SAT Question of the Day
2012-07-13 09:00:08
Neither Ms. Kennedy nor Ms. Cortez could explain
(A) (B)
to Lucinda why she was so tired. No Error
(C) (D) (E)
The correct choice is D
Explanation: The mistake in this sentence occurs at choice D where the singular pronoun "she" is ambiguous and could logically refer to Ms. Cortez, Ms. Kennedy, or Lucinda. This error could be corrected by changing "she" to proper noun (whichever woman actually was tired) and getting rid of the confusion.
SAT Question of the Day
2012-07-16 09:00:16
x || f(x)
0 || 3
1 || 5
2 || 11
3 || 21
The table above gives values of the quadratic function f for selected values of x. Which of the following defines f?
(A) f(x) = -x + 3
(B) f(x) = x² - 14
(C) f(x) = x² + 3
(D) f(x) = 2x² + 1
(E) f(x) = 2x² + 3
The correct answer is E
Explanation: Pick a point on the table, and use those numbers in each answer choice to see which function could work. The f(x) value should be the answer when the x value is plugged into the answer choice. Start with 2 and 11 (using 2 for x):
(A) f(2) = -(2) + 3... This is 1, not 11, so choice (A) is incorrect.
(B) f(2) = (2)² - 14... This is 4 - 14, or -10, not 11. Thus, choice (B) is incorrect.
(C) f(2) = (2)² + 3... This is 4 + 3, or 7, not 11. Thus, choice (C) is incorrect.
(D) f(2) = 2(2)² + 1... This is 2(4) + 1, or 9, not 11. Thus, choice (D) is incorrect.
(E) f(2) = 2(2)² + 3... This is 2(4) + 3, or 11. Thus, choice (E) is correct.
Seven Great Foods for Stressed Students
2012-07-17 16:54:32
Worried about schoolwork, college apps, or standardized tests? Why not eat your way to a calmer, more focused state of mind?
Studies show that eating certain foods can reduce stress and boost students' performance on tests and in school. In this blog entry, I will provide information on seven such foods. Get ready to get snacking!
1. Carbohydrates!
Ah, carbs—our kindest, most empathetic food. Eating a bunch of carbs when you’re stressed or sad is like getting a big hug from Mother Nature. This is because carbohydrates encourage the brain to produce serotonin, a feel-good chemical that regulates depression and anxiety.
It’s best to eat complex carbohydrates including whole-grain breads and pastas, oatmeal, brown rice and millet. Because they digest more slowly than white carbs, complex carbohydrates will also boost your focus without resulting in an energy crash later on.
2. Oranges and Blueberries!
Fruits like oranges and blueberries with a high concentration of vitamin C help reduce stress hormones like cortisol. In addition, blueberries are chock-full of anthocyanin compounds, which protect brain neurons linked to memory.
One 2010 study found that older adults who drank 2.5 cups of blueberry juice daily for two months improved their scores on learning and memory tests by 20%. Studies involving rats have also shown that eating blueberries leads to improved learning ability and motor skills.
3. Fish oil tablets!
I could spend about 10 blog entries raving about fish oil’s myriad benefits. In addition to preventing heart disease, clarifying acne, aiding weight loss and promoting healthy hair, fish oil will guarantee your calm and focus.
Fish oil is replete with omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Such fatty acids are not only necessary for our bodies to function, but they also treat depression, anxiety and ADHD. In general, fish oil aids one’s ability to concentrate, calm down and think clearly.
Fatty fish like salmon, anchovies and tuna contain high levels of DHA and EPA, but they also contain too much mercury for us to eat them very often. By taking a daily fish oil supplement, you will ensure your brain’s fill of these delicious fatty acids. Your brain will reward you with its highest performance.
Note: Small amounts of vitamin E are often added to fish oil tablets to prevent them from going rancid. When selecting your fish oil supplement, make sure that it contains vitamin E. Also, be sure to thoroughly research any supplement you consider to make sure all harmful chemicals—like mercury—have been removed.
4. Nuts and Seeds!
Rich in vitamin E, nuts—especially almonds—spike cognitive acuity and combat anxiety. Nuts’ high fiber and beneficial fat content also makes them an excellent snack when you need an immediate, but slow-burning, energy boost.
Walnuts and flax seeds are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids—just like fish oil!
Finally, sunflower seeds are a wonderful source of folate, which spurs dopamine production. Dopamine is a reward chemical in our brains that induces feelings of pleasure.
5. Coffee!
It’s true! Drinking 1–3 of cups of coffee each day is a great way to augment mental performance.
According to an article in Time Magazine, drinking caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline—the chemical agent of intense focus. As a result, the well-rested individual who drinks caffeine is more able to concentrate on repetitive, boring tasks for extended periods of time. When you’re sleep deprived, you can count on caffeine to redeem your reaction time, concentration and logical reasoning abilities.
Drinking caffeine also promotes the release of dopamine, the chemical in our brains responsible for feelings of bliss and satisfaction. In keeping with this, drinking caffeine has been proven to improve mood and boost energy levels. Caffeine, in other words, can seriously motivate us to tackle our work!
Bonus: Research shows that drinking 2 cups of (strong) coffee per day helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Beware, however, of consuming caffeine and other stimulants when you’re stressed. If you’re already feeling slightly panicky and overexcited, a shot of espresso will NOT help you slow down, relax and focus.
If you need a boost but recoil at coffee’s taste, try dark chocolate! A generic cup of coffee contains about 130 mg. of caffeine. In comparison, a bar of regular dark chocolate (50–70% cocoa) contains about 70 mg. of caffeine. Dark chocolate is also loaded with flavonoids, a chemical with relaxing properties that is also found in chamomile tea.
6. Avocado!
Avocado is one of the hippest and happiest brain foods in town. The monosaturated fat in avocado benefits blood circulation. In turn, our brains function and think better.
Avocados are also full of potassium (half of an avocado has more potassium than a medium sized-banana!), which helps reduce high blood pressure—one of the symptoms of stress.
7. Water!
Not technically a food, but staying hydrated is essential for maintaining a good mood. Even slight dehydration can increase levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the brain—a catch-22, since many symptoms of stress (like sweating, heavy breathing and increased heart-rate) cause your body to lose water.
Water also makes you smarter. According to a recent study, college students who brought water with them to an exam scored higher than students that did not. Although the study didn’t address how water spurred this spike, it certainly suggests that constant sipping will help you do better in school.
Glossary:
These Key SAT Words are Expertly Identified by Sentia Tutors
myriad: a very great number of things
acuity: sharpness; acuteness; keenness
augment: to make larger in size
recoil: to draw back in alarm, horror or disgust
SAT Question of the Day
2012-07-18 09:00:11
The two sisters could not be more different: the older one was the most graceful dancer I've ever met, but the younger was a complete ______.
(A) simpleton
(B) bumpkin
(C) lummox
(D) sophisticate
(E) cosmopolitan
The correct answer is C
Explanation: To figure out the missing word, try to predict its meaning by using clues in the sentence. In this sentence, the best clue is the phrase "the two sisters could not be more different," which implies that the sisters are opposites of each other. Since one sister was "graceful," the other must have been graceless, meaning the missing word is one that means a person who lacks grace. A "lummox" is a clumsy person, so choice (C) is correct.
None of the other answer choices work, either:
simpleton: a foolish or gullible person (nothing in the prompt implies that the sister is foolish)
bumpkin: an unsophisticated person from the country (the prompt gives no indication of where either sister is from)
sophisticate: a person with much worldly experience and knowledge of fashion and culture (often, a sophisticate would be considered "graceful," so it would not make sense to call someone the opposite of graceful a sophisticate)
cosmopolitan: a person at ease in many cultures and places (this has no relationship to someone who is the opposite of "graceful")
SAT Question of the Day
2012-07-20 09:00:40
If the product of .4 and a number is equal to 6, what is the number?
The correct answer is 15
Explanation: This question seems more confusing than it actually is, as it merely requires an algebraic expression. Let "a number" equal x; then the product of .4 and a number is simply .4x, meaning .4x = 6. Divide both sides of the equation by .4 to get x = 6/.4, or 15.
SAT Question of the Day
2012-07-23 00:00:03
Doug's house was infested with ants, so he asked his neighbor for a natural way of killing them, one that would not hurt his beloved dog; his neighbor suggesting cornmeal, which is safe for dogs, but not digestible by ants, meaning they eat the cornmeal, then die.
(A) his neighbor suggesting cornmeal, which is safe for dogs, but
(B) cornmeal, which is safe for dogs, was suggested for use, since it is
(C) cornmeal, which is safe for dogs, the neighbor suggested for use, since it is
(D) his neighbor suggesting using cornmeal, safe for dogs, but
(E) his neighbor suggested using cornmeal, which is safe for dogs, but
The correct answer is 15
The correct answer is E
Explanation: As written, this prompt contains an error. Semicolons can only be used to link independent clauses, but the two clauses linked here ("Doug's... dog" and "his neighbor... die") are not both independent. The second clause lacks a predicate verb, as "suggesting" cannot be the main verb of a sentence. Choice E corrects this error by changing "suggesting" to the proper, predicate "suggested" and adding the helping verb "using" for clarity.
Should you study while listening to music?
2012-07-24 16:09:02
Imagine that it’s late at night and you’re driving down an empty, abandoned road. You’d really like to accelerate to 60 miles per hour and go for a joyride, but there is literally a stop sign at every corner. You can’t gain speed because you’re constantly coming to a complete stop.
This is basically what happens when you listen to stimulating music while studying. Music—filled with changing notes, fluxing tempos, and passionate lyrics—periodically begs you to pay attention. Every time the music catches your ear, you are interrupted from your studies. As a result, it becomes harder to achieve that state of deep, meditative focus necessary to painlessly, efficiently and meaningfully complete your work.
In this blog entry, I will explain the drawbacks and benefits of studying while listening to music. Following this, I will provide suggestions for creating a playlist that is appropriate for study.
Multitasking… it’s a myth!
True focus requires total absorption in the assignment at hand. When engrossed in a task, we become completely ignorant of irrelevant information. We forget our bodies, our surroundings and we lose sense of time. This is because the brain is simply incapable of paying attention to more than one thing at once. Multitasking, in other words, is an urban myth.
Eric Miller, a professor of neuroscience at MIT, explained this concept in an interview for NPR. According to Miller, when we think we are multitasking, we are actually quickly but completely switching focus between different things. Attempting to do two things at once thus does not heighten your productivity; it slows you down because each task is to the other a distraction.
And so, the verdict is in…
Listening to music while studying is distracting!
A 2010 study confirms that the pitfalls of multitasking apply to studying while listening to music. The study assessed the impact of different noise climates on young adults’ ability to memorize and recall a list of letters. Subjects were tested in silence, while listening to music, while listening to a voice repeat the number three, or while listening to a voice recite random numbers.
The study found that participants were best able to memorize the list when studying in silence or while listening to the voice repeat the number three. By contrast, participants did poorly if they had studied while listening to music or to a voice reciting random numbers. In short, the study suggests that predictable noise conditions nurture concentration. Whereas monotonous repetition is easily tuned out, stimulating and interesting sounds are distracting.
…But are there any benefits to hitting the books with headphones on?
Because we learn best in predictable, un-stimulating noise conditions and we’re fundamentally incapable of concentrating on two things at once, we can safely conclude that studying to music is a bad idea. So, why do many students still do it?
Just as white noise can help the sleepless rest, music may bring focus to students who are bombarded by disruptive thoughts. In addition, music can help us tune out chaotic surroundings. For such students, music is an agent of seclusion and a shield against distraction.
Research from the 1990s has also suggested that listening to music—especially classical music—helps the brain transfer newly learned information to long-term memory. Such research proposes that the brain processes information more effectively when both the right and left hemispheres of the brain are activated. Whereas studying excites the left hemisphere of the brain, classical music activates the right.
This research further submits that listening to music excites the senses, elevates mood and reduces blood pressure, heart rate and stress. In short, listening to music primes the mind for methodical study.
So, listening to music while studying is distracting AND beneficial?! What should I do???
To increase motivation and avoid distraction, students should assemble a study playlist that consists mainly of pleasant but monotonous sounds. These sounds will readily fade to background noise while also blocking distracting thoughts and surroundings. Some suggestions include:
Exciting music has a place in our study playlist too. As we saw above, stimulating music simultaneously reduces stress and energizes the mind; in short, it prepares you to study. Therefore, for maximum results, students should BEGIN their playlists with ear-catching instrumental songs. Listen to these songs before you begin to study in earnest. Including one such song to mark every hour of your playlist will also signal your mind to take an occasional rest.
Some awesome and exciting (mostly) instrumental artists to check out:
You are now prepared to create the ultimate study playlist! However, don't forget to experiment by studying to different artist and songs!
SAT Question of the Day
2012-07-25 09:00:18
The legs of right triangle XYZ have lengths of 5 and 12. What is the perimeter of a right triangle with each side three times the length of its corresponding side in triangle XYZ?
(A) 25
(B) 51
(C) 60
(D) 90
(E) 105
The correct answer is D
Explanation: Start by finding the third side of triangle XYZ. This can be found by plugging in 5 and 12 to the Pythagorean theorem for A and B: A² + B² = C²: 5² + 12² = C². This means that 25 + 144 = C², or 169 = C². Square root both sides to get C: √169 = 13, so C equals 13. Thus, the sides of triangle XYZ are 5, 12, and 13 (a savvy test-taker might have noted that it was a Pythagorean triplet from the beginning). Now, multiply each of these lengths by 3 to get the lengths of the new triangle: 5 x 3 = 15, 12 x 3 = 36, and 13 x 3 = 39. Add these together to find the perimeter of the new triangle: 15 + 36 + 39 = 90, making choice D correct.
SAT Question of the Day
2012-07-27 09:00:39
Today's question is based on the following passage, taken from a scholarly journal article about rap music:
Every major literary movement has its own definition of hero, and this definition is one that is both fluid and evolving with literature. To state that there is a slight difference between the heroes of Homeric epics and the heroes of twentieth century poetic texts is to make an understatement of, well, epic proportions. Just as the poetic forms are totally different, so too are the heroes. In today's world, the most common form of poetry, rap music, has its own hero. Just who this hero figure is, however, is more complicated than in other poetic forms, as rap allows for more than one voice and seems to be evolving faster than any poetic forms that have preceded it. Nevertheless, like all heroes, he (or she) is someone on a journey of personal import and discovery, and, like always, it is the job of the reader (or in this case listener) to go along with the hero and discover something about himself or herself.
It can be inferred from the passage that the author most likely thinks that
(A) the evolution of the hero in poetry stagnated before rap was invented.
(B) the role of the reader has not evolved with the evolution of poetry.
(C) the reader of a poem has the same duty as the writer of a rap song.
(D) the hero of a rap song has much in common with the hero of a Homeric epic.
(E) the hero of a rap song is easier to pinpoint than is the hero of other poetic forms.
The correct answer is B
Explanation: The answer to this question is found in the final sentence where the passage states that "like always, it is the job of the reader (or in this case listener) to go along with the hero." This phrase implies that the role of the reader has not evolved over time.
SAT Question of the Day
2012-07-30 09:00:29
Today’s question is based on the following passage, taken from a scholarly journal article about rap music:
Every major literary movement has its own definition of hero, and this definition is one that is both fluid and evolving with literature. To state that there is a slight difference between the heroes of Homeric epics and the heroes of twentieth century poetic texts is to make an understatement of, well, epic proportions. Just as the poetic forms are totally different, so too are the heroes. In today’s world, the most common form of poetry, rap music, has its own hero. Just who this hero figure is, however, is more complicated than in other poetic forms, as rap allows for more than one voice and seems to be evolving faster than any poetic forms that have preceded it. Nevertheless, like all heroes, he (or she) is someone on a journey of personal import and discovery, and, like always, it is the job of the reader (or in this case listener) to go along with the hero and discover something about himself or herself.
The primary purpose of this passage is to
(A) refute a controversial opinion about poetry
(B) compare two styles of poetry
(C) present a theory about a specific form of poetry
(D) provide information about the history of poetry
(E) introduce a theory about reading poetry
The correct answer is C
Explanation: The best approach to this question is to eliminate wrong answers. The main point the author seems to make is that rap poetry has a different hero figure than do other forms of poetry but that the poems can still be read in ways that are similar to other poetic forms. Additionally, the prompt seems most interested in informing or arguing that point. None of the answer choices directly state this information, so look at each choice:
(A) is wrong because the passage never refutes any opinion; rather it only argues the author's opinion.
(B) is wrong because the passage does not compare two poetic forms; it mostly discusses rap and only mentions other poetry in a a general sense.
(C) is correct albeit not very specific; the passage does provide a theory about a specific form of poetry, namely rap. This choice is kind of vague, but there is nothing wrong in it.
(D) is wrong because the only thing the author says about the history of poetry is that different historic poetic forms have different heroes. The passage does not, however, provide any specific information about the history of poetry.
(E) is wrong because the passage only mentions reading poetry in the final sentence, and most of the passage is devoted to different heroes in rap poetry.
As such, choice C is the best answer.