37. Paul ran a 15-mile race at an average speed of 6 miles per hour. If Adam ran the same race at an average speed of 5 miles per hour, how many minutes longer did Adam take to complete the race than did Paul.

(a) 5
(b) 9
(c) 15
(d) 24
(e) 30

38. If x + 3y = 15, y + 3z = 8, 3x + z = 25, what is the value of x + y + z?

(a) 9
(b) 12
(c) 14
(d) 24
(e) 48

39. If a = 3b and b = 2 – a, what is the value of 4b + 2a?

(a) 3
(b) 4
(c) 5
(d) 6
(e) 7

See the comment for the answer.

Tags: math question, Mathematics Section, SAT Math

701. adjudge v. To award or bestow by formal decision.
702. stallion n. An uncastrated male horse, commonly one kept for breeding.
703. extort v. To obtain by violence, threats, compulsion, or the subjection of another to some necessity.
704. sinus n. An opening or cavity.
705. invalid adj. Having no force, weight, or cogency.
706. similar adj. Bearing resemblance to one another or to something else.
707. distinction n. A note or designation of honor, officially recognizing superiority or success in studies.
708. unaffected adj. Sincere.
709. flag-officer n. The captain of a flag-ship.
710. upcast n. A throwing upward.

Tags: sat vocabulary, SAT word list

SAT is a test that takes a lot of preparation to do well on. While solving a lot of questions, memorizing a lot of words, and getting as many information and resources as possible will help, one of the biggest step that must be taken is making a schedule, a routine.

While preparing for the SATs, the touch, the feel, the sense for the test is crucial. Basketball players will shoot hundreds of balls a day to maintain their feel for the ball. Soccer players will take hundreds of kicks to kick the ball at the exact spot to make it fly both accurately and powerfully. SAT is in a sense, the same. You need to maintain that feel for the test up until two days before the test day. (Please, no sections the day before. They don’t help!)

How? It takes a lot of self-initiative and self-motivation to accomplish it. However, it is a decent deal for a 2300+ score, if that is what you are aiming at. (Hopefully all SI readers are!) Open up Excel or get out a piece of paper and draw a table or just somehow get a planner. Then, plan out what you will do each day. Maybe you can take a section each (reading, writing, math) per day and memorize 10 vocabulary. If you still have a bit of time, you can do one section a day. If you’re running out of time, how about a test a day?

The schedule really depends on your personal schedule–the time you’ll spend on homework, school work, with friends, etc.–but if you get a schedule written down and pasted right in front of your desk, it is more likely that it will help you than not.  It may be a bit hard to follow at first, but once you get the hang of it, your scores will most definitely improve!

NOTE: Don’t make a schedule if you are not going to even look at it after you are done making it.

Tags: cetra, Cetra's Insider, sat institute, sat timeline, SAT Tips & Tricks

22. Most ships (a)move through the Suez Canal (b)with (c)their own power, but large ships (d)must be assisted by a tugboat. (e)No error

23. (a)The origin of amusement parks lie in ancient and medieval religious festivals and trade fairs, (b)where merchants, entertainers, and food sellers (c)gathered (d)in order to take advantages of the large crowds. (e)No error

24. The newspaper (a)reported that despite the increase (b)in the minimum wage, many people (c)are still (d)having trouble making ends meet. (e)No error

See the comment for the answer.

Tags: improving sentence, sat writing, Writing Section

Vocabulary

691. concur v. To agree.
692. admittance n. Entrance, or the right or permission to enter.
693. inexplicable adj. Such as can not be made plain.
694. theology n. The branch of theological science that treats of God.
695. militate v. To have weight or influence (in determining a question).
696. usage n. Treatment.
697. nauseate v. To cause to loathe.
698. satiate v. To satisgfy fully the appetite or desire of.
699. distrust n. Lack of confidence in the power, wisdom, or good intent of any person.
700. utility n. Fitness for some desirable practical purpose.

Sample Sentence

691. Careful planning and good luck concurred to give them the victory.
692. Mandatory vaccinations will be administered on all unvaccinated arrivals from the above mentioned regions seeking admittance into the United Kingdom.
694. Indonesia was praised for mounting a broad anti-terrorist effort after a second round of bombings in the resort of Bali last year, and for promoting moderate religious theology to blunt radicalization.
697. I am nauseated with his affectation.
699. Their distrust of politics continues to grow stronger.
700. The utility of the rescue equipment has still to be assessed in a real emergency.

Tags: Sample sentence, sat vocabulary, SAT word list

681. creed n. A formal summary of fundamental points of religious belief.
682. iconoclast n. An image-breaker.
683. simplify v. To make less complex or difficult.
684. monetary adj. Financial.
685. inure v. To harden or toughen by use, exercise, or exposure.
686. transpire v. To come to pass.
687. emigrate v. To go from one country, state, or region for the purpose of settling or residing in another.
688. sibilant adj. Made with a hissing sound.
689. protoplasm n. The substance that forms the principal portion of an animal or vegetable cell.
690. bombard v. To assail with any missile or with abusive speech.

Tags: sat vocabulary, Vocabulary, word list

Everytime I go to take the SATs, I can only let out a huge sigh when I see those SAT newbie takers without a timer waiting for the proctor to start the test. People, this is YOUR TEST and YOU WANT TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT!

In fact, CollegeBoard recommends that you take a timer with you! (Timers are not allowed in SAT2s) So, why do people seem to forget to take these? There are many reasons, but it usually is because these test takers tend to rely way too much on their proctors. Guess what tho… Proctors are people, so there will be those that suck and those that are sharp.

Whether crappy or excellent, you want to take a timer with you. Why? To both save time and manage time.

Think about this. You are taking a test that will more than likely determine your future. Your time is limited. Don’t you want to know your pace while you are taking the test? Yes. Do you really think that looking up at a clock on a wall will help you a lot?  No.

You want to know, without thinking!, how many minutes you have left. Also, psychologically, actually seeing how much time you have left will push you on even more than just looking at what time the section will end at.

A simple tip? Indeed. Will it be helpful? A LOT.

Don’t forget your timers anymore! Also, don’t forget to make it so that it doesn’t beep!

P.S. The last time I took the test, I was the only one out of about 20 people taking the test…

Tags: cetra, Cetra's Insider, sat insider tip, SAT Tips & Tricks

19. The Code of Hammurabi (a)consisting of 282 case laws, (b)or judicial decisions, (c)collected (d)toward the end of the reign of Hammurabi, the sixth king of Babylon’s First Dynasty. (e)No error

20. (a)More than 10,000 earthen mounds, (b)built by prehistoric Native Americans (c)for ceremonial purposes, (d)they have found in Minnesota. (e)No error

21. In order to (a)prepare for the speech he (b)was given to all of the parents and teachers at the school, George practiced speaking (c)in front of a group of (d)his friends. (e)No error

See the comment for the answer.

Tags: improving sentence, sat writing, Writing Section

Vocabulary

671. lithe adj. Supple.
672. cohesion n. Consistency.
673. maudlin adj. Foolishly and tearfully affectionate.
674. selective adj. Having the power of choice.
675. contradictory adj. Inconsistent with itself.
676. peddle v. To go about with a small stock of goods to sell.
677. transcience n. Something that is of short duration.
678. discord n. Absence of harmoniousness.
679. limitation n. A restriction.
680. phonogram n. A graphic character symbolizing an articulate sound.

Sample Sentence

672. Wet sand has more cohesion than dry sand.
674. Businesses should be very selective about who they give credit to–and how much credit they give.
675. Contradictory remarks on the currency’s performance in recent days and weeks has only damaged the single currency.
676. Do not be overconfident when dealing with vendors who peddle their wares in the street.
678. Discord waxed at an alarming rate.
679. Limitations are a blessing if you choose to see them that way and use them as motives to do better.

Tags: Sample sentence, sat vocabulary, SAT word list

25. The first public botanical garden in the United States, the Elgin Botanic Garden in New York City was established to provide plant materials for studying by medical students.

(a) for studying by medical students
(b) for medical students to study
(c) to medical students for their study
(d) for the study of medical students
(e) that medical students will study

26. Widely regarded as the greatest American chess player in history, Bobby Fischer’s prominence came as a child, winning the U.S. Open at the age of thirteen and becoming a grandmaster at age fifteen.

(a) Bobby Fischer’s prominence came as
(b) Bobby Fischer’s prominence came when he was
(c) it was Bobby Fischer coming to prominence as
(d) Bobby Fischer came to prominence as
(e) his prominence came to Bobby Fischer as

27. Johannes Gutenberg is generally credited to bring together the two main concepts of modern printing: movable pieces of metal type that could be reused, and a printing press for producing sharp impressions on paper over and over.

(a) to bring
(b) as he brought
(c) by bringing
(d) with bringing
(e) for the fact of bringing

See the comment for the answer.

Tags: improving sentence, sat writing, Writing Section