Verbs and Adjectives or Adverbs in Two-Blank Sentences

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PSAT Critical Reading › Verbs and Adjectives or Adverbs in Two-Blank Sentences

Questions 1 - 10
1

The hike that Marty took with his friends followed a __________ route full of twists and turns, and when he began to worry that they were getting lost, he began to __________ in his backpack for the map of the area.

tortuous . . . fumble

winding . . . disregard

straightforward . . . search

uncomplicated . . . lunge

derelict . . . participate

Explanation

We can infer that because the hiking route is described as "full of twists and turns," we need to pick out an adjective for the first blank that means something like "twisting" or "turning" to describe it. Either "tortuous" ("full of twists and turns") or "winding" ("following a twisting or spiral course") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "search" to describe how Marty looked in his backpack for the map. Either "fumble" ("move clumsily in various directions using the hands to find one's way") or "fish" ("search, typically by groping or feeling for something concealed") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "tortuous" and "fumble" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "tortuous . . . fumble."

2

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

In that scene of the movie, the __________ con man has committed a crime, and __________ the police officer into blaming it on his associate and arresting the wrong man.

ignoble . . . dupes

meritorious . . . hoodwinks

dastardly . . . admits

contrived . . . assists

dreary . . . rescinds

Explanation

We can infer that because the con man commits a crime and then blames it on his associate, we need to pick out an adjective to describe him that means something like "not honorable." Either "ignoble" ("not honorable in character or purpose") or "dastardly" ("wicked and cruel") could be correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a verb that means something like "fools" because we know that the police officer "arrest\[s\] the wrong man." Either "dupes" ("deceives; tricks") or "hoodwinks" ("deceives or tricks (someone") could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "ignoble" and "dupes" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "ignoble . . . dupes."

3

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

While Hannah knew that her teacher would consider her claim to have written three lab reports in a single evening __________, she knew that he would not be able to __________ her story because it was true.

dubious . . . debunk

doubtful . . . prove

authentic . . . disprove

reasonable . . . authenticate

hazy . . . reject

Explanation

For the first blank, we can infer that Hannah's teacher might assume that her claim "to have written three lab reports in a single evening" might be untrue, so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "false" or "probably false." Either "doubtful" ("not known with certainty; improbable; not established as genuine or acceptable") or "dubious" ("not to be relied upon; suspect") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, the word is describing what Hannah's teacher will not be able to do to her story because it is true. So, we need to pick out a word that means something like "reject" or "prove false." Either "disprove" ("prove that something is false") or "debunk" ("expose the falseness or hollowness of a myth, idea, or belief") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "dubious" and "debunk" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "dubious . . . debunk."

4

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Awed by the park's natural beauty, the tourist __________ through the Yosemite valley floor, allowing every sight __________ time to sink in.

ambled . . . ample

meandered . . . meager

hurried . . . harried

plodded . . . plenteous

dashed . . . sparse

Explanation

For the first blank, "ambled" (to walk at a relaxed pace) or "meandered" (to take a winding course) would work. "Plodding" would be about the same speed, but with a sense more of fatigue or resentment than of awe, and you might want to "hurry" or "dash" on to see what's around the next turn, but the context suggests a pace that allows sufficient time to meditate on the beauty. For the second blank (for the word pairs that we have not yet eliminated), "ample" (plenty) makes the most sense.

5

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Sally took a pencil off of the empty desk beside her, thinking that no one wanted it, but it turned out that she had __________ Sam's favorite pencil without knowing it was his; when she learned who it belonged to, she immediately gave it back, having stolen it __________.

appropriated . . . unintentionally

snatched . . . consciously

returned . . . unwittingly

doubted . . . purposely

watered . . . fortuitously

Explanation

For the first blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like "stolen," because later in the sentence, we're too that Sally "immediately gave \[the pencil\] back, having stolen it." Either "appropriated" ("took (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission") or "snatched" ("steal (something) or kidnap (someone), typically by seizing or grabbing suddenly") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like "accidentally," because the sentence informs us that Sally "had \[taken\] Sam's favorite pencil without knowing it was his." Either "unintentionally "("not done on purpose") or "unwittingly" ("not done on purpose; unintentionally") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "appropriated" and "unintentionally" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "appropriated . . . unintentionally."

6

Sentence completions: select the word or pair of words that most correctly completes the sentence.

__________ by the levels of poverty in the city, the activist took it upon herself to collect essential items for the __________ in the community.

Perturbed . . . indigent

Troubled . . . affluent

Perplexed . . . despondent

Outraged . . . indignant

Explanation

Any of the words in the first blank could describe a reasonable reaction to a high level of poverty, so the second-blank words are going to determine the correct answer. We can cross off "affluent," which means wealthy (no need to add to their wealth). The city's poor may also be "despondent," or lacking hope, though other things besides poverty could also cause this state. We are left with two words that look similar, though with very different meanings: "indigent" and "indignant." The second word, "indignant," means very angry because of an injustice (a word perhaps better used to describe the activist's own motivation), while "indigent"—the correct option here—means having no money.

7

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

I am not a particularly __________ person, so I have had difficulties __________ into new communities after moving to a new city.

sociable . . . assimilating

nonchalant . . . meandering

dissolute . . . wandering

prosperous . . . rendering

dynamic . . . sequencing

Explanation

In this problem, there are few clues to help you solve for the words apart from seeing which two words fit together when plugged in for the blank terms. “Nonchalant” means not caring and “meandering” means walking indirectly; would someone who does not care about things have trouble walking indirectly? No, that makes no sense. We can eliminate that answer choice. Eventually, it should become clear that the correct answer is “sociable” and “assimilating.” “Sociable” means friendly and good at talking to people and “assimilating” means fitting in to a new culture. Would someone who is not good at talking to people have trouble fitting in a new city? Yes, that makes sense. To provide further help, “dissolute” means immoral and “wandering” means walking aimlessly; “prosperous” means successful and wealthy and “rendering” means depicting or showing; and “dynamic” means forceful or exciting and “sequencing” means putting in order.

8

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.

9

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).

10

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."

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