Question 43·Easy·Words in Context
The following text is adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel Little Women. Jo and her sisters have just received a letter.
The girls read it together, and for a moment the room felt bright with hope, as though the very air had been cleared of shadows.
As used in the text, what does the word “bright” most nearly mean?
For SAT Words in Context questions, always anchor the word in its sentence: read one or two lines around the word, then restate its meaning in your own simple phrase based on that context (decide if it’s literal or figurative). Next, eliminate choices that don’t match the type of meaning the sentence suggests (for example, physical vs. emotional, action vs. description), and choose the option whose meaning is closest to your paraphrase rather than relying on the first dictionary definition that comes to mind. аnіkо.aі
Hints
Look at the whole phrase, not just the single word
Reread the sentence and pay special attention to the entire phrase "bright with hope" and the comparison "as though the very air had been cleared of shadows." What kind of change is being described?
Literal vs. figurative meaning
Ask yourself whether "bright" here is talking about actual light in the room, or if it is describing how the room seems because of the girls’ feelings.
Compare each answer’s type of meaning
For each option, decide whether it describes intelligence, physical light, speed, or the general emotional atmosphere of a place. Which of those types of meaning matches the sentence best?
Step-by-step Explanation
Use the immediate context
Reread the full sentence: the room "felt bright with hope, as though the very air had been cleared of shadows." Focus on the whole description, not just the single word.
The phrases "with hope" and "cleared of shadows" tell you the author is describing a change in mood or atmosphere, not turning on a lamp or talking about someone’s mind or speed.
Decide if the meaning is literal or figurative
Ask yourself: Is the room actually giving off more light, or is the author using a comparison to show how the girls feel?
Because nothing physical changes in the room—only their hope changes—the word "bright" is being used figuratively to show that the room seems different because their feelings have changed.
Match the figurative meaning to the best choice
Now connect that figurative idea to the answer choices:
- One choice describes being smart.
- One describes giving off light.
- One describes being fast.
- One describes an emotionally positive, uplifting mood.
Since the sentence is about the hopeful, lifted feeling in the room, the meaning of "bright" that best fits is D) Cheerful.