SAT Critical Reading : Sentence Completion Questions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Critical Reading

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Example Questions

Example Question #191 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences

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

The crowds that originally saw the artist's ___________ sculptures flying through the sky and traveling across land with all of their complex moving parts __________ at the sight, pointing and staring with open mouths and wide eyes.

Possible Answers:

transparent . . . broiled

stationary . . . gaped

kinetic . . . marveled

transitory . . . bristled

moving . . . despaired

Correct answer:

kinetic . . . marveled

Explanation:

For the first blank, we need to pick out a word that describes the nature of art works that can "[fly] through the air and [travel] across land with . . . complex moving parts." Either "kinetic" ("of, relating to, or resulting from motion," or of a work of art, "depending on movement for its effect") or "moving" could be correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a verb that describes how the crowd "point[ed] and star[ed] with open mouths and wide eyes." Either "marveled" ("was filled with wonder or astonishment") or "gaped" ("stared with one's mouth open wide, typically in amazement or wonder") could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "kinetic" and "marveled" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "kinetic . . . marveled."

Example Question #201 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences

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

While Hannah knew that her teacher would consider her claim to have written three lab reports in a single evening __________, she knew that he would not be able to __________ her story because it was true.

Possible Answers:

doubtful . . . prove

dubious . . . debunk

reasonable . . . authenticate

authentic . . . disprove

hazy . . . reject

Correct answer:

dubious . . . debunk

Explanation:

For the first blank, we can infer that Hannah's teacher might assume that her claim "to have written three lab reports in a single evening" might be untrue, so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "false" or "probably false." Either "doubtful" ("not known with certainty; improbable; not established as genuine or acceptable") or "dubious" ("not to be relied upon; suspect") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, the word is describing what Hannah's teacher will not be able to do to her story because it is true. So, we need to pick out a word that means something like "reject" or "prove false." Either "disprove" ("prove that something is false") or "debunk" ("expose the falseness or hollowness of a myth, idea, or belief") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "dubious" and "debunk" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "dubious . . . debunk."

Example Question #31 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

The accidental __________ language of the school's speaker __________ the audience, causing many parents to complain and protest. 

Possible Answers:

explicit . . . mollified

profane . . . horrified

propriety . . . appeased

lavish . . . excited

superficial . . . scrutinize

Correct answer:

profane . . . horrified

Explanation:

The parents were protesting and complaining abut the speech, which means that some sort of bad language was used and they were upset about it. The choices that could fit in the first blank are profane and explicit, but only profane's match (horrified) shows that the audience did not like the speech.

Example Question #31 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

The speakers at the concert were so overpoweringly loud that they __________ John’s voice __________, so that even those directly beside him could not hear him at all.

Possible Answers:

rendered . . . inaudible

overwhelmed . . . considerably

engulfed . . . remarkably

rebounded . . . entirely

destroyed . . . completely

Correct answer:

rendered . . . inaudible

Explanation:

The implication of the sentence is that the speakers overpowered John’s voice to such an extend that those who were next to him could not hear him at all. On this count, his voice could be considered “inaudible,” meaning, “unable to be heard.” The “audible” portion of “inaudible,” is derived from the Latin root for “to hear,” and is found in other English words like “audio,” “audience,” and “auditorium.” The word render has a number of meanings. Here, it means “to make.”

Example Question #32 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

Certain ancient cultures kept their records by __________ runes into stones that are still ___________ today to people who have studied those languages and can read them.

Possible Answers:

carving . . . invisible

erasing . . . readable

deleting . . . visible

sculpting . . . unimportant

inscribing . . . legible

Correct answer:

inscribing . . . legible

Explanation:

For the first blank, we need to pick out a verb that describes how one would mark a rune into a stone. Either "inscribing" ("writing or carving words or symbols on something, especially as a formal or permanent record") or "carving" could be correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "able to be read" or "able to be understood." Either "legible" ("clear enough to read" and used with handwriting or print) or "readable" could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "inscribing" and "legible" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "inscribing . . . legible."

Example Question #31 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

In that scene of the movie, the __________ con man has committed a crime, and __________ the police officer into blaming it on his associate and arresting the wrong man.

Possible Answers:

contrived . . . assists

dastardly . . . admits

dreary . . . rescinds

ignoble . . . dupes

meritorious . . . hoodwinks

Correct answer:

ignoble . . . dupes

Explanation:

We can infer that because the con man commits a crime and then blames it on his associate, we need to pick out an adjective to describe him that means something like "not honorable." Either "ignoble" ("not honorable in character or purpose") or "dastardly" ("wicked and cruel") could be correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a verb that means something like "fools" because we know that the police officer "arrest[s] the wrong man." Either "dupes" ("deceives; tricks") or "hoodwinks" ("deceives or tricks (someone") could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "ignoble" and "dupes" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "ignoble . . . dupes."

Example Question #32 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

She tried to __________ her favorite writer's style, but found it awkward to use the same _________ vocabulary that had been popular when he was writing in the 1700s.

Possible Answers:

obscure . . . outdated

predict . . . gregarious

emulate . . . archaic

narrow . . . novel

imitate . . . confident

Correct answer:

emulate . . . archaic

Explanation:

For the first blank, we know that the subject of our sentence tried to use the same vocabulary as her favorite author, but found it awkward, so we can guess that she tried to mimic his style, and we need to pick out a verb that means something like "mimic." Either "emulate" or "imitate" could be correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out an adjective that describes what kind of vocabulary would have been popular in the 1700s but awkward to use today. Either "archaic" ("very old or old-fashioned" or when used of a word or a style of language, "no longer in everyday use but sometimes used to impart an old-fashioned flavor") or "outdated" could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "emulate" and "archaic" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "emulate . . . archaic."

Example Question #2231 : Psat Critical Reading

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

The teacher gave __________ instructions for the quiz she gave, and announced that anyone that didn't follow her clearly explained directions exactly would __________ a small penalty and lose a few points off of their quiz.

Possible Answers:

explicit . . . incur

unlikely . . . prove

straightforward . . . avoid

biased . . . miss

confusing . . . receive

Correct answer:

explicit . . . incur

Explanation:

For the first blank, we know that the teacher gave "clearly explained directions," so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "clearly explained." Either "explicit" ("stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt") or "straightforward" ("uncomplicated and easy to do or understand") could be correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a word that means "get" or "sustain," because we know that the students who did not follow the teacher's instructions would "lose a few points off of their quiz" - in other words, sustain a small penalty. Either "incur" ("become subject to something unwelcome or unpleasant as a result of one's own behavior or actions") or "receive" could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "explicit" and "incur" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "explicit . . . incur."

Example Question #1291 : Sentence Completions

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

Since his low blood sugar __________ Joseph of most of his energy, he was rather __________ in contrast to his normally energetic disposition.

Possible Answers:

overwhelmed . . . tedious

bombarded . . . slothful

sapped . . . sedate

revoked . . . puny

emasculated . . . effeminate

Correct answer:

sapped . . . sedate

Explanation:

The clear contrast in this sentence is between an energetic disposition and one that is not. The best option for the second blank is “sedate” which means quiet or still (sometimes having the negative sense of “dull”). Since the word is modified (and hence qualified) by “rather,” it is fair to choose something like this, which generally fits, if not perfectly. To be sedate is related to the Latin for “to sit.” A “sedative” is a drug or medication that makes one calm or as though they were sitting still. Since Joseph became sedate, the low blood sugar condition must have drained him of his energy, that is, to have sapped him of his energy.

Example Question #1293 : Sentence Completions

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

The lecturer did not mean to __________ his students, but his __________ speech was too advanced for them to understand.

Possible Answers:

disconcert . . . dense

challenge . . . lucid

enlighten . . . complicated

confuse . . . morose

accomodate . . . creative

Correct answer:

disconcert . . . dense

Explanation:

The second blank would be easier to fill in first, so we need to find a word that means difficult to understand. This could be either dense or complicated (because lucid means clear, morose means gloomy, and creative speech isn't always difficult). Next we'll fill in the first blank that shows that his students did not understand, or were confused. Enlighten would not work because the teacher would want to enlighten them with knowledge, so our answer is "disconcert . . . dense."

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