Question 147·Hard·Words in Context
To the astronomer’s surprise, the comet’s orbit turned out to be remarkably ______; subtle variations in solar wind pressure were enough to nudge it onto a noticeably different trajectory within a single revolution.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT Words-in-Context questions, always read the entire sentence (and surrounding context if given) to understand the situation first, then use those clues to predict the general idea of the missing word in your own words before looking at the choices. After you have that rough prediction, quickly eliminate options whose core meanings don’t match the context (for example, words about time, repetition, or stiffness when the sentence is about how easily something changes), and then select the one remaining choice whose meaning best aligns with the sentence’s description. This “predict, then match” method is faster and more reliable than trying to plug in each answer choice blindly.
Hints
Focus on the part after the semicolon
Look closely at the clause after the semicolon: what effect do "subtle variations in solar wind pressure" have on the comet’s orbit?
Think about what kind of orbit would react that way
If very small changes in solar wind can nudge the comet onto a noticeably different trajectory in a single revolution, does the orbit seem firm and unchanging, or easily affected by outside forces?
Eliminate clearly off-topic meanings
Look at the answer choices and ask yourself: which ones describe stiffness or inflexibility, which ones describe timing or repetition, and which one relates to how something responds when conditions change?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the sentence is saying
Read the full sentence carefully:
"To the astronomer’s surprise, the comet’s orbit turned out to be remarkably ______; subtle variations in solar wind pressure were enough to nudge it onto a noticeably different trajectory within a single revolution."
The second part of the sentence (after the semicolon) explains the result: even subtle (very small) changes in solar wind pressure could nudge (push) the comet into a noticeably different path in just one orbit.
Use the context clue to predict the general idea
Ask: what does that description tell us about the comet’s orbit?
- If slight changes in solar wind can move it to a different path, then the orbit is easily affected by outside forces.
- It is not firm or unchanging; it responds when conditions change.
So the blank should describe an orbit that does not stay fixed, but instead can be changed by small influences.
Compare each answer choice to your prediction
Now test each option against the idea from Step 2:
- rigid: means stiff, inflexible, not easily changed. That’s the opposite of an orbit that is easily nudged into a different trajectory, so this does not fit.
- redundant: means unnecessary repetition or more than needed (like saying the same thing twice). This doesn’t describe an orbit or how it reacts to forces, so it doesn’t fit the context.
- punctual: means on time, not late. This describes timing, not how changeable an orbit is, so it also doesn’t make sense here.
- mutable: means changeable or capable of being altered. This matches the idea that small variations in solar wind can noticeably change the orbit in a short time.
Therefore, the best choice that fits the meaning implied by the sentence is mutable.