A words in context question tests whether you can use the text to find a missing word's meaning. Read the whole passage, then ask how the person's situation changes and what the blank says about their response. Use signal words to tell whether the ideas around the blank agree, contrast, or show cause and effect. Then predict in plain words and check each word's meaning, because a word can sound natural without saying what the text shows.
Hints
- Hint 1
Look for the change in Maya's situation across the first sentence.
- Hint 2
Use Maya's progress and the words after the blank to predict the missing verb in plain words.
Step-by-step
Use the change as a clue
Step 1Find the change
Maya found writing the novel intimidating at first, but later she finally reached the last chapter. What clue does that change give us for the missing word? The moment with the blank comes after she's reached a hard goal, so it describes her response to success.
- Step 2
Predict her response
The words before beginning revisions show that she pauses before starting the next stage of work. What does she allow herself time to do with her accomplishment? A short break to enjoy what she's achieved makes sense here, so let's predict take pleasure in her success.
- Step 3
Check the exact meanings
Test the choices with in her accomplishment. Lament means express sorrow, and hesitate means pause because you're unsure, so neither means enjoying a success. Dwell means to live somewhere, and when it means to think about something, it usually uses on, not the sentence's in. Revel means take great pleasure, so revel in describes her enjoyment of achieving her goal. Choice B.