Question 100·Easy·Words in Context
When the weather forecasters predicted sunny skies, Emma left her umbrella at home, a decision she later regretted when an ______ shower soaked the afternoon streets.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT Words-in-Context questions, always start by ignoring the answer choices and using the sentence to create your own rough meaning for the blank (for example, “a surprising shower” or “an expected shower”). Pay special attention to contrast words (like “but,” “however,” or a contrast between prediction and reality) and to cause–effect clues (like someone regretting a decision). Once you have your own idea, eliminate any choices that clash with the sentence’s logic or tone, then pick the one that best matches your paraphrased meaning when you plug it back into the sentence.
Hints
Look for contrast clues
Notice how the sentence contrasts what the weather forecasters said (sunny skies) with what actually happened later (a shower that soaked the streets).
Think about Emma’s regret
Ask yourself: Why would Emma regret leaving her umbrella at home? What does that tell you about how predictable or surprising the shower was?
Check the logic of prediction vs. reality
Decide whether the shower was something people could see coming or something that did not match the forecast. Then choose the word that best fits that idea.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the situation in the sentence
First, read the whole sentence carefully: the weather forecasters predicted sunny skies, so Emma didn’t bring her umbrella. Later, a shower soaked the streets, and she regretted her decision. This tells you there is a contrast between what was predicted and what actually happened.
Figure out what kind of shower it must have been
Ask: Why did Emma regret leaving her umbrella at home? Because the shower came even though sunny skies were predicted. That means the shower did not match the forecast and took her by surprise. So the missing word should describe a rain shower that was surprising, not planned or expected.
Match the meaning to the answer choices
Now test each option with that meaning in mind:
- persistent = continuing for a long time without stopping
- arid = extremely dry; having little or no rain
- anticipated = expected or looked forward to
- unexpected = not expected; surprising Only “unexpected” correctly describes a shower that came as a surprise after a sunny forecast, so the correct answer is A) unexpected.