Sentence Completions

Link of the Day

Let's finish out 2012 on a positive note!  Here is a link to seven different news stories that are positive, ranging from how health is improving to how extreme poverty is declining.  Any one of these stories would make a great current event for your SAT essay.  They directly relate to one released essay topic: "Is the world changing for the better?"  However, in reading the details you will find themes in these stories that can relate to almost any topic.  Choose one or two of these stories to focus on as you prepare five current events as excellent examples before your testing date.

Critical Reading: Sentence Completions

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole. 

Always cover up the answer choices before you read the sentence.  Then read the entire sentence carefully and predict the answer.  Match your prediction to the correct answer choice, eliminating answers that do not match.  Be sure to look at all five answer choices even if one seems to match your prediction exactly.

Although his close friends and colleagues see him as outgoing and -------, Milo usually feels shy and unsure of himself.

This question tests your ability to think logically.  The word “although” indicates that a contrast is coming between the way others see Milo and the way that he sees himself.  The contrast is between “outgoing and ---“ and “shy and unsure.”  The words outgoing and shy are clearly opposites, so you must find the opposite of the word “unsure.”  Predict the word “sure” and look down at your answer choices.

(A) cautious

(B) resigned

(C) confident

(D) generous

(E) patient

(A)  This is the opposite of what you need; it is how Milo sees himself, not how others see him.  Eliminate it.  (B)  This is a trait that makes a person seem passive, but Milo’s friends see him as outgoing.  Eliminate it.  (C)  This matches your prediction.  Keep it.  (D) Generous does not mean sure.  Eliminate it.  (E) Patient also does not mean sure.  Eliminate it.

The correct answer is (C).

Words used in this SC:

Cautious: careful, tentative

Resigned: accepting

Confident: very sure or positive about something, self-confident

Generous: kind and giving

Patient: willing to wait, composed

On sat.collegeboard.org, 87% of the responses were correct.

For more help with SAT vocabulary, visit www.myknowsys.com!