The ______ behavior of the demonstrators became even more apparent when they all chained themselves together when the authorities came on scene.
Answer(s): D
JustificationRecalcitrant (D) – denotes stubborn, defiant resistance to authority. The demonstrators’ act of chaining themselves together in the presence of officials is a clear, active refusal to comply, which directly illustrates recalcitrant behavior. Indolent (A) – means lazy or unwilling to work; it describes a lack of effort, not a purposeful stance toward authority, so it does not fit the context. Spurious (B) – refers to something false or misleading; it qualifies the nature of an claim, not a type of behavior, making it unsuitable. Individual (C) – emphasizes singularity; the sentence highlights a collective action, so “individual” contradicts the plural subject. Cohesive (E) – describes unity or sticking together, which is true of the group’s physical arrangement but does not convey the attitude of resistance toward the authorities; the question asks for the behavior that became apparent, which is better captured by “recalcitrant.”Hence, D. recalcitrant is the most precise choice.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary entry for recalcitrant: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recalcitrant Cambridge Dictionary entry for cohesive: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cohesive
The ______ dress of the performers was considered ______ by the censors.
Answer(s): B
JustificationThe sentence requires a descriptor for the performers’ dress and a separate judgment by the censors. Option B (“ostentatious … repugnant”) supplies a vivid adjective for the dress (“ostentatious” = showy, extravagant) and a strong, negative evaluation by the censors (“repugnant” = morally offensive). This pair creates a coherent, logically linked statement: the flashy costume was deemed offensive. Option A (“matching … unfashionable”) is semantically weak; “matching dress” does not naturally modify performers, and “unfashionable” describes style, not a censorial judgment. Option C (“overly revealing … acceptable”) contradicts typical censor behavior; they would not label revealing attire as acceptable. Option D (“uniform … haughty”) misapplies “uniform” (implying sameness) to a description of dress, and “haughty” characterizes attitude, not a censor’s assessment. Option E (“color of … errant”) is nonsensical; “color of” cannot modify “dress” in this construction, and “errant” is unrelated.Therefore, B is the only choice that provides a logically consistent, semantically appropriate pair of descriptors.
Merriam-Webster definition of ostentatious: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ostentatious Cambridge Dictionary entry for repugnant: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/repugnant
The entering class was fairly ______; nearly all the students came from a ______ background.
JustificationOption B – “homogeneous … similar”Homogeneous describes a group that is uniform in composition or nature, which fits the first blank (“the entering class was fairly ___”). Similar appropriately modifies “background,” indicating that most students shared comparable socioeconomic or cultural origins. The pair therefore creates a coherent, logically consistent sentence: “The entering class was fairly homogeneous; nearly all the students came from a similar background.”Why the other choices failA: hostile … receptive – Hostile conveys antagonism, which cannot describe a class composition; receptive does not logically pair with “background.” C. formidable … fastidious – Formidable refers to something imposing or challenging, not to a characteristic of a group; fastidious describes meticulousness, unrelated to background. D. exemplary … related – Exemplary means outstanding as a model; while possible, it does not naturally modify “class” in this context, and related is vague compared to the clearer “similar.” E. parochial … redundant – Parochial suggests narrow-mindedness, which does not fit “entering class” as a neutral description; redundant describes unnecessary repetition, not a background attribute.Hence, option B provides the most precise and semantically appropriate fill-ins.
Merriam-Webster definition of homogeneous: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homogeneous Cambridge Dictionary definition of similar: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/similar
It is absolutely ______ that the individual assigned to defuse a bomb be extremely ______.
Answer(s): E
Correct option: E – “critical … dexterous.”First blank – “critical”: In this context critical conveys that the assignment is absolutely indispensable and cannot be compromised; it aligns with the phrase “absolutely ___ that the individual … be ….” Second blank – “dexterous”: Dexterous describes a high degree of manual skill and coordination, precisely the attribute required of someone who must handle a bomb with precision and control.Why the other choices are unsuitableA: essential … mature – Mature refers to emotional or intellectual development, not the physical precision needed for bomb disposal. B. alright … nervous – Alright is informal and does not convey absolute necessity; nervous suggests anxiety, which is undesirable in a bomb-defusal scenario. C. necessary … excited – Excited implies enthusiasm rather than the calm, focused competence required for defusing explosives. D. warranted … tired – Tired directly contradicts the stamina and alertness essential for such a high-risk task.Thus, only option E provides a logically coherent and technically appropriate pair of descriptors for the situation.
Merriam-Webster definition of critical: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical Merriam-Webster definition of dexterous: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dexterous
How can you depend on a person who is so ___________?
Answer(s): A
JustificationCorrect option – A. protean Protean is an adjective that describes a person as “ever-changing, versatile, or unpredictable.” In the sentence “How can you depend on a person who is so ______?” the only word that logically qualifies a person’s character in a way that affects dependability is protean; it directly conveys the instability that makes reliance doubtful.Why the other choices are unsuitable somatic – pertains to the body; it does not describe a personal trait relevant to reliability. pensile – not a recognized English word; it cannot function as an adjective modifying “person.” empirical – refers to knowledge based on observation or experience; it characterizes a method of reasoning, not a personal quality that influences dependability.Thus, protean is the only term that fits the syntactic and semantic requirements of the sentence and accurately explains why dependence on such a person would be problematic.
Merriam-Webster definition of protean: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/protean Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries entry for empirical: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/empirical
The problem with scoring well on too many SAT practice tests is the tendency toward ______.
Correct option: B – complacencyJustificationRepeated high scores can create a false sense of mastery, leading students to relax their study habits and reduce effort —the definition of complacency. This mindset often results in diminished preparation for the actual test , causing performance to drop when faced with unfamiliar question types or timing pressures. Burn-out (C) is a possible secondary effect, but the primary psychological risk of “scoring well on too many practice tests” is the attitude of over-confidence that blunts further improvement, i.e., complacency. The other choices do not align with the context:Success (A) describes a positive outcome, not a problem. Supremacy (D) and celerity (E) are unrelated to test-taking psychology and do not capture the risk of stagnating effort.
College Board – “Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy”: https://www.khanacademy.org/sat College Board – “Understanding SAT Scores and Score Reports”: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/scores/understanding-scoresPrepared for SAT certification exam review.
Throughout history great civilizations including the Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks can trace their downfalls to a certain societal ______ and general failing of moral values.
JustificationThe sentence describes how major civilizations collapse because of a “societal ______ and general failing of moral values.” The term that best captures both a societal condition and a moral decline is “decadence.” Decadence denotes a state of moral and cultural decay, often accompanied by complacent indifference or luxury that undermines societal vigor.A: hierarchy – refers to a system of ranking; it does not inherently imply moral failure. B. bliss – denotes happiness or contentment; it is the opposite of a failing moral condition. C. indifference – suggests apathy but lacks the connotation of systematic moral decay that leads to collapse. E. latitude – means freedom or range; it is unrelated to moral deterioration.Thus, D. decadence precisely matches the context of moral decay causing societal downfall, making it the correct choice.
Merriam-Webster definition of decadence: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decadence Oxford Reference entry on decadence in historical contexts: https://oxfordre.com/very-short-introduction/view/10.1093/acref/9780195385139.001.0001/acref-9780195385139-e-2302
Had Einstein not been such a ______ mathematician, many of our engineering accomplishments may have taken many years before even reaching the drawing board.
Answer(s): A – prodigiousJustificationProdigious means extraordinarily great in size, amount, or degree; it directly conveys that Einstein’s mathematical ability was unusually large and impressive, fitting the context of “not such a ___ mathematician.” Superb (B) is a vague compliment but lacks the nuance of “exceptionally high skill” needed for the sentence. Qualified (C) merely indicates meeting standards, which does not imply the extraordinary talent required here. Prophetic (D) suggests foresight, unrelated to mathematical ability. Prosaic (E) means dull or ordinary, the opposite of what the sentence intends.
Merriam-Webster definition of prodigious: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigiousCambridge Dictionary entry for prodigious: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/prodigious
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