All SAT Critical Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #423 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Instead of merely responding to the needs of others, you should, instead, strive to __________ their desires.
appease
fulfill
satisfy
placate
anticipate
anticipate
By using the word “instead,” this sentence is establishing a contrast between responding to others’ desires and the word that is needed to answer the question. When someone “anticipates” something, he or she considers it before it happens (as opposed to responding to it once it happens). Based on its Latin roots, the word literally means “to take beforehand.” The “anti-” prefix does not mean “against.” Instead, it is a form of “ante-”, meaning “before.” The title, “the Antebellum South,” is used to describe the southern states in the United States before the civil war. (Bellum here means “war.”) The “-cipate” part of the word is related to a number of words like “capture,” “participate,” and “emancipate.”
Example Question #471 : One Blank Sentences
Aaron was chosen to __________ the details of the project to the group so that no aspect would be misunderstood.
sketch
outline
explain
articulate
discuss
articulate
The key phrase in this sentence is “so that no aspect would be misunderstood.” Aaron’s presentation must be comprehensive and understandable, reviewing every detail of the project in a manner that is clear. When someone “articulates” a position, he or she explains it in a clear manner, making all necessary distinctions. The word comes from the Latin for “joint,” so to articulate something is to “cut it at its joints” (that is, at its smallest separable parts).
Example Question #472 : One Blank Sentences
The complex situation showed no immediate escape path, leaving Douglas with little hope of __________ himself from its unhappy circumstances.
motivating
supporting
encouraging
ameliorating
extricating
extricating
The two key things to note here are “escape path” and “from.” The sense of the sentence is that Douglas has little hope of escaping from the situation. It could be said that he cannot “remove himself” from it. The word “extricate” means “to remove oneself from a difficult situation or (more generally) difficulties.” It is derived from the Latin word for “trick,” so it could be said to mean “to get out of the tricks (of some situation).” It is related to “intricate” and “intriguing.”
Example Question #473 : Sentence Completions
The water flow slowly __________ out, finally stopping altogether.
dripped
petered
splashed
dribbled
fell
petered
Note that the flow is not merely dripping but that it is moving ever so slowly toward no longer occurring at all (as is implied by “finally stopping altogether”). When something “peters out” it gradually slows or reduces in intensity to the point of disappearing altogether.
Example Question #474 : Sentence Completions
After making the contract, Thomas was ___________ to provide the services that he had promised.
obligated
chained
needed
planned
trapped
obligated
When someone is contracted to do work, that person is required, or obligated, to fulfill that which is promised in the contract. The word “obligated” can also mean “bound” in the sense of being tied to something (metaphorically speaking). This meaning is derived from the Latin root for the word, which is found in “ligament,” which is a piece of connective tissue that binds together joints (and other parts of the body). The word “religion” also has the same root in it, though here it means something like “to be reconnected (to a higher power).”
Example Question #473 : One Blank Sentences
Since Egbert was not very hungry, he merely __________ his food, barely eating more than several crumbs at a time.
devoured
munched
avoided
nibbled
tasted
nibbled
Since Egbert’s eating portions are described, this sentence gives an adequate direct clue regarding how one should describe what he did with regard to his food. When someone “nibbles” at something, he or she merely takes small bites. None of the other words match as closely to the nature of eating merely several crumbs at a time.
Example Question #476 : Sentence Completions
Corey thought that releasing his dog into the holiday party would __________ its quiet atmosphere, but his plan worked a bit too well and the dog ended up upsetting the pies, which splattered across the floor.
dull
involve
portray
enliven
calm down
enliven
We can infer that Corey wanted to bring energy and excitement to the party, but his dog ended up spilling the pies onto the floor. So, we need to pick out a verb that means something like "bring energy or excitement to." Neither "dull" nor "calm down" can be the correct answer, then, because each of those words is an antonym of "bring energy or excitement to." "Enliven," however, is a verb that means "make (something) more entertaining, interesting, or appealing," and because "enliven" best describes Corey's motivation for releasing his dog into the holiday party, "enliven" is the correct answer.
Example Question #474 : One Blank Sentences
Select the answer choice that best completes the blank in the sentence.
The medicine should __________ the physical pain, but it might take a while for his mental health to recover from the trauma of the accident.
aggregate
aver
abscond
apprise
alleviate
alleviate
The choice that makes the most sense is alleviate: to relieve or make suffering less severe.
Example Question #51 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Select the answer choice that best completes the blank in the sentence.
We tried to __________ the baby in several ways, but she kept crying no matter what we did.
deride
diffuse
appease
burnish
elicit
appease
The choice that makes the most sense is appease: to pacify or soothe; to relieve.
Example Question #52 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Select the answer choice that best completes the blank in the sentence.
Would you prefer me to __________ the story or tell a shorter, to the point version?
entail
embellish
exculpate
enumerate
encompass
embellish
The choice that makes the most sense is embellish: to make more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features