New SAT Writing and Language : New SAT
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for New SAT Writing and Language
All New SAT Writing and Language Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Graph Interpretation
The bystander effect occurs when the presence of others affects how an individual responds in an emergency situation. Typically, in large crowds, if there is an emergency, many people assume another person will take responsibility and deal with the situation. Several studies found that people were more likely to take action in a crisis when there were only a few people around than when in larger crowds. Social psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley introduced the concept of the bystander effect following an infamous incident in New York City in 1964 when a young woman was injured outside of her apartment, and dozens of neighbors failed to step in and help, leading to the woman passing away. Many neighbors heard her pleas for help, but none assumed responsibility to assist. The two factors that can be attributed to the bystander effect are diffusion of responsibility and social influence. Diffusion of responsibility is when the more onlookers are present, the less personal responsibility the individual onlookers assume, therefore, failing to take action. Social influence is when individuals monitor the behavior of those around them to figure out how to react.
At this point the author is considering adding the following graph:
Should the author make this addition here?
No, because it does not give information on the bystander effect.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim about the bystanders as stated in the passage.
Yes, because it supports the claim that more people intervene than are bystanders.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is important to treat it like you would any other question that asks to add information. Paying attention to the reasoning of the questions will help identify the correct choice. The passage discusses the bystander effect but never directly provides any specific percentages or numbers, therefore we would not want to add a graph at this point in the passage. The data provided in the graph is not mentioned at this point in the passage, so the responses of “yes” will be incorrect. The graph does provide information on the bystander effect, so the response, “No because it does not give information on the bystander effect,” will be incorrect, leaving the final response as the best answer.
Example Question #2 : Graph Interpretation
The Baroque period derived its name from the Italian word barocco, which was used by philosophers used to describe an obstacle in logic. The word later came to describe anything that was an irregular idea or thought, coming to mean anything out of the ordinary or bizarre in the art style of the middle ages in Europe. The term had a grotesque connotation up until the late 19th century. The term eventually came to refer to the style of art, rather than a negative term that was originally associated with the word.
At this point, the author is considering adding the following graph:
Should the author make this addition here?
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim about the baroque period.
No, because it does not give information on the baroque period.
Yes, because it supports the claim that the baroque period was originally associated with only art.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is important to treat it like you would any other question that asks to add information. Paying attention to the reasoning of the questions will help identify the correct choice. The passage discusses the baroque period of art history but never directly provides any specific percentages or numbers, therefore we would not want to add a graph at this point in the passage. The data provided in the graph is not mentioned at this point in the passage, so the responses of “yes” will be incorrect. The graph does provide information on the baroque period, so the response, “No because it does not give information on the baroque period,” will be incorrect, leaving the final response as the best answer as no information provided in the graph is accurately supported by anything mentioned in the passage.
Example Question #2 : Graph Interpretation
Have you ever wondered if there was life on other planets? Did you know there are planets that have been discovered outside of our solar system? There are over 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, which is 100,000 light years across. The National Aeronautical and Space Association, or NASA, have confirmed 4,284 exoplanets. Many of the exoplanets that have been discovered are very different from those in our solar system. The first exoplanets were discovered in 1992 as two rocky planets orbiting around a pulsar in the Virgo constellation. Due to the fact that the planets are so close to their star, they are unable to support any potential organic life. The amount of exoplanets discovered since 1992 has had a steady, exponential increase, with the new exoplanet discoveries exceeding 100 a year in recent years.
At this point, the author is considering adding the following graph:
Should the author make this addition here?
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim about the types of exoplanets in our galaxy.
Yes, because it supports the claim that the exoplanet discoveries have grown, exceeding more than 100 new discoveries in recent years.
No, because it does not give information on the galaxy.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
Yes, because it supports the claim that the exoplanet discoveries have grown, exceeding more than 100 new discoveries in recent years.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is important to treat it like you would any other question that asks to add information. Paying attention to the reasoning of the questions will help identify the correct choice. The passage discusses the amount of exoplanets and how the discoveries have increased in recent years, therefore the data in the graph matches the details provided in the passage. The data provided in the graph is mentioned in the passage, so the responses of “no” will be incorrect. The graph does provide information on the exoplanets, however the response, “Yes because it gives data to support a claim about the type of exoplanets in our galaxy,” will be incorrect, because the passage does not mention all of the types of exoplanets, nor does the information in the graph pertain to the types of exoplanets. This leaves the second response as the best answer as the information provided in the graph is supported by the information mentioned in the passage.
Example Question #3 : Graph Interpretation
Aristotle is known to be one of the most influential philosophers in western civilization. Aristotle lived from 384 BCE - 322 BCE in Ancient Greece and his work shaped philosophy for centuries, influencing great minds up through the Renaissance. His works are still studied today. Aristotle wrote an estimated 200 works, mostly in manuscripts or drafts. Aristotle observed Poetics, which is the scientific study of writing poetry, especially tragedy and epic poetry. His work explored the idea of storytelling, plots, character development, and story lines. Aristotle also studied a form of ethics and morality known as Nicomachean Ethics which explores the idea that real-world circumstances affect individual morals and values.
At this point, the author is considering adding the following graph:
Should the author make this addition here?
No, because it does not give information on Aristotle’s work.
Yes, because it supports the claim that Aristotle had more unpublished works than published works.
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim about the types of works Aristotle wrote.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is important to treat it like you would any other question that asks to add information. Paying attention to the reasoning of the questions will help identify the correct choice. The passage discusses Aristotle and some of his influential teachings and works, however the graph shows the amount of Aristotle’s work that was published or unpublished. The graph does not directly relate to any information provided in the passage and with no evidence provided, the graph does not display accurate data, eliminating the “yes” options. The graph does give information on Aristotle’s work, so the response, “No because it does not give information on Aristotle’s work,” would be incorrect, leaving the last response as the correct answer.
Example Question #3 : Graph Interpretation
In 1918, there was a global pandemic of the H1N1 or Flu virus. The pandemic lasted over a year and killed over 20 million people globally. More people died from the flu in one year than died in four years of the bubonic plague in the middle ages. There was a second wave of cases in 1919 after the first world war, which caused the mortality rate of Americans to drop by 10 years.
At this point, the author is considering adding this graph:
Should the author make this addition here?
Yes, because it supports the claim that mortality rates dropped by 10 years.
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim about the amount of survivors of the Influenza outbreak.
No, because it does not give information on how many people suffered from the flu.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support in the passage.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support in the passage.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is important to treat it like you would any other question that asks to add information. Paying attention to the reasoning of the questions will help identify the correct choice. The passage discusses how deadly the Influenza Outbreak of 1918, however the graph shows the rates of death during 1918 and 1919 due to the flu. The graph does not directly relate to any information provided in the passage and with no evidence provided, the graph does not display accurate data, eliminating the “yes” options. The graph does give information on the deaths from the flu with no values, therefore, “No because it does not give information on how many people suffered from the flu,” would be incorrect, leaving the last response as the correct answer.
Example Question #4 : Graph Interpretation
Microeconomics is the study of individual and business decisions while macroeconomics studies the decisions made by countries and governments which is on a much larger scale than microeconomics. Microeconomics focus on supply and demand as well as forces that determine price levels of products. Macroeconomics focuses on nation-wide economies as a whole as well as trades between goods and services between nations, such as the gross domestic product, or GDP.
At this point, the author is considering adding the following graph:
The following graph displays the relationship reflecting the causal connection between microeconomic and macroeconomics displayed over time. The dotted line expresses percent change in causation on microeconomics, the solid line, the percent change in causation on macroeconomics.
Should the author make this addition here?
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim about the types of economics
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
Yes, because it supports the claim about the relationship between microeconomics and Macroeconomics.
No, because it does not give information on microeconomics.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is important to treat it like you would any other question that asks to add information. Paying attention to the reasoning of the questions will help identify the correct choice. The passage discusses microeconomics and macroeconomics, however the graph shows the relationship between the two. The graph does not directly relate to any information provided in the passage and with no evidence provided, the graph does not display accurate data, eliminating the “yes” options. The graph does not have any evidence to support the data, so the response, “No because it does not give information on microeconomics,” would be incorrect, leaving the last response as the correct answer.
Example Question #4 : Graph Interpretation
Ska music is best known for its up-beats, horn music, and the classic checkerboard icons associated with the musicians. However, many people don’t know the history of ska music. It is Jamaica’s first indigenous urban pop style, blending jazz, rock, rhythm and blues, and Caribbean folk music. Emerging in the late 1950s from an early form of rhythm and blues in Jamaica, it quickly spread to Louisiana, incorporating more horn instruments such as the trombone, trumpet, and the French horn. The horns and pianos play the riffs on the offbeat. The most well-known technique in the ska guitar style is the guitar chop, typically upstrokes on the offbeat. The ska chop is credited to Ernie Ranglin, one of the pioneering ska musicians. Ska has had many different “waves” of popularity over the decades. The first wave began in the early 1960s; the second wave in the 1970s, gaining popularity in the UK and eventually melting in punk and pop influences with artists such as the Specials; the third wave came in the mid-1980s, this time taking over America; the fourth wave of ska took over the media in the mid to late 1990s with groups such as No Doubt, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Reel Big Fish bringing ska to the mainstream.
At this point, the author is considering adding this graph:
Should the author make this addition here?
No, because it does not give information on ska.
No, because it does not have support on the popularity of ska in the passage.
Yes, because it supports the claim that ska emerged in the late 1950s.
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim about the four waves of ska.
No, because it does not have support on the popularity of ska in the passage.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is important to treat it like you would any other question that asks to add information. Paying attention to the reasoning of the questions will help identify the correct choice. The passage discusses the four waves of ska, however the graph shows the popularity of ska, which was not discussed in exact numbers in the passage. The graph does not directly relate to any information provided in the passage and with no evidence provided, the graph does not display accurate data, eliminating the “yes” options. The graph does not give accurate information on ska, so the response, “No because it does not give information on ska,” would be incorrect, leaving the last response as the correct answer.
Example Question #5 : Graph Interpretation
Coffee is one of the largest exports for many South American countries. In 2019, coffee exports by country totaled an estimated $30.1 billion US Dollars. Brazil had the highest percentage of total coffee exports with 15 %, Colombia followed behind with 8.7% of total coffee exports, and Switzerland had the third largest percentage of total coffee exports with 8.3%.
At this point, the author is considering adding the following graph:
Should the author make this addition here?
No, because it does not give information on coffee exports.
No, because it does not add information directly related to any claim made in the passage and has no support.
Yes, because it supports the claim that coffee is popular in South America.
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim about the percentage of coffee export.
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim about the percentage of coffee export.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is important to treat it like you would any other question that asks to add information. Paying attention to the reasoning of the questions will help identify the correct choice. The passage discusses coffee and how much the top 15 countries export, which is reflected in the graph. The graph does relate to information provided in the passage, so the “no” options would be eliminated. The graph does not give information on the popularity of coffee in South America, therefore, “Yes because it supports the claim that coffee is popular in South America,” would be incorrect, leaving the first response as correct.
Example Question #1 : Solve Problems Leading To Two Linear Equations: Ccss.Math.Content.8.Ee.C.8c
We have three dogs: Joule, Newton, and Toby. Joule is three years older than twice Newton's age. Newton is Toby's age younger than eleven years. Toby is one year younger than Joules age. Find the age of each dog.
Joule: 5 years
Newton: Not born yet
Toby: 1 year
Joule: 8 years
Newton: 4 years
Toby: 8 year
none of these
Joule: 12 years
Newton: 1 year
Toby: 5 year
Joule: 9 years
Newton: 3 years
Toby: 8 year
Joule: 9 years
Newton: 3 years
Toby: 8 year
First, translate the problem into three equations. The statement, "Joule is three years older than twice Newton's age" is mathematically translated as
where 
The statement, "Newton is Toby's age younger than eleven years" is translated as
where 
The third statement, "Toby is one year younger than Joule" is
So these are our three equations. To figure out the age of these dogs, first I will plug the third equation into the second equation. We get
Plug this equation into the first equation to get
Solve for 
Divide both sides by 3
So Joules is 9 years old. Plug this value into the third equation to find Toby's age
Toby is 8 years old. Use this value to find Newton's age using the second equation
Now, we have the age of the following dogs:
Joule: 9 years
Newton: 3 years
Toby: 8 years
Example Question #2411 : Algebra 1
Teachers at an elementary school have devised a system where a student's good behavior earns him or her tokens. Examples of such behavior include sitting quietly in a seat and completing an assignment on time. Jim sits quietly in his seat 2 times and completes assignments 3 times, earning himself 27 tokens. Jessica sits quietly in her seat 9 times and completes 6 assignments, earning herself 69 tokens. How many tokens is each of these two behaviors worth?
Sitting quietly is worth 9 tokens and completing an assignment is worth 3.
Sitting quietly is worth 7 tokens and completing an assignment is worth 3.
Sitting quietly is worth 3 tokens and completing an assignment is worth 7.
Sitting quietly is worth 3 tokens and completing an assignment is worth 9.
Sitting quietly and completing an assignment are each worth 4 tokens.
Sitting quietly is worth 3 tokens and completing an assignment is worth 7.
Since this is a long word problem, it might be easy to confuse the two behaviors and come up with the wrong answer. Let's avoid this problem by turning each behavior into a variable. If we call "sitting quietly" 
and
We can multiply the first equation by 
This allows us to cancel the 
A quick substitution tells us that 
Certified Tutor
Certified Tutor
All New SAT Writing and Language Resources
