Question 160·Easy·Words in Context
The hikers were grateful for the ranger’s _____ advice, which helped them steer clear of hazardous sections of the trail.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For Words-in-Context questions, always start by reading the entire sentence and sometimes the surrounding sentence to understand the situation and the tone (positive, negative, or neutral). Before looking closely at the choices, restate in your own words what kind of word should go in the blank (for example, “helpful and effective advice” or “confusing instructions”). Then plug in each option and quickly eliminate any that clash with the tone or the logic of the sentence; usually you can rule out 2–3 just by meaning and tone. Finally, choose the word that both fits the context and makes the sentence sound natural when you read it back to yourself. This approach is faster and more reliable than trying to memorize dictionary definitions alone.
Hints
Focus on the clue after the comma
Look closely at the phrase "which helped them steer clear of hazardous sections of the trail." What does this tell you about what the advice did for the hikers?
Think about the tone
Are the hikers happy or unhappy about the advice? Ask yourself whether the missing word should be positive, negative, or neutral based on "were grateful."
Test each answer in the blank
Read the sentence out loud with each option in the blank. Which word makes the sentence sound natural and consistent with advice that actually helps them avoid danger?
Step-by-step Explanation
Use the context around the blank
Read the full sentence:
"The hikers were grateful for the ranger’s _____ advice, which helped them steer clear of hazardous sections of the trail."
Ask: Why were they grateful? Because the advice "helped them steer clear of hazardous sections of the trail." So the missing word must describe advice that is clearly helpful and positive, especially for safety.
Decide on the general meaning and tone
Based on the context:
- The tone is positive: "were grateful" and "helped them" show appreciation.
- The advice clearly worked in the real situation (avoiding dangerous sections).
So the blank should be filled by a word that describes advice that actually helps in a real, possibly dangerous, situation.
Keep this idea in mind when you test each answer choice.
Eliminate choices that don’t match the context
Go through the options and compare them to the sentence:
- indifferent: means unconcerned, not caring one way or the other. If the advice were indifferent, it wouldn’t strongly help them avoid danger, and they wouldn’t likely be grateful for it.
- ambiguous: means unclear or having more than one possible meaning. Ambiguous advice would make it harder to avoid hazardous sections, not easier.
- overbearing: means bossy, controlling, or too forceful. Overbearing advice might feel annoying or oppressive, not something they are grateful for.
None of these three match the clearly positive, helpful tone of the sentence, so eliminate A, B, and C.
Choose the remaining option that fits the sentence
The only remaining option is D) practical.
"Practical" means useful, effective, and focused on real-world needs or situations. "Practical advice" from a ranger about a trail would be specific, helpful guidance that lets the hikers actually avoid hazardous sections. That matches why the hikers were grateful and fits the context perfectly.
So, the correct answer is D) practical.