Question 31·Easy·Words in Context
While some streaming services release an entire season of a show in a single day, others adopt a weekly schedule, hoping to build ______ among viewers eager to discuss each new episode as it appears.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT Words in Context questions, first read the whole sentence (or short passage) and identify the overall situation and tone (positive, negative, neutral). Then, focus on key context clues near the blank—here, words like “eager” and the purpose (“hoping to build … among viewers”). Next, plug each answer choice back into the sentence and ask: Does this word logically describe what’s happening, and does it match how the people in the sentence feel? Quickly eliminate choices that are too negative, too weak, or simply don’t fit the goal or tone, and select the one that fits both the meaning and the tone most precisely.
Hints
Focus on the phrase after the comma
Pay close attention to “viewers eager to discuss each new episode as it appears.” What does that tell you about how the viewers feel?
Think about positive vs. negative feelings
Is the feeling the services hope to build in viewers likely to be positive or negative, given that the viewers are described as eager?
Test each option in the sentence
Read the sentence out loud with each answer choice in the blank. Which one makes sense as something a company would want to create in its audience?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the situation in the sentence
The sentence contrasts two release strategies:
- Some services release an entire season in one day.
- Others use a weekly schedule.
The second group of services is “hoping to build ______ among viewers eager to discuss each new episode as it appears.” So the blank describes a feeling that weekly releases are meant to create in viewers.
Use context clues about the viewers
The viewers are described as “eager to discuss each new episode as it appears.” The word “eager” tells you the viewers are actively looking forward to talking about new episodes. The feeling in the blank must fit this positive, forward-looking mood, not something negative or passive.
Check each answer’s meaning against the context
Go through each option and imagine it in the blank:
- A) “build resignation among viewers”
- B) “build indifference among viewers”
- C) “build confusion among viewers”
- D) “build anticipation among viewers”
Only one of these fits streaming services’ goal when dealing with eager viewers who want to discuss new episodes.
Choose the word that best fits the intended feeling
Streaming services want viewers to look forward to each weekly episode so they’ll be excited to watch and discuss it. That is exactly what “anticipation” describes, so the correct answer is D) anticipation.