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SAT verbal test

6 chapters

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6 chapters of sentence completions questions (20 questions
each):

Every question answered and explained.

Chapter 1:


The term conservationist had been defined by some as a person who believes that the
natural world is endlessly __________ and beautiful, and therefore as much of it as
possible should be __________.


A. irrational… preserved
B. abhorrent… salvaged
C. fascinating… saved
D. exhilarative… promoted
E. appealing… distinguished

The best answer is C. Because the blank appears before and beautiful, one can expect
it to be filled with something positive. The and therefore indicates that the second
blank should also be positive. Only C, D and E have two positive choices, and of
them only C contains two words that are appropriate to describe the natural world.

__________ temporary power lines and data cables, huddled around laptops and
editing equipment, journalists and technicians were __________ out news to many
outposts.

A. Among… burning
B. Although… turning
C. Using… tossing
D. Despite… writing
E. Amid… churning

The best answer is E. Although and despite must precede clauses, not noun phrases.
Amid and among are both reasonable choices. Churning out, however, is idiomatic
while burning out, is not.


The country is a regional __________, an absolute but highly dynamic monarchy that
has created an economic __________ out of little more than vision, geography and
will.

A. anomaly… powerhouse
B. synchronicity… giant
C. incongruity… dwarf
D. paradox… dependency
E. discrepancy… power

The best answer is A. Synchronicity and discrepancy have to relate to two or more
things (i.e. a discrepancy between x and y). That is not the case here. Out of little
more indicates that something was made out of next to nothing, which is only
remarkable if what was created was positive, such as an economic powerhouse.

Rugby is still largely an __________ sport in Georgia, but in its traditional
__________ of England, France, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa it has,
since turning professional in 1995, become a multi-billion-dollar industry.

A. voluntary… home
B. master… vicinity
C. impermeable…
D. failed… locality
E. amateur… bastions

The best answer is E. The word amateur is a logical choice after but… since turning
professional. Bastion is an appropriate word to describe where the sport is
traditionally played.





In addition to huge gas __________, the Caspian sea may hold as much as 200 billion
barrels of oil, reserves second only to those of the Persian Gulf.

A. tanks
B. quotas
C. canisters
D. supplies
E. deposits

The best answer is E. A sea can only hold deposits, not any of the other options.

Union leaders __________ bosses of allowing paramilitaries access to the plants to
__________ graffiti on the walls and intimidate workers.

A. convicted… inscribe
B. accused… scrawl
C. blamed… etch
D. incriminated… write
E. denoted… scribble

The best answer is B. Only accuse and convicted can be followed by of . Inscribe has
a positive connotation which is inappropriate.


Very quickly the native Californians were overwhelmed by people of all __________,
coming from all __________ by wagon train from Council Bluffs, Iowa, by
horseback from ranchos to the south, by ship from China.

A. destinations… vehicles
B. nationalities… countries
C. upbringings… interests
D. backgrounds… directions
E. denominations… sectors

The best answer is D. It is incorrect to use of with destinations. Nationalities is
incorrect because only one nationality is mentioned. Of choices C, D and E,
directions makes the most sense in light of what follows.

Airspan Airline’s long and __________ search for a partner finally __________ last
week when the bankrupt Dutch airline agreed to merge with Airlex.


A. arduous… ended
B. extended… concluded
C. joyous… consigned
D. fortuitous… stopped
E. laborious… proceeded

The best answer is A. Since the first blank comes after long and… we can assume it
will be something that will not be a contradiction. This rules out joyous and
fortuitous. The second blank follows finally. It is logical that the search ended, and
the information is given in the last part of the sentence.





Thought the negotiators are trying to finalize a less expensive __________ benefit
plan, they are considering charging __________ people higher premiums.

A. health … wealthy
B. wealth… distinguished
C. safety… prosperous
D. payoff… abundant
E. fitness… cognitive

The best answer is A. Health benefit plan is the only expression which is idiomatic
and logical. Only wealthy makes logical sense.

Cablewise Systems officially rolled out its national high-definition satellite service,
‘Boom’, in a bet that the cable operator can __________ into a burgeoning segment of
the television-viewing community that is expected to __________ high-definition
television sets.

A. turn… reserve
B. dredge… abuse
C. float… borrow
D. tap… own
E. pierce… dictate

The best answer is D. Tap into is idiomatic and makes sense in the context of the
sentence. While borrow and reserve are possible grammatically, own makes the most
sense.











Looking to expand its foothold overseas, CSC has purchased a majority stake in
Germany's leading television news agency, giving the U.S. broadcaster __________

of a leading channel in the German television __________.

A. control… market
B. part … emporium
C. desperation… consortium
D. domination… space
E. power… fringe

The best answer is A. The term giving control can be followed by of whereas
desperation, domination and power cannot. While the word emporium means about
the same as market, it is not used in this sort of figurative context.


More than 80 schools have been __________, with similar rehabilitation works in
progress or in the final stages of __________.

A. achieved… configuration
B. jointed… formulation
C. ended… sponsorship
D. finished… reproduction
E. completed… planning

The best answer is E. A school can be finished or completed, but not achieved, jointed
or ended. In the final stages of planning is more logical and is idiomatic.



People and rhinoceroses prefer similar habitat but don't mix very well, which is one
reason rhinoceroses have almost __________ from the earth.

A. vanished
B. extinguished
C. flourished
D. stumbled
E. abdicated

The best answer is A. Choice B and E cannot be applied to an animal. Choice C and
D cannot be followed by from the earth.



Scientists have __________ a bright purple, bloated frog in southern India that is so
unique it merits the establishment of not only a new __________ but also a new
family.

A. uncovered… topic
B. alleviated… genus
C. discovered… species
D. disseminated… disturbance
E. distinguished… categorization

The best answer is C. A frog cannot be alleviated or disseminated. Species logically
completes not only… ____, but also a new family.

Most heart attacks occur when a blood clot __________ off one of the coronary
arteries that __________ blood to the heart muscle itself.

A. blocks… fosters
B. stops… pumps
C. halts… supplies
D. closes… feed
E. obstructs… presages

The best answer is D. Closes off is idiomatic. One can feed, pump or supply blood to
the heart, but not foster or presage.



In this era of managed nursing care, Smith continues to __________ a kind of
medicine that most people assume nearly vanished, bringing to their rounds
tenderness and profound __________.


A. participate… caring
B. condone… abhorrence
C. disparage… suability
D. practice… competence
E. engage… antipathy

The best answer is D. To practice medicine is idiomatic. The second blank must be a
positive item.

Psychiatrists, medical doctors and __________ have used hypnosis for more than two
centuries to treat __________ and illness.


A. therapists… bliss
B. psychologists… pain
C. catalysts… suffering
D. physicians… discomfort
E. physicists… torment

The best answer is B. Physicians is redundant. Catalysts and physicists are illogical
choices. Bliss is an illogical choice for the second blank.






In each __________, scanners detected increased blood __________ in relevant parts
of the brains of hypnotized subjects who were put through color and pain tests.


A. case… flow
B. instance… stain
C. place… powder
D. position… current
E. testament… stream

The best answer is A. Only choice A and B are logical for the first blank. Blood stain

is does not make sense after the word increased.




__________ to the "science" of phrenology, an individual's character and abilities
could be deduced from the size and __________ of various bumps on the head.


A. Corresponding… tension
B. Based… texture
C. Supposing… hardness
D. According… shape
E. Configured… form

The best answer is D. Based and According are the only logical choices for the first
blank, but Based cannot be followed by to. Also, while any of the choice could
feasibly fit in the second blank, size and shape is an idiomatic expression.



The world's most prolific aircraft builder's commercial __________ is struggling in
the worst aviation downturn in history and has __________ off 35,560 of its 93,000
workers since 1999.

A. sector… paid
B. part… sent
C. division … laid
D. ward… bought
E. department… caught

The best answer is C. Ward is used to refer to part of a hospitcal. Part is too general.
A business does not have sectors. Since there has been a downturn, it is logical that
the workers have been laid off.













Chapter 2:

20 questions

Since he had __________ over the company from his father only a year before, he
blamed himself for destroying a business relationship his father spent seventeen years
__________ .

A. presided… cultivating
B. hovered… developing
C. ruled… crushing
D. relinquished… taking
E. taken… building

The best answer is E. While presided, hovered and ruled are all suitable before over,
only taken over… makes sense coming before from his father.


Savvy leaders know that there is no single map for __________ leadership; the rules
change depending on whom you are guiding and the __________ around you.

A. altruistic… contradictions
B. effective… conditions
C. successful… natives
D. abysmal… situation
E. topical… criteria

The best answer is B. Because the sentence starts with Savvy leaders, the first blank
must be something positive, as in choices A, B and C. Of the three, conditions is the
most logical choice.




A voluntary school drug-testing __________ proposed by the mayor and school
superintendent __________ make this crime-plagued city the first to experiment with
this approach.

A. test … should
B. program … would
C. study… can
D. class… will
E. investigation… ought to

The best answer is B. Because the drug-testing is just proposed, i.e. only a possibility,
the second blank should be filled with would.


__________ we bought equipment at the end of last year but weren't billed until
2003, we had to include it on this year's books.

A. Because
B. Despite
C. So
D. Whereas
E. After

The best answer is A. Only choice A is grammatical and creates a logical connection
between the two parts of the sentence.






For the first time in 38 years, Essex Packaging has __________ an unprofitable
quarter.
A. understood
B. managed
C. handled
D. experienced
E. related

The best answer is D. Semantically, the word experienced is the most logical choice.

The proposed random testing plan has brought a debate to Virginia that was already
__________ in national political __________ .
A. intense… opinions
B. flouncing… rings
C. floundering… groups
D. talking… parties
E. raging … circles

The best answer is E. A debate can be said to be raging, but not flouncing,
floundering or talking. Political circles is idiomatic. Choice A is incorrect because a
debate cannot be intense in a political opinion.



The governor has shied from taking a position on the issue, but the Civil Liberties
Union said it would actively __________ any program that forced inmates to sign the
__________ .

A. support… interface
B. challenge … document
C. reflect… text
D. sustain… certification
E. revere… petition

The best answer is B. The word but makes it clear that what the Union does is

different from what the governor has done. Support and challenge are both suitable
options, however, one does not sign an interface.


Scanners have long been neglected by the designers of the PC world — __________
boxes that take up far too __________ space on the desktop.
A. sleek… many
B. ornamental… little
C. clumsy… few
D. clunky… much
E. blusterous… numerous

The best answer is D. Since designers have neglected scanners, one expects them to
be described in negative term, such as clumsy or clunky. Of the possibilities for the
second blank, only little and much are grammatical suitable with a non-countable
noun such as space.



The plan is proving popular, if __________ , in New Bedford, where it was originally
suggested to Kramer at a __________ of faith-based organizations earlier this month.

A. trendy… assembly
B. widespread… opportunity
C. controversial … forum
D. cumbersome… dispersal
E. prevalent… summit

The best answer is C. Because of the word if, the first blank must contrast with
popular. Controversial and cumbersome provide a suitable contrast. Dispersal is

illogical.





Miller unveiled his __________ research plan to the committee last Tuesday; he
expects to have a final plan ready for a __________ by January.

A. preliminary … vote
B. luminous… printing
C. concluding… decision
D. definitive… judgment
E. ultimate…verdict

The best answer is A. Preliminary research plan is logical since it contrasts logically
with the final plan.




Had the attempt to increase sales succeeded, Fox would have had __________ to
believe the Forester Plan could set similar __________ .

A. cause … tables
B. foundation… traditions
C. underpinning… tribunals
D. reason … records
E. keystone… verifications

The best answer is D. Cause and reason fit in the first blank, but reason to believe is
an idiomatic expression. Similarly, to set records is idiomatic.



The joint government web site was specially created to educate small firms
__________ their wage and __________ reporting responsibilities.

A. about … tax
B. on… refund
C. concerning… salary
D. apropos… earnings
E. in… income

The best answer is A. To educate someone about something is idiomatic. Since the
second blank comes after wage and… the blank will most likely be filled with
something similar to wages. Salary and earnings, however, mean the same thing as
wage, and are therefore illogical choices.





A solid __________ of Americans say they want Congress to legalize the importation
of lower-priced medicines from Canada and Europe, and would be willing to pay
higher taxes to provide prescription drug benefits to __________ citizens.

A. minority… decrepit
B. faction… old
C. majority… senior

D. lobby… elderly
E. fifty percent… superfluous

The best answer is C. The first blank comes after the adjective solid. It would be
unusual to use solid to describe a minority, faction or lobby. Old and elderly make
sense, but only senior citizens is idiomatic.




On April 15, Sangers International, a __________ mainstay here for 112 years, told
its 300 employees to stop work mid-shift because it was __________ down.

A. factious … closing
B. manufacturing … shutting
C. economic … slogging
D. economical… traipsing
E. mechanized… pulling

The best answer is B. Only closing down and shutting down are idiomatic and logical.
Factious does not make sense in the context of the sentence.




In talks on this trip, the prime minister has tried, without much __________ , to
persuade foreign leaders to stop weakening their __________ against the dollar.

A. gratification… money
B. accomplishment… billfolds

C. accompaniment… exchange
D. voracity… tender
E. success … currencies

The best answer is E. The first blank, which appears in a parenthetical expression,
logically qualifies the expression the minister has tried. Currencies is the only choice
which can logically be compared to the dollar.



A week-long investigation began yesterday in Florida, with __________ speculation
on the cause of the crash centering on damage to the plane’s right wing.
A. final
B. momentary
C. initial
D. middling
E. definitive

The best answer is C. Since it is the first day of an investigation that is scheduled to
last a week, it makes sense that the speculation was called initial.



__________ its high concentration of family-owned manufacturing firms, dating
back to the late 1800s, Blendens Furniture is accustomed to the ups and downs of the
business __________ .

A. Having… phase
B. With … cycle
C. Due to… rotation

D. Owning… sequence
E. Overseeing… disarray

The best answer is B. Having and owning at the beginning of a sentence cannot
precede its. For the second blank, cycle is the best choice for something described as
having ups and downs.




Last week, Texitron, an American firm with factories in 40 countries, __________ it
was closing two more plants, __________ the number of Texitron jobs lost to 1,030
this year.


A. determined… setting
B. decided… deranging
C. proclaimed… putting
D. announced … bringing
E. alerted… raising

The best answer is D. Choice B, C and D can fit in the first blank. However, only
bringing the number to… is idiomatic.

In true entrepreneurial style, Kelly has turned the popular book into a __________
global business of books, games, and videos that teach the __________ of financial
freedom that he used to build his fortune.

A. flourishing… whim
B. starving… tenet

C. skulking… dogma
D. thriving … principles
E. pedestrian… ideas

The best answer is D. Since it was done in entrepreneurial style, one would assume
that what Kelly did was successful. Flourishing and starving are, therefore, apt. For
the second blank, principles is a much better choice since one does not teach a whim.




With its personal touches, including twice-daily housekeeping and round-the-clock
concierge service, the hotel has a delightful your-wish-is-our-command air about the
place, without the __________ you might find __________ .

A. ornamentation… somewhere else
B. stuffiness … elsewhere
C. artifacts… missing
D. dankness… beyond
E. insubordination… away

The best answer is C. The sentence is praising the hotel so one would expect that the
hotel would be without something negative. Insubordination can only be used to
describe a person. Dankness and stuffiness are appropriate choice for the first blank,
but beyond is not a logical choice for the second blank.

Chapter 3:

20 questions

The renaissance in farmers' markets began just ___________ 20 years ago in several
places, ___________ them California and New York City.

A. more… with
B. over … among
C. more than… between
D. above… some of

E. up… some

The best answer is B. Just over is correct and idiomatic. Among them is the
appropriate expression to single a few out of a group.


Net margins for grocery stores were sorely ___________, so a group of usually
uncooperative supermarket executives joined ___________ with a few food
manufacturers to come up with a system to automate checkout stands.

A. drooping… influences
B. lowered… cogency
C. falling… teams
D. lagging… harnesses
E. sagging … forces

The best answer is E. The adjective sorely is most appropriately used with either
lagging or sagging. Joined harnesses is illogical. Joined forces is idiomatic.



As recently as the 1980s, production far outstripped ___________, and the
government was paying dairy farmers $1 billion to thin their herds while it bought
tons of ___________ cheese.

A. supply… extra
B. planning … unwanted
C. demand … surplus
D. quota… surreptitious
E. billing… supercilious

The best answer is C. For the first blank, choices A and E are illogical. B and D are
ungrammatical. Since production “far outstripped demand,” surplus is a logical
choice for the second blank.





After Borden received ___________ in 1856 for producing concentrated milk in a
vacuum, condensed milk became an important part of the dairy ___________.

A. an award… subject
B. a copyright… field
C. a document… trade
D. a patent … industry
E. power of attorney… business

The best answer is D. Choices A and D can logically fill the first blank, but industry
makes much more sense for the second choice.


Tuberculosis kills 1.5 million people a year and nearly two billion people worldwide
have ___________ tuberculosis infection, a massive potential reservoir for the
___________.

A. sleeping… affliction
B. latent … disease
C. raging… affiliation
D. dozing… illness

E. rampant… circumstance

The best answer is . Since there is a potential reservoir, it makes sense that the
disease is dormant. Choices A, B and D all have the same meaning but only latent is
a word applied to a disease.




The ___________ multi-cellular creatures on earth, sponges are collections of loosely
organized single cells with no true organs or ___________ .

A. plain… glands
B. plainest… tissue
C. simpler… tools
D. simplest … tissues
E. small… pianos

The best answer is D. An expression of the form The ______ something on earth
requires the use of the superlative (-est) form to fill the blank. Organs and tissues are
both parts of a body so they logically fit together.







A highly ___________ gas, methyl bromide is injected into the soil before planting,
___________ out nearly everything alive.

A. toxic … wiping
B. redundant… moving
C. foul… selling
D. noxious … killing
E. recombinant… taking

The best answer is A. A gas cannot be redundant or recombinant. Killing out is not
idiomatic, while moving out cannot be used in a transitive sense.





Most easily measured ___________ gains come from increasing the capital stock and
improving the efficiency with which the capital stock is used.

A. lucrative…
B. lachrymose…
C. economic …
D. correctional…
E. gainful…

The best answer is C. Lucrative and gainful gains are redundant. Lachrymose and
correctional are illogical.




No other people of the world are quite so ___________ with installing and

___________ expanses of short grass — mostly around houses but also at schools,
parks, golf courses, graveyards, freeway embankments and corporate headquarters.

A. taken… keep
B. misguided… saving
C. allusive… tapering
D. inclusive…savoring
E. obsessed… maintaining

The best answer is E. Choices C and D are illogical. B is incorrect because one
cannot be misguided with something. Choice A is incorrect because the second blank
must be filled with a gerund form (-ing).




Ranchers have long despised prairie dogs, believing (___________, according to
some new research) that they deprive cattle of ___________.

A. erroneously … forage
B. incredulously… space
C. frantically … greens
D. abstrusely… graze
E. utterly… food

The best answer is A. Erroneously is the best choice because it qualifies the word
believing.

___________ in the University's Research Park, the Patton Center is the catalyst that
brings together the people and ideas necessary for ___________ successful
enterprises.

A. Found… beginning
B. Stationed… setting
C. Lying… inaugurating
D. Facing… fixating
E. Located … launching

The best answer is E. Stationed is used for army personnel. Facing cannot be
followed by in. Lying is unidiomatic. Launching an enterprise is an idiomatic
expression.


Timber rattlesnakes used to be common in a range ___________ from Oklahoma and
Nebraska up the Appalachians to southern New England, and ___________ the
Mississippi river to Wisconsin and Minnesota.

A. progressing… by
B. extending … along
C. extenuating… forward
D. persevering… onward
E. originating… siding

The best answer is B. Extending from x to y is an appropriate expression to discuss a
range of land. Along is the best choice to describe something extending the length of
a river.

The castle is now a tourist ___________, bringing visitors and restoration volunteers
from ___________ countries.


A. drawer… multiple
B. collector… several
C. attraction … numerous
D. sighting… various
E. abode… dismissible

The best answer is C. Tourist attraction is idiomatic. Numerous is a adjective that
can appropriately be applied to countries.





The grandson of a Haitian slave, Dumas became the most famous author in France;
now, his rousing romantic novels are enjoying renewed ___________.

A. infamy
B. unanimity
C. disrepute
D. popularity
E. disparity

The best answer is D. Since Dumas was the most famous author, it is logical that what
is renewed is his popularity.





Today, as in the ___________, whether for chefs ___________ their restaurants with
fresh produce, or customers interested in homemade cakes and preserves, farmers'
markets promise not only freshness but sociability.

A. country… stocking
B. past … supplying
C. secret… hoarding
D. history… supplied
E. east… collecting

The best answer is B. The word past makes a logical contrast to today. History
cannot be proceeded by the.



With tools such as lasers, climate-controlled research chambers and, of course,
computers, Hatfield and his ___________ are bringing soil science into the next
___________.


A. employees… term
B. cohorts… dimension
C. colleagues … century

D. minders… exponent
E. facilities… component

The best answer is C. Colleagues is an appropriate term to refer to members of a
research team. To bring something into the next century is idiomatic.



Though the general died young, leaving his son without an inheritance, the young
man overcame ___________, the lack of ___________ education to become one of
the world's most popular writers.

A. exuberance… secular
B. poverty … formal
C. adversity… expedient
D. lethargy… liberal
E. illness… legal

The best answer is B. Since he was left without an inheritance, overcoming poverty is
logical. The expression formal education is idiomatic.



Every healthy body at rest ___________ a certain amount of energy just keeping the
organs functioning and blood ___________.

A. expends … circulating
B. puts off… clotting
C. using… pushing
D. burning… flow

E. endeavors… mingling

The best answer is A. Grammatically, the present simple tense is called for to fill the
first blank. Expends is a suitable verb to describe the use of energy. For the second
blank a gerund (-ing) form is required to maintain parallelism.





Euthanasia, the act of humanely ___________ animals that are hopelessly sick or
___________, is a controversial topic.

A. maiming… hurt
B. executing… wounding
C. slaughtering… wounded
D. killing … injured
E. assassinating… injuring

The best answer is D. Assassinating can only be applied to people. Maiming,
executing and slaughtering have more negative connotations than killing and
therefore could not be used with the adjective humanely.



Change is particularly difficult for some animals, especially ___________ who have
been used to the same daily ___________ for a long time.

A. them… grind
B. those … routine

C. these… habit
D. critters… habitat
E. whomever… habitation

The best answer is B. Those is the best pronoun to refer back to animals. For the
second blank, daily grind is appropriate in meaning, but is a slang expression. A
habit cannot be describe as daily in the sense of general behavior.