Question 60·Hard·Words in Context
As the biographer sifted through the playwright’s correspondence spanning four decades, she observed the gradual evolution of his voice: early letters radiate youthful bravura, whereas the later ones exude a ______ confidence, a calm certainty born of hard-won experience.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT Words-in-Context questions, always anchor your choice in the sentence’s clues, not in what the word usually means on its own. First, underline the key context around the blank—especially any definitions, restatements, or descriptions nearby (often after commas or colons). Next, decide the tone (positive/negative, calm/excited, mature/immature). Then plug each option into the sentence and actively eliminate any that clash with that tone or make the sentence sound illogical. Usually only one word will clearly align with the meaning created by the context.
Hints
Look closely after the comma
Reread the part after the blank: “a calm certainty born of hard-won experience.” This phrase is explaining the kind of confidence in the blank. Use it as your main clue.
Think about the tone of the later letters
Ask yourself: Does the writer seem loud and showy, chaotic and unfocused, or steady and sure of himself? Match that overall feeling to the best answer choice.
Test each option in the sentence
Silently read the sentence with each choice in the blank. Which one keeps the meaning consistent with “a calm certainty born of hard-won experience,” and which ones make the sentence sound off or contradictory?
Step-by-step Explanation
Use the context around the blank
Focus on the description after the colon and comma: “the later ones exude a ______ confidence, a calm certainty born of hard-won experience.” The words after the comma restate and explain the blank. So whatever goes in the blank must match the idea of “a calm certainty” that comes from long experience.
Decide the tone and type of confidence
The confidence here is:
- Calm, not loud or showy
- Certain and steady, not random or scattered
- Based on “hard-won experience,” which suggests maturity and thoughtfulness
So the correct word should suggest a steady, mature kind of confidence with a positive or at least respectful tone.
Eliminate choices that clash with this idea
Check each incorrect option against the idea of calm, experience-based confidence:
- Unilateral usually means one-sided, especially about decisions or actions (for example, a unilateral decision). That doesn’t describe a kind of confidence in this context.
- Effervescent means bubbly, lively, sparkling with high energy. That sounds more like “youthful bravura” in the early letters, not the calm, seasoned confidence of the later ones.
- Desultory means aimless, lacking a clear plan, jumping from one thing to another. This contradicts “calm certainty” and sounds disorganized, not confident.
None of these three match the calm, steady tone created by the description in the sentence.
Match the remaining choice to the context
With the other options eliminated, the remaining choice is “measured.” “Measured” describes something that is careful, deliberate, and controlled, which fits perfectly with “a calm certainty born of hard-won experience.” So the correct answer is A) measured.