Saturday, 30 August 2008

The Official SAT Question of the Day™

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Explorer David Livingstone has ------- reputation: some historians revile him as a proponent of imperialism, while others ------- him as a founder of African Nationalism.

A. a substantial . . exalt
B. a sketchy . . vilify
C. an illustrious . . dismiss
D. a dichotomous . . praise
E. a pristine . . castigate

Answer is D

Here's Why:

Choice (D) is correct. The structure of the sentence suggests that Livingstone’s reputation is based on two different, even mutually exclusive, interpretations; in other words, these views of him are “dichotomous.” The second part of the sentence describes this dichotomy: some historians “revile” him, while others do the opposite, or “praise” him.


Question Type: Sentence Completions

(Critical Reading)

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