SAT Reading and Writing Practice Question #185 (Medium (590)) | Test Citadel
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SAT Reading and Writing Difficulty: Medium (590)

Digital SAT Reading and Writing Practice Question #185

Test your problem-solving accuracy on this official-caliber item. Select an answer choice to check your reasoning instantly.

A historian argues that the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 was the primary reason New York City emerged as the unrivaled economic capital of the United States. According to the historian, the canal drastically lowered the cost of transporting manufactured goods to the Midwest and raw materials to the East Coast, giving New York City a unique, unsurpassable trade advantage over other port cities like Philadelphia and Boston. Which finding, if true, would most directly weaken the historian's argument?
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Socratic AI Engine Step-by-Step Derivation
0ms Precomputed
Tactical Insight (Hint 1)

Rely strictly on explicit statements in the passage. Eliminate any option that requires external assumptions or twists the author's stated nuance.

Elimination Framework (Hint 2)

Elimination Strategy: In digital reading/writing, 3 out of 4 choices contain an active flaw (half-right/half-wrong, too extreme, or wrong transition type). Cross out options with absolute words like "always", "proves", or "never".

Masterclass Solution & Distractor Trap Analysis

These questions ask you to strengthen or weaken an argument. The first step is always to pinpoint the exact claim being made. The Historian's Claim: The Erie Canal (completed in 1825) was the PRIMARY REASON New York City became the economic...

Distractor Analysis: Trap choice eliminates careless test-takers who confuse roots with coordinates...

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