PSAT Critical Reading : One-Blank Sentences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Critical Reading

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Example Questions

Example Question #1067 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

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

The cartoon __________ portrays human beings befriending dinosaurs, a historical and scientific implausibility.

Possible Answers:

scrupulously

anachronistically

mellifluously

allegedly

benignly

Correct answer:

anachronistically

Explanation:

A human being befriending a dinosaur is historically and scientifically incorrect, and "anachronistically" is the only answer choice that fits. “Anachronistically” means historically out of place.

Example Question #1992 : Psat Critical Reading

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

Many readers pored through the romance novel, looking for every __________ detail.

Possible Answers:

recurring

grotesque

urbane

logistical

lurid

Correct answer:

lurid

Explanation:

While details could be "urbane," "recurring," "logistical," "grotesque," or "lurid," only "lurid" refers to the facts one would be most likely to find in a romance novel.

Example Question #391 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

He had taken such a(n) __________ position that no one would believe him.

Possible Answers:

untenable

salubrious

litigated

illusory

entrenched

Correct answer:

untenable

Explanation:

His position was difficult to hold or impossible to use to convince other people, thus it was "untenable." "Salibrous: can be crossed off immediately for not pertaining to a position, but instead to health. While he may be "entrenched" in this opinion, his relationship to the opinion is not in question. While "illusory" is a tempting option as it means not real, he is holding a real position; it is simply unable to be maintained or defended.

Example Question #1041 : One Blank Sentences

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

Pigeons are __________ in New York City; it is hard to cross the street without seeing one.

Possible Answers:

abundant 

plethora

paucity 

sparse

surfeit

Correct answer:

abundant 

Explanation:

The answer must be an adjective that describes the noun "pigeons." "Plethora" is a noun that means a large group and "surfeit" is a noun that means excess. "Abundant" is the only adjective that suggests a large number, while "paucity" and "sparse" refer to a small number.

Example Question #1071 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

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

Don't be __________—I don't have time to argue about such trivial details.

Possible Answers:

commensurate

childish

hyperbolic

petty

maudlin

Correct answer:

petty

Explanation:

The person being addressed in the sentence seems to be making a big deal out of "trivial issues," meaning that "petty" is the correct answer. The other answer choices provide confusing contrasts to pettiness—such as "hyperbolic" (exaggerating), "childish" (immature), "commensurate" (proportional), or "maudlin" (overly sentimental).

Example Question #401 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

After three months in solitary confinement, the prisoner's body was __________.

Possible Answers:

delirious

discordant

incompetent

weak

enticing

Correct answer:

weak

Explanation:

Although solitary confinement suggests insanity or lack of social structure, the sentence is specifically describing the prisoner's body, not his mental state. We need an adjective with a negative connotation, so "enticing" makes no sense. "Incompetent" and "delirious," though they could describe a person after solitary confinement, would not be used to refer to the body. "Discordant," although possibly descriptive of a prisoner's state of mind or actions after receiving solitary confinement, does not describe the body. These answer choices are especially difficult because "weak" is the least complex vocabulary word in the answer choices.

Example Question #1995 : Psat Critical Reading

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

Napoleon may have been _________ in stature, but he was still a powerful ruler who almost controlled the whole European continent.

Possible Answers:

lupine

sagacious

diminutive

illuminated

arrogant

Correct answer:

diminutive

Explanation:

From the use of the word “stature” you know that whatever attribute of Napoleon is being described it refers to his size. Of the five answer choices only diminutive is a word that describes the size of something. Diminutive means very small, and is the correct answer. Sagacious means wise; lupine means wolf-like or related to wolves; illuminated means to make something easier to understand.

Example Question #1996 : Psat Critical Reading

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

King Asoka, an ancient Indian Emperor, was considered profoundly wise and ­__________ for adopting Buddhist practices in his empire.

Possible Answers:

regressive 

sagacious

arrogant

predictable

remiss

Correct answer:

sagacious

Explanation:

From the context of the sentence you can see that the blank word must be closely related, or identical in meaning, to the word “wise.” Of the five answer choices sagacious most closely resembles this meaning. Sagacious means wise or shrewd. Remiss means careless or negligent; regressive means to take a step backwards towards a less developed condition.

Example Question #1073 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

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

The professor's __________ personality made many students avoid his particular brand of unpredictable teaching.

Possible Answers:

cantankerous

ebullient

easygoing

exuberant

garrulous

Correct answer:

cantankerous

Explanation:

The key word in this sentence is "unpredictable," which, when coupled with the way students avoid the professor, indicate that there is something unpleasant or disagreeable about him. "Cantankerous," which means ill-tempered or disagreeable, is the only answer choice with such a negative connotation.

Example Question #1072 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

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

The CEO's __________ remarks towards his employees signaled the end of his time at the company.

Possible Answers:

ambivalent

lukewarm

complimentary

amiable

derogatory

Correct answer:

derogatory

Explanation:

The context of the sentence, that the CEO had to leave the company, indicates that the correct answer choice is something extremely serious. Also, because the comments were about his employees and got him in trouble, the tone of the comments had to be quite negative. "Derogatory," which means insulting and uncomplimentary, is the answer choice that best fits both of those parameters.

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