SAT Critical Reading : Sentence Completion Questions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Critical Reading

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Example Questions

Example Question #1301 : Sentence Completion Questions

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

Elizabeth __________ observed every social rule that she had learned growing up, never permitting herself to commit even the mildest __________ of any dictate of these norms.

Possible Answers:

plainly . . . objection

obviously . . . recanting

dolorously . . . disobedience

regularly . . . oversight

scrupulously . . . infraction

Correct answer:

scrupulously . . . infraction

Explanation:

We cannot say if Elizabeth was “dolorous” in her observation of these rules; however, it is fair to say that obsessive care would lead one to avoiding the mildest breach of conduct; therefore, the best pair is “scrupulously . . . infraction.” (Note that “regularly” just is not quite as strong as “scrupulously”).

A scrupulous person is very attentive to details, often from a fear of doing anything wrong. An "infraction" is a violation. The word is related to other “-fring-” and “-fract-” words like “infringe,” “fracture,” and “fragile”—all related to “breaking” because of their common Latin roots.

Example Question #121 : Two Blank Sentences

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

Although many clubs can remain flexible at the time of their __________, with the passage of time, they often become __________ as many of their members refuse to alter the original manners of operation.

Possible Answers:

inception . . . ossified

generation . . . wasted

founding . . . curmudgeonly

constitution . . . mediocre

youth . . . decrepit

Correct answer:

inception . . . ossified

Explanation:

The key word is rather inconspicuous: “original.” This helps to give a sense to what precedes the “passage of time.” The “inception” of something is its beginning, and it is related to many “-cep-” and “-cap-” words like “conception,” “reception,” and “exception.” If something is “ossified” it has become hard and inflexible. The meaning is derived from the Latin for bone.

Example Question #2681 : Sat Critical Reading

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

Although the laws of supply and demand do play a significant role in the __________ of goods, such pricing is __________ founded on the desires and goals of the people.

Possible Answers:

cost . . . regularly

valuation . . . radically

economics . . . intermittently

appraisal . . . occasionally

estimation . . . frequently

Correct answer:

valuation . . . radically

Explanation:

With the exception of “economics,” all of the other options for the first word are some how involved with the pricing of goods. The implication of the first sentence is that the laws of supply and demand, while important, are not ultimate. Instead, there is something closer to the reality of pricing. 

The word “radically” might surprise you at first. Consider the following: “That decision from the legislature radically changed the nature of the country’s notion of self-government.” Here, “radically” describes a significant change. The word originally comes from the Latin for “root,” reflected in words like “radish” as well as “eradicate” (to take up from its very roots); therefore, to say that something is “radically founded” on something else is to say that it “has its roots” therein—that is, it is closer and more fundamentally related to that.

Example Question #1303 : Sentence Completion Questions

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

Although the young man believed in the equality of all persons, his ___________ outlook did not mesh well with the clear __________ among groups of different persuasions and desires, let alone abilities and financial success.

Possible Answers:

questionable . . . opposition

naïve . . . antagonism

egalitarian . . . stratifications

pollyanna . . . irreducibility

optimistic . . . strife

Correct answer:

egalitarian . . . stratifications

Explanation:

So long as you know that “egalitarian” views are those that lead one to judge that all people are equal, you will have an easy time answering this question. Note that the “eg” and the “eq” sounds are actually very close, and that is why this shift occurs in the common base. The second word, “irreducibility” merely means that some given things cannot be explained in terms of another. The “i(r)-” prefix merely indicates a negation of the remaining “reducibility.”

Example Question #131 : Two Blank Sentences

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

As Cyprian’s fingers passed quickly and __________ over the organ keyboard, Becket was awestruck at the other man’s impressive manual __________, which he lacked in his own organ playing.

Possible Answers:

impressively . . . transmission

melodically . . . faculty

deftly . . . dexterity

harmonically . . . ability

immediately . . . exacerbation

Correct answer:

deftly . . . dexterity

Explanation:

The easiest way to choose the correct answer to this question is to note the positive implications in both sentences (“quickly” and “impressive”); therefore, the two most tempting options for the first blank are “deftly” and “impressively;” however, “transmission” in the latter paring does not make much sense, whereas “dexterity” does. If someone does something “deftly,” they do it with both speed and skill. The word “dexterity” comes remotely from the Latin for “skill” (dexteritas), which itself is based on the word “dexter,” meaning right. Many times, such approving meanings are attached to those who are right-handed, while left-handed persons fare much worse in our etymologies. For instance, consider the Latin word for “left,” which has relations to its obvious English cognate, “sinister.”

Example Question #21 : Nouns And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

The acoustics of the large hall made for a spectacular __________ space, echoing the sounds of the concert into a rich __________ of interwoven sounds.

Possible Answers:

symphonic . . . rendition

listening . . . symphony

musical . . . panoply

resonant . . . tapestry 

visual . . . audition 

Correct answer:

resonant . . . tapestry 

Explanation:

Although a number of these options seem acceptable at first sight, the word that matches most closely to the first space is “resonant” because the participial clause speaks of how the acoustics of the space “echoed” the sounds.  To be “resonant” is to “re + sound” in the sense of making sounds reverberate in an acceptable manner.  Likewise, the word “tapestry” well matches the image of “interweaving” used regarding the sounds.

Example Question #1304 : Sentence Completion Questions

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

Donald’s friends marveled at his __________.  Even on holidays like Thanksgiving, he ate very moderately in spite of the __________ meal offered.

Possible Answers:

dyspepsia . . . luscious

tactlessness . . . imposing

temperance . . . lavish

fussiness . . . majestic

indigestion . . . delicious

Correct answer:

temperance . . . lavish

Explanation:

Although we often use the term “temperance” to indicate that someone does not drink alcoholic beverages, it more generally means that one is very moderate in his or her food intake.  We can see that such is the case in this sentence by considering the key phrase “he age very moderately” in the second sentence.  Likewise, the second word should indicate that the meal is not moderate.  Such a meal could be called “lavish,” a word proximately derived from the word meaning “to rain,” though more distantly from words meaning “to wash.”  The sense of “lavish” is that something is “raining” an abundance of something.  Insofar as it is distantly derived to the Latin for “to wash,” related English words would be “lotion,” “lavatory,” and “laver.” 

Example Question #2181 : Psat Critical Reading

Choose the pair of words that best completes the following sentence.

After he had invested all of his assets in the highly __________ credit markets, Chris became accustomed to living through wild swings of fortune, one week being a complete __________ while being fabulously wealthy the next week.

Possible Answers:

variable . . . laborer

mercurial . . . wreck

erratic . . . pauper

questionable . . . indigent

destructive . . . fool

Correct answer:

erratic . . . pauper

Explanation:

It is necessary to pay careful attention to both words in this sentence, as there are several tempting options. Based merely on the first blank, it would seem that “erratic,” “variable,” and “mercurial” are all options; however, the second sentence makes a contrast specifically to “fabulously wealthy.” 

The word “pauper” fits best in this regard. It is related to words like “poverty,” coming from a related Latin base. The word “erratic” is related to other words like “error” or “errant,” words derived from a Latin base meaning to go astray or mistake. “Erratic” comes more from the go astray meaning (in the sense of wandering). 

Example Question #21 : Nouns And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

At the slightest __________, my __________ little brother will start screaming for my mother’s attention. He is such a little ball of anger!

Possible Answers:

serenity . . . genial

affront . . . clement

platitude . . . fastidious

provocation . . . irascible

disturbance . . . placid

Correct answer:

provocation . . . irascible

Explanation:

"Provocation" means something that incites, while "irascible" means easily angered. A little brother who is quick to anger would certainly require little incitement to start screaming for his mother.

Example Question #22 : Nouns And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

My father has a __________ for __________ statements; he frequently claims to have invented letters of the alphabet!

Possible Answers:

disinclination . . . absurd

propensity . . . grandiose

judiciousness . . . insular

inclination . . . reasonable

habit . . . altruistic

Correct answer:

propensity . . . grandiose

Explanation:

"Propensity" means inclination, while "grandiose" means characterized by greatness of scope or intent. A man who frequently makes statements like having invented letters of the alphabet would certainly have an inclination for statements of remarkable scope.

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