SAT Critical Reading : Sentence Completion Questions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Critical Reading

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Example Questions

Example Question #171 : Sentence Completion Questions

Reginald was so self-centered that his neighbors accused him of being a true ___________, for his actions indicated that he must believe that nobody else actually exists.

Possible Answers:

egoist

narcissist

solipsist

sycophant

psychopath

Correct answer:

solipsist

Explanation:

Here, the only way to choose the correct answer is to find the one that most directly matches the key expression “he must believe that nobody else actually exists.” While many of the options deal with “self-centeredness,” only “solipsist” means “someone who believes that only oneself can be known.” The word comes from the combination of the Latin “solus,” meaning “alone” and “ipse,” an intensifying pronoun meaning “him/her/itself.” The first can be found in words like “solitary” and “solitude.” The latter can be found in odd English words like “ipseity,” meaning “selfhood,” as well as the Latin expression used in legal parlance, “res ipsa loquitur,” meaning, “The thing (event, data) speaks for itself.”

Example Question #172 : Sentence Completion Questions

Soon after the birth of children, mammalian mothers begin the process of __________, providing milk to feed their new babes.

Possible Answers:

succoring

mollifying

ovulation

lactation

parenting

Correct answer:

lactation

Explanation:

The explicit statement in the sentence refers to the production of milk. Therefore, the option “lactation” is the best answer, for this is the word for the secretion of milk from a mammalian mother to its child. The “lact-” prefix comes from the Latin for milk and is found in English words like “lactose,” a type of sugar found in milks and “lactic acid,” which is found in sour milk but also in the body after exercise, causing soreness.

Example Question #173 : Sentence Completion Questions

Since Ken would eat nearly any type of food, his friends affectionately called him “the __________.”

Possible Answers:

glutton

omnivore

gourmand

gourmet

obesity

Correct answer:

omnivore

Explanation:

The key expression is “eat nearly any type of food.” Note that this does not say that Ken eats large quantities of food. Therefore, any of the options that imply gluttony (and so forth) are not acceptable. The sentence is a bit playful, using a word as an affectionate title. Based on the context, we can tell that the title must mean something like “eats everything.” To this end, “omnivore” fits well. The word literally means “eating all things.” The “omni-” prefix (meaning “all”) is found in many word like “omniscience” and “omnipotent.” The “-vore” comes from the Latin for “to swallow,” though it is used in words like “voracious” (desiring much food) and the other “-vore” words like “herbivore” and “carnivore.”

Example Question #41 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

Vegetarians are really not properly called __________, for they do eat things other than plant products, such as eggs, milk, and so forth.

Possible Answers:

herbivores

hominids

mammals

carnivores

ruminants

Correct answer:

herbivores

Explanation:

The key thing to note in this sentence is that the vegetarians are described as eating more than plant products. The implication is that they cannot be called properly “animals eating only plant products.” Such animals are “herbivores,” a word constructed from the parts “herb-”, meaning “grass,” and “-vore,” literally meaning “to swallow.” The prefix is found in words like “herbicide” (something that kills grasses) and “herbal.” The latter is found in words like “voracious” (desiring much food) and the other “-vore” words like “omnivore” and “carnivore.”

Example Question #42 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

The crown matched the similarly spectacular __________ worn by the king.

Possible Answers:

jewels

raiment

mantle

epaulets

vermillion

Correct answer:

raiment

Explanation:

Since the sentence is very vague regarding exactly what the crown matched on the King, the word to be chosen must likewise be vague. Although it is a bit old-fashioned, the word “raiment” means “clothing.” It is often used literarily, so the application to a king is perhaps somewhat understandable.

Example Question #43 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

Although the famous philosopher did not charge a fee for giving lectures, most schools paid him a small __________ for his efforts.

Possible Answers:

honorarium

bursary

fortune

tariff

amount

Correct answer:

honorarium

Explanation:

When someone does not charge an official fee, such a person might be given a small gift in return for his or her services. Such a gift is called an “honorarium”—an honorary payment that is not considered as an official reimbursement as much as a gift.

Example Question #44 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

While it is true that the modern car engine is overwhelming in its overall complexity, it is likewise true that almost every one of its __________ is likewise intricate.

Possible Answers:

cylinders

pistons

machinations

components

conjunctions

Correct answer:

components

Explanation:

The general sense of the sentence is that each of the parts of the complex engine is just as intricate as the overall engine. The word “component” means “a part,” particularly “a part of a machine.” The word comes from the Latin meaning “put together.” The “together” is derived from the “com-” prefix which you likely know means “with.” The second half of the word is derived from the Latin for “to put or place” and is related to many other English words such as “position,” “postpone,” and “proponent.”

Example Question #45 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

Since the law had been passed by such a slim majority, the legislature decided to delay its official __________ until it had been adequately explained to the populace.

Possible Answers:

exposure

promulgation

publication

unveiling

commentary

Correct answer:

promulgation

Explanation:

The implication of the sentence is that while the law had been passed, it was not put into official force because it needed explanation to the people. Although several options might seem appropriate, the best word is “promulgation.” In a broad sense, the word means “the act of making something known to many.” It has the further restricted sense of making a law known to many. This fits well with this sentence’s needs.

Example Question #46 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences

The priestess sat alone in the shrine, surrounded by the wafting, smoky vapors that arose from the thuribles containing __________.

Possible Answers:

incense

flammifers

combustibles

coals

perfumes

Correct answer:

incense

Explanation:

For this sentence, there are two possible ways of finding the answer. If you know the word “thurible,” you will know that such devices are used for the burning of incense. This immediately provides the answer; however, if you do not know that vocabulary item, it is likely that you know that the burning of incense gives off “vapors” in a smoky form.

Example Question #44 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences

The large dragon did not notice that its pile of coins was undergoing __________ right from under it as the pile dwindled from the steady taking of gold by the town thieves.

Possible Answers:

burglary

larceny

looting

diminution

destruction

Correct answer:

diminution

Explanation:

The key word is “dwindled,” which describes the pile as shrinking. When something shrinks in size, it is said to “diminish” or to undergo “diminution.” These words are likewise related to English words having the prefix “mini” such as “miniature,” “minute,” and “minimal.”

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