Sentence Completions

Link of the Day

Today's question has to do with the environment.  Take a look at this article, which suggests ways to reduce food waste.  Do you agree that this is a significant problem?  Why or why not?  Do you see themes in this article that could help you link it to a broad SAT essay question?  What details would make you sound informed as you write about this issue?

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. 

Cover up the answer choices and read the sentence carefully.  Make a prediction to fill the blank, then match that prediction to the correct answer choice.  Eliminate any answer choices that do not match your prediction.  Make sure you look at all of the answer choices before selecting one, even if the first choice seems to be correct.

Currently rising temperatures in the Arctic and Antarctic are ------- of a still warmer world that could result from an excess of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the burning of oil, gas, and coal.

This is a sentence that is very carefully crafted in order to ensure that there is only one correct answer.  You must read carefully in order to make the correct choice.  When you see that the first word of the sentence is “currently,” you should realize that time will be important in this question.  The second part of the sentence that has to do with time reads, “a still warmer world that could result.”  Notice that this is something that may or may not happen in the future.  You need a word to show that the temperatures that are rising now indicate that future temperatures could also rise.  Predict a word such as “indicative,” “forerunners,” or “signs.”  Look down at your answer choices.

(A) polarities

(B) harbingers

(C) vestiges

(D) counterexamples

(E) aftereffects

(A)  This word is here to distract you.  Two different poles were mentioned in the sentence, the Arctic and Antarctic, but you are worried about the impact on the whole world.  Also, remember that if things are polar, they are usually opposite, but the same thing seems to be happening in both of these places.  Eliminate this choice.

(B)  In the 15^th century a “herbengar” was someone who went ahead of a large group of travelers (such as an army or a king’s retinue) and made sure that they would be able to secure lodgings in the next town.  The modern word is very similar in meaning.  A “harbinger” is a forerunner, letting you know that something else is coming.  This matches your prediction exactly.  Keep this choice.

(C)  This word is also tricky.  You may have learned that a vestige is a trace or a sign.  At first that seems exactly like your prediction.  Think of a vestige as more like a footprint.  It tells you that something has already passed or happened.   You are looking for a word that indicates that something will happen in the future.  Eliminate this choice.

(D)  The Arctic and the Antarctic cannot be counterexamples because the same thing is happening in both places.  Temperatures are rising in both places, and that may mean that temperatures will rise in other places.  The rising temperatures are consistent.  Furthermore, this does not match your prediction.  Eliminate this choice.

(E)  This word, like option (C), points to something that has occurred in the past.  You are looking for a word that points to the future.  Eliminate this choice.

The correct answer is (B).

Words used in this SC:

Polarities: two opposite or contrasting principles or tendencies

Harbingers: people or things that foreshadow or foretell the coming of another

Vestiges: traces or signs left by something that is no longer present

Counterexamples: exceptions to a proposed general rule

Aftereffects:  delayed effects that are not immediately manifested

On sat.collegeboard.org, 45% of the responses were correct.

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

Sentence Completions

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. 

Cover up your answers before reading the sentence carefully.  Make a prediction to fill one blank, the easier one, and eliminate any answer choice that does not match your prediction for that blank.  Do the same with the blank that is left.  Using this method, you will be able to eliminate answers even if you do not know one of the words in the answer choice.

Refuting the claim that the surest way to reduce anger is to express it, the author asserts that------- anger can actually increase its -------.

The key word in this sentence is “refuting” because the logic of the sentence hinges on this one word.  Don’t panic if you don’t know this word.  You also have the word “actually” to help you out. The word “actually” often corrects an incorrect notion.  For example, some people think that, but this is actually true.  Paraphrase the sentence so that it corrects an incorrect notion.  Some people claim the best way to reduce anger is to express it, but the author says that ------- anger can actually increase its -------.

Start with the second blank if it seems easier.  You set up a contrast between the first and second parts of the sentence.  The opposite of reducing anger would be increasing its strength.  Predict the word “strength,” or a similar word, and look down at your answer choices. 

(A) denying . . impact

(B) understanding . . importance

(C) overcoming . . likelihood

(D) venting . . intensity

(E) voicing . . benefits

(A) Impact can mean strength, so keep this choice.  (B)  Something doesn’t have to be strong to be important.  Eliminate this choice.  (C)  If you are already angry, the likelihood of being angry is already at one hundred percent!  You cannot increase its likelihood.  Eliminate this choice.  (D) Intensity can mean strength, so keep this choice.  (E) The sentence assumes that anger is bad, that it is something that people want to get rid of.  Benefits are good.  Eliminate this choice.

Now think again about your paraphrased version of the sentence.  Some people claim the best way to reduce anger is to express it, but the author says that ------- anger can actually increase its strength.  You set up a contrast, so some students might be tempted say that the opposite of expressing an emotion is hiding it.  But wait!  If people think they can reduce anger by expressing it, and the author says that hiding it can increase its strength, these two statements agree!  In order to set up a contrast, you need to set up statements that are truly opposite.  If people think expressing anger will reduce it, this author must say that expressing anger will increase it.  Predict the word “expressing” and look down at your answer choices.

(A) denying . . impact

(D) venting . . intensity

(A) Denying an emotion would be hiding it.  This is the opposite of what you are looking for.  (D) Venting is definitely expressing a strong emotion.  This matches your prediction.

The correct answer is (D).

Words used in this SC:

Refuting: disproving or rejecting

Asserts: declares strongly, states positively, affirms

Denying: not allowing or saying that something is not true

Impact: the force or influence of something

Venting: relieving oneself of pressure, usually through angry speech

Intensity: strength

On sat.collegeboard.org, 55% of the responses were correct.

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

Sentence Completions

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. 

Start by covering up the answer choices and reading the sentence carefully.  Use context clues to predict a word to fill the blank.  Once you have a prediction, uncover the answer choice and find the word that matches your prediction in meaning.  Eliminate any word that does not match.  Make sure to check all of the possibilities even if one of the first choices seems to match exactly.

Although the scientist claimed to have made a major breakthrough in his research, the evidence he offered as proof of his assertion was ------- at best.

This question tests your ability to think logically as well as your vocabulary.  The word “although” tells you that there must be a contrast between the first portion of the sentence and the second.  That means you need something that contrasts with the claim that a scientist made a major breakthrough.  The next portion of the sentence has to do with evidence.  What kind of evidence would not support the claim of a major breakthrough?  We know the scientist offered some evidence, but it was not enough or not sufficient.  Predict the words “very little” or the word “scanty.”  Any prediction along these lines will work as you examine your answer choices.

(A) conclusive

(B) indubitable

(C) paltry

(D) copious

(E) extensive

(A) Does “conclusive” mean “very little?”  No. If the evidence was conclusive, it would support the scientist’s claim.  You are looking for something that does not support it. Eliminate this choice. 

(B) This word is here to trick even those of you who know your Latin roots.  The Latin root “in” can either mean “in” or “not.”  The Latin root “dub” means “doubtful.”  So this word could mean “in doubt” or “not doubtful,” which is either what you are looking for or not what you are looking for in order to create a contrast with a definite claim.  Before you get caught up in an internal debate, ask yourself does either of these words mean “very little?”  No.  Eliminate this choice.

(C) You may not know this word, but it should sound negative to you.  Etymologists haven’t quite determined where this word came from first, but it relates to nouns in German and other languages that mean “trash” or “rag.”  After the 1550s, the word has shifted slightly in meaning to “worthless” or “insignificant.”  Keep this word if you aren’t sure whether it means “very little.”

(D) The word “copious” is the opposite of what you need.  It comes from the Latin root “copia,” which means “abundant.”  Think of the related word “cornucopia” that you should associate with the harvest.  Eliminate this choice.

(E) Think of the related word “extend.”  When you extend your arms, you reach out as far as you can.  The word “extensive” means “far-reaching.”  This is the opposite of what you need, so eliminate this choice. 

The correct answer is (C).

Words used in this SC:

Conclusive: decisive

Indubitable: clearly true, having no possibility of doubt

Paltry: meager, of little value

Copious: great in quantity or number

Extensive: widespread

On sat.collegeboard.org, 52% of the responses were correct.

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

Sentence Completions

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. 

Cover up your answer choices until you have made a prediction about the words that must fill the blanks.  Use your prediction to eliminate all of the answer choices that are incorrect.

Since the explanations offered are ------- to the exposition, it would be unfair to treat them as ------- parts of the studies under consideration.

If you read a sentence and you have no idea what it is saying, try paraphrasing it:  Since the explanations are one thing, it would be unfair to treat them as another thing.  From this paraphrase, you can see that you are setting up a contrast.  The first blank must be the opposite of the second blank.  Look down at your answer choices.

(A) tangential . . subsidiary

(B) irrelevant . . superfluous

(C) referable . . correspondent

(D) incidental . . essential

(E) crucial . . immutable

(A)   Tangential is a Knowsys vocabulary word.  You can also think of how this word is used in math: something that touches but does not cross into the center of a shape.  The other word, subsidiary, contains the Latin root “sub” which means below. These words are synonyms; both of them mean that something is not central to the main theme or is less important than it.  Eliminate this choice. 

(B)  The Latin root “ir” means not, so the first word is “not relevant.”  The second word contains “super,” meaning “over,” and “fluous” meaning “flowing.”  Both irrelevant and overflowing information is excessive or more than you need.   These words are synonyms, not antonyms.  Eliminate this choice. 

(C)  You know what it means to refer to something, and you know that “correspondent” refers to a relationship between two things that are the same in math.  Both of these things mean relating to another, so they are synonyms rather than opposites.  Eliminate this choice. 

(D)  An incident is something that just happens to happen or be mentioned, while something essential must be included.  These words are opposite, so they match your prediction.  Keep this answer choice. 

(E)  The word immutable includes the Latin root “mut,” meaning to change.  Something that is crucial might or might not be changeable, it is just important.  These words have no clear relation.  Eliminate this choice.

The correct answer is (D).

Words used in this SC:

Exposition: a written statement meant to explain something

Tangential: slightly related

Subsidiary: subordinate or secondary

Irrelevant: not applicable or pertinent

Superfluous: unnecessary or needless

Referable: relating to something

Correspondent: in agreement or conformity with something else

Incidental: loosely associated with something

Essential: necessary or of high importance, crucial

Crucial: essential, indispensable

Immutable: unchangeable

On sat.collegeboard.org, 45% of the responses were correct.

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