PSAT Critical Reading : Nouns and Verbs in Two-Blank Sentences
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Critical Reading
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Example Questions
Example Question #53 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences
Choose the set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Othmar’s fame was barely beginning to __________, and many people anticipated many more years of increasing __________.
change . . . notoriety
register . . . voracity
wax . . . renown
wane . . . popularity
ferment . . . influence
wax . . . renown
The sense of the sentence communicates that Othmar’s fame is increasing. When something “waxes,” it is increasing in size or intensity. The word is normally used to describe the increasing of lunar light as the moon becomes larger (at least in its visibility, that is). This primary usage is often transferred in order to describe the growing of things other than the moon. The opposite term (i.e. the term for decreasing lunar light exposure) is “wane.”
The second word, “renown,” means fame, particularly in the sense of being discussed by many people. It is derived from roots related to words like “nominate” and “nominal”—words that have to deal with the notion of names (the “nom-” root).
Example Question #103 : Two Blank Sentences
Choose the set of words that best completes the following sentence.
For years upon years, the people grew ever more tired under the reign of the tired old king, who refused to alter the power structure even in his aging __________. At last, in a sudden turn of events, he __________ from his rule and granted the kingship to his heir.
lineaments . . . weaseled
narcolepsy . . . perished
conditioned . . . absconded
confusion . . . tyrannized
dotage . . . abdicated
dotage . . . abdicated
As one ages (and becomes tired), they can be said to be in a state of “dotage,” meaning that they are old and weak. To step down from rule is to “abdicate” from it.
Example Question #54 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences
Choose the set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Because of his thick skin, the director was hardly __________ by the __________ of criticism he faced for his controversial film.
unaffected . . . flood
distrusted . . . lack
impacted . . . waive
fazed . . . barrage
pleased . . . dearth
fazed . . . barrage
We are told that the director's reaction is due to his thick skin, which tells us that there is some substantial criticism (so we can rule out "dearth," or lack) and that he is not overly-affected by it (so we can cross out "unaffected," because if he is "hardly unaffected," the double negative (as in math) would mean that he was, in fact, quite affected by the criticism. The "impacted . . . waive" option would work if the second word were the noun "wave" instead of the verb "waive," which means to give something up willingly. We are left with "fazed" (affected) and "barrage" (an onslaught or flood).
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