SAT Critical Reading : One-Blank Sentences
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Critical Reading
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Example Questions
Example Question #493 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.
Without the support of the congregation, the minister had to raise funds __________ for the new church building.
ambivalently
holistically
bombastically
covertly
openly
covertly
Without the support of the congregation, the minister had to find new methods of fundraising. "Openly" and "bombastically" both make little sense with the sentence considering the congregation's lack of support. "Holistically" and "ambivalently" both communicate an inappropriate lack of resolve by the minister to be correct. "Covertly," meaning secretly, is the correct answer.
Example Question #494 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.
In contrast to his mother’s grating and unmeasured voice, David’s grandmother’s voice had a markedly __________ character.
euphonious
elderly
muted
faint
soft
euphonious
The opposition to note is that between the word to be chosen and the “grating and unmeasured voice” of David’s mother. In opposition to such an annoying voice, the best description of his grandmother’s voice would be “euphonious.” The word comes from Greek roots literally meaning “good sounding.” The prefix “eu-” can be found in “eulogy,” meaning “a good word (often spoken at a funeral) and “euphemism,” a type of word or expression that makes a more coarse expression seem less uncultured, for instance, the use of “to pass gas” for the crass word “to fart.” The “-phonious” portion means “sound.” It is found in words like “symphony,” meaning “sounding (often in the sense of ‘playing’) together” and “telephone.”
Example Question #495 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The young boy’s __________ complexion alarmed his teacher, and she sent him to the school nurse to make sure he wasn’t coming down with the flu.
tenuous
pallid
terse
torrid
glowing
pallid
A white or light color in one’s cheeks is a symptom of sickness or ill-health, and “pallid” most closely means a paleness, typically attributed to poor health or sickness. The correct answer choice is "pallid."
Example Question #1323 : Sentence Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The author’s __________ output tended to overshadow the poor quality of the majority of his work.
infinitesimal
meager
prodigious
limited
unimpressive
prodigious
Here the word “poor” indicates that the author is not very good; therefore, he must have written a good amount of material if it overshadows the quality of the material. Only "prodigious" means in a great amount.
Example Question #991 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Allison’s speech was extremely __________; her friends often remarked that she loved showing off.
reserved
bombastic
energetic
lethargic
detrimental
bombastic
The second clause in the sentence describes how Allison’s speech caused others to believe she was trying to show off. The correct answer is therefore “bombastic” which means to use language in a pompous manner to try and impress others. Lethargic means the opposite of energetic; reserved means aloof; detrimental means harmful or damaging.
Example Question #1091 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
That novel is filled with __________ language that reflects the contemporary speech of African Americans at the time the book was written.
evolved
mundane
gregarious
rudimentary
colloquial
colloquial
The sentence describes how the novel being described is filled with a type of language that reflects the speaking patterns of a certain group of people. This means that the answer must be “colloquial.” Colloquial is an adjective that describes conversational or everyday speech in a defined (usually geographically distinct) group. Mundane means boring; rudimentary is opposite in meaning to evolved; gregarious means outgoing.
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