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

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.