The Critical Reading Section: Sentence Completions

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This chapter is from the book

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New SAT Exam Cram 2 with Cd-Rom, The

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Exam Prep Questions

Each sentence has one or two blanks, representing an omitted word or words. Choose only one of the responses following the sentence to correctly complete each sentence. Remember, choose the best response, not the first response that seems appropriate.

1. The congressman's _____ responses in regards to the missing funds might cost him votes in the _____ election.

1. exemplary . . sector's

2. considerate . . forthcoming

3. impetuous . . special

4. evasive . . subsequent

5. incriminating . . preceding

2. The jury's hasty decision was cause for a(n) _____.

1. reprimand

2. appeal

3. mistrial

4. retrial

5. dismissal

3. Despite _____ odds, Mother Teresa gave aid and comfort to the poor, the sick, the homeless, and the _____.

1. irreversible . . ugly

2. complex . . itinerant

3. strenuous . . destitute

4. challenging . . indigent

5. insurmountable . . disenfranchised

4. The unexpected _____ of the popular actress has driven many of her fans to _____.

1. incarceration . . celebrate

2. demise . . despair

3. emigration . . digress

4. regrets . . reconsider

5. deterioration . . wane

5. The principal preferred to use the _____ retained instead of failed when a student was forced to repeat a grade.

1. synonym

2. phrase

3. eulogy

4. euphemism

5. antonym

6. Despite his _____ contributions to the aviation industry, Chuck Yeager never _____ his dream of flying into space.

1. pioneering . . realized

2. numerous . . accomplished

3. laudable . . disregarded

4. various . . deserted

5. progressive . . tolerated

7. Not admitting your guilt is not the same as being _____.

1. innocent

2. guilty

3. mute

4. virtuous

5. dishonest

8. Pedagogy is a _____ to teaching, but nothing can truly prepare you for the classroom but the act of teaching itself.

1. godsend

2. precursor

3. triumph

4. boon

5. stage

9. After her initial stint in the classroom, she was ready to _____ her pointer and _____ on a new career—any career that didn't include children.

1. surrender . . try

2. renounce . . disembark

3. relinquish . . embark

4. break . . think

5. bronze . . endeavor

10. She thought her cause might be _____, but to the contrary, she found everyone very _____.

1. controversial . . supportive

2. misunderstood . . helpful

3. rejected . . apologetic

4. distracting . . encouraging

5. terminated . . contingent

Answers for Exam Prep Questions

1. Answer D is the best response. We know that his responses were somehow negative, and the word might indicates that the election is still to come. Answer A is incorrect because "exemplary" would suggest that the congressman answered well, and we know by the tone of the sentence that he did not. We can eliminate that response without even considering the second word, "sector’s." Answer B is incorrect for the same reason—"considerate" simply isn’t a logical choice. Answer C may trip you up a bit, but remember, you’re looking for the best response, not any response that seems to fit. The responses could be rash or hasty—an impetuous response might not be harmful. Answer E is incorrect because "preceding" would imply a past election, and we know the election is still to come.

2. Answer B is correct. An appeal occurs after the verdict and sentencing and usually is a means of rehearing the case when something went wrong with the first one. Answer A is incorrect. You can’t reprimand a jury after the fact, and it would be irrelevant even if you could. Answer C is incorrect as a mistrial happens before a jury verdict. The sentence indicates that the jury did hand down a verdict. Answer D is incorrect because there really isn’t any such thing. You may see the term retried, or a defendant may get a new trial. Answer E is incorrect for the same reason as C.

3. Answer E is the best response because both words fit well within the context of the sentence. Answers A and B are both incorrect because none of the words really express the logic of the sentence. Answer C is incorrect; although "destitute" would fit, "strenuous" really doesn’t. Besides, destitute is redundant to poor. Answer D is incorrect. Although "challenging" might fit, it isn’t as good as "insurmountable." In addition, similar to destitute, indigent is redundant to poor.

4. Answer B is the best response. It’s logical to assume that fans would find the loss of an admired celebrity hard to accept or overcome for a while. Answers A and C are incorrect because they’re totally illogical. Answer D is incorrect. Even though it could be a true statement, nothing really supports it—what were the fans reconsidering? Answer E is incorrect. Although the sentiment might be true, there are certainly better ways to express it. Besides, that statement almost seems incomplete. The statement needs to include just what the fans are waning—their devotion, their support?

5. Answer D is correct. A "euphemism" is a word or phrase that restates another in a pleasant or inoffensive manner. In this case, the principal wants to avoid using the word "failed" to describe a student that needs to repeat a grade. Answers A, B, C, and E are all incorrect because they are the wrong words.

6. Answer A is the best response, given the creative nature of the sentence. It also helps to be familiar with Chuck Yeager and his accomplishments, but the hint is in the sentence. Space travel is still on the cutting edge of our technology, so it should be fairly easy to deduce that Chuck Yeager was a pioneer in that industry. Okay, it is a bit of a trick question, but remember, context is everything in this section of the exam. Answer B is incorrect because "numerous" is not a good way to describe his contributions within the context of this sentence. Numerous really doesn’t prepare you for the statement’s dream component; the thoughts aren’t parallel and fail to support one another. Besides, one doesn’t accomplish one’s dream; one realizes a dream. Accomplish simply isn’t the most appropriate word. Answer C is incorrect. Although "laudable" would fit, "disregarded" doesn’t. The two phrases might be correct alone, but they don’t fit well together. Like answer B, they don’t support one another. Answer D is incorrect because it isn’t the best response. Although the words would work logically, they aren’t as expressive as answer A. Answer E is incorrect because "tolerant" isn’t logical within the context of the sentence. Therefore, even though "progressive" might work, the two phases don’t fit together.

7. Answer A is correct. If you find the sentence confusing, remove one of the negatives: Not admitting guilt is the same as being innocent. You know that statement isn’t true, but it does help clarify the statement’s meaning. In a nutshell, just because you don’t admit something, doesn’t mean that you’re innocent. Answers B, C, and D are all incorrect because they simply don’t express the right sentiment. Answer E is incorrect although you might be fooled by this one. Remember the context and keep the thoughts parallel, and you’ll see that "dishonest" doesn’t fit. The sentence isn’t about honesty, it’s about guilt and innocence. Dishonest isn’t parallel with guilt within the context of this sentence.

8. Answer B is correct. If you know your elemental components, you can figure this one out even if you don’t know that pedagogy is the study of teaching. You can’t teach until you’ve studied teaching, so "precursor" is the most appropriate choice. The clue is the word "prepare." Answers A, C, D, and E are all incorrect because they are illogical choices.

9. Answer C is the best response. Both words fit logically within the individual phrases. She wants to quit teaching and do something else. Answer A is incorrect. First, "surrender" has a different connotation than "relinquish"; there’s a sense of force in the word "surrender" that isn’t in "relinquish." In addition, "try" doesn’t fit well grammatically. Although you might say, "try on," the context is wrong for that usage. Answer B is incorrect because "disembark" isn’t logical, with the clue being the word "new" to describe the career. Answer D is incorrect. She might want to break her pointer, but you don’t "think on" a new career. You might consider or think about a new career, but "think on" is bad grammar. Answer E is incorrect. First, "bronze" isn’t logical. You bronze baby shoes—things you treasure. Even if you wanted to use the word humorously or creatively, "endeavor" doesn’t work grammatically.

10. Answer A is the best response because it presents the most logical statement. The clue is the phrase "to the contrary." This phrase lets you know that everyone’s response is not the one she expected. Answer B is incorrect. People don’t have to fully understand the cause to be helpful; they might help and support her just because they like her, regardless of the actual cause. The statement makes sense, but it is not the best response. Answer C is incorrect. The phrase "to the contrary" makes the statement illogical. Answer D is incorrect. Although that statement might be true, it isn’t the strongest, best response. The fact that her cause is distracting doesn’t really support the statement or why people are encouraging despite the distraction. You’d need more information for this statement to make sense. Answer E is incorrect because you don’t terminate a cause. You might change your mind; you might drop a cause. In addition, "contingent" is just plain wrong in the context of this sentence.