PSAT 8/9 Prep with 2 practice tests - Princeton Review 2020

Chapter 8 Words
Part III PSAT 8/9 Prep

THE WORDS CHANGE, BUT THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME

In the last chapter, we looked at what to do when the PSAT 8/9 is testing punctuation. In this chapter, we’re going to look at what to do when the PSAT 8/9 is testing the parts of speech—mainly verbs, nouns, and pronouns.

Our basic strategy, however, has remained the same. As we saw in the previous two chapters, when faced with a PSAT 8/9 Writing and Language question, you should always

Check out what’s changing in the answer choices and use POE.

As you will notice, throughout this chapter, we talk a lot about certain parts of speech, but we don’t really use a lot of grammar terms. That’s because we find that on the PSAT 8/9, the best answers across a lot of different parts of speech can be summed up more succinctly with three basic terms: consistency, precision, and concision.

You don’t need to know a ton of grammar if you can remember these three basic rules.

Consistency: Correct answers are consistent with the rest of the sentence and the passage.

Precision: Correct answers are as precise as possible.

Concision: Barring other errors, correct answers are as concise as possible.

Let’s look at some examples of each.

CONSISTENCY

Let’s see how the PSAT 8/9 might test consistency.

Dogs 1 was knowing that they are not supposed to try to escape confinement.

1. A)NO CHANGE

B)has known

C)knows

D)know

Here’s How to Crack It

First, as always, check what’s changing in the answer choices. In this case, the forms of the verb to know change. Therefore, because the verbs change, we know that the question is testing verbs.

When you see verbs changing in the answer choices, the first thing to check is the subject of the sentence. Is the verb consistent with the subject? In this case, it’s not. The subject of the sentence is dogs, which is plural. Therefore, (A), (B), and (C) can all be eliminated because they are singular verbs. Only (D), know, is a plural verb and can therefore work in this sentence.

Thus, when you see verbs changing in the answer choices, check the subject first. Even though the above answer choices provided verbs in different tenses, you didn’t have to decide which tense is needed—only one choice has a verb that is the correct number (singular or plural) to match with the subject. Subjects and verbs need to be consistent with each other.

Let’s have a look at another.

In preparation for her adventure, Stormie 2 plot about how to get past the fence and considered the potential risks involved.

2. A)NO CHANGE

B)is plotting

C)plotted

D)plots

Here’s How to Crack It

Check what’s changing in the answer choices: the verbs. Remember from the first question that whenever you see verbs changing, you want to make sure the verb is consistent with the subject. The subject of the sentence is Stormie, which is singular, so you can eliminate (A), plot, which is a plural verb (you can test this with the words it and they—you’d say “it plots” and “they plot,” so plot is plural because it goes with they).

Then, because all of the remaining verbs are consistent with the subject, make sure they are consistent with the other verbs in the sentence. The sentence states that Stormie considered the risks, so the underlined verb must be consistent with considered, which is in past tense. Eliminate (B) and (D) because they are in present tense. Only (C) is consistent, and it’s the correct answer.

As you can see, verbs are all about consistency.

When you see verbs changing in the answer choices, make sure those verbs are:

Consistent with their subjects

Consistent with other verbs in the sentence and surrounding sentences

Let’s see how Consistency can be tested with pronouns.

Stormie had a few ideas in her mind, since she couldn’t write 3 herself down, for how to do so.

3. A)NO CHANGE

B)it

C)those

D)them

Here’s How to Crack It

Check what’s changing in the answer choices. Here, pronouns are changing. Pronouns must always be consistent with the nouns they are replacing. Identify the noun that the underlined pronoun needs to refer back to. In this sentence, the pronoun should refer to the ideas, which is plural. Eliminate (A) and (B) because they aren’t plural, so those pronouns aren’t consistent.

Next consider whether those or them is more consistent. The word those is used to refer to a specific group of something. The sentence refers to a particular group of ideas, but the use of those would imply that, while she can’t write down the particular ideas mentioned in the sentence, there are other ideas she could write down. Dogs can’t write anything down, so those doesn’t work here. Eliminate (C). The correct answer is (D).

Consistency applies across the test. Let’s see another question in which the idea of Consistency might help us.

She thought there might be a way to dig underneath the fence to tunnel her way out. She had 4 thus considered whether she could climb or leap over it.

4. A)NO CHANGE

B)nevertheless

C)also

D)once more

Here’s How to Crack It

First, what’s changing in the answer choices? Transition words. Transition questions also test consistency. The transition must be consistent with the relationship between the sentence with the underlined portion and the sentence before it. Check the two sentences to determine their relationship.

The first sentence tells about one of the dog’s ideas. The second sentence reveals a second idea. Thus, the two sentences agree. Eliminate any opposite-direction transitions. Choice (B), nevertheless, is a contrasting transition, so eliminate it. Now consider the remaining options. Choice (A), thus, is used to present a conclusion that follows a set of evidence. That isn’t the relationship here, so eliminate (A). Choice (C), also, is used to add on to previous information, which is consistent with the relationship between these sentences, so keep (C). Choice (D), once more, indicates something that happened again, but there is no evidence that this idea had already occurred to her before, so eliminate (D). Only (C) is consistent with the relationship between these two sentences.

Consistency can show up in other ways as well. Let’s have a look at the next question.

To see whether digging would be a possible strategy, 5 Stormie’s paws were scratched on the ground below the gate and attempted to break through.

5. A)NO CHANGE

B)Stormie quickly scratched her paws on the ground below the gate

C)scratching on the ground below the gate

D)paws were scratched on the ground below the gate by Stormie

Here’s How to Crack It

Look at what’s changing in the answer choices. Here, it’s not as obvious as in some questions. Notice that the order of the words changes, but the answers all provide roughly the same meaning. This is often a good indication that the question is testing modifiers. A modifier is a phrase that describes a noun. Here’s an example:

Hoping to ace the test, I studied for an hour every day.

The phrase hoping to ace the test describes, or modifies, the pronoun I, so this sentence is correct. Let’s take a look at one with an error:

Hoping to ace the test, studying for an hour every day was necessary.

This sentence might sound okay, because you can probably tell what it’s supposed to mean, but it contains a grammar error called a misplaced modifier. In this sentence, hoping to ace the test describes studying, which doesn’t make sense: the verb studying can’t be hoping for something because it’s not a person. Therefore, the rule for modifiers is that modifier (describing phrase) must come as close as possible to the person or thing it’s describing.

Back to question 5. The first part of the sentence contains a modifier: To see whether digging would be a possible strategy. Ask yourself: who or what wanted to see whether digging would be possible? It’s Stormie, so you can eliminate any answer that doesn’t have Stormie right after the comma. This means that (A), (C), and (D) are all wrong: Stormie’s paws, scratching, and paws are not the ones trying to see something. The correct answer is therefore (B).

If you identify that the order of words is changing and recognize the modifier, you can often answer these questions very quickly. As you can see, only the first word of the answer mattered here.

Let’s have a look at some more of these modifiers. Rewrite each sentence below so the modifier makes the precise sense that it should.

1.Given all its logical twists and turns, many people struggle with philosophy.

2.Readers in different times tend to gravitate toward different philosophers and places.

3.Once cracked, you can find incredible guidance and solace in philosophy.

4.I first learned about Pragmatism from a professor in college at 20.

5.Boring and uninteresting, Jack didn’t care much for the work of William James.

Answers are on this page.

In addition to verbs, pronouns, transitions, and modifiers, the PSAT 8/9 will sometimes test consistency as its own topic. Here’s an example.

6 Stormie made her best efforts to dig, but she wasn’t able to break through the hard tiled floor.

6. A)NO CHANGE

B)I can’t tell you how hard Stormie tried to dig,

C)I’m serious that Stormie dug so hard,

D)Stormie dug to the max,

Here’s How to Crack It

Check what’s changing in the answer choices. Again, it isn’t quick and obvious, but you may notice that the answer choices use different levels of language. Choices (B) and (C) introduce personal pronouns: I and you, and (D) uses the slang-y phrase to the max. The question doesn’t test specific grammar rules so much as consistency in general. All PSAT 8/9 passages will be written in a somewhat formal, academic tone. They won’t use slang or casual language. Eliminate (D) because it’s not consistent with the tone of the passage. So far, this passage hasn’t used the pronoun I or me, and these personal pronouns are not likely to be used on the Writing and Language on the PSAT 8/9—most, if not all, passages will be written in the third person. Therefore, (B) and (C) are incorrect. You may also notice that the phrases I can’t tell you and so hard are also overly casual. Only (A) is consistent with the tone of the passage. As always, consistency is key!

Consistency

· When the verbs are changing in the answer choices, make sure those verbs are consistent with their subjects and with other verbs.

· When the nouns are changing in the answer choices, make sure those nouns are consistent with the other nouns in the sentence and the paragraph.

· When transition words are changing in the answer choices, choose a transition that is consistent with the relationship between that sentence and the one before.

· When the order of the words changes in the answer choices, look for modifier errors.

· When some answers have more casual language or switch to first or second person (using I or you), eliminate options that aren’t consistent with the style and tone of the rest of the passage.

PRECISION

Consistency is probably the most important thing on the Writing and Language section of the PSAT 8/9, but precision is a close second. Once you’ve made sure that the underlined portion is consistent with the rest of the sentence, make sure that the underlined portion is as precise as possible. Perfect grammar is one thing, but it won’t matter much if no one knows what the writer is talking about!

Let’s hear that one more time.

Once you are sure that a word or phrase is consistent with the non-underlined portion of the sentence, make that word or phrase as precise as you can.

Frustrated, Stormie frowned and 7 thought why her first approach hadn’t been successful.

7. A)NO CHANGE

B)admired

C)interrogated

D)wondered

Here’s How to Crack It

Check what’s changing in the answer choices. The choice of words or vocabulary changes, which is an indication that the question is testing precision. For these questions, you’ll need to choose the word with the most precise meaning in the context of the sentence. The words you’ll see in the answers may have related or similar definitions, but some may not work grammatically or may provide a meaning that is slightly different from what is needed in that particular context.

For these questions, try ignoring the underlined portion and filling in your own word. Here, you could say Stormie “considered” why her first approach hadn’t been successful. Then use Process of Elimination. While thought is similar to “considered,” the phrase “thought why” isn’t correct—it would need to be “thought about.” Eliminate (A). Choice (B), admired, means “viewed with respect,” which doesn’t match with “considered,” so eliminate it. Choice (C), interrogated, means “asked questions to,” which doesn’t work in this context—there must be a person or animate object being interrogated, which isn’t the case here. Eliminate (C). Choice (D), wondered, does match with “considered,” and it fits in the context of the sentence, so it’s the correct answer.

Most likely, you will be familiar with the words in the answer choices for these questions. As you can see, though, you’ll have to consider slight differences in their definitions as well as how they should be used in a sentence. If you come across a word you don’t know or can’t tell the difference between two words, just take your best guess and move on.

Precision can show up in some other ways as well. Have a look at this question.

She turned her attention 8 on the wooden gate, which had scared her since she was a puppy.

8. A)NO CHANGE

B)to

C)with

D)by

Here’s How to Crack It

Check what’s changing in the answer choices. Here, it’s again the individual words, but this time they’re all prepositions (directional words such as of, for, from, with, by, and in). When you see prepositions changing in the answer choices, it’s a good clue the question is testing idioms. Idioms are phrases that are just said a certain way: depend on, afraid of, arrive at, talk about, and so on. Why do we say arrive at instead of arrive to? No good reason—it’s just an idiom. For these questions, you might be able to eliminate answers where the preposition doesn’t make sense. Beyond that, however, if you don’t know the idiom you’ll just have to guess.

In this case. the idiom is “attention to,” so the correct answer is (B). If you weren’t sure about that, rest assured that you can expect to see only one or two questions like this on the test. Unfortunately, there isn’t a good way to prepare for idiom questions because any number of words can be tested. As with vocabulary questions, do the best you can with what you know and don’t waste too much time on these. Focus your study efforts on the more consistently rule-based questions, such as the ones we’ve already discussed.

CONCISION

When it comes to consistency and precision, you may find yourself sometimes choosing an answer that uses more words but makes the meaning more clear. This is fine—sometimes more words are needed. However, when the additional words don’t make the meaning more precise, it’s best to leave them out. For example, if you were to ask for directions, which answer would you rather receive?

Turn right at Main Street and walk four blocks.

Or

Since this street, Elm Street, is facing in a northerly direction, and your destination is due northeast, go east when you arrive at the intersection of Elm and Main. Going east will entail making a right turn in quite that easterly direction. After having made this turn and arrived on the perpendicular street…

The first one. Obviously.

And that’s because concision (being concise) is key when you want to communicate meaning. Really, as long as everything else is in order—as long as the grammar and punctuation are good to go—the best answer will almost always be the shortest.

Let’s see an example.

Perhaps she would have to 9 possibly confront her fear of the gate and cast it aside in order to prevail in her adventure.

9. A)NO CHANGE

B)have a confrontation with her fear of the gate and in doing so

C)confront her fear of the gate and

D)confront her fear of the gate and maybe

Here’s How to Crack It

Check what’s changing in the answer choices. In this case, the answer choices all say roughly the same thing, but some use more words than others. Typically, if you see a list of answer choices in which one answer is short and the rest mean the same thing but are longer, the question is testing concision.

Start with the shortest answer, in this case (C), and read the sentence that way: Perhaps she would have to confront her fear of the gate and cast it aside in order to prevail in her adventure. This is grammatically sound and makes sense, so now look at the other options and consider whether the additional words make the sentence more precise or not. Choice (A) adds the word possibly, but the sentence already says perhaps, so this is redundant. Eliminate (A). Choice (B) changes confront to have a confrontation with. This isn’t wrong, but it’s a wordier way of saying the same thing. Likewise, it adds the words in doing so to the end of the phrase, which just aren’t needed. Eliminate (B) because it’s not as concise as (C). Choice (D) adds the word maybe, which, like (A), is redundant with perhaps. Eliminate (D). Choice (C) is concise and clear, so it’s the correct answer.

Remember, however, that the shortest option is not always correct. Sometimes a sentence needs more words to be complete or to make the meaning clear. Always check all four answers using Process of Elimination.

Let’s see one more.

10 Nevertheless, Stormie knew now that her struggle to retrieve her treasured blue bone rested not only on the structures of her confinement but also on her ability to overcome her own anxieties.

10. A)NO CHANGE

B)However,

C)For example,

D)DELETE the underlined portion, adjusting the capitalization as needed.

Here’s How to Crack It

As always, check what’s changing in the answer choices: transitions. As we discussed before, transition questions require you to consider the relationship between the sentence containing the underlined portion and the sentence before it. Look at the sentence before (from question 9): it says that Stormie might have to confront her fear. This sentence confirms what the previous sentence said—Stormie would have to overcome her own anxieties—so the two sentences agree. Eliminate (A) and (B), which are opposite-direction transitions. Now consider (C): is this sentence an example of an idea that came before? No, so (C) can’t work. The only remaining option is (D), and it’s the correct answer. This sentence doesn’t need a transition at all, and the options provided definitely don’t work to connect these two sentences.

When you see the option to DELETE in (D), the question could be testing concision. Consider the other three options along with the option to DELETE. If the three options provided do not make the sentence complete or precise, then choose (D). If the additional words are needed, however, don’t pick it!

As we have seen in this chapter, when the PSAT is testing words (i.e., any time the words are changing in the answer choices), make sure that those words are

· Consistent. Verbs, nouns, and pronouns should agree within sentences and passages.

· Precise. The writing should communicate specific ideas and events.

· Concise. When everything else is correct, the shortest answer is the best.

Answers to Questions on this page:

1.Many people struggle with philosophy given all its logical twists and turns.

2.Readers in different times and places tend to gravitate toward different philosophers.

3.Once cracked, philosophy can provide incredible guidance and solace.

4.I first learned about Pragmatism from a college professor when I was 20 years old.

5.Jack didn’t care much for the work of William James, which he found boring and uninteresting.

Note: These are just some ways to fix the original modifier errors. If you wrote something different, just make sure that if you keep the modifier, it comes as close as possible to the person or thing it’s describing.

Writing and Language Drill 3

Time: 7—8 minutes. Check your answers in Part IV.

Landscape Mode

Today we are accustomed to seeing photographs of beautiful, natural places. The idea of painting a landscape may seem old-fashioned or lacking 1 when comparing the high-definition photos we’re used to, but an artist’s unique painting style can provide the viewer with much more than simply a visually pleasing scene. Acclaimed painter Chiura Obata embodies this idea: his landscapes comprise unique styles that have made his work highly influential over the past century.

Born in Japan, Obata 2 will immigrate to the United States as a teenager in 1903, hoping to find more contact with nature. A later trip to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California 3 kindles his lifelong passion for landscapes. During Obata’s trip, the mountains and trees, among other stunning natural features, led 4 him to create over 100 sketches. Reverent of the beautiful space surrounding him, Obata even used water from the nearby lakes and streams to incorporate into his watercolor paintings. San Francisco Chronicle art critic Charles Desmarais wrote that many of Obata’s works “are nominally landscapes that are less descriptive than visionary reactions to the natural world.”

1. A)NO CHANGE

B)in comparison to

C)as comparing to

D)as a comparison to

2. A)NO CHANGE

B)has immigrated

C)immigrates

D)immigrated

3. A)NO CHANGE

B)kindled

C)was kindling

D)will kindle

4. A)NO CHANGE

B)them

C)one

D)those

Not long after his trip, Obata returned to Japan and was able to have his sketches printed using 5 a traditional woodblock printing technique. This idea was fortunate because the colored prints were visually striking and different from landscapes that people had seen before. 6 Despite this, Obata won a prize in Japan and later showcased his work in many successful American art exhibits. The landscapes, including a famous print called Lake Basin in the High Sierra, 7 contrast the size and timelessness of the mountains with the relative insignificance of humans. Obata aimed to make the viewer feel the almost mystical experience he had had while in these natural spaces. The paintings are mysterious and 8 depict fine details even as they showcase immense features of the land.

5. A)NO CHANGE

B)an accustomed

C)a stable

D)a seasoned

6. A)NO CHANGE

B)Again,

C)In other words,

D)As a result,

7. A)NO CHANGE

B)contrasts

C)contrasting

D)is contrasting

8. A)NO CHANGE

B)draw

C)interpret

D)announce

As a professor at the University of California, 9 many students were introduced to his Japanese techniques and aesthetics, which then became defining attributes of the California Watercolor School art movement. Today, museum exhibits allow Obata’s art to continue spreading and 10 influence to artists. His landscapes and their reflection on the relationship between impermanent human societies and enduring environmental features are as evocative today as ever.

9. A)NO CHANGE

B)there were many students who were introduced

C)Obata introduced many students

D)an introduction was made between students and Obata

10. A)NO CHANGE

B)artist influences.

C)to influence artists.

D)influencing artists.