Original mock contests

Two short mock sets written in digital-SAT style: a verbal mini-mock (10 RW questions, 12 minutes) and a math mini-mock (10 questions, 16 minutes). Use these as warm-ups between full Bluebook tests. For full-length practice with real adaptive logic, always use the Bluebook app.

Mini-mock 1 · Reading & Writing (10 questions, 12 min)

1. Q1 (Information & Ideas).

   "The harvest mouse builds spherical nests woven from grass blades, typically suspended between several tall stems above the ground. By raising its nest above the grass floor, the mouse reduces the risk of flooding during heavy rains and avoids most ground-dwelling predators."

   Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

   A) The harvest mouse weaves nests from grass blades.
   B) Suspending its nest gives the harvest mouse protection from two specific threats.
   C) Heavy rains are the harvest mouse's primary danger.
   D) Ground-dwelling predators cannot climb grass stems.

2. Q2 (Inference / complete the text).

   "Researchers studying the migratory routes of monarch butterflies have long noted that the population's overwintering grounds in central Mexico cover only a few hectares. Despite this small footprint, the migration involves butterflies from across eastern North America. The fact that such a vast breeding population converges on so concentrated a destination suggests that ____."

   Which choice most logically completes the text?

   A) the overwintering grounds were established only recently.
   B) disruption of the overwintering habitat could affect the entire eastern population.
   C) monarchs prefer to overwinter in larger areas than is generally believed.
   D) the eastern population is genetically distinct from the western one.

3. Q3 (Vocabulary in context).

   "The author's prose is spare, relying on short sentences and ordinary words to carry weight that most writers attempt with elaborate metaphor."

   As used in the text, what does "spare" most nearly mean?

   A) extra   B) minimal   C) generous   D) reserve

4. Q4 (Text purpose).

   "Although small-scale farmers in the region had historically grown a wide variety of crops, the introduction of guaranteed-price contracts for soybeans in the early 2000s prompted many to specialize. This narrowed planting reduced household labor but also made farmers more vulnerable to a single market downturn."

   What is the main purpose of the second sentence?

   A) Introduce a competing argument.
   B) Describe both a benefit and a cost of the change introduced in the first sentence.
   C) Question the accuracy of the first sentence.
   D) Provide statistical evidence for a claim.

5. Q5 (Cross-text connections).

   Text 1: "Early radio dramas relied on suggestive sound effects and pacing to engage their audiences, leaving much of the imagined scene to the listener."

   Text 2: "What seems like minimalism in early radio drama was often a constraint. Producers had limited engineering budgets, and elaborate effects were simply unavailable."

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

   A) By disputing whether radio dramas actually engaged audiences.
   B) By arguing that the apparent stylistic choice was driven primarily by practical limits.
   C) By agreeing that pacing was the central tool of early radio drama.
   D) By asserting that modern producers should imitate the early style.

6. Q6 (Punctuation).

   "The novel was praised for its rich historical detail ____ critics also noted its slow pacing in the middle chapters."

   A) detail,   B) detail;   C) detail and   D) detail,

   (Choose between B and D in context of the sentence structure.)

7. Q7 (Subject-verb agreement).

   "The collection of letters, organized by date and addressee, ____ as a remarkable record of mid-century intellectual life."

   A) stand   B) stands   C) standing   D) have stood

8. Q8 (Modifier placement).

   "Built in 1898, ____."

   A) the lighthouse has guided ships for over a century.
   B) over a century of ships have been guided by the lighthouse.
   C) ships have been guided by the lighthouse for over a century.
   D) it has been over a century of guided ships.

9. Q9 (Transition).

   "The fossils were collected over three field seasons and catalogued in the regional museum. ____, the specimens were re-examined using newly available imaging techniques."

   A) Therefore   B) For example   C) Decades later   D) However

10. Q10 (Rhetorical synthesis).

    Notes:

    • Bioluminescent fungi emit a faint glow at night.
    • About 80 species of bioluminescent fungi have been described.
    • Researchers believe the glow attracts insects that disperse spores.
    • Recent studies have identified the underlying chemical pathway.

    The student wants to emphasize the proposed ecological function of the glow. Which sentence best meets this goal?

    A) Researchers have identified the chemical pathway responsible for the glow.
    B) Approximately 80 species of bioluminescent fungi have been described.
    C) The faint nighttime glow of bioluminescent fungi is thought to attract insects that help disperse their spores.
    D) Bioluminescent fungi have been studied in detail in recent years.

Answer key

1. B   2. B   3. B   4. B   5. B   6. B   7. B   8. A   9. C   10. C

Mini-mock 2 · Math (10 questions, 16 min)

Calculator allowed (Desmos or physical).

1. Q1. If 5(x − 2) = 3x + 4, what is x?
2. Q2. The line y = mx + 4 passes through (3, 13). What is m?
3. Q3. A jacket originally priced at $120 is on sale for $90. By what percent has the price been reduced?
4. Q4. If f(x) = 3x² − x − 2, what is f(2)?
5. Q5. The system 3x + y = 11, x + y = 5 has solution (x, y). What is x?
6. Q6. In a right triangle, one leg is 7 and the hypotenuse is 25. What is the other leg?
7. Q7. A quadratic has roots x = −2 and x = 5 and passes through (0, −10). What is the leading coefficient a in f(x) = a(x + 2)(x − 5)?
8. Q8. A circle has equation (x − 4)² + (y + 1)² = 36. What is the area of the circle? (Express as a multiple of π.)
9. Q9. The mean of five numbers is 14. Four of the numbers are 10, 12, 15, and 18. What is the fifth number?
10. Q10. In a class of 30 students, 18 study Spanish, 14 study French, and 6 study both. How many students study neither language?

Worked answers

Full Module · Reading & Writing (27 questions, 32 minutes)

A full digital-SAT-style R&W module. Set a strict 32-minute timer. Each question is independent. Answer key at the bottom of this section.

1. (Vocabulary) "The committee found the testimony compelling, citing its specific, verifiable details." Best meaning of "compelling"?   A) commanding   B) persuasive   C) brief   D) unusual
2. (Central idea) "Bumblebees can detect electric fields produced by flowers, which differ subtly between species. By sampling these fields, bees can decide which flowers are likely to be rewarding before landing." Main claim?   A) Bumblebees see colors better than humans.   B) Floral electric fields are species-specific.   C) Bumblebees use floral electric fields to choose which flowers to visit.   D) Pollination depends mainly on bumblebees.
3. (Inference) "Although tropical reefs cover less than 0.1% of the ocean floor, they support roughly a quarter of marine species. The disproportionate biodiversity per area suggests that ____."   A) reefs are the only viable habitat for marine species   B) damage to reefs has consequences out of proportion to their physical extent   C) deep ocean ecosystems are unimportant   D) reef area has been miscalculated
4. (Command of evidence) Claim: "Reducing classroom size below 20 students measurably improves test scores in early grades." Which finding most directly supports it?   A) Teachers in smaller classes report less stress.   B) Test scores rose in a district that reduced K–2 class sizes from 25 to 18.   C) Smaller classes are more expensive.   D) Most parents prefer small classes.
5. (Quantitative evidence) A table shows reading scores by school: A: 510, B: 525, C: 540, D: 555. Best supports the claim that scores vary across schools?   A) School D scored highest.   B) Scores spanned a 45-point range from A to D.   C) The mean was 532.5.   D) School A was the lowest.
6. (Text structure) "Researchers initially believed the species was extinct. Then a 2019 expedition found a small breeding population in a remote canyon." Function of sentence 2?   A) Restates sentence 1.   B) Provides a counterexample.   C) Adds a tangential detail.   D) Concludes the passage.
7. (Cross-text) Text 1: "Tariffs raise consumer prices in the importing country." Text 2: "Tariffs may temporarily protect domestic industries vulnerable to dumping." How would Text 2 respond to Text 1?   A) Disagrees that tariffs raise prices.   B) Agrees about prices but argues there can be a justifying tradeoff.   C) Argues tariffs only help consumers.   D) Refutes the concept of dumping.
8. (Vocabulary) "The agreement was tenuous, held together by personal trust rather than enforceable rules." "Tenuous" most nearly:   A) strong   B) fragile   C) lengthy   D) hidden
9. (Purpose) "The author opens the essay with a personal anecdote about her grandmother's garden." Most likely purpose?   A) Refute a prior argument.   B) Establish a personal stake to ground a broader claim.   C) Display the author's prose style.   D) Provide statistical evidence.
10. (Transition) "The crop yielded record harvests for three consecutive years. ____, soil tests revealed declining nitrogen levels that could threaten future yields."   A) Therefore   B) However   C) For example   D) In addition
11. (Transition) "Solar panels have grown more efficient. ____, installation costs have fallen by half."   A) Nevertheless   B) In contrast   C) Meanwhile   D) Therefore
12. (Rhetorical synthesis) Notes: "Glass frogs have translucent skin. Their organs are visible from below. Translucency may camouflage them against bright leaves." Goal: explain how translucency benefits glass frogs. Best choice?   A) Glass frogs have translucent skin that allows their organs to be visible.   B) Translucent skin may camouflage glass frogs against bright leaves when viewed from below.   C) Glass frogs live in tropical rainforests.   D) Glass frogs differ from opaque frog species.
13. (Punctuation) "The proposal was ambitious ____ ultimately, the committee rejected it."   A) ambitious,   B) ambitious;   C) ambitious and   D) ambitious:
14. (Subject-verb agreement) "The committee's recommendations, drafted after months of debate, ____ scheduled to be presented tomorrow."   A) is   B) are   C) being   D) has been
15. (Possessive) "The ____ migration routes have been altered by recent climate shifts."   A) birds   B) bird's   C) birds'   D) birds's
16. (Verb tense) "By the time the rescue team arrived, the climbers ____ already descended to base camp."   A) have   B) had   C) were   D) will have
17. (Modifier) "Layered with sediment, ____."   A) geologists studied the cliff face   B) the cliff face revealed millions of years of history   C) the history was visible to geologists   D) studying the cliff face was rewarding
18. (Pronoun) "Each of the candidates submitted ____ application before the deadline."   A) their   B) his or her   C) its   D) there
19. (Comma splice) "The exhibit closes Sunday, attendance has surged in recent weeks." Fix?   A) (no change)   B) Sunday; attendance   C) Sunday attendance   D) Sunday, but attendance
20. (Vocabulary) "Her conclusion was provisional, awaiting more data before being finalized." Most nearly:   A) tentative   B) confident   C) provincial   D) lengthy
21. (Inference) "Although the city introduced a free bus pass for residents over 65, ridership in that age group rose only modestly. Surveys suggested that route coverage, not cost, was the main barrier."   This finding most directly suggests that ____.   A) eliminating cost has no effect on transit use   B) for this group, expanding routes may matter more than further price reductions   C) the pass program should be terminated   D) older residents prefer private transit
22. (Central idea) "Dark sky reserves are designated areas where artificial lighting is strictly regulated. By preserving the natural night, these reserves protect ecosystems disrupted by light pollution and offer rare opportunities for astronomical observation." Best summary?   A) Light pollution disrupts ecosystems.   B) Dark sky reserves limit lighting to preserve ecological and astronomical values.   C) Astronomical observation is best done in remote areas.   D) Artificial lighting should be banned everywhere.
23. (Transition) "The team tested three prototypes. ____, only one met the minimum durability standard."   A) For example   B) However   C) Therefore   D) Similarly
24. (Punctuation — list) "The toolkit contained three things ____ a multimeter, a flashlight, and a pocket knife."   A) —   B) :   C) ;   D) ,
25. (Verb form) "Among the documents recovered from the archive ____ a draft of the unpublished novel."   A) was   B) were   C) being   D) are
26. (Rhetorical synthesis) Notes: "Researchers tracked 60 sea otters for 5 years. Otters that fed on a wider variety of prey had higher survival rates." Goal: state the study's primary finding. Best choice?   A) Researchers studied 60 sea otters.   B) Sea otters with more varied diets survived at higher rates than those with narrow diets.   C) Sea otters consume a wide variety of prey.   D) The study lasted 5 years.
27. (Text purpose) "After describing the technical mechanism of CRISPR, the author shifts to discussing its bioethical implications, particularly around germline editing." How does the author's text transition function?   A) Refutes the technical mechanism.   B) Pivots from how-it-works to what-it-implies.   C) Adds an unrelated topic.   D) Concludes with a personal anecdote.

Answer key — Full R&W module

Full Module · Math (22 questions, 35 minutes)

A full digital-SAT-style Math module. Calculator allowed on every question. Set a strict 35-minute timer. Answer key at the bottom. About one-quarter (~25%) are student-produced response (no choices); answer with the numeric value.

1. If 3x + 5 = 26, what is x?   A) 5   B) 7   C) 9   D) 11
2. The function f(x) = 2x − 5. What is f(4)?   (Student-produced response)
3. If x − 2y = 6 and 3x + y = 11, what is x?   A) 4   B) 5   C) 8   D) 9
4. What is the slope of the line through (−1, 4) and (3, −4)?   A) −2   B) −1   C) 1   D) 2
5. A car rental costs $30 per day plus $0.20 per mile. Cost for d days and m miles?   A) 30 + 0.20m   B) 30d + 0.20m   C) 30 + 0.20dm   D) 30m + 0.20d
6. If (x − 3)(x + 5) = 0, what are the solutions?   A) 3, −5   B) −3, 5   C) 3, 5   D) −3, −5
7. Vertex of y = (x − 2)² + 7?   A) (2, 7)   B) (−2, 7)   C) (2, −7)   D) (7, 2)
8. Solve 2ˣ = 16.   (Student-produced response)
9. A pyramid has a square base with side 6 and height 9. Volume?   A) 108   B) 162   C) 216   D) 324
10. Simplify (3x²)(2x³).   A) 5x⁵   B) 6x⁵   C) 6x⁶   D) 5x⁶
11. A bag has 5 red, 3 blue, 2 green. Probability of drawing a non-red marble?   A) 1/2   B) 1/5   C) 2/5   D) 1/3
12. A circle: (x − 1)² + (y + 3)² = 49. Radius?   (Student-produced response)
13. A jacket originally $80 is on sale for 25% off. Sale price?   A) $20   B) $55   C) $60   D) $75
14. For what value of k does x² − kx + 16 = 0 have a double root?   A) ±4   B) ±8   C) ±2   D) ±16
15. Convert 72 km/h to m/s.   (Student-produced response)
16. In right triangle ABC, ∠C = 90°, AC = 6, BC = 8. cos A?   A) 3/5   B) 4/5   C) 3/4   D) 6/10
17. Solve |x − 3| ≤ 5.   A) x ≤ −2   B) −2 ≤ x ≤ 8   C) x ≥ 8   D) −8 ≤ x ≤ 2
18. Data: 5, 7, 7, 12, 19. Median?   A) 7   B) 10   C) 12   D) 9
19. Population grows from 8000 to 9680 in 2 years. Annual growth rate (compound)?   A) 5%   B) 10%   C) 21%   D) 8.4%
20. Factor x³ − 9x.   A) x(x − 3)(x + 3)   B) x(x² − 9x)   C) (x − 3)²   D) x(x − 9)
21. Two similar pentagons have side ratio 2:5. Ratio of their areas?   A) 2:5   B) 4:10   C) 4:25   D) 8:125
22. If log₃(81) = x, find x.   (Student-produced response)

Answer key — Full Math module

Scoring rough guide: 19+ correct on this module = strong Math performance; 14–18 = on track; below 14 = focus on Module 1 fundamentals (Algebra, Advanced math) before another mock.

After the mini-mocks

1. Score each section honestly.
2. Re-attempt every miss without looking at the worked answer.
3. Log each remaining miss into the error log with a real "why" line.
4. Identify the one domain you missed most. Drill that domain this week using the problem sets.