All SAT Critical Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #838 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Although he lived in exile, the king still bore himself in a __________ manner to distinguish himself from the common people around him.
conceited
cultured
haughty
regal
domineering
regal
There is nothing in this sentence to state that the king was arrogant in his demeanor even if he does distinguish himself from the general lot of people. Although the necessary weaker sense might be expressed by “cultured,” the adjective “regal” likewise conveys the sense of “kingliness.” The word is derived from the Latin word for king and is found in such English words as “regiment,” “regent,” and “interregnum.”
Example Question #839 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
After attempting to heal the patient with a number of weak medications, the doctor decided to try a more __________ treatment.
unpredictable
potent
harmful
hazardous
precarious
potent
The contrast here is between “weak” and “strong” not “safe” and “dangerous.” Therefore, the word “potent” is the best choice among our options. “Potent” is related to a number of English words derived from the Latin for “to be able” as well as “power” such as “potency,” “possible,” “potential,” “omnipotent,” and “potentate.”
Example Question #961 : Sentence Completion Questions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Otto had long ruled with great force and authority. In his old age, feeble health rendered him __________ in comparison with his former vigor.
senile
defenseless
impotent
downtrodden
senescent
impotent
Although it might be tempting to choose one of the words related to old age, such as “senile” or “downtrodden,” it is necessary to pay heed to the key words “force and authority.” While “defenseless” may seem to contrast this, it doesn’t match the sense as well as “impotent,” which directly signifies a lack of power. It is derived from the “in-” prefix that means “not” (in this case) and “potent,” which means “having strength or power.” The latter is derived from the Latin for “to be able” as well as other words meaning “power.” Related English words are “potency,” “possible,” “potential,” “omnipotent,” and “potentate.”
Example Question #962 : Sentence Completion Questions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
William stumbled through the desert, hoping to find an oasis in which he could rehydrate his __________ body.
fainting
desiccated
scorched
scalded
swooning
desiccated
Although William’s body is likely to be weak and fainting, all that we are told in the sentence is that he needs to be rehydrated (that is, replenished with regard to fluids, particularly water). In such a case, it would be most appropriate to say that a person is “desiccated,” meaning that he or she is lacking fluid. The word comes from the Latin root for “dry,” but it has few recognizable related words in English. The word can also be used to indicate that one lacks passion or energy.
Example Question #963 : Sentence Completion Questions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Dr. Thornton was perhaps one of the most tedious and dull professors on campus, for his lectures were really nothing more than a __________ string of sources cited one after another without any real engagement with the topic.
continual
bookish
boundless
desiccated
scholarly
desiccated
Although the professor’s words are likely endless and perhaps even academic or scholarly, the sentence wishes to indicate that they were a string of lifeless sources, strung together. If something is (literally) dried out, it is said to be desiccated. By extension, the term “desiccated” is applied to anything that lacks “sap” or vitality, even human words.
Example Question #964 : Sentence Completion Questions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Although the soap did an excellent job cleaning dirt from one’s face, it likewise contained strong, __________ agents, significantly drying the user’s skin.
abrasive
siccific
acidic
destructive
harsh
siccific
Since the soap dries the skin as it does, it must contain some sort of drying agents. The word “siccific” is a rare English word, but it has related parts that should make it somewhat easier to guess. The suffix “-fic,” as well as the related “-fac” and “-fy”, are all found in many words and means “to do” or “to make.” Think of words like “efficacious,” “defect,” “ramify,” “exemplify,” and many others. The “sicc-” portion of the word is derived from the Latin for “dry,” and is found in the word “desiccate,” meaning “to dry out.” It is often used in the past participle form “desiccated,” meaning “dried out.” The word “siccific,” therefore means “something that acts as a drying agent.”
Example Question #935 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Not all people who worship the earth are __________, for many such persons believe that God is separate from the earth, which they worship as the habitation of the former.
monotheistic
geomancers
pantheistic
henotheistic
atheistic
pantheistic
A religion that posits a strict equivalence between God and the world is known as “pantheistic,” meaning “all-god.” The prefix “pan-” means “all” and is found in words like “pantomime” and “panacea” (the latter meaning “all-healing”). The “-theistic” portion of the word means “related to God or gods” and is related to words like “theology” and “atheist” (meaning “no-God”).
Example Question #962 : Sentence Completion Questions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Andrea believed that she had offered __________ praise to the famous author; however, the later felt slighted by what he interpreted to be insufficient recognition.
meet
overweening
glowing
extraordinary
excessive
meet
Here, the correct answer is a very rare form of the word, but there are hints present in the sentence itself. The author feels that he received insufficient praise; therefore, if we can find a word that merely expresses sufficiency, it would be more appropriate than anything excessive. (That is, while Andrea might have believed that she gave excessive praise, only to be surprised by the slighted artist, the sentence even more directly encourages us to look for a word that merely meets the opposition to “insufficient,” namely something implying “sufficiency.”) The word “meet” means “appropriate” or “just.” It is related to the word “mete,” which means “to deal out justice.” The word “meet” is sometimes found in late-nineteenth-century English Christian hymns that attempt to find a rhyme for the title “Paraclete” (a title of the Holy Spirit in Christian theology). Thus, such rhymes will talk about giving “praise that is ‘meet’” to the “Paraclete.”
Example Question #961 : Sentence Completion Questions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Although his rule began as a somewhat benign dictatorship, with the passing of years, Ethelwold’s methods of ruling became increasingly harsh and __________.
despotic
raging
vexed
furious
troubled
despotic
Although we might want to compound the negative adjectives describing this ruler (adding, for example, “raging” to “harsh”), the best option would be one that likewise captures the political element. Likewise, we must be careful not to assume that such “harshness” is tied to fury or vexation. Therefore, the term “despotic” is best. It means to rule in a manner that is absolute and generally implies that such ruling is done in a cruel manner.
Example Question #1882 : Psat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Although his goodbyes were always understated and often overlooked, George’s friends knew that the small nod was his way of expressing a ___________ gesture.
benevolent
passionate
valedictory
kindly
spirited
valedictory
Although we often think of “valediction” in terms of high school “valedictorians,” the expression has a first meaning from which the graduation term was taken. In Latin, the expression “vale,” although meaning “be well,” was often used as a term for saying “goodbye.” One who provides a “valediction,” is one who says words (or gives a sign) of saying “goodbye.” The “-diction” portion of the word is related to other terms meaning “to say or speak” such as “dictation,” “predict,” and “contradict.” The high school valedictorian is the person who “says goodbye” to and on behalf of the graduating class.