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High School SAT Prep Words in Context — Set 2

SAT Reading & Writing — Words in Context (Set 2)

A second round of vocabulary-in-context practice — ten new sentences testing the same skill of matching a word to a sentence's logic.

Exam Tips for Words in Context

1. Colons often introduce evidence for the word right before them — use what follows the colon as your clue.
2. "Despite," "unlike," and "rather than" all signal the missing word contrasts with something nearby.
3. Watch for words that seem plausible but carry the wrong tone — too positive, too harsh, or too mild for the sentence.
4. If two choices seem close, reread the exact clause around the blank one more time — the difference is usually there.

Knowledge Check

SAT Style

Answer all 10 questions. Pick the word that best completes the logic of each sentence.

Score: 0 / 0

Question 1

"The negotiations remained ___ for weeks, with neither side willing to make the first concession."

Question 2

"Critics called the debut novel ___, praising its confident voice despite the author's young age."

Question 3

"The old bridge, once a ___ of local engineering pride, was quietly demolished after decades of neglect."

Question 4

"Rather than confront the problem directly, the manager chose to ___ it, hoping it would resolve itself."

Question 5

"The comedian's humor was ___, relying on subtle wordplay rather than obvious jokes."

Question 6

"Despite years of ___ between the rival labs, the two teams eventually published a joint discovery together."

Question 7

"The politician's ___ answers left reporters with more questions than they started with."

Question 8

"The old machine still ran, but its performance had grown increasingly ___ over the decades."

Question 9

"Volunteers were ___ by the sheer number of donations that arrived within hours of the appeal."

Question 10

"The committee's report was intentionally ___, avoiding any specific recommendation that might provoke controversy."

Key Concepts Summary