Question 149·Medium·Words in Context
In her memoir, the author recounts how her grandmother would always share pragmatic advice, never indulging in exaggeration or dramatic flourishes; instead, her words were consistently ______.
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 instead paraphrasing what the blank needs to mean based on the sentence (and surrounding sentences if needed). Look for strong clues—especially contrasts (like "instead"), negatives (like "never"), and descriptive adjectives. Decide the tone (positive/negative) and the general idea (for example, practical vs. dramatic) before you look at the options. Then eliminate any choices that clearly contradict the context, even if you only partially know their meanings; often, you can narrow it down by removing words that don’t match the tone or create logical contradictions, leaving the one that fits smoothly with the sentence.
Hints
Focus on the descriptive phrases
Look closely at the phrases "pragmatic advice" and "never indulging in exaggeration or dramatic flourishes." Ask yourself: what overall picture of the grandmother’s speaking style do these phrases create?
Think about what doesn’t fit
Decide whether the grandmother’s words are portrayed as wild and emotional, mysterious and confusing, or simple and restrained. Use this to start crossing out options that clearly don’t match that tone.
Test each option against the whole sentence
For each answer choice, reread the full sentence with that word in the blank. Does it make sense with "pragmatic advice" and the rejection of "exaggeration or dramatic flourishes," or does it create a contradiction?
Step-by-step Explanation
Use the context clues around the blank
Read the whole sentence carefully:
"In her memoir, the author recounts how her grandmother would always share pragmatic advice, never indulging in exaggeration or dramatic flourishes; instead, her words were consistently ______."
Key clues:
- "pragmatic advice" = practical, realistic.
- "never indulging in exaggeration or dramatic flourishes" = she does not speak in an over-the-top or showy way.
So her words are practical and not dramatic or fancy.
Decide what kind of word is needed
From the clues, the blank must describe speech that is:
- Calm and controlled
- Not emotional or rash
- Not showy, fancy, or overly decorated
Keep this picture of the grandmother’s speech in mind as you test each answer choice.
Test and eliminate answer choices that clash with the context
Go through each option and compare it to the description in the sentence:
- impulsive: suggests acting or speaking suddenly without thinking. That clashes with “pragmatic advice” and the careful avoidance of exaggeration.
- enigmatic: means mysterious or hard to understand. But the sentence suggests her advice is clear and practical, not puzzling.
- ornate: means overly decorated or very fancy, especially in language or style. That is the opposite of “never indulging in dramatic flourishes.”
All three of these choices conflict with the idea of practical, plain, non-dramatic speech, so they should be eliminated.
Confirm the remaining choice fits the description
The only remaining option is A) measured.
"Measured" means careful, controlled, and not extreme in tone or wording. This perfectly matches a grandmother who gives pragmatic advice and avoids exaggeration and dramatic flourishes.
Therefore, the correct answer is A) measured.