All PSAT Critical Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #33 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
After moving into the new town, it took Scott some time to become __________ to the aspects of daily life that differed greatly from that which he knew in his previous locale.
nativist
accepting
accustomed
reflective
understanding
accustomed
The sentence implies that Scott had to become aware and comfortable with new aspects of life in his town, for they differed from what he had known. Such a process of becoming comfortable with something new is called “becoming accustomed.” Notice that the word contains the word “custom,” and the “ac” is really the “ad” prefix meaning “to or toward.” Therefore, the process of “accustoming” is (in a sense) “structuring oneself ‘to the customs’ of a given area or process.”
Example Question #34 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Travis assured his friends that he __________ to goals that were far loftier than what his little town could offer to him.
espied
looked
imagined
aspired
studied
aspired
The implication here is that Travis “aims” at high goals. Therefore, one could say that he hopes to accomplish these tasks. Such hopes are often called “aspirations,” a word coming from the Latin for “to breathe toward.” There are English words like “despair,” that mean “without hope” but are based on a different (but very close) Latin word meaning hope. The word for “I breathe” is “spiro” and the word for “I hope” is “spero.” Latin students often learn the shortened quip, “Dum spiro, spero,” meaning, “While I breathe, I hope.”
Example Question #1852 : Sat Critical Reading
Robert __________ tightly onto the root sticking out of the cliff, hoping to hold himself there until a rescue crew could arrive.
oscillated
recoild
affix
attached
clutched
clutched
The key word in this sentence is “tightly,” which indicates that Robert was not merely holding on with a limp hand. The best option, therefore, is “clutched” which captures this sense of direly holding on in a tight-fisted manner.
Example Question #11 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Although Mark did not have many specific skills, he was excellent at ___________ affairs for others in order to make their work much easier.
facilitating
overcoming
discussing
evaluating
scheduling
facilitating
When someone is able to aid others in doing their work, particularly in making it easier, that person is said to “facilitate” the work. The word “facilitate” comes from the Latin root word for “easy,” found in related English words like “facile” and “facility.”
Example Question #35 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Ashley would watch other people’s hands and eyes to help her to __________ what they actually thought about the ideas that she expressed to them.
manipulate
infer
espy
influence
notice
infer
The sentence implies that Ashley is reading the outward signs of people’s behavior in order to reach some conclusion about their inner disposition. When someone “infers” something, he or she uses indirect evidence to come to a conclusion. Similar to how the word “transfer” literally means “to carry across,” the word “infer” means “to carry into.” (The “-fer-” portion of the word here means “to bring or carry,” from the Latin “ferre.”) An inference “carries” someone into the heart of a matter.
Example Question #406 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Andrew had a great deal of knowledge about the best means by which to __________ through the confusing streets of the old town.
stride
stroll
peruse
navigate
drive
navigate
Although the word “navigate” often applies to one traveling on a ship, it can be extended to apply to any case of planning the route that one must take. Given that the sentence speaks of Andrew’s great knowledge of the confusing streets, the best option will be “navigate,” which indicates that he knew how to find is way around the town. The word “navigate” does come from roots for “ship,” found in “navy” and “naval.”
Example Question #451 : One Blank Sentences
During the summer of his senior year, Eric decided to make money __________ cheap watches and t-shirts at carnivals throughout the country.
arranging
peddling
displaying
offering
retailing
peddling
The general implication of the sentence is that Eric is planning to sell these items during the summer. The key qualifying word is “cheap,” which helps to eliminate the tempting answer “retailing.” When someone “peddles” something, he or she not only is said to sell it but likewise is said to be selling something that is cheap, often doing so by traveling from place to place.
Example Question #446 : One Blank Sentences
That artist is famous for his technique of __________ black and white shapes, and his work focuses on playing up the intense contrast produced by the shapes' side-by-side placement.
separating
limiting
undulating
meandering
juxtaposing
juxtaposing
We can infer that we need to pick out a word that means something like "place side-by-side" and has something to do with creating contrast. "Separating" cannot be the correct answer because the sentence refers to "the shapes' side-by-side placement." However, "juxtaposing" is a verb that means "place or deal with close together for contrasting effect," so it is the correct answer because it best fits the sentence's context.
Example Question #22 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Every morning it took Jerome’s parents fifteen minutes to __________ him from his deep slumber.
rouse
berate
jostle
coax
force
rouse
The best option here is “rouse,” for it has the direct meaning of “waking from sleep.” While the other options might apply to a degree (except perhaps berate, which is too strong), none of them apply quite as directly as does “rouse.”
Example Question #1861 : Sat Critical Reading
Many quasi-rituals like tea parties and graduation ceremonies have elaborate __________ actions that are as intricately planned as those found in any complex dance.
serving
manual
prancing
choreographed
pouring
choreographed
Since tea parties and graduation ceremonies are said to have planned actions, one could say that they are “choreographed.” When something is choreographed, it is given a planned set of steps that are to be performed or executed. The word comes from the combination of the Greek words for “dance” and “to write,” thus having the sense of “writing down (the steps) of a dance.”
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