Mini SAT*

1. Chef, restaurateur, and food historian Marcus Samuelsson creates dining experiences that connect guests to the cultural stories behind the meals they enjoy. At special events, diners have helped prepare ingredients, shared family recipes, and offered feedback on new dishes. Through these interactive experiences, Samuelsson strives to give guests the opportunity to be ______ his culinary process. His approach reflects his belief that food can bring people together through collaboration and shared creativity.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

2. Literary critic and social reformer Charlotte Perkins Gilman often explored themes of identity, self-awareness, and personal growth in her essays and fiction. In her 1893 essay Self-Reliance in Action, Gilman suggests that many people go through life without fully recognizing their own abilities, writing ______. She reflects on how individuals frequently underestimate their inner strength until much later in life.

Which quotation from the essay most effectively illustrates the claim?

3. Inventor Ruth Wakefield accidentally created one of America's most beloved desserts while experimenting with recipes at her Massachusetts inn during the 1930s. At the time, many popular baked goods were thin, crisp biscuits that were designed to last for long periods without becoming stale. Wakefield developed the chocolate chip cookie, which ______ to many of the crisp biscuits commonly served at the time. The dessert quickly gained popularity among customers, eventually becoming a staple in bakeries and households across the United States.

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

4. Marine biologists led by Sylvia Earle studied whether naturally occurring algae in coral reef ecosystems might affect the ability of young coral colonies to survive periods of environmental stress. Because coral reefs depend on delicate biological relationships, even small environmental changes can significantly affect the health of marine organisms living within them. Researchers have long suspected that some algae species may help coral tolerate unusually warm ocean temperatures that can lead to bleaching. The team monitored coral colonies over several months and compared reefs where colonies remained healthy with reefs where colonies showed signs of bleaching. They concluded that the presence of certain algae species may explain why some coral colonies remained healthy while others became damaged.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the team's conclusion?

5. The following text is adapted from an 1872 poem by Emily Dickinson:

I walked beside the garden wall,
Not knowing what the years would bring;
The gate stood open, still and small,
Too plain to seem a wondrous thing.

Yet now I search my thoughts in vain
For how that morning first appeared,
So little did I guess the gain,
So little what my heart had feared.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

6. The following text is adapted from Little Women (1868). Jo March is walking toward an important appointment.

Before arriving at the publisher's office, Jo moved quickly through the crowded avenue, alive with the clatter of carriage wheels and hurried footsteps, before turning onto a narrower street where the noise seemed to fade. Beneath her bonnet, worn at a determined angle, her expression remained firm and confident; for her business was serious. And Jo, resolute as steel — though not without warmth — continued toward the doorway with measured steps.

Which choice best describes the function of the phrase “though not without warmth” in the text as a whole?

7. Text 1
Academic journals typically include detailed citations identifying the researchers, institutions, and prior studies connected to a scientific publication. Although citation lists may seem routine, they help ensure that contributors receive proper recognition. Because they follow consistent formatting standards, citations also make it easier for historians of science to trace how discoveries and collaborations have developed over time.

Text 2
Historians of early software development face a major challenge because many computer programs created in the industry's early years did not consistently identify the programmers, designers, and engineers involved in their creation. Without reliable documentation of who contributed to which projects, understanding the development of important technologies — and recognizing many of the individuals responsible — can be difficult.

Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 1 most likely respond to the discussion in Text 2?

8. Florida has experienced a resurgence of families relocating to the state in recent years. The diversity of its size and climate has become very appealing to a wide range of people. Florida stretches across a large geographic area and includes coastal, tropical, and inland regions that can experience different weather conditions throughout the year. Because communities across the state are located near different bodies of water and at varying distances from the coast, rainfall patterns can vary significantly from one location to another. For example, in April, ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?

9. A wooden storage container is shaped like a cube, with each edge measuring 29 inches. Each face of the container is a square. The container is open at the top and does not include a lid.

What is the exterior surface area, in square inches, of the container?

11. The solution to the following system of equations is (x, y).

What is the value of y?

12. Jasmine rode her bicycle from her home to a community park. The equation below estimates the distance d, in miles, that Jasmine traveled after riding for t hours.

Which of the following does 18 represent in the equation?