SAT Prep Reading and Writing #31-61

Beliefs

After the horror of 9/11, some would say that we will never be safe again-- that achieving 100% safety is probably impossible in a free society. But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage of security personnel will agree with those SENTIMENTS. In this sentence, SENTIMENTS most nearly means

pristine... sufficient

Although Mike's car was several decades old and in less than ___ condition, it was still ___ to transport him to and from work each day.

effectiveness... proof

Although it may be tempting to confuse anecdotes with evidence, tales of a remedy's ___ are not necessarily ___ that the product works.

glowingly... enthusiastic

Although publicly the mayor spoke___ of his town, in private, he was less___, pointing out the many difficulties it had yet to overcome.

Eager

At the end of a long, exhausting day, the physicist was ANXIOUS to go home to bed. In this sentence, ANXIOUS most nearly means

available... sizeable

Before refrigerators were widely ___, the harvesting and exporting of ice from rivers and ponds to other states was a ___ part of the New England economy.

foreboding

Despite the ___ mass of dark clouds gathering overhead, the teams decided to start their game, hoping to finish before the rain fell.

isolation from

Due to the island's ___ the mainland, it had retained its own distinct culture and customs.

Relevance

Embodied in the social idiosyncrasies of a rural Mississippi county, William Faulkner's astute observations till have CURRENCY in the modern-day south. In this sentence, CURRENCY most nearly means

eroded

Hikers should check to see whether the trails are open to the public because recent wet weather has ___ them.

Slipping

In the movie, the jewel thieves made their escape by scaling the mansion's walls and STEALING away under the cover of darkness. In this sentence, STEALING most nearly means

preserving

Javanese shadow puppet shows are not just a form of entertainment; they are believed to be one of the world's oldest continuous story-telling traditions, ___ centuries' worth of history, religion, and culture.

prolific

Leonardo da Vinci, though known for his paintings, was also a ___ inventor, whose designs included architecture, weapons, and various types of conveyances including flying machines.

tepid

Madeline had excepted the reception to her speech to be ___ at best; she was turned when the audience stood up to applaud her several minutes.

passive... belied

Morgan's calm, ___ manner ___ his true feelings, which were anything but tranquil.

Increased

Some people who invest in the booming dot com market of the 1990s were disappointed; few of the businesses APPRECIATED in value. In this sentence, APPRECIATED most nearly means

Comprehensive

Some scholars believe that William Shakespeare's genius had less to do with ENCYCLOPEDIC knowledge than with common sense. In this sentence, ENCYCLOPEDIC most nearly means

increase... minimal

The bill's supporters argued that it would ___ the amount of money brought into the state, while causing a ___ amount of inconvenience to local residents.

diplomacy

The feuding countries found that through ___, they could resolve more of their differences than they could through aggression.

transformed

The first telegraph wires to cross the Atlantic Ocean ___ communication; suddenly, messages could be relayed in a matter of minutes rather than weeks.

simplicity... deceptive

The melody's apparent ___ was ___; the piece was actually quite complicated and extremely difficult to master.

conflict... proceed

The nature of the ___ was twofold; people argued whether the town council had the right to approve a new building, and if it did, whether the construction plans should___.

Consider

The professor has an intense knowledge of the playwright's works, and he will not ENTERTAIN any doubt concerning their authorship. In this sentence, ENTERTAIN most nearly means

supplement... overshadow

The use of technology is an important ___ to our curriculum, but we should not allow it to ___ the main course material.

Accumulated

The young duke had no fortune. He had been fortunate to receive an inheritance, but spending freely what had come freely, he REALIZED nothing. In this sentence, REALIZED most nearly means

patient... restless

Though generally a ___ person, Marie found herself growing ___ listening to her friends' long, detailed stories about their vacation.

spare

Toward the end of the twentieth century, many fiction writers experimented with minimalism, a style that favored ___ prose over dense, heavy writing.

Scrupulous

Unlike her sister, who often exaggerated the truth, Linda was ___ in recounting the exact details of a situation.

Notation

When questioned by the media, the young man stated that the very CONCEPT of competing in a triathlon was an idea foreign to him. In this sentence, CONCEPT most nearly means

provides

While Austen's writing focuses on narrow domestic concerns, its close examination of Edwardian social customs ___ to the read a broad sense of what it was like to live back then.

Urged

Winston Churchill's determination of spirit can be seen in the way he nobly led England in a time of war, although he was PRESSED by others to support appeasement policies. In this sentence, PRESSED most nearly means