Question 11·Medium·Words in Context
In an essay on urban development, journalist Naomi Pérez details the city officials' _____ to balance historic preservation with the demand for affordable housing, acknowledging both the passionate support and the fierce opposition the initiative has garnered.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT words-in-context questions, first read the entire sentence (and surrounding context if given) to understand what role the missing word plays—its part of speech, whether it names an action, a feeling, a power, etc., and the overall tone. Then, before looking closely at definitions, restate in simple language what kind of idea should go in the blank (for example, “a specific action people are reacting to”). Next, plug each option into the sentence and reject any that make the sentence ungrammatical, change the intended meaning, or don’t match key clues (like “initiative,” “support,” or “opposition”). Finally, choose the option that is both grammatically correct and most precisely matches the context, rather than just one that seems vaguely related.
Hints
Identify what type of thing the blank must be
The blank comes right before “to balance historic preservation with the demand for affordable housing.” Ask yourself: is it describing a feeling, a power, a protection, or some kind of action related to that balancing?
Use the clue word “initiative”
Look at the phrase after the comma: “the initiative has garnered” support and opposition. That “initiative” refers back to whatever fills the blank—so the blank should name something that could reasonably be called an initiative.
Match the word to public reaction
The sentence mentions “passionate support” and “fierce opposition.” Which kind of thing would people strongly support or oppose: a legal protection, a pause in action, the freedom to decide, or the officials’ concrete course of action?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the blank is describing
Focus on the main structure: “journalist Naomi Pérez details the city officials' _____ to balance historic preservation with the demand for affordable housing.”
Whatever goes in the blank is a noun that belongs to the city officials and is directly related to their act of trying to balance two competing priorities.
Use the rest of the sentence as context
Look at the clause after the comma: “acknowledging both the passionate support and the fierce opposition the initiative has garnered.”
The word “initiative” refers back to what the officials are doing in the first part of the sentence. So the blank needs to describe something like a specific action or plan that people could strongly support or oppose, not just an inner feeling or a legal status.
Test and eliminate the choices that don’t fit the meaning
Now, plug each option into the sentence and check both grammar and meaning:
- discretion: “details the city officials' discretion to balance …” would emphasize their freedom or authority to decide, not a particular initiative that has earned support and opposition. It does not match the idea of an “initiative.”
- hesitation: “details the city officials' hesitation to balance …” would mean they are reluctant or unsure. But the sentence describes an initiative that people support or oppose, which implies they are actively doing something, not merely hesitating.
- immunity: “details the city officials' immunity to balance …” makes no sense; immunity is protection from something (like punishment or disease), and it does not connect logically to balancing preservation and housing or to an initiative.
Confirm the best-fitting word
The remaining option, “endeavor,” means a serious effort or attempt to achieve something. “Details the city officials' endeavor to balance historic preservation with the demand for affordable housing” matches the idea of officials actively trying to do something, and it lines up perfectly with the later reference to an “initiative” that has garnered both passionate support and fierce opposition. So the correct answer is B) endeavor.