PSAT Critical Reading : One-Blank Sentences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Critical Reading

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Example Questions

Example Question #61 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences

Select the answer choice that best completes the blank.

The seasoned surgeon has __________ himself with all sorts of anatomical problems.

Possible Answers:

hoarded

habituated

harbored

honed

hovered

Correct answer:

habituated

Explanation:

The answer that makes the most sense is "habituated," to become accustomed or familiarize.

Example Question #442 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

Answer the following sample question. Select the word or pair of words that most correctly completes the sentence.

 

My paper is too long, so I'll need to __________ some of the longer paragraphs.

 

Possible Answers:

patent

truncate

curate

rescind

hinder

Correct answer:

truncate

Explanation:

"Truncate" means to shorten or abbreviate. "Hinder" means to prevent or slow down. "Rescind" means to declare null and void. "Patent" means to secure a copyright on an invention. "Curate" means to gather items or data for presentation

Example Question #1901 : Sat Critical Reading

Answer the following sample question. Select the word or pair of words that most correctly completes the sentence.

 

As the sailors crossed the vast sea, they were constantly __________ by large tempests and huge waves.

 

Possible Answers:

corroborated

hindered

kindled

belittled

eschewed

Correct answer:

hindered

Explanation:

"Hinder" means to prevent or slow down. "Belittle" means to criticize or detract. "Kindle" means excite or ignite. "Eschew" means to avoid, shun, or have nothing to do with. "Corroborate" means to authenticate or confirm

Example Question #443 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

Answer the following sample question. Select the word or pair of words that most correctly completes the sentence.

 

Some people want nothing more out of life than to __________ huge wealth.

 

Possible Answers:

rant

mollify

amass

abridge

laud

Correct answer:

amass

Explanation:

"Amass" means to gather or accumulate. "Abridge" means to shorten, abbreviate, or truncate. "Laud" means to acclaim or praise. "Mollify" means to calm or pacify. "Rant" means to yell or rave

Example Question #444 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

Select the word or word pair that best completes the sentence.

Tired of seeing my two best friends fight, I finally sat down with them together to try to __________ the situation.

Possible Answers:

arouse

assimilate

allocate

ameliorate

Correct answer:

ameliorate

Explanation:

If your friends were fighting you would want to make the situation better. This is the sense of "ameliorate." The same sense is carried by the less-common form, "meliorate" (sometimes a prefixed "a" will make a word mean its opposite—as in "moral" and "amoral," but in this case "ameliorate" and "meliorate" both mean to make better).

Example Question #1436 : Psat Critical Reading

Answer the following sample question. Select the word or pair of words that most correctly completes the sentence.

Mel's annual salary will be __________ by a sizable performance bonus this year.

Possible Answers:

extolled

exacerbated

deviated

honed

augmented

Correct answer:

augmented

Explanation:

"Augment" means to enlarge or extend. "Hone" means to sharpen or file. "Exacerbate" means to complicate or worsen. "Extol" means to celebrate or glorify. "Deviate" means to detour or change course.

Example Question #63 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences

Answer the following sample question. Select the word or pair of words that most correctly completes the sentence.

Many Native American tribes would __________ along the river to trade and hold festivals during the summer months.

Possible Answers:

converge

expedite

ameliorate

belie

distend

Correct answer:

converge

Explanation:

"Converge" means to congregate or gather together. "Ameliorate" means to make better or refine. "Belie" means to misrepresent or mislead. "Distend" means to become larger and rounder from internal pressure. "Expedite" means to cause something to happen faster.

Example Question #1901 : Sat Critical Reading

Answer the following sample question. Select the word or pair of words that most correctly completes the sentence.

Tom secretly hoped to once again __________ a romance with Jasmine this winter.

Possible Answers:

jeopardize

juxtapose

pilfer

kindle

scrutinize

Correct answer:

kindle

Explanation:

"Kindle" means to ignite or light. "Jeopardize" means to risk or imperil. "Pilfer" means to steal or rip off. "Juxtapose" means to place two or more things side-by-side for comparison. "Scrutinize" means to scan or review in detail.

Example Question #1903 : Sat Critical Reading

Answer the following sample question. Select the word or pair of words that most correctly completes the sentence.

The defendant hoped to __________ his guilty conscious by confessing to all his crimes.

Possible Answers:

inhibit

assuage

waver

emulate

cadge

Correct answer:

assuage

Explanation:

"Assuage" means to soothe or relieve. "Waver" means to shift back and forth or be indecisive. "Inhibit" means to restrict or inhibit. "Cadge" means to beg or scrounge. "Emulate" means to imitate the actions of someone or something.

Example Question #1902 : Sat Critical Reading

Answer the following sample question. Select the word or pair of words that most correctly completes the sentence.

The detective hoped to __________ as much information as he could from the missing man's diary.

Possible Answers:

glean

aver

feign

desiccate

obviate

Correct answer:

glean

Explanation:

"Glean" means to pick out or collect. "Obviate" means to make unneccesary. "Feign" means to pretend or fake. "Desiccate" means to dehydrate or dry out. "Aver" means to assert or maintain.

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