Question 10·Easy·Command of Evidence
Average Temperatures in July in Four Locations in the Navajo Nation
| Location | Average highest temperature (Fahrenheit) | Average lowest temperature (Fahrenheit) |
|---|---|---|
| Teec Nos Pos | 94° | 65° |
| Cameron | 99° | 65° |
| Ramah | 83° | 50° |
| Tuba City | 83° | 50° |
The Navajo Nation has the largest land area of any tribal nation in the United States: over 27,000 square miles in the Southwest. Because this area is so huge and its communities are located at various elevations, the people of the Navajo Nation can experience different climate conditions depending on where they live. For example, in July, ____
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the example?
For SAT Reading & Writing questions that ask you to choose a sentence based on a table or graph, first read the surrounding text to understand what function the missing phrase or sentence must serve (for example, showing a difference, giving a cause, or adding a detail). Then, check each answer choice against the chart: eliminate any options whose numbers or facts do not exactly match. Finally, among the factually correct choices, pick the one that best fulfills the purpose in context—such as clearly illustrating a contrast when the passage discusses differences. This approach is fast and prevents you from choosing an answer that is numerically wrong or contextually weak.
Hints
Use the surrounding sentence
Reread the sentence that comes right before the blank. What idea is the writer trying to illustrate with the "For example" phrase?
Look for contrast, not just any fact
Ask yourself whether the example should show that places are similar or that they are different. Which kind of example best matches the idea of people experiencing different climate conditions?
Check the table carefully
For each answer choice, compare the temperatures mentioned with the values in the table. Cross out any choice that does not match the numbers exactly.
From the remaining choices, pick the best support
If more than one choice matches the table, choose the one that most clearly supports the idea that climate conditions vary across locations.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the sentence needs to show
Read the sentence right before the blank: it says that people in different parts of the Navajo Nation can experience different climate conditions depending on where they live.
The phrase "For example, in July, ____" tells you that the blank must be filled with a specific example that shows a difference in climate between locations.
Check which choices show a comparison or contrast
Look at what each answer choice does:
- Some choices state that two locations have the same temperature.
- One choice gives different temperatures for two locations.
To support the idea of "different climate conditions," it is stronger if the example shows a difference, not a similarity.
Verify the numbers in the table
Now use the table to check the temperatures in each choice:
- Teec Nos Pos: highest 94°, lowest 65°
- Cameron: highest 99°, lowest 65°
- Ramah: highest 83°, lowest 50°
- Tuba City: highest 83°, lowest 50°
Compare these numbers carefully to the temperatures given in each answer choice and eliminate any choice that gets a number wrong.
Combine accuracy with purpose to choose the answer
After you remove any answer with incorrect numbers, look at the remaining ones and ask: Which one clearly illustrates different climate conditions between places, as the sentence describes?
The only choice that both uses the correct numbers and clearly contrasts the temperatures of two different locations is: Ramah’s average highest temperature was 83°, while Cameron’s was 99°.