SAT Writing : Increasing the Contextual Relevance of a Single Word

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing

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Example Questions

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 5, what word should replace “considerately”?

Possible Answers:

conscionably

conscientiously

concurrently

considerately (no change)

considerably

Correct answer:

considerably

Explanation:

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 #52 : 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”?

Possible Answers:

eulogistically 

euphonium

euphonically (no change)

euphorically

euphemistically 

Correct answer:

euphemistically 

Explanation:

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 #53 : 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 4, what word should replace “concomitant”?

Possible Answers:

concurrent

committal

concavity

concordant

concomitant (no change)

Correct answer:

concomitant (no change)

Explanation:

“Concomitant” is an adjective that means accompanying or attendant, so it fits the context of the sentence perfectly. No change is necessary.

Example Question #54 : Rewriting 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”?

Possible Answers:

inveterate

involuntary

inviolate (no change)

invariable

invaluable

Correct answer:

invaluable

Explanation:

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 #55 : Rewriting 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”?

Possible Answers:

derogates

denigrates

denizens (no change)

derivations

deserters

Correct answer:

denizens (no change)

Explanation:

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 #31 : 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 3, what word should replace “willful”?

Possible Answers:

willful (no change)

wily

winsome

witty

wherewithal

Correct answer:

wily

Explanation:

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 #31 : 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”?

Possible Answers:

deny

decry

deride

denote

demote (no change)

Correct answer:

denote

Explanation:

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 #32 : Increasing The Contextual Relevance Of A Single Word

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"?

Possible Answers:

unfamiliar

unmoved

unhinged

unencumbered

unscrupulous (no change)

Correct answer:

unfamiliar

Explanation:

"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?

Possible Answers:

there’s

gourmand

every

certainly

variety

Correct answer:

certainly

Explanation:

The correct phrase is always “there’s certain to be” and not “there’s certainly to be.”

Example Question #63 : Rewriting A Single Word

1 Today, different methods are adopted to strive off these threats to biological diversity. 2 By now, the occurrence of invasive species is a common place problem. 3 It occurs when a non native species of plant or animal is introduced into a new environment. 4 Invasive species cause problems, such as kudzu, Asian carp, and zebra mussels. 5 Habitats can be destroyed and human economies can be damaged by the invidious effects of species that are inoculated or even charming pets in other ecosystems. 6 For example, rabbits in Australia. 7 They were introduced in the 1780s by British penal colony ships and became widespread after an 1859 outbreak, destroying millions of dollars worth of crops. 8 Pheromone traps can lure in insect pests and genetic modification can cause invasive carp to produce only male offspring, limiting their reproduction. 9 Given our widespread global commerce and travel, however, it may be impossible to foresight all damage done by species that end up somewhere they don’t belong.

In Sentence 5, what word should replace “inoculated”?

Possible Answers:

innocuous

innocent

inoculated (no change)

innovative

innominate

Correct answer:

innocuous

Explanation:

“Inoculated” means vaccinated, which doesn’t make much sense in context. “Innocuous,” or harmless, does make sense, though: Species that are very threatening in some ecosystems can be harmless in others.

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