atmosphere” (lines 20–22). The only example given that suggests that fact is (E). 4. A In these lines, the author is using a metaphor to describe how “our minds” and “the soul,” by which he means the artistic, spiritual mind, are affected by the materialism of the age. Artistic inspiration is described as a “spark,” and materi- alism as a “nightmare” and a “vast gulf of dark- ness.” The soul “trembles” because it doubts that the light is “not a dream,” meaning that the light might be a dream and the darkness reality. There- fore the author suggests that materialism might still hold the artistic soul in its grip. 5. D The metaphor in the final paragraph makes it clear that materialism “holds the awakening soul in its grip” (lines 41–42). This is not a nurturing grip, because the soul “trembles” (line 45) before the “nightmare of materialism” (line 39). Therefore, according to the author, materialism oppresses the artistic soul. 6. C The “costly vase” is described as something that has been “long buried in the earth, which is found to have a flaw when it is dug up once more” (lines 51–53). This vase is compared to “our soul” (line 50), which is described as having a “sympa- thy” (line 28) and “spiritual relationship” (line 29) with the primitives. Therefore, the costly vase clearly represents the irretrievable idea of primitivism. 178 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT The Structure of an Argument There are many ways to prove a point. For instance, if you want to persuade your readers to support gun control, you might tell a tragic story of a gun-related death, cite government statistics about gun violence, refer to a study about the behavior of people when they have guns versus when they don’t, or discuss the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of past gun policies and education programs. Each of these is a different rhetorical device for persuading the reader. Noticing the choices a writer makes when constructing an argument makes you not only a better reader but also a better writer. When reading an argument, pay attention to the rhetorical devices the author uses with a critical eye. Are they convincing to you? Are the examples strong? Is the reasoning sound? Asking these questions helps you to read more actively. Furthermore, reading critically pre- pares you to answer higher-order questions such as “Which of the following, if true, would suggest a basic flaw in the author’s reasoning?” or “Which of the following elements is NOT used in this passage?” The Structure of a Narrative As we discussed in the last lesson, every narrative has the same basic skeleton: The conflict is introduced, then developed, and then resolved. This is helpful to remember because paragraphs don’t work the same way in narratives as they do in other kinds of prose. For instance, in an essay, a new paragraph signals the start of a new idea, but in a narrative, it also may signal a new line of dialogue or a new scene. To understand the structure of a narrative, continually ask “How does this dialogue or description introduce, explain, develop, or resolve the conflict?” For instance, a descrip- tion of a fight between friends establishes a conflict. A paragraph about a character’s inner thoughts about the fight develops the conflict. And a dialogue in which the friends make up resolves the conflict. Look for such key points in every narrative you read. Lesson 3: Finding Patterns in the Structure of the Passage Finding the Structure of the Passage Many SAT CR questions are structure ques- tions such as “Which of the following best de- scribes the overall structure of this passage?” or “What is the relationship between the third paragraph and the fourth paragraph?” They ask you to focus on the relationships between paragraphs and how they work together to convey the central idea. After you’ve found the purpose and central idea of the passage, ask “What does each paragraph or section do to support the central idea?” A good piece of prose is like a good painting: It has an effective structure—the parts work together to create an overall effect. The basic unit of structure in a passage is the paragraph. To give another analogy, a paragraph is like a stepping-stone on a journey. Good writers make sure that each paragraph takes the reader further on the journey. No paragraph should deviate from the goal of developing the cen- tral idea. The Structure of an Analysis Most analytical essays have three basic parts: the intro- duction, the development, and the conclusion. The first paragraph of an analytical essay usually introduces the topic. A good introduction shows why the topic is worth exploring and draws the reader in by revealing interest- ing facts. It might describe an interesting phenomenon, a theory, or concept. If it describes a phenomenon, then the next paragraphs might give examples of it, present a theory to explain it, or describe its discovery. The pas- sage also may describe a problem or debate related to that phenomenon. There are many ways to structure an analysis, so pay attention. As you read, focus on the role each paragraph is playing and what devices the author uses to support the central idea. SAT questions often ask about devices, as in “The author’s reference to the ‘maze’ (line 32) serves the same illustrative purpose as which of the following?” CHAPTER 4 / CRITICAL READING SKILLS 179 Concept Review 3: Finding Patterns in the Structure of the Passage 1. What is the “structure” of a passage? 2. What is the basic unit of structure in a passage? 3. What are the three basic parts of most analyses? 4. What are the three basic parts of most narratives? 5. Name four kinds of rhetorical devices that an argument might use. . www.MHPracticePlus.com/ SATverbal for more tools and resources you can use to get ready for the SAT. Answer Key 1: Mapping What the SAT Critical Reading Is All About 172 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT evidence in. SAT Practice 1: Mapping What the SAT Critical Reading Is All About 170 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT demonstrated that pions carry the nuclear force only. to answering these ques- tions. When you are given two “paired” pas- sages, it is particularly important to know how their central ideas compare and contrast. Although SAT passages contain lots