Question 12·Hard·Words in Context
Throughout the nineteenth century, naturalists struggled to reconcile the sudden appearances of new fossil forms with the gradualism proposed by earlier theorists. Darwin’s explanation, however, was deliberately ______: he acknowledged the gaps but argued they resulted from the fragmentary nature of the geological record rather than from abrupt creation events.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT Words-in-Context questions, first ignore the answer choices and restate the sentence in your own words, focusing on the key clue(s) around the blank—especially anything after a colon, dash, or comma. Decide what kind of attitude or quality is being described (for example, rigid vs. balanced, critical vs. approving) and then use that to eliminate choices whose core meanings don’t match the tone or logic of the sentence. When two options seem close, plug each into the sentence and ask which one best matches both the meaning and the overall tone of the passage rather than just sounding sophisticated.
Hints
Pay attention to the colon
The word in the blank is explained by the phrase after the colon. Reread what Darwin actually does after the colon and think about how that behavior would be described.
Think about how Darwin handles uncertainty
Notice that Darwin acknowledges the gaps in the fossil record instead of ignoring them, and then offers an explanation. Ask yourself: does this sound more like rigid certainty or an explanation that recognizes limits?
Check the type of word that fits
The sentence is describing the manner or character of Darwin’s explanation, not its decoration or whether it looks out of place. Eliminate choices that mainly describe style or visual appearance.
Use elimination by meaning
If you know any of the answer words, consider whether they fit someone admitting problems and giving a careful justification, and cross out the ones that clearly don’t match that behavior.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the sentence is saying
Paraphrase the sentence: Nineteenth-century naturalists had trouble matching sudden fossil appearances with slow, gradual change. Darwin’s explanation is described after the colon: he admits there are gaps but says they come from an incomplete fossil record, not sudden creation. So his explanation is careful and takes the evidence (and its limits) into account.
Use the colon to see how the blank is explained
The colon after the blank means the second part of the sentence explains or illustrates the word that belongs in the blank. Whatever word goes in the blank must match the idea of acknowledging gaps and giving a reason for them rather than making extreme claims about new creations.
Check the tone: extreme vs. balanced
Ask: Is Darwin being extreme and rigid, or balanced and aware of uncertainty? He is not claiming absolute certainty or ignoring problems; instead, he openly mentions the gaps and offers a reasonable cause. So the word in the blank needs to match this balanced, careful tone, not something rigid, decorative, or out of place.
Test each choice in context
Now plug in the options:
- dogmatic (rigid and insisting you’re right) does not fit someone who openly admits gaps.
- ornate (highly decorative) is about style, not the kind of explanation described here.
- incongruous (not matching its surroundings) does not describe how his explanation is presented.
- circumspect means cautious and careful in making claims, which fits Darwin’s approach of admitting gaps and explaining them without jumping to dramatic conclusions.
Therefore, the best choice is D) circumspect.