Words In Context

Help Questions

SAT Reading & Writing › Words In Context

Questions 1 - 10
1

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

untenable

quixotic

fungible

germane

Explanation

Because the evidence contradicts the sweeping claim, it is 'untenable.' 'Fungible' means interchangeable, 'quixotic' means impractically idealistic, and 'germane' means relevant.

2

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

doctrinaire

jubilant

ubiquitous

tentative

Explanation

With a limited, confounded sample, conclusions are 'tentative.' 'Jubilant' is an emotion, 'ubiquitous' means widespread, and 'doctrinaire' means dogmatically inflexible.

3

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

exacerbate

incubate

oscillate

mitigate

Explanation

The goal is to reduce instability, so mitigate fits. Oscillate means to swing, exacerbate means worsen, and incubate refers to developing organisms or ideas.

4

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

replicate

conflate

complicate

vindicate

Explanation

The added nuance serves to complicate the narrative. Conflate means merge, vindicate means justify, and replicate means copy.

5

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Pragmatic

Dogmatic

Quixotic

Didactic

Explanation

Pragmatic describes a practical, results-oriented approach, consistent with incremental, targeted measures; didactic, quixotic, and dogmatic imply instructive, impractically idealistic, and inflexibly doctrinaire attitudes, respectively.

6

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

Untenable

Ubiquitous

Decorous

Incipient

Explanation

Untenable means not defensible, aligning with scientists' rejection of the claim given fuller data; incipient means beginning, decorous means proper, and ubiquitous means widespread, none of which fit.

7

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

integral

marginal

capricious

incidental

Explanation

Integral means essential, fitting the described ecological importance. Marginal and incidental suggest unimportance, and capricious means unpredictable, which is irrelevant here.

8

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

adorned

tempered

amplified

contradicted

Explanation

Tempered means moderated, aligning with optimism balanced by caveats. Amplified would increase optimism, contradicted would negate it, and adorned suggests mere decoration.

9

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

circular

muted

illusory

buoyant

Explanation

Because hidden costs erased the apparent savings, those savings were illusory. 'Muted' means subdued, 'circular' describes a type of reasoning, and 'buoyant' describes cheerfulness or rising markets.

10

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

accelerate

interrogate

decorate

replicate

Explanation

Interrogate' precisely conveys critically examining omissions. 'Decorate' and 'accelerate' are off-topic actions, and 'replicate' would repeat the narrative rather than question it.

Page 1 of 46