SAT Reading Comprehension: One Things vs. Two Things

We now turn our attention away from people (Lesson 22) and towards things.

When dealing with the answer choices in the reading questions, however, the same rules apply.

If the referenced lines are discussing one thing, then the correct answer choice must also contain only one thing. If the lines in the passage address multiple things, then the right answer must contain those things.

PRACTICE QUESTION FOR ONE THING VS. TWO THINGS

Recently a controversy erupted when a small school district in the Midwest adopted a new history textbook. Its more than 600 pages contained the minute revision that Abraham Lincoln was “born in” but did not “grow up in” a log cabin. While many people might dismiss this amendment as trivial, it aroused a fervor that highlights a vital debate about the teaching of history to children.

1. The above lines primarily serve to
   (A) denounce haphazard history narratives in textbooks
   (B) elucidate the upbringings of presidents
   (C) laud the author of the textbook for her bold revisions
   (D) illustrate the inner workings of small school districts
   (E) delineate an amendment made to a textbook

What do you think? You have the answer?

Let's make sure that we've got the right answer.

Working through the answer choices, you find a lot of variation in singular and plural things. If you follow these small differences, you can work your way quickly and confidently through the answer choices.

   Choice (A) is incorrect because it addresses “textbooks”, while the lines include only one textbook.
   Choice (B) includes “presidents” though only one, Lincoln, is in the passage.
   Choice (C) contains the plural “revisions” but the lines include a single "revision".
   Choice (D) contains the plural “school districts” instead of the passage's "district".
   

Only choice (E) focuses on singular items (“amendment”; “textbook”) that can be found in the lines and so choice (E) is the right answer.

Reading: One Thing vs. Two Things

Lesson Includes:

—Overview of One Thing vs. Two Things

—Practice Question for One Thing vs. Two Things

SAT Math

SAT Writing

SAT Reading

SAT Vocabulary