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Name________________
Date________________
●Sentence Completion 25 (low-advanced SAT level)
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1. The author wanted to make sure that
readers understand the ______ reality of
Bigger Thomas’s life; the novel begins as
Thomas is forced to kill a rat amidst the
squalor that he calls home.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
abject
opulent
mundane
sanguine
urbane
2. Rather than directly accusing him of
malfeasance, the reporter merely ______
that the senator was involved in a
scandal.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
perused
argued
insisted
insinuated
implored
3. George found the distasteful rumors
about his drug-addicted mother to be
warranted; nevertheless, he became
______ upon hearing them.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
innocuous
inhibited
indignant
indefatigable
inane
4. Tim’s ______ support for the candidate
was as staunch as it was zealous; he was
arguably her most loyal and passionate
supporter.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
vehement
moony
wavering
apathetic
sonorous
5. When the Beatles finally disbanded, their
breakup was far from amicable; what was
once a great collaboration rooted in
friendship had turned into one marked by
______.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
palaver
acerbity
adroitness
obsequiousness
approbation
6. Professor Alexander was notoriously
______ even to his closest friends and
colleagues, but unfortunately strangers
often mistook his characteristic terseness
for ______ and wondered how one could
be so rude.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
concise ... gregariousness
loquacious ... churlishness
arrogant ... amity
reticent ... geniality
taciturn ... asperity
Answers and Explanations
1) E
To figure out what the missing word is, try to predict its definition by using key
words from the prompt. Here, the key word is “squalor,” and the prompt hinges
on cause-and-effect relationship: in order to show the aspect of Thomas’s life
that the missing word describes, the author showed the “squalor” of his life. Thus,
“squalor” is closely related to the missing word, which means the missing word
refers to filth, misery, or poverty. Therefore, choice (E) is correct, as abject
means utterly hopeless or impoverished.
(B) is incorrect because opulent means decadent or marked by luxury, neither of
which would describe an existence “amidst the squalor.”
(C) is incorrect because mundane means commonplace. While the prompt
implies that Thomas’s life was impoverished and marked by “squalor,” it does not
imply that his life was necessarily common or boring.
(D) is incorrect because sanguine means cheerfully optimistic. The prompt
implies that the author wished to show the harsh reality of Thomas’s life, not his
ability to imagine a more positive future.
(E) is incorrect because urbane means cultivated or suave and is, as such, a
word that would not describe an existence “amidst the squalor.”
2) D
To figure out what the missing word is, try to predict its definition by using key
words from the prompt. Here, the key words are found in the phrase “rather than
directly accusing him of malfeasance.” Thus, the missing word must mean
accusing indirectly, since the reporter still implied that “the senator was involved
in a scandal.” Choice (D) is the best answer, then, as insinuated means
suggested slyly or indirectly.
(A) is incorrect because perused means read carefully. A “reporter” would have
likely written about the scandal, not read about it.
(B) is incorrect because argued means contended or defended an opinion. While
the reporter clearly did contend that the senator was involved in the scandal,
arguing does not capture the fact that the reporter apparently did not make his
claims “directly.”
(C) is incorrect because insisting means forcefully contended. While the reporter
clearly did contend that the senator was involved in the scandal, insisting does
not capture the fact that the reporter apparently did not make his claims “directly.”
(E) is incorrect because implored means urged for action. The prompt does not
suggest that the reporter urged any type of action against the senator. We only
know from the prompt that the reporter reported about the senator.
3) C
To figure out what the missing word is, try to predict its definition by using key
words from the prompt. Here, the key words are “warranted” and “nevertheless.”
Since George’s mother was admittedly “drug-addicted,” any “distasteful” rumors
about her addiction were “warranted” or true, but these rumors would probably
still hurt George’s feelings. The word “nevertheless” implies a reversal or an
implication of an opposite. The rumors are true, but George still feels upset about
them, so the missing word must mean angered. Choice (C) is the correct answer,
then, because indignant means felt strong displeasure at something considered
unjust.
(A) is incorrect because innocuous means harmless. The prompt does not make
it clear how much harm George’s response to the rumors caused or did not
cause.
(B) is incorrect because inhibited means restrained. Not everyone would exercise
restraint after hearing “distasteful rumors” about one’s mother.
(D) is incorrect because indefatigable means untiring, though the prompt does
not imply anything about how tired George was.
(E) is incorrect because inane means lacking significance. The prompt does not
imply that George became insignificant because of the rumors about his mother.
4) A
To figure out what the missing word is, try to predict its definition by using key
words from the prompt. Here, the key words are “zealous” and “passionate,”
words that, like the missing word, describe Tim’s support for the candidate. Thus,
the missing word must be one that means zealous and passionate. Choice (A) is
the right answer, because vehement means impassioned or zealous.
(B) is incorrect because moony means dreamy or fantasizing. This is not a word
that would likely be used to describe the support of an extremely “loyal and
passionate supporter.”
(C) is incorrect because wavering means showing doubt or swaying in opinion.
Thus, wavering is the exact opposite of someone like Tim, who is “the most loyal”
supporter.
(D) is incorrect because apathetic means having little emotion or motivation. This
is not a word that would describe the support of one who was “zealous” and
“passionate.”
(E) is incorrect because sonorous means loud. While one who is “passionate”
and “zealous” probably would get loud in his support, the prompt does not make
it clear that this is true of Tim.
5) B
To figure out what the missing word is, try to predict its definition by using key
words from the prompt. Here, the key phrases are “far from amicable” and
“rooted in friendship.” The former, like the missing word, describes what marked
the breakup, while the latter explains what once described the Beatles’
relationship. The phrase “turned into” implies that the relationship became the
opposite of what it once was. Thus, the missing word must be one that means
the opposite of “amicable,” which means friendly. The missing word must
therefore mean unfriendly. Choice (B) provides the best choice, as acerbity
means bitterness or animosity.
(A) is incorrect because palaver means conference or discussion. Though the
Beatles certainly must have discussed their decision to break up, this word does
not relate to the strong negative feelings implied by the prompt.
(B) is incorrect because adroitness means skill. The prompt only discusses how
the band members got along with each other, not their relative skill with their
instruments.
(D) is incorrect because obsequiousness means flattery or fawning. This does
not describe a breakup that “was far from amicable.”
(E) is incorrect because approbation means approval or praise. This does not
describe a breakup that “was far from amicable.”
6) E
To figure out what the missing words are, try to predict their definitions by using
key words from the prompt. Here, each missing word has its own key word. The
key phrase for the first missing word is “characteristic terseness,” a phrase that
describes how Alexander usually was, as does the missing word. Thus, the first
missing word must be one that means terse. The second missing word’s key
word is “rude,” as both it and the missing word describe how others perceived
Alexander. Thus, the second missing word must be one that means rudeness.
Therefore, choice (E) is correct, as taciturn means short in speech and asperity
means harshness of tone.
(A) is incorrect because only the first word works in context. Concise means
short or brief, so this could describe someone known for “characteristic
terseness.” On the other hand, gregariousness means friendliness or popularity
and is, as such, not a word that would describe behavior perceived as “so rude.”
(B) is incorrect because only the second word works in context. Churlishness
means rudeness. This definitely would work for the second missing word, since
that word relates to rudeness, but loquacious means talkative. Someone who
displays “characteristic terseness” cannot be described as talkative.
(C) is incorrect because neither word works in context. Arrogant means insolently
proud of oneself, and amity means good will. Neither necessarily works for
describing one who is “terse” and perceived as “rude.”
(D) is incorrect because only the first word works in context. Reticent means
quiet or reserved and could describe someone known for “characteristic
terseness,” but geniality means friendliness. Someone who is perceived as “so
rude” probably cannot be described as genial or friendly.