PSAT Critical Reading : Adjectives and Adverbs in One-Blank Sentences
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Critical Reading
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Example Questions
Example Question #31 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
His mother said dismissively that the film was full of __________ violence, but Fred liked all the blood and gore.
gruesome
captivating
gratuitous
shrewd
bewitching
gratuitous
Because of the "but" in the sentence, we know that the mother's opinion of the violence should contrast with Fred's. Since Fred liked it, the mother didn't, and the blank calls for a negative adjective. Gruesome and gratuitous are the options we have left. We can eliminate gruesome because it is not often that someone speaks "dismissively" of something that grosses them out. Gratuitous works best because it means uncalled for or unjustified.
Example Question #681 : One Blank Sentences
The __________ soccer player returned to training after her third ACL surgery and difficult recovery.
impetuous
tenacious
opulent
restrained
wary
tenacious
Since this was her third surgery, the soccer player must be stubbornly persistent, or "tenacious" in returning to training once again after a difficult recovery.
Example Question #32 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Many actors spend their entire lives chasing after the __________ high that is associated with being onstage in front of an audience.
jubilant
frugal
divergent
ephemeral
exemplary
ephemeral
"Ephemeral" works best here since a high is a temporary rush of euphoric emotions, which can only last so long before disappearing, making it temporary.
Example Question #33 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
The college freshman considered her dorm room very __________ after sharing a room with her three sisters all her life.
arid
capacious
florid
frugal
enervating
capacious
Because she had shared a room with her three sisters all her life, she was probably accustomed to a cramped and small living space. Thus, the dorm room must seem very large, or "capacious," to her.
Example Question #1623 : Psat Critical Reading
Once a boring part of town life, the town meeting was now __________ with tension after the high school controversy.
mundane
prosaic
reclusive
provacative
fraught
fraught
The best answer is "fraught," which means "filled with," and captures the transformation of the town meeting from boredom to tension.
Example Question #27 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
The seemingly __________ puppy never tired, even after several vigorous hours of play.
heretical
uninhibited
volatile
indefatigable
satirical
indefatigable
"Indefatigable" means incapable of being tired out, or never tired.
Example Question #871 : Sentence Completion
Lewis and Clark are often regarded as the daring and __________ pair that explored the entire western United States.
benign
inadvertent
rancorous
intrepid
mercurial
intrepid
The fact that Lewis and Clark explored the entire western United States would make them “intrepid”—adventurous or fearless.
Example Question #681 : Sentence Completions
The public was pleasantly surprised and relieved by their congresswoman’s speedy and __________ recovery from pneumonia.
superficial
incongruent
resilient
exacerbated
inauspicious
resilient
“Resilient” indicates a quick recovery from illness or adversity.
Example Question #31 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Most people were impressed with George’s grasp of __________ trivia, but Susan saw it as a mere parlor trick.
popular
significant
common
useful
arcane
arcane
George’s knowledge of trivia is not something that everyone knows, ruling out both "common" and "popular." Susan’s dismissal of George’s knowledge indicates that it is also not "significant" or "useful," so "arcane" is the correct answer.
Example Question #32 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Becky's locker was __________—all of her papers were filed by date and class, all of her notes were color-coded, and there wasn't a speck of dust or piece of trash to be seen.
vulnerable
perfidious
immaculate
humble
deprived
immaculate
We're looking for an adjective that conveys how clean and organized Becky's locker is, so "immaculate," which means perfectly clean, neat, or tidy, is the best answer.
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