Question 42·Hard·Words in Context
Because the clay tablets are written in a language scholars have only partially deciphered, any translation produced today must be considered _____, subject to revision as new grammatical patterns are uncovered.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For Words-in-Context questions, always read a bit before and after the blank to find strong clues about meaning, such as cause-and-effect phrases (“because,” “so,” “therefore”) or explanations after commas or dashes. First, restate in your own simple words what the missing word must mean (for example, “not final yet” or “very strict”). Then compare each answer choice to your prediction and eliminate any that don’t match the sentence’s logic or tone, especially words that describe the wrong type of thing (like appearance instead of attitude, or attitude instead of status). This predict-then-match approach is faster and more reliable than trying to plug in each option blindly.
Hints
Focus on the phrase after the blank
Reread the part after the comma: “subject to revision as new grammatical patterns are uncovered.” Ask yourself: what does this say about the status of the translations?
Think about permanence vs. change
Is the sentence suggesting that current translations are completely settled and final, or that they may change in the future as scholars learn more?
Sort the answer choices by what they describe
Ask: which options describe a person’s attitude or behavior, which describe appearance, and which describe the status or condition of something over time? The sentence is about the status of the translations.
Step-by-step Explanation
Use the context clues around the blank
Read the full sentence and focus on the part after the blank: “subject to revision as new grammatical patterns are uncovered.” This tells you that any translation made now might change later when scholars learn more about the language.
Predict the general meaning needed
If a translation is “subject to revision,” it is not final and is open to being updated. A good prediction for the blank is something like “temporary,” “tentative,” or “not final yet.” We need a word that describes this status.
Test each option against your prediction and the sentence
Go through the choices:
- dogmatic describes someone very rigid and certain in their beliefs, refusing to change. That clashes with “subject to revision.”
- ornamental means decorative or used for decoration, which doesn’t make sense for how translations are “considered.”
- perfunctory means done with little interest or effort, just to get it over with; the sentence discusses uncertainty due to limited knowledge, not laziness or carelessness.
- One choice remains that matches the idea of “not final” and open to change.
Match the remaining choice to the context
Provisional means temporary, for the time being, or not final and likely to be changed later. That fits perfectly with “subject to revision as new grammatical patterns are uncovered,” so the correct answer is D) provisional.