Question 132·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Craft and Structure
The committee’s response to the proposal was decidedly ______: members praised its innovative scope yet questioned the feasibility of its underlying assumptions.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT Words-in-Context questions, first ignore the choices and restate the sentence in your own words, using clues like contrast words ("but," "yet"), cause-effect words ("because," "so"), and tone. Decide what kind of idea belongs in the blank (for example, full approval, mixed response, strong criticism). Then test each answer by plugging it into the sentence and asking, “Does this match the meaning from context and keep the tone consistent?” Be especially alert for common words with secondary meanings (like "qualified" meaning limited or conditional), since those often provide the correct, precise fit.
Hints
Pay attention to the contrast word
Look closely at the phrase "praised its innovative scope yet questioned the feasibility". What does the word "yet" tell you about the relationship between these two actions?
Decide the overall tone of the response
Is the committee’s response completely positive, completely negative, or somewhere in between? Think about how both praise and questioning combine to create an overall impression.
Match the tone to the choices
Ask for each option: Would this describe a reaction that includes both praise and doubts? Eliminate any word that suggests total agreement, no doubt, or a reaction that is extreme in only one direction.
Step-by-step Explanation
Use the context clues around the blank
Focus on the part of the sentence after the colon: "members praised its innovative scope yet questioned the feasibility of its underlying assumptions." The word "yet" signals a contrast: they praised one aspect but questioned another. This tells you the overall response is not completely positive or completely negative; it’s mixed or partly approving and partly doubtful.
Paraphrase the kind of response
Put the sentence into your own words without the blank: "The committee’s response to the proposal was decidedly ______: they liked how innovative it was, but they doubted whether its assumptions would really work." This sounds like limited approval or approval with reservations, not full agreement.
Test each answer choice against that meaning
Now check each option and ask: Can this describe a response that includes both praise and doubts?
- A word that means everyone completely agrees would not fit, because some members are expressing doubts.
- A word that means not softened or not moderated would suggest a reaction that is very strong in one direction, which doesn’t match the balanced tone.
- A word that means firm or unwavering would also suggest no doubts, again clashing with the fact that they questioned assumptions.
- Only one option describes approval that is limited or conditional, matching praise combined with questioning.
Select the best-fitting word
The only choice that means limited or conditional approval—approval with reservations—is “qualified,” so the best completion is: “The committee’s response to the proposal was decidedly qualified …”.