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 #1091 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

In his youth, the young philosopher always broke things into couplets like “act and potency” or “essence and existence.” With age, he came to see that the reality needed to be expressed in a more __________ fashion in groups like “being, life, and intellect,” as well as “thesis, antithesis, synthesis.”

Possible Answers:

ternary

exhaustive

thorough

mystical

confounding

Correct answer:

ternary

Explanation:

The key thing to note here are the number of terms involved. A “couplet” (like a “couple”) has only two members in it.  If something is “ternary,” it has three parts, like the “triad” (three part structure): “being, life, and intellect.”

Example Question #1092 : One Blank Sentences

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

Since the local was swampy, hot, muggy, and plagued with mosquitoes, few people desired to risk their health and live in such an __________ environment.

Possible Answers:

insupportable

appalling

unpleasant

alarming

insalubrious

Correct answer:

insalubrious

Explanation:

The key word here is “health,” which is best matched by “insalubrious,” which means unhealthful. Something that is “salubrious” is healthful. The word is related to the simpler Latin root “salus,” meaning health, prosperity, or [even] greeting. It is related to English words like “salvation” and “salutation.” 

Example Question #1093 : One Blank Sentences

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

After the old man had a successful kidney transplant, he was relieved of his numerous __________ issues.

Possible Answers:

health

vigorous

renal

salutary

fitness

Correct answer:

renal

Explanation:

Although you might be tempted to choose “health,” we can surmise more accurately that the old man had kidney problems—hence the need for a kidney transplant, though certainly this is itself a type of health issue. The adjective “renal” means pertaining to the kidneys. It is found in the word “adrenaline,” now called “epinephrine,” because the “adrenal” glands are on the kidneys: ad + renal.

Example Question #1094 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

Leo’s friends were quite surprised by his heart attack.  His athletic, muscular build had led them to believe that his __________ muscle matched that which showed on his outer appearance.

Possible Answers:

underlying

organic

inner

interior

cardiac

Correct answer:

cardiac

Explanation:

The thing to be noted here is the contrast between the outer muscle and the inner muscle.  Now, a number of the words are meant to tempt you into this simple form of reasoning, but you must always choose the best word. Since we are considering a heart attack specifically, the kind of muscle involved (in the heart) is “cardiac.” When someone has a “cardiac arrest,” that person’s heart has stopped its regular beating and no longer effectively delivers blood.

Example Question #1095 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

Although Albert’s talk presented prolific details from his research, many listeners found the structure of the argument to be rather haphazard and the conclusions __________ in their claims.

Possible Answers:

tedious

insignificant

repetitious

dull

dubitable

Correct answer:

dubitable

Explanation:

Since the argument was haphazard, the conclusions would seem very unlikely in their final claims. To be “dubitable” is to be “doubtful.” It comes from the Latin word for “doubt.” The latter (“doubt”) is close to “dubitable” in English form, but other related words are “indubitably” and “dubious.”

Example Question #1096 : Sentence Completion

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

John’s shy demeanor led him to prefer __________ locations at parties, far removed from the sight of the general crowd.

Possible Answers:

quiet

distant

taciturn

remote

inconspicuous

Correct answer:

inconspicuous

Explanation:

Although a number of the options given for this question are tempting, the key point is that John does not want to be in others’ sight. Do not be tricked by the expression “far removed” as though it necessarily implies distance. It merely indicates that he wishes to be out of vision of the general crowd. The word “inconspicuous” means not in general visibility. If something is “conspicuous,” it is readily seen and obvious. The “-spic-” root is likewise found in other “-spec-” words that are legion in the English language, coming from the Latin roots for to look. Such words include (among many others): “spectator,” “prospective,” “perspective,” “specific,” “spectacular,” and so forth.

Example Question #1096 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

For centuries, people did not note the power of recognizing the implication of the well-known __________ nature of matter. This indivisible, atomic structure could be investigated and provide numerous insights into the mysteries of nature.

Possible Answers:

substantial

corpuscular

organic

tangible

concrete

Correct answer:

corpuscular

Explanation:

The key words in the second sentence are “indivisible” and “atomic.” Although “corpuscle” often is used to describe the smallest part of a given biological body, it also can be used to mean the smallest indivisible unit. When science began to focus on the atomic structure of matter—which never was really forgotten, though it was not given a lot of prominence for other reasons—there was much talk of the “corpuscular,” that is, atomic nature of the world.

Example Question #1097 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

Because it is necessary for any other intellectual pursuit, logic is often believed to be a mere __________ subject and nothing more. People do not realize that it is not merely an introduction to the modes of knowledge but that it is likewise its own science with many “internal” problems to be solved.

Possible Answers:

propaedeutic

vacuous

elemental

elementary

secondary

Correct answer:

propaedeutic

Explanation:

The key word that indicates what is needed is “introduction.” This is best matched by the word “propaedeutic”—a rare word, but one that can be discerned. The prefix “pro-” is the same as that found in the word “prologue,” meaning “coming before.” The root of “-“-paedeutic” is a bit more difficult, but it is related to such “teaching-related” words as “pedagogue” and “pedantic.” A propaedeutic subject is one that is introductory, leading onward later to further instruction after setting the initial groundwork.

Example Question #1101 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

Often one who is very ___________ about information or details in one area of life can be quite lax and disorganized in other, equally critical, areas.

Possible Answers:

annoying

judgmental

selective

standardized

fastidious

Correct answer:

fastidious

Explanation:

The opposition with “lax and disorganized” implies that the person is very aware and careful about details in at least one area of life. To be “fastidious” is to have such particular care about details.

Example Question #1102 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

Since the patient had such thick skin, it was impossible for her to receive medication by topical application. All of her medication had to be injected __________ in order to reach the fluid beneath the impeding layers of skin.

Possible Answers:

hypodermically

fabrication

organization

design

orchestration

Correct answer:

hypodermically

Explanation:

The focus in this sentence is on the engineers’ ability to use the water. While perhaps their design is amazing, the word “hydrodynamics” means “concerned with the forces of water.” You know the parts to this word “hydro-” being found in other water-related words like “hydrate,” “hydroelectric,” and “hydrolysis.” The portion “dynamics” is found in a number of “dynamic” words including “aerodynamics,” “dynamism,” and “dynamite.”

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