CRACKING THECRACKING THE CODE CODE

Mastering PSATMastering PSATSentence CompletionsSentence Completions

“It’s ELEMENTARY!”

CONTRASTSCONTRASTS

What’s the MOST IMPORTANT WORD in the

English language?

THE BIG “BUT”THE BIG “BUT”

I I reallyreally like you like you andand…… I I reallyreally like you, like you, butbut…… She’s She’s reallyreally nice, nice, butbut…… He’s He’s reallyreally cute, cute, butbut……

1. 1. AlthoughAlthough she had no prior experience she had no prior experience as a ____, Elwell nevertheless as a ____, Elwell nevertheless impressed company officials with her impressed company officials with her uncanny ability to find common sense uncanny ability to find common sense solutions to difficult human relations solutions to difficult human relations problems.problems.

(A)(A) CONSULTANTCONSULTANT(B)(B) TOURISTTOURIST(C)(C) ENTERTAINERENTERTAINER(D)(D) CUSTOMERCUSTOMER(E)(E) PROCRASTINATORPROCRASTINATOR

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Solution-finder

2. The previous workers at the store had 2. The previous workers at the store had been rather _____, but the new owners been rather _____, but the new owners hired employees who were unfailingly hired employees who were unfailingly polite.polite.

(A)(A) DISCOURTEOUSDISCOURTEOUS(B)(B) EFFICIENTEFFICIENT(C)(C) GRACIOUSGRACIOUS(D)(D) VERBOSEVERBOSE(E)(E) ENTERTAININGENTERTAINING

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BUTBUT IN CONTRAST IN CONTRAST

WITHWITH DESPITEDESPITE RATHER THANRATHER THAN INSTEAD OFINSTEAD OF

ALTHOUGHALTHOUGH HOWEVERHOWEVER NEVERTHELESSNEVERTHELESS EVEN THOUGHEVEN THOUGH YETYET

Key Reversal WordsKey Reversal Words

3. The players’ dejected mood at the 3. The players’ dejected mood at the post-game news conference provided post-game news conference provided a vivid contrast to their ___ a vivid contrast to their ___ celebration at the pre-game pep celebration at the pre-game pep rally.rally.

(A)(A) GLOOMYGLOOMY(B)(B) DIFFIDENTDIFFIDENT(C)(C) OBSTINATEOBSTINATE(D)(D) EXUBERANTEXUBERANT(E)(E) LISTLESSLISTLESS

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TIME TRIGGERSTIME TRIGGERSOnceOnce a a cheerful personcheerful person, the , the yearsyears of fruitless struggle of fruitless struggle against government waste against government waste made him a very made him a very _____________ man._____________ man.

Tip #4: Tip #4: In a 2 In a 2 blank sentence,blank sentence,

22ndnd blank blank 1 1stst!!

4.4. While While the ______ student the ______ student openly openly questionedquestioned the teacher’s the teacher’s explanation, she was explanation, she was notnot so ______ so ______ as to suggest that the teacher was as to suggest that the teacher was wrong.wrong.

(A)(A) COMPLACENT…SUSPICIOUSCOMPLACENT…SUSPICIOUS(B)(B) INQUISITIVE…IMPRUDENTINQUISITIVE…IMPRUDENT(C)(C) CURIOUS…DISPASSIONATECURIOUS…DISPASSIONATE(D)(D) PROVOCATIVE…RESPECTFULPROVOCATIVE…RESPECTFUL(E)(E) INEFFECTUAL…BRAZENINEFFECTUAL…BRAZEN

5. Some experts concluded that 5. Some experts concluded that the diary is authentic, but the diary is authentic, but skeptics still insist that it is skeptics still insist that it is ________.________.

(A)(A) GENUINEGENUINE(B)(B) FACTUALFACTUAL(C)(C) FAITHFULFAITHFUL(D)(D) CONTEMPORARYCONTEMPORARY(E)(E) FRADULENTFRADULENT

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_________________6. The hotel’s lobby was both 6. The hotel’s lobby was both spacious and luxurious; spacious and luxurious; however, its guest rooms were however, its guest rooms were surprisingly _____ and ______.surprisingly _____ and ______.

(A)(A) CRAMPED…PLAINCRAMPED…PLAIN(B)(B) AMPLE…SIMPLEAMPLE…SIMPLE(C)(C) SMALL…LAVISHSMALL…LAVISH(D)(D) LARGE…OSTENTATIOUSLARGE…OSTENTATIOUS(E)(E) NUMEROUS…EXTRAVAGANTNUMEROUS…EXTRAVAGANT

7. Political scientists agree that 7. Political scientists agree that accurate opinion polls must be accurate opinion polls must be taken from a random sample of the taken from a random sample of the population rather than from a ____ population rather than from a ____ group of subjects.group of subjects.

(A)(A) KNOWLEDGEABLEKNOWLEDGEABLE(B)(B) FRIENDLYFRIENDLY(C)(C) TALKATIVETALKATIVE(D)(D) PRESELECTEDPRESELECTED(E)(E) LUCKYLUCKY

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