All SAT Critical Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #181 :Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
John’s grandmother__________him for his__________appearance at the graduation ceremony.
chided . . . unkempt
cajoled . . . vituperative
scolded . . . tidy
slandered . . . ebullient
praised . . . disorderly
chided . . . unkempt
"Chided" meansscold, while "unkempt" meansdisorderlyoruntidy. John's grandmother scolded him for his untidy appearance at the graduation.
Example Question #182 :Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The medieval painting featured__________depictions of warriors who had been__________in battle and were unlikely to survive.
exotic . . . motivated
disturbing . . . victorious
endearing . . . dismembered
grotesque . . . maimed
disenchanting . . . awkward
grotesque . . . maimed
That the warriors were "unlikely to survive" tells us that the second word should somehow involve injury. This leaves "maimed" and "dismembered" as potentially correct choices. A painting of such subject matter would not be very "endearing," but it could certainly be "grotesque." Therefore, "grotesque . . . maimed" is the correct answer.
Example Question #201 :Two Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
My aunt cannot__________the idea of visiting contemporary art museums; she finds contemporary art to be fundamentally unoriginal and__________.
disregard . . . inspired
countenance . . . prosaic
comprehend . . . innovative
detest . . . ostracized
suffer . . . meritorious
countenance . . . prosaic
"Countenance," when used as a verb, meansadmit as acceptable or possible,while "prosaic" meansunoriginal. The speaker's aunt finds contemporary art to be so unoriginal that she cannot even admit as a possibility the idea of visiting a contemporary art museum.
Example Question #184 :Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The high school principal was__________in his praise of the football team, describing the defense in flattering terms and__________the work ethic and discipline of every player.
erudite . . . bemoaning
effusive . . . extolling
hasty . . . consoling
nostalgic . . . discounting
incensed . . . affronting
effusive . . . extolling
The main clues for the first blank are the phrases “praise of the team” and “flattering terms” separated by a comma, which indicate that the missing word enhances the praise that the principal had for the football team. Since "effusive" meansto express feelings of approval in an unrestrained manner, it is correct. For the second blank, the conjunction “and” links the two clauses and indicates that the principal had similarly positive praise for the work ethic and discipline of every player. "Extolling" meansto praise enthusiastically, and thus fits the second blank.
Example Question #185 :Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Believing the painting to be__________, the art critic did nothing but__________the painter.
abominable . . . calcify
execrable . . . disparage
loathsome . . . champion
magnificent . . . criticize
vituperative . . . patronize
execrable . . . disparage
"Execrable" meansloathsome, while "disparage" means tocriticize. Understandably, an art critic who found a work loathsome would criticize the artist.
Example Question #186 :Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The__________prosecutor was unwilling to listen as the defendant tried to__________his fault.
obstreperous . . . categorize
remorseful . . . atone
bashful . . . blandish
unwavering . . . expedite
intransigent . . . expiate
intransigent . . . expiate
"Intransigent" meansunwilling to compromise, while "expiate" meansto make amends for, atone. An unrelenting prosecutor would have no patience for a defendant trying to atone for his mistakes.
Example Question #187 :Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The ballerina’s__________body seemed to__________at the music; she really appeared to employ her grace and suppleness to rejoice.
alloyed . . . recoil
cumbersome . . . thrill
lithe . . . exult
supple . . . degenerate
diaphanous . . . glower
lithe . . . exult
"Lithe" meansgraceful, flexible, and supple, while "exult" meansrejoice. The ballerina's graceful body seemed to rejoice at the music.
Example Question #1381 :Sentence Completion Questions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Even when he was young, John Thomas expressed a desire to explain the sometimes__________aspects involved with racial heritage in order to__________them instead of viewing those aspects as disparate.
heinous . . . implicate
contradictory . . . commingle
ancient . . . formulate
arduous . . . rebuff
copious . . . compile
contradictory . . . commingle
When we work with a double set of blanks in a sentence, sometimes it is easier to solve just the first or second one to begin. This sentence uses the phrase “those aspects as disparate” so the second blank must need a word meaning the opposite of disparate which means different. Let’s try the second words in each answer to see which one completes the idea best.
Is “formulate” the opposite of disparate? No, formulate means to state, plan or express an idea.
How about “commingle”? This may be an unfamiliar word for you but what does “mingle” mean? To mingle with your friends means to get together and if we add “co” like in cooperate, combine or committee, this word seems like it might work.
Let’s consider “rebuff”. The prefix “re” often means to do again as in repeat, rework or redo and even if we cannot think of what “buff” may mean, this does not seem as fitting as commingle.
“Implicate”? This word sounds and looks like imply, implore or implicit which does not relate to bringing together.
What about “compile”? The prefix “com” usually does mean coming together like in complete, committee and combine so let’s keep it for now.
Now we need to check the first words but only for two answers: contradictory…commingle and copious…compile. Read the sentence and try each set of words to see which one conveys the meaning of bringing different aspects related to racial heritage together the best? The answer “contradictory…commingle” works best because “copious” means a lot of something but does not work as well in the sentence as “contradictory” or different.
Example Question #1382 :Sentence Completion Questions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
At first__________by the child’s rapid changes in mood, the teacher later understood it as just the boy’s__________nature.
assuaged . . . capricious
perplexed . . . impassive
ameliorated . . . stolid
baffled . . . predictable
discomfited . . . mercurial
discomfited . . . mercurial
"Discomfited" meansmade uncomfortableorbaffled,while "mercurial," meanscharacterized by rapid change in temperment.Naturally, a teacher would first be baffled by a child's rapid change in moods (that is, his mercurial nature).
Example Question #1383 :Sentence Completion Questions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The makers of the Constitution believed that excessive government interference would have__________effects on personal liberty; to prevent this, they designed the Constitution to__________the rights of individuals.
palliative . . . circumscribe
deleterious . . . degrade
pernicious . . . safeguard
injurious . . . terminate
anodyne . . . forfend
pernicious . . . safeguard
The correct answer identifies that government interference had very negative effects on personal liberty ("pernicious") and that as a result, the makers of the Constitution designed it to protect the rights of individuals ("safeguard"). The incorrect answers either mistake government interference as a positive factor ("anodyne" and "palliative") or wrongly assert that the Constitution limited rights ("degrade," "circumscribe," and "terminate").