Bluebook SAT Reading: Words in Context Questions and Answers 2

Question 1

The following text is from a speech about urban development. 'While the city council’s plan for the new park was ambitious, its implementation was hobbled by a lack of funding and community support. The initial blueprints, once celebrated as visionary, now seemed to serve only as a testament to what might have been, a costly monument to good intentions.' As used in the text, what does the word 'hobbled' most nearly mean?

Accepted Answer

Impeded

Answer

The word 'hobbled' is used metaphorically to describe the progress of the plan. The context, citing a 'lack of funding and community support,' indicates that the plan's implementation was slowed down or obstructed. 'Impeded,' meaning to delay or prevent someone or something by obstructing them, accurately captures this sense of being hindered. 'Injured' is too literal, 'mocked' incorrectly implies ridicule, and 'altered' does not convey the negative sense of obstruction.

Question 2

The following text is from a review of a historical biography. 'The author’s account of the queen's early years is compelling, but his tendency to champion her at every turn, dismissing any historical sources that paint her in a less-than-flattering light, ultimately undermines the book's credibility. A more balanced perspective would have served the subject better.' As used in the text, what does the word 'champion' most nearly mean?

Accepted Answer

Advocate for

Answer

In this context, 'champion' means to vigorously support or defend a cause or person. The author is described as defending the queen by 'dismissing any historical sources' that are critical of her. Therefore, 'advocate for' is the best fit. 'Defeat' and 'criticize' are antonyms of the intended meaning. 'Personify' means to represent a quality in human form, which does not fit the context of defending a historical figure's reputation.

Question 3

The following text is an excerpt from a work of literary criticism. 'Many scholars have attempted to distill the essence of the novel, to reduce its sprawling narrative and complex characters to a single, tidy theme. Yet, such efforts invariably fail, for the book’s power lies not in a singular message but in its embrace of contradiction and its resistance to easy summary.' As used in the text, what does the word 'distill' most nearly mean?

Accepted Answer

Extract

Answer

Here, 'distill' is used figuratively to mean extracting the most important aspect of something. The text describes scholars trying to 'reduce' the novel to a 'single, tidy theme,' which is a process of extraction. 'Extract' captures this meaning perfectly. 'Purify' has a related literal meaning but doesn't fit the abstract context of ideas. 'Complicate' is the opposite of what the scholars are trying to do, and 'disregard' implies ignoring the novel, not analyzing it.

Question 4

The following text is from a scientific article about animal behavior. 'The notion that crows are merely reactive scavengers has been thoroughly debunked. Recent studies demonstrate a remarkable capacity for planning and problem-solving, with some crows even fashioning tools to retrieve food. This behavior, far from being a simple conditioned response, points to a sophisticated cognitive architecture.' As used in the text, what does the word 'fashioning' most nearly mean?

Accepted Answer

Creating

Answer

In the context of 'fashioning tools,' the word means to make or create something using skill or ingenuity. 'Creating' is the most direct synonym. 'Styling' relates to appearance and is not appropriate for the functional context of making a tool. 'Considering' and 'requesting' are actions that do not involve the physical act of making something.

Question 5

The following text is adapted from a philosophical essay. 'To live without reflection is to be at the mercy of every passing whim and appetite. The unexamined life, as Socrates noted, is not worth living because it lacks true agency; its course is charted by external pressures and internal compulsions rather than by a deliberate, reasoning self.' As used in the text, what does the word 'charted' most nearly mean?

Accepted Answer

Determined

Answer

The sentence uses 'charted' to describe how the course of an 'unexamined life' is set. The context explains this course is dictated by 'external pressures and internal compulsions.' Therefore, the course is 'determined' by these forces. 'Mapped' is a plausible synonym for 'charted' in a literal sense, but in this abstract context of a life's course, 'determined' better captures the idea of the path being set or decided by outside forces.

Bluebook SAT Practice Test Practice Test

Bluebook SAT Practice Test Practice Test

Bluebook SAT Reading: Words in Context Questions and Answers 2