All PSAT Critical Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #531 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The workers ___________ in the parking lot, hoping to surprise their boss by greeting him as a group for his birthday.
hid
dispersed
congregated
celebrated
disseminate
congregated
The workers are hoping to greet the boss “as a group,” meaning that they gathered together. The word “congregate” does not only have religious overtones but more generally and properly means any act of gathering together as a crowd. It comes from the combined parts “con-”, meaning “with” or “together” and “-gregate,” which is derived from the Latin roots for “herd” or “flock.” A congregation is a “flocking together” or (more kind to human sensibilities) a “gathering together.” The prefix is very common, being found in many words like “colloquy” and “cooperate.” The latter is found in words like “aggregate” and “segregate.”
Example Question #142 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The old man liked to __________ on a single proverb daily, often returning to reflect on the text throughout the day.
concentrate
ruminate
focus
reserach
brood
ruminate
To “ruminate” on something is to return and ponder over it through the day. The only other option that might seem plausible in this regard would be “brood,” but that has the added negative connotation of thinking about something unhappy. The word “ruminate” originally comes from Latin roots meaning to “chew over.” It is used to describe animals like cows, which are named “ruminants.” Such animals chew the food that they regurgitate from their first stomach (their “rumen”).
Example Question #143 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Although it was obvious to all of John’s friends that Susan thought he was socially awkward, from his own perspective, he __________ that he had shown her such grace and charm that she had been swept off her feet.
remarked
demanded
fancied
claimed
argued
fancied
There is no indication in this sentence that John and his friends are in the midst of debating his charm (or lack there of). Therefore, the word “fancied” is the best choice, as it means “to think or imagine.” The word is derived from the older term “phantasy,” meaning “imagination.” This term itself was derived from the older philosophical terms “phantasia” and “phantasm,” which were parts of the theories of knowledge particularly found in medieval scholasticism but likewise stretching all the way back to Aristotle.
Example Question #144 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
When one cannot see the connection between two concepts, it is often necessary to __________ a number of potential intermediaries until one discovers the true nature of the connection between the original two notions.
posit
conjure
falsify
dissimulate
embellish
posit
When arguing, one sometimes has to assume some fact or other in order to make an initial argument. To “posit” something is to “place” such a fact forward as a possible explanation. Generally speaking, such things are assumed to be true, though they are used as an investigation tool to start an argument that would otherwise be impossible without some initial test assumptions. Insofar as the word means “to place,” you can see that it is related to English words like “position,” “impose,” “postpone,” and “reposition.”
Example Question #151 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Since Patrick could not abide the corruption in the regime under which he lived, he began to __________ his friends and neighbors to undertake acts of rebellion against the legal authorities.
inveigle
cajole
convince
persuade
incite
incite
Although a number of these options are tempting, the clear sense that the sentence wishes to convey is that Patrick wishes to lead his friends and neighbors into seditious activities. When someone tries to encourage others to undertake such illegal acts (even if justified) is said to “incite” these others. Although the term might be used merely to mean “to stir up,” it generally has this negative connotation. Insofar as it is related to such “stirring up,” the word is related to the word “excite.”
Example Question #1521 : Psat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Paula wanted to __________ the real estate assets in her parents’ estate, for her impecunious habits had led her to need significant funds at hand immediately in order to pay of a number of pressing debts.
insure
redeem
recoup
remove
liquidate
liquidate
According to this sentence, Paula is in need of funds that can be spent immediately, something that cannot be done by well with real estate, an asset that has worth but must be sold before it can yield its value. “Liquidation” occurs often when one is selling assets in order to settle debts. However, one can also be said to “liquidate” assets into a cash form that can be spent readily.
Example Question #1522 : Psat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Although Vincent was extremely frustrated with affairs at work, he resolved to ___________ this vexed energy into productive activities.
ignore
restrain
acquire
channel
repress
channel
When one channels something, he or she redirects it from one location to another. Vincent is clearly doing this, having resolved to transfer is energy from his annoyances to productive work. The word literally indicates a structure (manmade or natural) that allows fluid to flow, though it is often applied to any sort of medium (even electromagnetic) allowing for the passage of content from one point to another. It is related to the word canal.
Example Question #1523 : Psat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
With indefatigable insistence, Timothy’s girlfriend knew how to __________ him into changing his attitudes regarding events that he had preferred to avoid.
deceive
admonish
argue
cajole
berate
cajole
In this sentence, there is no implication that Timothy’s girlfriend would be nasty in trying to convince him into changing his attitude. The only thing that is indicated is that she is “indefatigable,” a word meaning “untiring;” therefore, the best option would be “cajole,” which means to persuade insistently or even through flattery. Though no flattery is implied in our sentence, the insistence is implied, and that suffices in comparison with the other options.
Example Question #1524 : Psat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Every morning, the child would _________ some small candy from his father’s lunch pail, eating the sweet on the way to school.
abscond
burglarize
loot
pilfer
plunder
pilfer
Since the child is stealing something insignificant, the best option is “pilfer.” Although several of the options pertain to stealing, only “pilfer” adds the sense of taking something of little value—in this case, “some small candy.”
Example Question #1525 : Psat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Although there was no explicit corporate policy on the matter, George’s decision to ask his subordinate out on a date struck his coworkers as _________ the general boundaries of propriety.
transgressing
destroying
questioning
annulling
overcoming
transgressing
When someone “goes beyond” the boundaries, he or she is said to “transgress” them. The “trans-” prefix means “across” as is evident in words like “translate” (to carry across—languages in this case) and “transform” (to change “across” from one form or appearance to another). The “-gress” comes from the Latin for “to walk or step” found in English words like “gradient,” “grade,” and “egress.”
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