Question 30·Hard·Words in Context
Although the economist’s earlier models emphasized the ______ nature of consumer confidence—treating it as a short-lived reaction to market shocks—recent longitudinal studies reveal it can exert sustained and measurable effects on spending patterns.
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 choices and paraphrasing what the blank must mean using nearby clues—especially restatements (often after dashes or commas) and contrasts (signaled by words like "but," "although," or a shift like "earlier" vs. "recent"). Once you have a simple meaning in your own words, quickly eliminate any options that do not match that meaning and the sentence’s tone or logic, even if they sound sophisticated or vaguely related to the topic.
Hints
Use the part after the dash
Look closely at the clause after the dash: "treating it as a short-lived reaction to market shocks." That part is explaining or redefining the blank.
Think about time, not cause
Ask yourself: Is the sentence emphasizing how long consumer confidence lasts, or what causes it? Focus on whether it is seen as brief or lasting.
Notice the contrast with the end of the sentence
The second half talks about "sustained and measurable effects" on spending. How would earlier models' view of consumer confidence differ from something sustained?
Step-by-step Explanation
Locate the key context around the blank
Focus on the part of the sentence that directly explains the blank: "emphasized the ______ nature of consumer confidence—treating it as a short-lived reaction to market shocks." The dash tells you that "treating it as a short-lived reaction to market shocks" is restating or clarifying the blank.
Paraphrase the needed meaning
If earlier models treated consumer confidence as "a short-lived reaction," then they saw it as temporary and quickly fading, not lasting or permanent. The second half of the sentence contrasts this with "sustained and measurable effects," reinforcing that the first part must describe something brief or transient.
Test each answer choice against that meaning
Now compare each option with the idea "short-lived, quickly fading":
- erratic = unpredictable or inconsistent; this is about stability, not duration.
- discretionary = optional or based on personal choice; not about being short-lived.
- evanescent = brief, fading quickly from sight or existence; this matches "short-lived reaction" and contrasts well with "sustained" effects.
- structural = relating to structure or framework; again, not about time or duration.
Therefore, the most logical and precise choice is "evanescent".