SAT Improving Paragraphs Practice

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These SAT Improving Paragraphs practice questions require you to make choices to improve the logic, organization, and coherence of a flawed essay. This is the first of our free SAT Improving Paragraphs practice tests.

Directions: This SAT Improving Paragraphs passage is an early draft of an essay, and some parts of it need to be rewritten. Read the passage and choose the best answer for each of the questions that follow. When choosing your answers, make sure you follow the requirements of standard written English.

Questions #1-6 are based on the following passage.

(1) In the modern world, Earth’s place in the solar system is questioned by very few people. (2) Students who have never even looked into a telescope know that the Sun is at the center of it and that Earth and the other planets rotate around the Sun. (3) This arrangement was not always recognized as the truth, though.

(4) More than two thousand years ago, the legendary Greek thinker Aristotle put forth an explanation of Earth’s place in the universe. (5) He saw Earth as the center of the universe. (6) According to Aristotle, all planets and stars rotated around Earth attached to paths called crystalline spheres. (7) In addition, Aristotle believed that the planets and stars were perfect spheres that moved non-stop in perfect circles around Earth. (8) They were spread in 150 A. D. when Claudius Ptolemy wrote the book Almagest, which means “The Greatest.” (9) The book reported Aristotle’s geocentric view of the universe, it was along with detailed mathematic explanations of the epicycles of the planets. (10) What was called the Ptolemaic Universe soon because the accepted explanation of Earth’s position.

(11) However, the observable actions of the planets and stars did not always fit within Aristotle’s and Ptolemy’s theories. (12) Some planets appear to stop, or even move backwards, in their orbits. (13) In addition, the brightness of planets varies from time to time. (14) This variation would be impossible according to some of Aristotle’s and Ptolemy’s ideas. (15) Aristotle and Ptolemy both believed that heavenly bodies were composed of immutable materials.

(16) It was not until the 1500s that a serious challenge to the geocentric view of the universe was mounted. (17) Nicholas Copernicus, a Polish academic, made detailed observations of the night sky. (18) Toward the end of his life, he published De Revolutionibus, contending that Earth was no in a fixed point in the universe. (19) Instead, he argues that Earth orbited the Sun. (20) Shortly after Copernicus’s findings were published, Galileo Galilei, an Italian academic, invented a simple telescope that could magnify objects up to 20 times their actual size. (21) Using his telescope, Galileo was able to more exactly document the movements of planets and nearby stars. (22) His observations left little doubt that the Sun, not Earth, was the center of the solar system. (23) Galileo’s ideas were initially rejected by many, the evidence that Earth rotates around the Sun soon became irrefutable.

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Question 1

Of the following, which is the best replacement for “it” in sentence 2 (reproduced below)?

Students who have never even looked into a telescope know that the Sun is at the center of it and that Earth and other planets rotate around the Sun.

A	the telescope
B	the solar system
C	the modern world
D	that
E	those

Question 1 Explanation:

The correct answer is (B). The preceding sentence mentions the “place in the solar system” so we can guess that in this sentence too, the focus is on the Sun’s position in the solar system.

Question 2

The best combination of sentences 4 and 5 (reproduced below) is given in which of the following?

More than two thousand years ago, the legendary Greek thinker Aristotle put forth an explanation of Earth’s place in the universe. He saw Earth as the center of the universe.

A	More than two thousand years ago, the legendary Greek thinker Aristotle put forth and explanation of Earth’s place in the universe for the center of the universe.
B	More than two thousand years ago, the legendary Greek thinker Aristotle explained that Earth was the center of the universe.
C	More than two thousand years ago, the legendary Greek thinker Aristotle put forth an explanation of Earth’s place in the universe, he saw it as the center of the universe.
D	More than two thousand years ago, putting forth an explanation of Earth’s place in the universe, the legendary Greek thinker Aristotle saw Earth as the center of the universe.
E	More than two thousand years ago, the legendary Greek thinker Aristotle put forth an explanation of the Earth’s place in the universe, seeing Earth as the center of the universe.

Question 2 Explanation:

The correct answer is (B). This choice combines the information without repeating the word “universe” and uses a clear subject “Aristotle” and a clear predicate verb “explained.”

Question 3

Of the following which is the best choice for the underlined portion of sentence 8 (reproduced below)?

They were spread in 150 A.D. when Claudius Ptolemy wrote the book Almagest, which means “The Greatest.”

A	(As it is now)
B	These orbits were spread
C	These ideas were spread
D	It was written by another author
E	The time that these ideas were revealed was

Question 3 Explanation:

The correct answer is (C). Re-reading sentence 7 reveals that the pronoun “they” refers to the ideas mentioned in the previous sentence. If we keep the pronoun “they” is confuses the meaning – making it sound like the “perfect circles” were spreading, rather than the idea of their existence.

Question 4

Of the following, which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 9 (reproduced below)?

The book reported Aristotle’s geocentric view of the universe, it was along with detailed mathematic explanations of the epicycles of the planets.

A	(As it is now)
B	universe; it was along with
C	universe; so with
D	universe, along with
E	universe by

Question 4 Explanation:

The correct answer is (D). The original sentence contains a “run-on” – a sentence that attempts to combine two complete sentences using only a comma. Usually we’d correct this problem with a semicolon, but the pronoun “it” could refer to the “book” or to the “view,” so while a semicolon in (B) would correct the run-on, we need the pronoun fixed as well. The clarity of the sentence AND the run-on are corrected in choice (D).

Question 5

Inserting which of the following at the beginning of sentence 23 (reproduced below) would create the best sentence?

Galileo’s ideas were initially rejected by many, the evidence that Earth rotates around the Sun soon became irrefutable.

A	Although
B	Because
C	On the other hand,
D	When
E	So

Question 5 Explanation:

The correct answer is (A). In context, this sentence sets up a contrasting transition. The idea in the previous sentence is that Galileo came up with the idea that the Earth rotates around the Sun. This sentence sets up a contrast with the phrases “initially rejected” and “soon became irrefutable.” We need a contrast transition word to show how this acceptance of Galileo’s idea came over time.

Question 6

The best combination of sentences 14 and 15 (reproduced below) is provided by which of the following?

This variation would be impossible according to some of Aristotle’s and Ptolemy’s ideas. Aristotle and Ptolemy both believed that heavenly bodies were composed of immutable materials.

A	This variation would be impossible according to some of Aristotle’s and Ptolemy’s ideas, who both believed that heavenly bodies were composed of immutable materials.
B	According to their belief that heavenly bodies were composed of immutable materials, this variation would be impossible.
C	This variation would be impossible according to some of Aristotle’s and Ptolemy’s ideas; they had beliefs that heavenly bodies were composed of immutable materials.
D	According to Aristotle and Ptolemy, who believed that heavenly bodies were composed of immutable materials, this variation would be impossible.
E	The belief that heavenly bodies were composed of immutable materials was held by both Aristotle and Ptolemy, so this variation would be impossible according to their ideas.

Question 6 Explanation:

The correct answer is (D). This is the least-wordy choice that also retains the names “Aristotle and Ptolemy.” If we replaced the names with “their” (as in choice B) it would not be clear to whom we were referring. The remaining choices are all must more awkward or have a passive construction (choice E).

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