Question 161·Medium·Words in Context
During the planning stages of the research expedition, the lead biologist insisted that all team members familiarize themselves with the fragile ecosystems they would encounter. She argued that such knowledge would help them _____ any inadvertent harm to the species they intended to study.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT Words-in-Context questions, first ignore the choices and paraphrase the blank in your own words using context clues (tone, goal, and key phrases like “fragile ecosystems” and “inadvertent harm”). Decide whether the missing word should be positive or negative and what general idea it should express (for example, “prevent harm” vs. “excuse harm”). Then compare each answer choice’s exact meaning and test it directly in the sentence, eliminating words that make the sentence illogical or that do not naturally collocate with surrounding words (like “withhold harm”). This context-first approach is faster and more reliable than trying to memorize definitions alone.
Hints
Focus on the biologist’s intention
Think about why the lead biologist wants team members to learn about the fragile ecosystems. Is her goal to cause more harm, excuse harm, ignore harm, or reduce the chance of harm?
Use the phrase “inadvertent harm” as a clue
“Inadvertent” means accidental. Ask yourself: what should their knowledge do in relation to accidental harm—encourage it, explain it, defend it, or stop it?
Test each verb logically in the sentence
Mentally plug each answer choice into the blank: “help them ___ any inadvertent harm.” Which verb makes sense with harm and matches the protective tone of the sentence?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the situation and goal
Read the sentence without the blank and focus on the meaning:
During the planning stages of the research expedition, the lead biologist insisted that all team members familiarize themselves with the fragile ecosystems they would encounter. She argued that such knowledge would help them _____ any inadvertent harm to the species they intended to study.
The biologist is concerned about fragile ecosystems and inadvertent (accidental) harm. Her goal is to protect the species, not damage them.
Paraphrase what should go in the blank
Replace the blank with a simple phrase in your own words:
- “Such knowledge would help them ______ any inadvertent harm.”
Given the goal of protecting fragile ecosystems, a natural paraphrase is something like “avoid” or “prevent” any accidental harm. So we want a verb that logically describes reducing or stopping harm from happening.
Check each answer choice against the sentence meaning
Now test each option with the sentence meaning in mind:
- exacerbate: means to make a problem or situation worse. “Help them exacerbate any inadvertent harm” would mean the knowledge helps them make the harm worse. That goes against the biologist’s protective goal.
- avert: means to prevent something from happening or to avoid it before it occurs. “Help them avert any inadvertent harm” would mean the knowledge helps them stop accidental harm from occurring.
- withhold: means to hold back or refuse to give something (like information, money, or permission). We do not usually say “withhold harm,” and it does not clearly express preventing harm.
- justify: means to show or prove that something is right or reasonable. “Help them justify any inadvertent harm” would mean the knowledge helps them defend or excuse harming the species, which is the opposite of the intended idea.
Choose the word that best matches the intended meaning
The only option that matches the biologist’s clear goal—to use knowledge of the ecosystems to prevent accidental harm—is “avert.”
So, the correct answer is B) avert.