All SAT Critical Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #121 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
The __________ words of the preacher were among the most beautifully constructed sentences that his listeners had ever heard.
enunciated
recited
mellifluous
rhetorical
bombastic
mellifluous
The best option is that which indicates the beauty of the words spoken by the preacher. The word “mellifluous” means “beautiful and pleasing to hear.” The word literally means “flowing with honey,” so it at times can have the meaning of “sweet sounding.” The “mel-” prefix is derived from the Latin for honey and can be found in the rare English word “melliferous,” which means “producing honey.”
Example Question #751 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
One can only remain __________ before great evils for so long; inevitably, one must choose sides for or against horrible atrocities.
neutral
calm
restrained
tranquil
placid
neutral
The key expression here is “one must choose sides for or against.” The contrast implied in the sentence is between one who does not take such sides and one who does do so. When someone does not have a preference for either side of a conflict or controversy, he or she is said to be “neutral.” (A neutral person need not be calm or tranquil, though often this can be the case.) The word comes from the Latin word describing a gender in the Latin language, namely the neuter gender. Many non-English modern European languages still have the masculine and feminine genders for their nouns. Languages like Latin and Greek also had another option, the neuter gender. Being neither masculine nor feminine, it was rather neutral on the matter of gender!
Example Question #81 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Mildred’s acts may not have been immoral in a strict sense, but given that she did ignore the regulations in force, they could be considered __________.
illicit
unacceptable
egregious
appalling
facetious
illicit
Since Mildred’s actions are implied to have been against the regulations, they are illegal even if someone wants to argue that they are not immoral. Something “illicit” is literally something “against the law.” The “il-” prefix is a negative prefix applied to the base “-licit,” which means “lawful.” The latter is related to words like “license” and “licentiate.”
Example Question #762 : Sentence Completion Questions
Joseph finally concluded that all his efforts were doomed to be __________, for after hundreds of attempts, it seemed certain that he was incapable of accomplishing his goals.
aggravating
thwarted
inefficacious
defeated
frustrating
inefficacious
Since it seemed that Joseph could not accomplish his goals, it can be said that his efforts would not be “effective” or (more exactly) “efficacious” (meaning “successful or able to produce and effect”). We cannot say that they are either thwarted or frustrating. The sentence merely speaks of him being incapable; therefore, the best option is the negation of “efficacious”: “inefficacious.”
Example Question #752 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Instead of quitting in despair, David decided to face the coming difficult month with a __________ attitude, convinced that he could thus overcome the hardships through his determination.
conceited
presumptuous
haughty
resolute
pollyanna
resolute
The key word here is “determination,” for it describes David’s overall attitude. When someone is “resolute,” he or she is fixedly determined to do something. When one makes a “resolution,” he or she fixes that resolution as a goal. Traditionally, people make “new year’s resolutions” as goals for the coming year.
Example Question #753 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Watching the stars from his windows every night and reading about constellations during the day, Omer was deeply interested in all things __________.
scientific
unearthly
celestial
planetary
ethereal
celestial
Omer could be said to have an interest in “the heavens.” The word “celestial,” is an adjective meaning “concerning heavenly bodies” or “concerning the things of space.” It is derived from the Latin word for “heavens” or “skies.” The instrument called “the celeste” is so named because of its “heavenly” sound.
Example Question #754 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Although the puzzle was not particularly __________, it still perplexed John, taking him several hours to solve.
intricate
advanced
secondary
undisclosed
unknown
intricate
The key word to note is “perplexed,” which helps to give sense to the contrast being proposed in this sentence. The sense is that the puzzle was not particularly perplexing or difficult. While the option “advanced” might appear to be an adequate option, it does not signify the sense of perplexity as well a the word “intricate.” The word “intricate” implies a certain “trickiness” or complicated nature. It is derived from the Latin for “to entangle,” which itself is derived from the word for “trick.” It is related to words like “intriguing” and “extricate.”
Example Question #82 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
William did not realize how ___________ his remarks were, for he would not personally have been angered by them.
inflammatory
petty
racist
questionable
sedate
inflammatory
The sentence implies that William’s words apparently angered some people, even if they would not have angered him. When something (particularly words or speech) provoke anger, they are said to be “inflammatory.” The word has the sense of “setting on fire,” which is obvious from the “-flam-” portion of the word, which is related to “flame.”
Example Question #642 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Justine hated when her husband used __________ expressions to name her, for such words only functioned only to make her seem small and powerless in comparison with him.
insulting
diminutive
defamatory
coddling
despicable
diminutive
The key expression is “small and powerless,” in particular “small.” When something is “diminutive,” it is very small, though when the adjective is applied to words or expressions, it implies the usage of such words either in affection (“darling,” “sweetie”) or as expressing contempt (by treating the other person as being “little” and, by implication, not fully mature). The word is clearly related to English words like “diminish” and “diminution.”
Example Question #921 : One Blank Sentences
Although the two countries had not settled on an official trade agreement, for many years they operated under a __________ state of friendly exchange.
tenuous
tacit
delicate
questionable
fragile
tacit
Based on what is stated in the sentence, one cannot say whether or not the current state of friendly exchange is either weak or questionable; however, it can be described as being “unsaid” in the sense of not having an official status in treaties or law. The word “tacit” means “being known without being stated explicitly.” It is related to Latin words for “to be silent.” Someone who speaks very little can be described as being “taciturn.”