PSAT Critical Reading : Verbs in One-Blank Sentences
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Critical Reading
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Example Questions
Example Question #601 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
While her grandchildren often used their cell phones at the table, she __________ such behavior.
enjoyed
celebrated
ignored
abhorred
approved
abhorred
The structure of the sentence indicates that the grandmother did not like her grandchildren's behavior. Look for an answer that means dislike or even hate. Of the answer choices, only "abhorred" has the appropriate meaning.
Example Question #602 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The nonprofit's work focused on ___________ people in emerging democracies, but questions remained about its effectiveness.
suppressing
negating
nullifying
enfranchising
harming
enfranchising
The best clue for the answer lies in the word "democracies," as "enfranchising" means enabling voting rights. Another clue is the fact that the other four answer choices all indicate some sense of hurting people; identifying synonyms among answer choices is a good way to eliminate some choices.
Example Question #601 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Not wanting to see a rival succeed, he sought to __________ every promotion opportunity she received.
complement
enable
ensure
assist
hamper
hamper
The key word in the sentence is "rival." With rival in mind, look for a word that would indicate a sense of harm or impairment. Of the answer choices, only "hamper" has the appropriate meaning.
Example Question #602 : One Blank Sentences
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.
hampered
repulsed
kindled
slowed
tempered
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 #601 : 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.
concur
husband
acquiesce
spurn
vindicate
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 #602 : One Blank Sentences
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.
extricated
caucusing
obliterated
espoused
deliberated
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.
disseminated
obfuscated
dissembled
concealed
dismembered
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.
objurgated
rhapsodized
complained
downplayed
quibbled
rhapsodized
"Rhapsodized" means engaged in excessive and enthusiastic praise of someone or something. The speaker finds this excessive enthusiasm quite annoying.
Example Question #602 : 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.
imported
awarded
joined
bilked
fractured
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 #603 : 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.
engendered
nullified
inured
refused
hampered
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.
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