PSAT Critical Reading : Parts of Speech in One-Blank Sentences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Critical Reading

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Example Questions

Example Question #875 : Sentence Completions

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

After accruing much money by his success, Sebastian decided to turn from business matters to more __________ efforts to raise the standard of living for many of those very people whom he had long overlooked in his own society.

Possible Answers:

pious

humanist

moralistic

mundane

humanitarian

Correct answer:

humanitarian

Explanation:

Do not be fooled by the option “humanist”, which really means having a philosophy or approach to learning that places the study of man, his culture, and life first. If someone is a humanist, they do not necessarily wish to aid other humans (though they might be readily inclined that way); however, someone with “humanitarian” sympathies is such a person who wishes to help in the betterment of the human condition for others.

Example Question #876 : Sentence Completions

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Young scholars often are __________, thinking that their brilliance is displayed in direct proportion to the number of words used in their works.

Possible Answers:

pretentious

grandiloquent

tedious

arrogant

verbose

Correct answer:

verbose

Explanation:

Although many of the options are tempting here, the key phrase is “in direct proportion to the number of words . . .” If someone is “verbose,” he or she expresses something in more words than necessary. The word is clearly related to many other “word-related” words such as “verbal,” “verb,” “verbatim,” and “proverb.”

Example Question #877 : Sentence Completions

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

For many years after he lost all of his money in the stock market, Theodore was very __________, rarely spending money on anything either for himself or for others.

Possible Answers:

destitute

insolvent

parsimonious

elitist

avaricious

Correct answer:

parsimonious

Explanation:

If someone is parsimonious, he or she is either frugal or even stingy. The word is derived from a Latin base meaning to be sparing and is found in the English word “parsimony.” Although this latter word often has the same economic sense as “parsimonious”, it often is used in the expression “principle of parsimony”, which indicates a class of principles used to decide the best hypothesis in a given situation by judging which has the least number of assumptions or presuppositions.

Example Question #901 : Sentence Completion Questions

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Robert’s words were almost always __________, having little real content and ultimately no meaning for those to whom they were directed.

Possible Answers:

vacuous

detached

helpless

distant

tedious

Correct answer:

vacuous

Explanation:

The key expression here is “having little real content.” The words were therefore empty or “vacuous,” a word with clearly related terms like “vacuum” and “vacuity.”

Example Question #878 : Sentence Completions

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The small group met __________, for they feared any publicity, given the recent public controversies surrounding their work.

Possible Answers:

alone

remotely

presumptuously

solely

clandestinely

Correct answer:

clandestinely

Explanation:

Since the group fears publicity, they must wish to meet in secret. Particularly given the potential negative overtones associated with their work (see “controversies”), the word “clandestinely” meets the needs of this sentence very well. To do something clandestinely means to do it secretly, particularly because it is unseemly or perhaps even illegal.

Example Question #861 : One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Having just begun his career, the __________ programmer found that much of his education left many topics to be learned in the field.

Possible Answers:

youthful

audacious

incompetent

neophyte

humble

Correct answer:

neophyte

Explanation:

We have two clues in this sentence. First, the programmer is new to his career. Secondly, there is much to be left learned in his coming years. Do not be fooled by "youthful" or "incompetent." The latter is too strong and the former merely tempts because of its resonances with the beginning of the career. (This could be a middle aged career change, could it not?)

The correct answer, "neophyte." is derived from two Greek components. “Neo” means new (as in words like neonatal—newly born). “Phyte” derives from the Greek for plant that has a particular habitat (indicated by its prefix). Here, neophyte means one newly planted, or something more like a novice.

Example Question #862 : One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The young man held his grandfather in great respect, for the __________ old man had shown him wisdom in his many pieces of advice over the years.

Possible Answers:

venerable

awe-inspiring

retired

resplendent

doddering

Correct answer:

venerable

Explanation:

The best word is “venerable,” which captures the sense of respect—great but not as overstated as “awe-inspiring.” A venerable person is respectable because of age or character.

The word is derived from related Latin words with similar meanings. We find the word also used in titles of holy men by the Catholic Church, who names someone “venerable” as a stage before potentially naming the person a “saint.” 

Example Question #863 : One Blank Sentences

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

After having spent ten years on the space observatory, the astronaut was quite glad to abandon __________ concerns for more earth-bound affairs.

Possible Answers:

scientific

astrological

stressful

celestial

isolated

Correct answer:

celestial

Explanation:

The key is to note that the astronaut is glad to return to terrestrial (or “earth-bound”) affairs. The answer will be the contrast between these and our word. Do not be tempted by “astrological,” which deals with predicting the future through the stars (as through horoscopes). This is tempting because it has the same “astr-” prefix as is found in “astronomical,” which means dealing with the laws (from Greek nomos—reflected in "nomical") of the stars (from the Greek aster).

 Our answer, “celestial,” is equally well derived, however.  It comes from the Latin caelum (and related words such as caelestis), which means “heaven” or “sky.”  This works better (not having the occult connections of the astrologers).

Example Question #1071 : Sentence Completion

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

After working at night for so many years, the aging man had begun to forget how to function in a culture that was overwhelmingly __________ in scheduling its work and leisure.

Possible Answers:

diurnal

opposed

irregular

different

standardized

Correct answer:

diurnal

Explanation:

The reversal here concerns the aging man having to come back to a world that lives and works during the daytime; therefore, the best choice is “diurnal.” The word is like a “reversal” of “nocturnal,” and it means pertaining to the night time.

Both words have Latin bases. They key difference is “noct-,” which comes from the Latin for night as opposed to “di-,” which comes from the Latin for day.

Example Question #1072 : Sentence Completion

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Given the dubious sources of water in the kingdom, the king had a servant specially designated to test that his drinks were __________.

Possible Answers:

potable

aquatic

preferred

crystalline

qualified

Correct answer:

potable

Explanation:

The key here is to note that the king wishes to verify that he can drink the water. The word “potable” means “drinkable.” It is derived from the Latin potare, which means “to drink.”

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