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 #68 : 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.
shrewd
gratuitous
captivating
gruesome
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 #867 : Sentence Completion
The __________ soccer player returned to training after her third ACL surgery and difficult recovery.
restrained
wary
tenacious
opulent
impetuous
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 #71 : 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.
ephemeral
divergent
exemplary
jubilant
frugal
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 #72 : 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.
enervating
florid
capacious
frugal
arid
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 #701 : Sentence Completion Questions
Once a boring part of town life, the town meeting was now __________ with tension after the high school controversy.
reclusive
mundane
prosaic
fraught
provacative
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.
satirical
indefatigable
volatile
heretical
uninhibited
indefatigable
"Indefatigable" means incapable of being tired out, or never tired.
Example Question #671 : One Blank Sentences
Lewis and Clark are often regarded as the daring and __________ pair that explored the entire western United States.
rancorous
intrepid
inadvertent
benign
mercurial
intrepid
The fact that Lewis and Clark explored the entire western United States would make them “intrepid”—adventurous or fearless.
Example Question #71 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
The public was pleasantly surprised and relieved by their congresswoman’s speedy and __________ recovery from pneumonia.
resilient
inauspicious
exacerbated
superficial
incongruent
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
useful
common
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 #74 : 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.
immaculate
perfidious
humble
deprived
vulnerable
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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