All PSAT Critical Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #701 : One Blank Sentences
George was well known for the __________ talent to which he bore witness from his youngest days.
remarkable
amazing
precocious
astounding
academic
precocious
The key words in this sentence are “from his youngest days.” This helps to eliminate words like “amazing,” “remarkable,” and “astounding.” The best option is “precocious,” for a person who shows amazing talent from his or her youth is said to be “precocious.” It often can mean that one has developed such abilities “before their time” (i.e. much earlier than expected). It comes from Latin roots literally meaning “to be pre-cooked” or “pre-ripened.”
Example Question #61 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Although the conclusion to the argument appeared to be absolutely certain, in actuality, it was merely __________.
reductive
inductive
probable
deducible
questionable
probable
The answers to the argument are implied to be less than certain, though the sentence does not imply that they are completely impossible. Therefore, they must be said to hold in a weaker sense. When something is “probable,” it is often said to be “likely.” This does not mean that it is necessary. A probability is not a guarantee that something will or must occur.
Example Question #62 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
The car was __________ in the sand, unable to be transferred from its location by any means.
wedged
lodged
immobile
ensnared
confined
immobile
The key expression in this sentence is “unable to be transferred,” for this implies that the car cannot be moved. This is literally what is meant by the word “immobile,” which is merely the combination of the “im-” prefix, which here means “not,” with the base “mobile.”
Example Question #101 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
When Dee adopted it off of the street, the underfed kitten looked __________, with its skin tight against its bones, but within a week started to put on weight and looked much healthier.
listless
gaunt
plump
healthy
concerned
gaunt
We know that the kitten was "underfed" and "its skin [looked] tight against its bones," so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "emaciated." "Plump" and "healthy" are antonyms of the word we're looking for, so neither can be the correct answer. "Gaunt," an adjective that means "lean and haggard, especially because of suffering, hunger, or age," is the correct answer because it best fits the sentence's context.
Example Question #901 : Sentence Completion
The process was quite difficult to perform, for it required not only a number of sequential actions but also ones that had to be done __________.
strenuously
simultaneously
immediately
progressivly
assiduously
simultaneously
The contrast being asserted in this sentence is between “sequential” actions and ones that would be done in a non-sequential manner. A process that is done “sequentially” is one that has a number of steps done one after another. Therefore, the best contrast to this would be a process having steps done at the same time, or “simultaneously.” The “simul-” portion of the word comes from the Latin meaning “at the same time” and is distantly related to other “sameness” words like “similar” and “similarity.”
Example Question #102 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Being overly confident in their grasp of a subject’s details, young scholars often proclaim their most unsubstantial opinions as though they were __________ certain of them.
steadily
relatively
somewhat
apodictically
regularly
apodictically
Since the young scholars are described as being “overly confident,” the best option will reflect such confidence. They will thus be described as being very certain or as having unwavering certainty. When something is “apodictic,” it is considered to have been completely demonstrated, leaving no room to doubt it. This would well describe the great certainty of the young scholars.
Example Question #721 : One Blank Sentences
Karen and Dorothy were quite a pair of contrasts, for Karen was always emotional and agitated, while Dorothy had a rather __________ temperament.
stoic
ebullient
sparkling
cheerful
zestful
stoic
The contrast in this sentence is between someone who is said to be generally emotional and someone who is not. Just because Karen is emotional and agitated, one need not believe that she was nasty, sad, depressed, or anything else. The best contrasting term is “stoic,” meaning “undergoing difficulties without showing emotion.” It is often used in the broader sense of implying that a person shows no emotion when it would seem normal to do so. The term is taken from the ancient Greek (and later Roman) philosophical school (the Stoic school of thought) that is often given the simplistic characterization of promoting this kind of outlook on life.
Example Question #901 : Sentence Completion
The distinction that the teacher was attempting to make were particularly __________, easily overlooked by students who were expecting an immediately evident explanation.
arduous
complex
subtle
simple
difficult
subtle
The best guide for answering this sentence is the expression “easily overlooked,” though the remark about “immediate evidence” is also helpful. When something is easily overlook and not evident with blinding immediacy, it can be said to be “subtle,” meaning that it is either indirect or even (more properly) fine / delicate. Something very “fine” or “subtle” is something small—i.e. not large, blatant, and obvious.
Example Question #2121 : Sat Critical Reading
Regularly raging irately about almost any topic, Robert had a notoriously __________ personality.
vexing
disagreeable
unfriendly
perplexed
tempestuous
tempestuous
Since the expression “raging irately” is used in the participial clause, the best option will be the word that is as strong as this expression. The word “tempestuous” indicates such a strong temperament, better than the much weaker “disagreeable” and “unfriendly.” The word “tempestuous” literally means “like a storm,” as can be seen in its obvious relation to the word “tempest.”
Example Question #722 : One Blank Sentences
Instead of persecuting the questionable religious group, the state decided that it was best to be _________ until the group showed any aggression toward the broader society.
distant
vigilant
aware
tolerant
watchful
tolerant
Although one might say that the state was going to watch the questionable group, the contrast in this sentence is really with “persecution.” In opposition to that, it would be best to choose “tolerant,” for when one tolerates a group, he or she allows it to exist, even if it seems questionable or even undesirable. The sentence does not speak directly about surveillance and therefore does not merit the choosing of “vigilant,” “aware,” or “watchful.”
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