SAT Critical Reading › Two-Blank Sentences
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
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."
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
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 ___________ 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
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.
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
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."
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
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
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.
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
"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.
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
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.
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
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.
The __________ claims made by the witness about the circumstances of the crime __________ justice.
spurious . . . impeded
fallacious . . . incited
veracious . . . hindered
terse . . . motivated
aloof . . . inspired
If a witness makes false or spurious statements about a crime, they keep justice from occurring; therefore, they impede justice.