Take this Quiz: PSAT Reading — what the sentence makes the word mean | Zestly

Question 1

"The architect's latest design is a novel approach to urban housing, prioritizing modularity and communal space over the traditional single-family layout. Critics questioned at first whether so dense a configuration could work at all, and the finished project has answered them: the apartments are closely packed and pleasant to live in." As used by the writer, what does the word "novel" most nearly mean?

Accepted Answer

Of a kind not seen before

Answer

Traditional and long established

Answer

Written in the form of a story

Answer

Eccentric to the point of being impractical

Question 2

"Dr. Aris Thorne's work on migratory birds suggests that their internal compass is more sensitive than anyone had supposed. Exposed to magnetic interference, the birds did not lose their way; instead they seemed to ____ their flight path in order to compensate for the disruption." Which choice completes the writer's sentence with the most logical and precise word?

Accepted Answer

adjust

Answer

retrace

Answer

accelerate

Answer

abandon

Question 3

"The historian noted that the treaty was a compromise between the two warring factions, neither of whom achieved their full objectives. By agreeing to cede the disputed territory, the northern leaders secured a lasting peace, though they faced heavy criticism at home for having done so." As used by the writer, what does the word "compromise" most nearly mean?

Accepted Answer

A settlement reached by mutual concessions

Answer

A danger to something's safety

Answer

An abandonment of one's principles

Answer

A complete surrender by one side

Question 4

"The economy of Harrow Cove has long depended on seasonal tourism. After three summers of falling visitor numbers, the town council has asked its shopkeepers to ____ their reliance on summer revenue and to look into work that runs all year, such as artisanal manufacturing." Which choice completes the writer's sentence with the most logical and precise word?

Answer

renounce

Answer

deepen

Answer

record

Answer

reassess

Question 5

"The curator Beatriz Oland was known for her discriminating taste in nineteenth-century landscape painting. She would reject dozens of submissions on the grounds of composition or color before accepting one, and the works she did accept have held their reputation for forty years." As used by the writer, what does the word "discriminating" most nearly mean?

Answer

Unwilling to commit to any decision

Answer

Exercising careful and selective judgment

Answer

Biased against particular painters

Answer

Sensitive to differences of color alone

Question 6

"The committee's decision to cap attendance at the conference was met with frustration by the organizers. They argued that a hall half the intended size would ____ the exchange of methods among researchers who otherwise meet only in print." Which choice completes the writer's sentence with the most logical and precise word?

Answer

stifle

Answer

eliminate

Answer

enhance

Answer

formalize