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

"Countenance," when used as a verb, means admit as acceptable or possible, while "prosaic" means unoriginal. 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.

"Scandalous" means that something contains defamatory material and is in somw way shocking, while "annul" means to make void or invalid. The new bride, having learned of her husband's shocking past, wished to invalidate her marriage.

"Chided" means scold, while "unkempt" means disorderly or untidy. John's grandmother scolded him for his untidy appearance at the graduation.

"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).

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.

"Lithe" means graceful, flexible, and supple, while "exult" means rejoice. The ballerina's graceful body seemed to rejoice at the music.

"Execrable" means loathsome, while "disparage" means to criticize. Understandably, an art critic who found a work loathsome would criticize the artist.

"Intransigent" means unwilling to compromise, while "expiate" means to make amends for, atone. An unrelenting prosecutor would have no patience for a defendant trying to atone for his mistakes.

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.

The key here is to note the relationship between the food, the lungs, and the repercussions. The easiest “key” to this relationship is “pulmonary,” which is derived from the Latin word for "lung" and has related English words such as “pulmonologist,” which is a doctor specializing in lungs. From here, it is obvious that “aspirated” fits the bill, for it means “inhaled. It comes from the Latin spirare, which means to breathe or blow. Related words are like “inspire” (literally to breathe into, as though by (e.g.) a spiritual flow), “expire” (to breathe out), and even “perspire” (to breathe through, broadly applied to the pores and sweat).

Something is said to be “endemic” if it is native to, or at least, regularly found in something. This negative usage is hinted at by the second sentence’s hint: “this most unfortunate reality.” The word ultimately comes from Greek roots meaning people (demos), a root found in English words like “democratic” and “demagogue.” The word mitigate means to lessen or to make milder. Its Latin root is mitis, which means mild.

If a witness makes false or spurious statements about a crime, they keep justice from occurring; therefore, they impede justice.

Since the young man hopes little for success, the best word is “despondent,” which means depressed because of loss of hope. To be "buoyed" means to be cheered—as in to be lifted upward (like a buoy in the sea water).

Since the house is described as having "dusty rooms, loose boards, and broken windows," we know that we need an adjective for the first blank that means something like run-down or dreary. "Dilapidated" (in poor condition) and "dour" (gloomy) could each work in the first blank.

So, for the second blank, we need to choose between "feigned" and "capitulated," and we're looking for a verb that means faked. Since "feigned" means pretended to feel and "capitulated" means surrendered, "feigned" is the better choice and the answer is "dilapidated . . . feigned."

We know that the English teacher really appreciates Shakespeare and his works, so for the first blank, we're looking for an adjective that means something similar to appreciates. Both "venerates" and "reveres" mean deeply respects, so each could work in the first blank.

This leaves us to pick between "extemporaneously" and "meticulously" for the second blank. We need a word that conveys how the teacher is able to recite Shakespeare without preparing beforehand, and since "extemporaneous" means spur-of-the-moment, and "meticulous" means very detail-oriented, "extemporaneously" is the better choice, and the correct answer is "reveres . . . extemporaneously."

For the first blank, we can tell that we need to find a word that means something like stolen, since we know the princess was taken against her will to the sorcerer's lair. Either "abducted" (taken away illegally by force or deception) or "kidnapped" (taken away by force, typically to obtain a ransom) could work. For the second blank, we need to find a word that means something like "large," since the reward involved gold, jewels, and knighthood. Either "vast" (humongous, extensive, immense) or "enormous" (very large in size, quantity, or extent) could work. Of the potentially correct answers we've identified, only "abducted" and "vast" appear in a single answer choice, so "abducted . . . vast" is the correct answer.

We can tell from the context of the sentence that for the first blank, we're looking for an adjective that means not sunk, as it describes the boat before Sally's brother jumped off the diving board and sunk it. Of the available choices, "afloat" (floating) and "buoyant" (able to stay afloat) could work. For the second blank, we can infer that we need a word that means something like overturned, since we can picture what would happen to a paper boat in a wavy pool. Either "capsized" (overturned in water) or "sank" could work. Of the potentially correct answers we've identified, only "afloat" and "capsized" appear in a single answer choice, so "afloat . . . capsized" is the correct answer.

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" means to 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" means to praise enthusiastically, and thus fits the second blank.

We can infer that Cindy believes even unlikely claims, so for the first blank, we're looking for an adjective that means something like "unsuspecting." Either "gullible" ("easily persuaded to believe something; credulous") or "credulous" ("having or showing too great a readiness to believe things") could work. For the second blank, we know that Cindy was tricked by the seller who sold her the gold-painted pendant, so we should pick out another verb that means something like "tricked." Either "swindled" ("deceived to deprive someone of money or possessions") or "deceived" ("to cause to believe what is not true; mislead") could work. Of the potential answers we've identified as potentially correct, only "gullible" and "swindled" appear in the same answer choice, so the answer is "gullible . . . swindled."

We can infer from the fact that the sentence is discussing a pickpocket that we need a verb for the first blank that means something like "steal." Of the possible answer choices, two mean "steal": "pilfer" and "nab." The second blank needs an adjective to describe the man that paid attention to his surroundings and did not have anything stolen, so we need an adjective that means something like "alert." Either "vigilant" ("keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties") or "attentive" ("paying close attention to something") could be correct. Of the four word we've identified as possibly correct answers, only two line up in a single answer choice: "pilfer" and "vigilant." So, "pilfer . . . vigilant" is the correct answer.