Digital SAT: Modifiers 1

1. Covered with a waxy coating that helps prevent water loss, ________. This feature allows it to survive in dry environments where many other species would quickly dehydrate.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) botanists often study the desert plant in university greenhouses

B) the desert plant can store moisture in its thick leaves

C) gardeners placed the desert plant near a sunny window

D) researchers described the desert plant in a recent journal article

Question 1 of 10

2. Known for introducing realistic detail into portraits of ordinary citizens, ________. Many later painters adopted elements of her style, especially her careful use of light and shadow.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) the paintings of Judith Leyster were admired by critics across Europe

B) Judith Leyster became one of the most respected Dutch artists of her era

C) museum visitors praised Judith Leyster’s portraits during the exhibition

D) several portraits by Judith Leyster were purchased by collectors

Question 2 of 10

3. Formed when layers of compacted snow gradually turn to ice, ________. Scientists monitor its movement because changes in its speed can reveal shifts in regional climate patterns.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) researchers frequently measure the glacier during summer expeditions

B) the glacier can slowly flow downhill under its own weight

C) hikers observed the glacier from a nearby ridge

D) satellites photographed the glacier over several decades

Question 3 of 10

4. After carefully mapping the ruins of several cliff dwellings in the American Southwest, ________. Their measurements helped archaeologists better understand how the rooms were arranged for storage, cooking, and daily life.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) the rooms were shown to have served several different purposes

B) detailed diagrams of the settlement were prepared for later study

C) archaeologists prepared detailed diagrams of the settlement

D) there were several detailed diagrams prepared by archaeologists

Question 4 of 10

5. Designed with a broad, flat base for stability in rough water, ________. The vessel was used by coastal communities to transport supplies between small islands.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) the boat could carry heavy cargo without tipping easily

B) sailors loaded the boat with baskets of dried fish

C) coastal traders relied on the boat during short voyages

D) historians studied the boat’s unusual construction

Question 5 of 10

6. While measuring tiny changes in air pressure during the storm, ________. The instrument helped researchers track how quickly the weather system was intensifying.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) several unusual patterns were recorded by the barometer

B) researchers placed the barometer on a sheltered platform

C) the approaching storm was tracked by researchers

D) there were several measurements recorded by the barometer

Question 6 of 10

7. Built with thick stone walls that absorb heat during the day and release it at night, ________. This design helps keep the building’s interior temperature more stable in desert climates.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) architects often study the house’s unusual construction

B) visitors noticed the house’s comfortable indoor temperature

C) the house remains cooler during the afternoon and warmer after sunset

D) desert communities used similar methods in many traditional buildings

Question 7 of 10

8. After translating several letters written by the eighteenth-century scientist Émilie du Châtelet, ________. The notes revealed how carefully she revised her explanations of Newtonian physics for a wider audience.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) new insights into her writing process were gained by historians

B) several of her explanations of Newtonian physics became clearer

C) there were new insights gained into her writing process

D) historians gained new insights into her writing process

Question 8 of 10

9. Covered with tiny hairs that trap a layer of insulating air, ________. This adaptation helps the insect remain active in cooler temperatures than many related species can tolerate.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) the bee can regulate its body temperature more effectively

B) researchers observed the bee during early-morning flights

C) several related species become inactive in cool weather

D) flowers are visited by the bee even before the day warms

Question 9 of 10

10. After comparing soil samples from farms that used different irrigation methods, ________. The results helped agricultural scientists identify which practices preserved soil nutrients most effectively.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A) several differences in nutrient levels were found

B) the irrigation methods produced different crop yields

C) soil nutrients were preserved more effectively on some farms

D) agricultural scientists found several differences in nutrient levels

Question 10 of 10