All SAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #52 : Rewriting A Single Word
1 Glass; a material most people take for granted, is an essential constitute of modern life. 2 Most glass throughout history have been made of silicon dioxide; which is found in sand. 3 Typically glass is made by melting down and refining raw materials in processes that remove bubbles, improve strength, and augur durability. 4 This process can be tailored to create the desired end product, be that stained glass windows for a church and glass fibers for thermal insulation. 5 Because glass blowing can be used to create fanciful shapes and delicate figurines, most glass today is made more quickly and cheaply in factories. 6 These factories can produce everything. 7 From windshields and sterile medical equipment.
In Sentence 3, what word should replace “augur”?
augment
aught
aubade
augur (no change)
aubergine
augment
Based on context, we want a word that means improve, increase, or heighten. To augur is to predict or foretell, an aubergine is an eggplant, an aubade is a poem or song about dawn, and aught is an old-fashioned word for anything or everything. The correct word is augment, which means to increase or add to.
Example Question #31 : Increasing The Contextual Relevance Of A Single Word
1 The purpose of this agricultural practice is to produce large amounts of meat, milk, eggs, and textiles, such as wool and leather, at low costs. 2 It has many negative consequences; however, and many activists have raised concerns about sustainability, environmental risks, and ethics. 3 Factory farming, sometimes known euphonically as intensive animal farming, or industrial farming, is the practice of raising livestock at very high densities in order to decrease the costs of production. 4 On most factory farms, animals are reduced to commodities: bred unnaturally, confined in uncomfortably small cages, and dosed with high strength antibiotics to reduce concomitant infections. 5 Although, the livestock suffers considerately, drug-resistant bacteria become more common, and significant environmental hazards arise from the high quantities of animal waste. 6 Does the phrase manure lagoons sound familiar? 7 As a light of this issue, many people choose to become vegetarian or join anti-factory farming campaigns. 8 What will you do?
In Sentence 5, what word should replace “considerately”?
considerably
concurrently
considerately (no change)
conscionably
conscientiously
considerably
Although only a few letters apart, “considerately” and “considerably” have very different meanings. “Considerately” means in a considerate or kind manner, while “considerably” means large in size or quantity. The latter term is the one that makes sense in this context.
Example Question #51 : Rewriting A Single Word
1 The purpose of this agricultural practice is to produce large amounts of meat, milk, eggs, and textiles, such as wool and leather, at low costs. 2 It has many negative consequences; however, and many activists have raised concerns about sustainability, environmental risks, and ethics. 3 Factory farming, sometimes known euphonically as intensive animal farming, or industrial farming, is the practice of raising livestock at very high densities in order to decrease the costs of production. 4 On most factory farms, animals are reduced to commodities: bred unnaturally, confined in uncomfortably small cages, and dosed with high strength antibiotics to reduce concomitant infections. 5 Although, the livestock suffers considerately, drug-resistant bacteria become more common, and significant environmental hazards arise from the high quantities of animal waste. 6 Does the phrase manure lagoons sound familiar? 7 As a light of this issue, many people choose to become vegetarian or join anti-factory farming campaigns. 8 What will you do?
In Sentence 3, what word should replace “euphonically”?
eulogistically
euphorically
euphemistically
euphonically (no change)
euphonium
euphemistically
A "euphony" is a pleasant sound, "euphoria" is great happiness or elation, a "eulogy" is a speech given in honor of a deceased person, and a "euphonium" is a musical instrument none of which make sense in the sentence. A "euphemism" is a less offensive word or expression used in place of a more offensive one, and it makes sense that “intensive animal farming” is less offensive than the more pejorative “factory farming.”
Example Question #32 : Increasing The Contextual Relevance Of A Single Word
1 The purpose of this agricultural practice is to produce large amounts of meat, milk, eggs, and textiles, such as wool and leather, at low costs. 2 It has many negative consequences; however, and many activists have raised concerns about sustainability, environmental risks, and ethics. 3 Factory farming, sometimes known euphonically as intensive animal farming, or industrial farming, is the practice of raising livestock at very high densities in order to decrease the costs of production. 4 On most factory farms, animals are reduced to commodities: bred unnaturally, confined in uncomfortably small cages, and dosed with high strength antibiotics to reduce concomitant infections. 5 Although, the livestock suffers considerately, drug-resistant bacteria become more common, and significant environmental hazards arise from the high quantities of animal waste. 6 Does the phrase manure lagoons sound familiar? 7 As a light of this issue, many people choose to become vegetarian or join anti-factory farming campaigns. 8 What will you do?
In Sentence 4, what word should replace “concomitant”?
concavity
concurrent
concomitant (no change)
committal
concordant
concomitant (no change)
“Concomitant” is an adjective that means accompanying or attendant, so it fits the context of the sentence perfectly. No change is necessary.
Example Question #34 : Increasing The Contextual Relevance Of A Single Word
1 It may be hard to believe. 2 But light was once a rare and inviolate commodity. 3 Our ancestors invented willful ways to harness natural light; burning lumps of tallow or animal fat, capturing fireflies in glass jars, and even threading wicks down the throats of a bird called the storm petrel.4 Most of these methods were messy, inconvenient, and costly. 5 So it was fortunate when kerosene became popular. 6 Whale oil was another way to get light, but whaling was a dangerous and deadly occupation. 7 The innovation of the electric light bulb represented another huge leap in convenience and cost-effectiveness. 8 While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem. 9 Light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness.
In Sentence 2, what word should replace “inviolate”?
inviolate (no change)
involuntary
invariable
invaluable
inveterate
invaluable
Here, we’re looking for another word that means rare or precious. “Inviolate” means unharmed, which isn’t a concept that applies to light. The correct word here is “invaluable.” Don’t be fooled with this definition; despite what it may look like, “invaluable” actually means very valuable, not un-valuable, so it fits the context well.
Example Question #35 : Increasing The Contextual Relevance Of A Single Word
1 It may be hard to believe. 2 But light was once a rare and inviolate commodity. 3 Our ancestors invented willful ways to harness natural light; burning lumps of tallow or animal fat, capturing fireflies in glass jars, and even threading wicks down the throats of a bird called the storm petrel.4 Most of these methods were messy, inconvenient, and costly. 5 So it was fortunate when kerosene became popular. 6 Whale oil was another way to get light, but whaling was a dangerous and deadly occupation. 7 The innovation of the electric light bulb represented another huge leap in convenience and cost-effectiveness. 8 While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem. 9 Light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness.
In Sentence 9, what word should replace “denizens”?
deserters
derivations
derogates
denizens (no change)
denigrates
denizens (no change)
A “denizen” is a resident: a person (or thing) that lives in a particular location. It fits perfectly in this context. A deserter is someone who deserts (usally a post or responsibility), to denigrate something is to devalue it by saying very harsh things about it, a derivation is something derived from something else, and to derogate something is to insult (that thing). None of these options make sense in the given sentence.
Example Question #351 : Improving And Correcting Sentences
1 It may be hard to believe. 2 But light was once a rare and inviolate commodity. 3 Our ancestors invented willful ways to harness natural light; burning lumps of tallow or animal fat, capturing fireflies in glass jars, and even threading wicks down the throats of a bird called the storm petrel.4 Most of these methods were messy, inconvenient, and costly. 5 So it was fortunate when kerosene became popular. 6 Whale oil was another way to get light, but whaling was a dangerous and deadly occupation. 7 The innovation of the electric light bulb represented another huge leap in convenience and cost-effectiveness. 8 While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem. 9 Light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness.
In Sentence 3, what word should replace “willful”?
wherewithal
witty
willful (no change)
wily
winsome
wily
Supplying our own synonym, we’re looking for a word that means clever or ingenious. “Wily” means crafty or clever, so it’s the best choice for this sentence.
Example Question #32 : Increasing The Contextual Relevance Of A Single Word
1 The word wig itself comes from the English word periwig and can demote a variety of styles, materials, and colors. 2 Have you ever wondered what goes into making a wig? 3 Historically wigs have served a variety of functions and took a number of forms. 4 Wigs have been used as fashion accessories, costume components, and to disguise baldness. 5 These days, wigs are most commonly made from synthetic materials, real human hair, or hair from animals, such as goats and yaks.
In Sentence 1, what word should replace “demote”?
decry
deny
demote (no change)
deride
denote
denote
To "demote" something is to lower its status, but to "denote" something is to indicate it, which makes much more sense in the context. To "deride" something is to mock or ridicule it, to "decry" something is to express disapproval of it, and to "deny" something is to refuse to accept it is true.
Example Question #3211 : Sat Writing
1 “Waltzing Matilda” is the title of an Australian song. 2 This song is often called Australia’s unofficial national anthem. 3 Although unscrupulous to a foreigner, the song’s seemingly nonsensical lyrics are actually slang that describes a migrant worker’s travels. 4 The song even has it’s own museum in Queensland. 5 Can you believe that? 6 It was written in 1895 by the Australian author Banjo Paterson and has more recordings than any other Australian song, including the national anthem; “Advance Australia Fair.”
In Sentence 3 which word should replace "unscrupulous"?
unscrupulous (no change)
unencumbered
unfamiliar
unhinged
unmoved
unfamiliar
"Unscrupulous" means unprincipled or without moral character, and obviously does not make sense in the context of this sentence. "Unfamiliar," used in reference to a noun, means strange, foreign, or unfamiliar, which makes sense as a description of a song experienced by "foreigner[s]."
Example Question #62 : Rewriting A Single Word
1 As anyone who has tried it can tell you, Filipino food is an exciting intriguing blend of flavors. 2 Due to interaction with various nations and cultures, it’s cuisine is marked by influences from Austronesia, Spain, China, Malaysia, and the United States. 3 Some typical dishes including pancit, longganisa, lumpia, kare-kare, pinakbet, sinigang, and adobo. 4 For example, one could find everything from Spanish paella and Chinese spring rolls (locally called lumpia) if you walked into a Filipino restaurant.
5 Another important compound of Filipino cuisine is street food. 6 These street foods include many fried foods, such as bananas, plantains, dumplings, squid balls, battered quail eggs, and fruit or vegetable spring rolls.7 Taho, a warm street food, is composed of bean curd, a caramel syrup or arnibal, and tapioca pearls.8 Don’t forget dessert! 9 With such a variety of flavors, textures, and cooking styles, there’s certainly to be something for every gourmand.
In Sentence 9, which of the underlined words should be changed?
certainly
gourmand
variety
there’s
every
certainly
The correct phrase is always “there’s certain to be” and not “there’s certainly to be.”
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