PSAT Critical Reading : Parts of Speech in One-Blank Sentences
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Example Questions
Example Question #261 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
__________ can be a desirable trait in poetry if the author wants his or her piece to have more than one possible interpretation.
Ambiguity
Stealth
Foreshadowing
Opulence
Premonition
Ambiguity
Since "ambiguity" is the opposite of clarity, an ambiguous poem is one that could have more than one interpretation.
Example Question #271 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The jurors were awed by the assailant’s coldness; he completly lacked __________ for the family members of those he murdered.
candor
empathy
ingratitude
indulgence
misery
empathy
"Coldness," in an emotional sense, is synonymous with a lack of empathy, pity, or compassion.
Example Question #261 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
James was a bit of a(n) __________ on the team, as everyone else seemed to enjoy socializing after games, whereas he preferred going home to be alone.
confluence
anomaly
player
dissonance
foible
anomaly
An "anomaly" is something that varies from the norm, such as staying home while everyone else hangs out together.
Example Question #271 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The children loved spending time with their grandfather, whose favorite __________ was "Always make time to stop and smell the roses."
scintilla
distraction
maxim
gargantuan
retribution
maxim
A "maxim" is a common saying of advice or virtue, such as "stop and smell the roses," which means that it's always a good idea to enjoy the little things in life.
Example Question #351 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Few of the artist’s works examine the __________ of men and women; he prefers to depict their ugliness.
malformation
frivolity
pulchritude
hideousness
sobriety
pulchritude
"Pulchritude" means physical beauty. An artist who prefers to depict ugliness would not depict physical beauty.
Example Question #352 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The model’s once atypical beauty eventually became the __________ by which all subsequent models were judged.
quandary
paradigm
unoriginal
moderate
substandard
paradigm
"Paradigm" means that which serves as a pattern or model. The model's once uncommon beauty eventually became the standard by which the beauty of other models was determined.
Example Question #353 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Because of her incomparable __________, the wicked stepmother easily tricked her new husband in the fairy tale.
artlessness
naivety
frankness
guile
sincerity
guile
"Guile" means deceitful and cunning behavior. A wicked stepmother tricking her husband, like those found in old fairy tales, would certainly brim with guile.
Example Question #263 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
His direct and somewhat offensive speech ably demonstrated a complete lack of __________.
boorishness
forcefulness
bluntness
obviousness
nuance
nuance
The man's direct, offensive speech is placed in contrast with the correct answer choice. Look for the word that is the best antonym for "direct" or "offensive." "Nuance," indicating subtlety or a fine meaning, is the closest antonym among the answer choices.
Example Question #264 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The professor suspected ____________ when the student's rewritten essay was much better than his previous efforts.
abhorrence
tolerance
plagiarism
authenticity
brilliance
plagiarism
The most important aspect of this sentence is the professor's suspicion of the student's essay. The correct answer needed to convert some sense of wrongdoing. "Plagiarism," the taking of credit for someone else's writing or work, is the only answer choice with such a sense.
Example Question #265 : Nouns In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The developer's new software garnered a great deal of __________ for the previously unknown young programmer.
ignominy
jealousy
infamy
renown
hatred
renown
This question is an example of finding the best fit among the answer choices, not just a word that makes sense in the sentence, which all the answer choices do. The inclusion of "previously unknown" in the sentence indicate that the correct answer has some meaning of fame for achievements, which is the definition of "renown."
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