PSAT Critical Reading : PSAT Critical Reading
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Critical Reading
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Example Questions
Example Question #611 : Sentence Completions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Her lifelong love of cars began with a trip to an automotive museum as a young girl, which __________ her passion at a young age.
slowed
tempered
hampered
repulsed
kindled
kindled
The museum trip started and encouraged her love of cars. "Kindled," literally meaning started a fire, but here used metaphorically to mean ignited an interest, is the only answer choice that appropriately completes the sentence.
Example Question #602 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The gunman would not __________ to the policeman's demands to step out of his car, so he was forced to tase him.
acquiesce
husband
vindicate
concur
spurn
acquiesce
The sentence tells us that the police had to tase the gunman, from which we can infer that he didn't cooperate. Because the omitted word is preceded by "not," the proper choice should be something similar in meaning to "cooperate." "Acquiesce" means accept, consent or give in, so "acquiesce" best fits the context of the sentence and is the correct answer.
Example Question #613 : Sentence Completions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The city councilman __________ the virtues of building a waterfront business park to attract companies to their city, but he was generally opposed because the boardwalk currently located there was very popular.
caucusing
espoused
extricated
deliberated
obliterated
espoused
"Espouse" means support, promote or advocate. It is clear that this is what the city councilman was doing, as the opposite involved people opposing the waterfront business park.
Example Question #603 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The activists, hoping to generate popular support, __________ their pamphlets throughout the community.
obfuscated
dismembered
dissembled
concealed
disseminated
disseminated
"Disseminate" means spread widely. Activists, intent on building popular support, would likely wish to spread their message widely throughout a community.
Example Question #604 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Benjamin __________ about his new girlfriend; his excessive enthusiasm was grating.
quibbled
downplayed
rhapsodized
objurgated
complained
rhapsodized
"Rhapsodized" means engaged in excessive and enthusiastic praise of someone or something. The speaker finds this excessive enthusiasm quite annoying.
Example Question #605 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
When all the calculations were finally done, it was revealed the broker had __________ his clients out of millions in a Ponzi scheme.
awarded
fractured
imported
bilked
joined
bilked
Even if Ponzi scheme, a fraudulent investment scam, is an unfamiliar term, the tone and structure of the sentence indicate the broker did something illegal or dishonest. Look for an answer choice that indicates cheating or defrauding, which is the very definition of "bilked."
Example Question #605 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Her mother had little idea that her lax rules about computer use _________ the acts of open rebellion the teenager performed.
hampered
refused
inured
engendered
nullified
engendered
The teenager's rebellious acts and her mother's unawareness both indicate the computer is somehow helping the teenager's rebellion. "Engendered," which means caused or enabled, is the only answer choice which indicates help, while all the other choices indicate an active harm.
Example Question #2021 : Sat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Many rivers will __________ a larger body of water such as a lake, sea, or ocean.
emulate
empty into
enervate
elude
annul
empty into
Rivers will flow into larger bodies of water. Only "empty into" fits as an answer choice.
Example Question #2022 : Sat Critical Reading
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
His previous sloppy work led his professor to ___________ his reports more thoroughly.
scrutinize
inoculate
contemplate
dismiss
anticipate
scrutinize
The sloppy element of the work indicates the professor needs to review more carefully the work of the student. “Dismiss,” “inoculate,” and “anticipate” do not have the appropriate sense of review, while "contemplate" does not convey enough seriousness to the sentence.
Example Question #523 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
In an effort to __________ his mother's desire to have long conversations with him, Taylor would multitask while he talked to her on the phone.
defragment
satiate
apprehend
machinate
mollify
satiate
That he finds things to do while talking on the phone gives us a hint that this word will somehow mean he is fulfilling his mother's wish to have conversations with him. "Satiate" means to satisfy, and this is a perfect fit.
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