Strategy Used: Picking up on clues
To do well on sentence completions, you need to see how a
sentence fits together. Clue words help you do that. The more
clues you get, the clearer the sentence becomes, and the better
you can predict what goes in the blanks.
Consider this example:
Though some have derided it as _______, the search for
extraterrestrial intelligence has actually become a respectable
scientific endeavor.
Here, "though" is an important clue. "Though" contrasts the
way some have "derided" the search for extraterrestrial
intelligence with the fact that that search has become
respectable. Another clue is "actually." "Actually" completes the
contrast—though some see the search one way, it has actually
become something else.
You know that whatever goes in the blank must complete the
contrast implied by the word "though." So look for something that
describes the opposite of a "respectable scientific endeavor." A
word such as "useless" or "trivial" would be a good prediction
for the blank.
Try the strategy out with
these practice questions!
Other Strategy Sessions: