Question 156·Hard·Words in Context
In his keynote address, the economist argued that institutional inertia has fostered the ______ of outdated trade models, even though mounting data undermine their underlying assumptions.
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 paraphrasing the sentence, using surrounding clues (like contrast words: “even though,” “but,” “however”) to decide what role the missing word plays—positive/negative, continuing/ending, cause/effect, etc. Make a simple prediction in your own words (for example, “this blank means that the old models still exist”) before checking the options, then eliminate any choices that don’t match that predicted meaning or that clash with the sentence’s logical flow or tone. This approach prevents you from being distracted by tough vocabulary and keeps you focused on meaning from context.
Hints
Paraphrase the sentence
Restate the sentence in simpler words. What is the economist saying institutional inertia has done to outdated trade models?
Focus on the contrast
Pay close attention to the phrase starting with “even though.” How does that clause relate to what institutional inertia has done?
Decide the general direction of the blank
Is the sentence saying that outdated trade models are being ended, hidden, attacked, or allowed to stick around? Decide this before you look closely at the choices.
Test each option in the sentence
Plug each answer into the blank and ask: Does this describe what institutional inertia would realistically do to outdated models when new data is challenging them?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence meaning
Paraphrase the sentence in your own words: The economist says that because institutions are slow to change (institutional inertia), they have caused outdated trade models to still be around, even though new data shows those models are based on shaky assumptions.
Use the contrast clue
The phrase “even though mounting data undermine their underlying assumptions” tells you the trade models should be questioned or discarded. The fact that they are still around is due to inertia, which suggests the blank needs to express that the outdated models continue to exist instead of being replaced.
Predict the general meaning for the blank
Based on this logic, the blank must be filled with a word that means something like the ongoing existence or continuation of the outdated trade models despite the evidence against them. Keep that prediction in mind as you compare answer choices.
Match answer choices to your prediction
Check each choice:
- annulment = cancellation or invalidation (the opposite of continuing)
- obfuscation = making something unclear or confusing
- vilification = speaking very badly of, slandering
- perpetuation = causing something to continue or last Only “perpetuation” (Choice D) matches the idea that institutional inertia has kept the outdated trade models going despite the evidence, so D is correct.