SAT Mc Graw Hill 2011

104 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT

Unit 2 Exercise Set I Answer Key

1. A The sentence indicates that showing emotion
   isunusualfor Peter. Look for a word that means
   unemotionalto fill the blank.
   stoic=unaffected by pleasure or pain
   demonstrative=effusive, emotional
   extroverted=outgoing, gregarious
   irascible=easily angered
   inimical=unfriendly, harmful


2. A Neverthelessindicates that the blank should
   contrastawkward and contrived.A contrasting
   response would be praise.And if individualism
   and objectivism are the cornerstones of her
   philosophy,she must agree with them.
   lionized=worshipped;stalwart=unwavering
   person
   repudiated=cast off; protagonist = main
   character
   censured=condemned;advocate=supporter
   praised=commended;antagonist=opposed
   extolled=praised highly; skeptic=doubter

3.B The sentence indicates that they fearthe first

word and if they fear something, they should seek

comfortof some sort.

veneration=reverence;solitude=loneliness

oppression=holding back; sanctuary=place of

refuge

impotence=lack of power; asylum= a safe

place

calumny=slander;disparagement=belittlement

judiciousness=wisdom;salvation=being

saved

4.C The word in the blank is something that they

would use to disguise themselves as men. The

only word that fits this description is pseudonyms.

influxes=inward flows

anachronisms=things out of place in time

pseudonyms=false names

diatribes=prolonged speeches

amalgams=mixtures

5.B Supporters of the tax cut would obviously

hope that it would do well and cause good things.

So you want a positive word in the first blank.

The supporters hoped it would “spur investment

and growth” which shows they thought it would

strengthen the economy.

formidable=imposing;enervating=weakening

efficacious=effective;invigorating=

strengthening

delicate=fragile;stimulating=causing activity

ruthless=cruel;lauding=praising

incongruous=not matching; encouraging =

inspiring

6.D The second part of the sentence implies that

the critics deemed her first novel to be lacking a

bizarre and shockingending. She would include a

shocking ending to silencethese critics. Two sim-

ple words to complete the sentence would be

predictableandquiet.

banal=trivial;support=to hold up

elegant=refined;pacify=to soothe

spurious=fake;silence=to quiet

mundane=ordinary;appease=to quiet

contrived=obvious;endorse=support

7. D As is often the case, the information after the
   semicolon tells us everything we need to know.
   When Richard is unhappy, he picks fights.
   sadistic=enjoying the pain of others
   pious=holy
   capricious=acting on impulse
   belligerent=warlike, prone to fighting
   fallacious=false


8. A Althoughshows a classic contrast. Sparrows
   appear to be weak and harmless,but when some-
   thing important to them is threatened, they
   become the opposite of weak and harmless.
   redoubtable=formidable, intimidating
   furtive=sneaky
   evanescent=ephemeral, short-lived
   fickle=prone to change one’s mind
   laconic=not inclined to speaking much


9. C If society detestsit, the first word must indi-
   cate something negative. The as a resultshows a
   cause and effect, so you’d expect the second word
   to describe a person who has the characteristic in
   the first blank.
   compatibility=ability to go together;
   antagonistic=hostile
   idiosyncrasy=odd behavior; callous=
   hardened
   duplicity=deceptiveness;perfidious=
   untrustworthy
   superficial=lacking substance; profound=
   deep
   potency=strength, power; sacrosanct=
   sacred