A words in context question tests whether you can use sentence clues to find a missing word’s meaning. Read the whole sentence and find the linking word, or signal, between its two parts. A contrast signal sets up opposite ideas; a signal of agreement links similar ideas. Then predict the missing meaning in plain words and test each choice by its meaning. A word can sound natural while expressing an attitude the text doesn’t support.
Hints
- Hint 1
Look at the word linking the sentence’s two parts. What relationship does it set up between what the mayor acknowledges and her attitude about balancing the budget?
- Hint 2
Predict the mayor’s attitude in plain words. Should it follow the direction of the financial challenges, or turn away from it?
Step-by-step
Follow the contrast
Step 1Find the contrast
The mayor acknowledged the city’s financial challenges, so our clue is that balancing the budget may be hard. How should the missing attitude relate to that difficulty? but remained is the signal: but turns against the clue, so her attitude must contrast with the challenges.
- Step 2
Predict the attitude
What does the blank describe her attitude toward? It’s her administration’s ability to balance the budget by year’s end, so we’re judging her outlook on reaching a goal, not whether the city has problems. She recognizes the obstacles without giving up hope of success. Predict hopeful about succeeding.
- Step 3
Match the meaning
Indifferent means not caring, skeptical means doubtful, and vague means unclear or not specific. Those meanings don’t give the hope that the contrast but remained calls for. Optimistic means hopeful and confident about how things will turn out, so it expresses confidence in reaching the budget goal. Choice D.