Sentence Completions
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PSAT Critical Reading › Sentence Completions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Sally when she saw the height restriction for the roller coaster she had wanted to ride because she assumed that she was not tall enough to ride; while no one under five feet tall could ride with no exceptions, she was luckily exactly that height.
despaired . . . compulsory
saddened . . . encouraged
celebrated . . . mandatory
participated . . . overturned
forgot . . . jubilant
Explanation
For the first blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like grew sad, because we know that Sally wanted to ride the roller coaster and assumed she could not because of the height restriction. Either "despaired" (gave up) or "saddened" (grew sad) could be correct. For the second blank, since we know that there no were exceptions to the height rule, either "compulsory" (obligatory) or "mandatory" (compulsory) could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "despaired" and "compulsory" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "despaired . . . compulsory."
Choose the set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Harold commenced a of strenuous studying to build up the mental to complete the three-day bar examination.
regimen . . . endurance
pledge . . . catharsis
notion . . . integrity
constraint . . . sincerity
diversion . . . illumination
Explanation
The phrases “commenced,” “build up” and “complete the three-day bar examination” suggest that Harold began a systematic procedure to build up the stamina to finish a three-day exam. Only "regimen" (a systematic procedure) and "endurance" (a synonym for stamina) work for the blanks.
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The of Andrew Jackson was infamous among politicians in his time; even after he achieved phenomenal success they could not bear his consistent .
arrogance . . . smugness
concentration . . . laziness
delegation . . . mollycoddling
apathy . . . gregariousness
degradation . . . excellence
Explanation
From the use of the words “infamous” and “could not bear” you know that the blanks being described are probably negative. You also know that the blanks must be similar or identical in meaning because there is no clause or conjunction indicating a change in meaning. The correct answer is therefore arrogance and smugness; this is the only answer choice in which the meanings of the two answers are similar. Delegation means to allocate tasks; mollycoddling means to pamper and spoil someone; apathy means not caring; gregariousness refers to sociability; degradation describes the squalor of something.
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Johnson felt that his was only a minor and not a serious transgression against his marriage vows.
infidelity . . . peccadillo
fidelity . . . obstruction
temperance . . . habit
puritanism . . . hindrance
ordeal . . . bewilderment
Explanation
"Infidelity" means unfaithfulness, often to a sexual partner, while a "peccadillo" is a small sin or fault. Johnson does not seem to esteem fidelity very highly because he rates unfaithfulness to his spouse as only a minor fault.
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Sally when she saw the height restriction for the roller coaster she had wanted to ride because she assumed that she was not tall enough to ride; while no one under five feet tall could ride with no exceptions, she was luckily exactly that height.
despaired . . . compulsory
saddened . . . encouraged
celebrated . . . mandatory
participated . . . overturned
forgot . . . jubilant
Explanation
For the first blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like grew sad, because we know that Sally wanted to ride the roller coaster and assumed she could not because of the height restriction. Either "despaired" (gave up) or "saddened" (grew sad) could be correct. For the second blank, since we know that there no were exceptions to the height rule, either "compulsory" (obligatory) or "mandatory" (compulsory) could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "despaired" and "compulsory" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "despaired . . . compulsory."
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.
ancient . . . formulate
contradictory . . . commingle
arduous . . . rebuff
heinous . . . implicate
copious . . . compile
Explanation
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.
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.
discomfited . . . mercurial
baffled . . . predictable
assuaged . . . capricious
ameliorated . . . stolid
perplexed . . . impassive
Explanation
"Discomfited" means made uncomfortable or baffled, while "mercurial," means characterized 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).
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The claims made by the witness about the circumstances of the crime justice.
spurious . . . impeded
fallacious . . . incited
veracious . . . hindered
terse . . . motivated
aloof . . . inspired
Explanation
If a witness makes false or spurious statements about a crime, they keep justice from occurring; therefore, they impede justice.
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The fox had predominantly fur, but its fluffy tail was tipped in white and down to a delicate point.
russet . . . tapered
red . . . widened
cerulean . . . narrowed
yellow . . . swelled
lavender . . . enlarged
Explanation
Because the sentence's subject is a fox and all of the available answer choices for the first blank are adjectives describing color, we need to pick out an adjective that describes a shade of red, because foxes typically have predominantly reddish fur. Either "red" or "russet" ("reddish brown in color") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we can infer that because the fox's tail "(verb)ed down to a delicate point" that either "tapered" ("diminished or reduced or caused to diminish or reduce in thickness toward one end") or "narrowed" could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "russet" and "tapered" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "russet . . . tapered."
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The scientist decided that he would attempt to his competitor’s work, making it appear dubious to the general scientific community.
rival . . . discredit
underhanded . . . question
recalcitrant . . . dispute
judgmental . . . overthrow
arrogant . . . destroy
Explanation
Here, the best option is to pay heed to the second blank. The scientist wants to make his competitor’s work seem "dubious," that is, doubtful; therefore, he would like to make its credibility questionable by the broader community. It is best to say that he wishes to “discredit” it. Regarding the first blank, we really are not told anything about the first scientist’s character in the sentence. This means that the best option is the one that merely states what we can imply from the rest of the sentence, namely, that he is a "\[competitor\]," or a "rival" scientist.