All PSAT Critical Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #411 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The younger sibling loved to __________ the anger of her brother by pestering him until he became irate.
undermine
expose
provoke
prevaricate
depose
provoke
The sister here could be said to “pester” her brother, that is, to attempt to annoy him into anger. When someone “provokes” another person, he or she attempts to draw out or cause an emotion or reaction in that person. The word comes from roots that literally mean to draw forth. The “pro-” prefix can mean forward, as can be seen in words like “proceed” (to go forward with some chosen action). The “-voke” portion here means to call. It is found in words like “invoke” and “invocation.” It is also related to words like “vocal” and “vocation.”
Example Question #1444 : Psat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
His throat parched and his entire body trembling from dehydration, Robert gladly __________ his thirst with a large bottle of water when he returned home.
ameliorated
slaked
recanted
overcame
defeated
slaked
Since the sentence specifically mentions that Robert is dehydrated, it is best to choose the answer that best describes the removal of said condition. When one “slakes” his or her thirst, he or she quenches it or satisfies it. Although the word is distantly related to the notion of “slackening” (as in loosening), it is most often used to describe the act of quenching or reducing thirst.
Example Question #71 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
He was known for __________ around instead of walking immediately to a destination, often tripping over his own shoelaces or running into stationary objects on the way.
barreling
participating
bumbling
hopping
sneezing
bumbling
We can infer that the sentence's subject walks around both aimlessly (because he does not "[walk] immediately to a destination") and clumsily (because he "often trip[s] over his own shoelaces or run[s] into stationary objects on the way"). So, we need to pick out a verb for the blank that means something like "walk aimlessly and clumsily." "Bumbling," a verb that can mean moving or speaking in a clumsy way, is the best answer because it best fits the context of the sentence.
Example Question #72 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
In order to approach a problem, you must __________ the specific questions that will be important, eliminating extraneous concerns.
summarize
delimit
eschew
collect
review
delimit
The key phrase in this sentence is “eliminating extraneous concerns.” When someone “cuts out” extra content, he or she helps to show the exact boundaries of a problem or question. The word “delimit” means to set the limits or boundaries of. Here, such delimitation is being done by selecting the specific questions to be asked, thus setting the appropriate limits for research into the problem.
Example Question #413 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Letting the angry cat into the room where the two dogs were growling at each other only __________ the situation, as all three animals began to try to fight each other.
exacerbated
placated
censored
truncated
exonerated
exacerbated
From the context of the sentence, we can tell that letting the cat into the room with the angry dogs worsened the situation, so we need to choose a verb that means something like worsen. "Exacerbated" means just that, so it is the correct answer.
Example Question #414 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
By paying close attention to the magician's tricks, Connie was able to __________ how they worked, even though he never explained them.
incriminate
evoke
rescind
navigate
infer
infer
We know that Connie was able to figure out how the magician's tricks worked without him explaining them to her, so we're looking for a verb that is a synonym for "deduce." Because "infer" means deduce something without it being explicitly stated, it is the correct answer.
Example Question #415 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
By cooperating with police, the criminal managed to __________ his sentence from a year in jail to six months of house arrest.
deny
deprive
belittle
mitigate
inhabit
mitigate
Since the criminal got his sentence reduced "from a year to six months in jail," we know that we're looking for a verb that means something like reduce. Because of this, "mitigate," which means lessen the severity of, is the best answer choice. (While "belittle" sounds like a likely answer, it doesn't actually mean to make smaller. Instead, it means cause someone to feel or appear unimportant or cause something to appear unimportant.)
Example Question #1453 : Psat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Although Thomas could not eliminate the injustice in his school, he at least hoped to __________ it and make the culture more bearable for some.
alter
overhaul
uplift
alleviate
restore
alleviate
Since Thomas cannot totally remove the injustice, he at least wishes to improve the situation and make it less burdensome for some people at least. When one “alleviates” something, he or she makes it less “heavy” or less severe. Often, we think of “alleviating suffering,” though the term can be used much more generally. The term literally means “[moving] toward a lighter state.” The “-lev-” portion comes from Latin roots meaning light (in weight) and can be found in English words like “levity” and “levitate.”
Example Question #416 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Though Gina lagged behind other students in knowledge of mathematics and science, she greatly __________ them in musical ability.
equaled
appreciated
accelerated
matched
surpassed
surpassed
The key thing to note in this opposition is that Gina “lags” in mathematics and science, meaning that she “falls behind” the others. Therefore, the word that we need must capture the sense of “going or passing ahead of” the others (in music). The word “surpass” literally means to pass over. The prefix “sur-” means over or on top of, as is found in the English “surface,” which literally means the top face.
Example Question #417 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Luckily the substandard fuel merely __________ the engine’s operation and did not suppress it completely.
prevented
impaired
overcame
prohibited
fastened
impaired
The key expression in this sentence is “did not suppress it completely.” Since the engine did not lose its operational capacity entirely, the best option will be one that expresses a “partial loss.” When something is “impaired,” it is made to be in a diminished state (though not totally extinguished).
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