SAT Critical Reading : One-Blank Sentences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Critical Reading

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Example Questions

Example Question #161 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

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

After many years of living as a monk, the man found that he needed to return to __________ in order to regain peace of mind in his regular interactions with friends and family.

Possible Answers:

monasticism 

solitude

sanctity

adoration

cloister

Correct answer:

solitude

Explanation:

The man needs time that is not as interactive with others after he has had his social contact; therefore, he needs “solitude,” a word derived from Latin bases meaning “alone,” “single,” and “only.”

Example Question #162 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

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

Although many think of revolts as destructive to public life, the core political issue is the prevention of the complete __________ of governmental functions. No matter what the cause, a time of total inactivity will destroy the social fabric.

Possible Answers:

derailing

implosion

upending

usurpation

stasis

Correct answer:

stasis

Explanation:

The opposition implied in this sentence is between our blank and "revolts." The opposite of a situation of turmoil would be one that is wholly at standstill. (This is likewise indicated by “a time of total inactivity” in the second sentence). The best option is "stasis," which is directly derived from a Greek word with a similar meaning. It is reflected in words that likewise have “stat-” in their root, such as “static” and “statue.”

Example Question #331 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

For many years, the rabbi and the priest had been regular __________, having long, friendly discussions over coffee every Wednesday.

Possible Answers:

antagonists

interlocutors

naysayers

disputants

preachers

Correct answer:

interlocutors

Explanation:

Clearly, we want no negative connotations in our answer, so this helps to eliminate everything other than “interlocutors” and “preachers.” The latter is rather bland and does not fit anywhere nearly as well as “interlocutor,” which means “a person in a conversation.”

The prefix “inter-” indicates that the word involves “between” (such as intervarsity or interstitial)—NOT to be confused with “intra,” which means “within” (such as “intramural,” which literally means within the walls). The second half, “-locutors,” is derived from the Latin for to speak or talk, which has many derivatives in English not only including those with the “c” that we see in “interlocutors” (e.g. locution, allocution) but also the more common (and phonetically related) “q” (e.g. eloquence, loquacious, colloquium, colloquial).

Example Question #1653 : Sat Critical Reading

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

Clearly, the student’s theory interpreted reality in a manner that eliminated almost all variability by insisting that all aspects of reality ultimately were reducible to one key factor. Such simplistic __________ often distorts much, even if it does indeed provide some insights onto reality.

Possible Answers:

musing

philosophizing

monism

deconstruction

reduction

Correct answer:

monism

Explanation:

The key is that the student’s theory reduces everything to one. Such a theory is “monistic,” a word derived from the Greek monos, meaning “single,” which we see in words like “monocle,” “monogamy,” and “monotonous.”

Example Question #141 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

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

The politician regularly must be the people’s __________ as well as their representative.  Citizens often need to be roused into having an opinion on political matters.

Possible Answers:

demagogue

orator

legislator

executive

publican

Correct answer:

orator

Explanation:

Since the sense of the clues is not negative in this sentence, it would not be appropriate to choose “demagogue,” for such a person would merely appeal to popular sentiment to make specious “arguments.” An “orator” would be a better case here, for such a person’s eloquence could fit the bill for inspiring the people. The word is derived from Latin roots that likewise give us the word “oratory” and “oration;” however, it is also related to the word for mouth, os, which often has forms with the base “or-;” therefore, other related words are orifice, oral, and osculum.

Example Question #151 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

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

The abstract statue of the former president was barely a __________ of his appearance. If it had not included his name on a plaque, nobody would likely have realized that it was made in his honor.

Possible Answers:

clone

declaration

similitude

redundancy

replication

Correct answer:

similitude

Explanation:

The word “similitude” means “being similar to something else.” This is better than several of the tempting options, such as “replication,” “redundancy,” and “clone,” all of which imply likeness too strongly. The sentence’s “barely” needs a weaker word, for being “barely” a replication really would mean that something is almost identical—which clearly does not seem to be the case, given that few would have recognized the man thus honored. The word “similitude” is related to English words like “similar” and “similarity.”

Example Question #152 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

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

Overwhelming acts of __________ are not always as important as the giving of small gifts in the regular course of life.

Possible Answers:

kindness

donation

munificence

consideration

publicity

Correct answer:

munificence

Explanation:

One who is “munificent” is extremely generous. The word is derived from the Latin “munus,” which means gift but also office. Hence, it has derived English words like “municipality” as well as “remuneration.” The ending “-ficent” comes from the same root as ending like “-fy” and “-ficate,” meaning to do or make and found in many English words.

Example Question #153 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

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

After many years of __________ before dignitaries from monarchical nations, the old ambassador required special support for his well-used knees.

Possible Answers:

deference

kindness

reverence

bowing

genuflection

Correct answer:

genuflection

Explanation:

This is a strange sentence, but it leads you directly to your word. The poor old ambassador above all has knee damage.

The “genu-“ of “genuflection” comes from the Latin word for knee, while the “-flection” means related to bending. There are many related English words like “flexible,” “reflect,” “inflect,” and so forth.

Example Question #154 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

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

After retiring to a part-time capacity as a solitary investment manager, the former executive became acutely aware of the many benefits that he had once derived from the large __________ of support personnel who surrounded and aided him.

Possible Answers:

retinue

rabble

group

throng

mob

Correct answer:

retinue

Explanation:

Here, the key is to note that the person in question used to be important. Such a person does not merely have a throng around him (though the group of assistants might improperly be called that).

The proper word is “retinue.”  To remember the word, think of other related words like “retain,” “sustain,” and “contain”—all words dealing with holding. (This is due to their common Latin root). A person's “retinue” are the people they hold on to for their own usage.

Example Question #155 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

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

When Robert was forced to travel in the social circles of his wealthy relatives, he would often remind himself that he was really a __________ at heart, never having truly abandoned the humble conditions in which he had been raised.

Possible Answers:

redneck

yokel

sluggard

pleb

servant

Correct answer:

pleb

Explanation:

Here, the word “pleb,” though odd, captures the sense best of all. There are no negative or slavish implications in the description of Robert’s apparent humble beginnings.  The word is a shortened form of “plebeian,” which means a commoner. It is basically an import from the Latin “plebs” which means basically the same thing.

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